CosmosMpower

I've mostly set up my GT3 for track duty now with an OEM club sport roll bar, Schroth Profi 6 point harness, Recaro SPG XL seats and I'm starting to look into head and neck restraint options.

I mostly just run DE, maybe occasional time trial but no w2w or club racing. I also instruct so I spend a lot of time in the right seat. My understanding is that a conventional HANS would not do me any good if I'm in a student's mostly stock car wearing a 3 point seat belt, correct?

If that's true I've seen the Simpson hybrid device that looks like a HANS with a vest of straps that you put on. Is that a good system that would work with both my own setup (6 point, fixed back seat) as well as a students car?

Gary R.

Standard HANS requires the shoulder straps of a 5-6 point harness. The Simpson Hybrid, to be fully effective, requires the same thing. I've read that the Hybrid has been tested with standard 3 point belts but nothing is published. I will use it with 3-points as it absolutely won't hurt and I fully believe it will help to some extent due to it's design. I have the latest one, they no longer require a back pad in the seat.

CosmosMpower

Interesting I was hoping that there would be data that the Simpson hybrid or another design would be fully effective with a 3 point in a stock street car. I'm more worried about an incident in a student's car where I won't have a 6 point the majority of the time.

Gary R.

Fully effective will never happen with a 3 point belt. The HANS is just one piece of a safety system, even with full harnesses...

CosmosMpower

In that case I may go with HANS since it seems less complicated.

Circuit Motorsports

Think about what your torso is doing in a 3 point belt. Is it going to be held in place like it would be in a 6pt harness? No. That's what causes the neck issues. In a 6pt harness your body isn't going to move but your head does. In the 3 point your body is moving around a LOT more. If it didn't we'd be seeing lots of people with the 'basilar skull fractures' driving around town.

CosmosMpower

So a 3 point is overall safer in a crash but doesn't hold you in as well as a 6 point?

winders

No, that is not what he said. Without a Hans Device, or some other similar product, you are less likely to experience a basilar skull fracture with a 3 point belt system versus a 6 point system.

mrbill_fl

fwiw, I wear the R3 H&N in my car w/ 6 point belts

in students cars sometimes with a torso belt around the seat and a belt lock.



-ymmv

Schist4Brainz

The HANS device is designed to work in tandem with the fixed (i.e. no tensioners) dual shoulder belts of 5- and 6-point harnesses ONLY with fixed seats. In the event of a front end collision they will do nothing with 3-point seat belts and articulated seats. Nor do you even need a HANS with 3-point belts, for the reasons that have been mentioned here. If you are really worried about basilar skull fracture you could try a Hutchens device, which works independently of the harnesses and uses your torso to restrain your head, or use a foam race collar, which works with any setup. Both options are rather inexpensive.

audipwr1

Foam collar is a joke for this usage Fyi. Only good in karting to save a collarbone break from being run over

Without harness,Hans,race seat (all together) safest to use oem airbags and 3 points

TXE36

It has been claimed that the R3 will work with 3 point belts, but those claims are not substantially supported. I use one with 3 point belts when instructing following the idea of it is better than nothing, but the 3 point belt protection claim is barely there.

Compared with the Hans, the R3 is bulky. It also has sharp hardware behind the headrest and one has to be careful to tape this up or it can scratch leather seats. For a car with proper belts, I think I'd prefer a Hans style device, I will likely get one someday and save the R3 for student use. The Hans looks easier to put on and take off.

I think the idea the a BSF won't happen in a 3 point belt may not be quite so true. Sure, there is a lot of freedom to move around normally in a 3 point, but in an impact, the tensioners are supposed to at least lock, and in many cases there is an active belt tightener, so it is a lot more rigid when something actually happens. I am also pretty sure that BSFs happen on the street in bad accidents, but the chances of it there are reduced by the lack of a helmet, lower speeds and perhaps the airbag.

My $0.02.

-Mike

CosmosMpower

Thanks for all the input. It sounds like I should just get the best device that works in my own car and not based it on dual use in my car and student cars.

Is the R3 a hybrid style similar to the simpson hybrid?

If I go with a true HANS style how do you guys choose one? There are so many options/styles/price points.

RickBetterley

Hi Mike
Not to be the nanny here, but I'd encourage you (and others) to avoid the 'someday' trap if possible when it comes to safety equipment.
The first thing the rescue crew said to me (after the initial check) was how glad they were to see I had good safety equipment. And how surprised they are when drivers don't have a HANS.
I wonder what they say when it's a bad wreck?

TXE36

I understand the "someday" trap, but that isn't really what's going on here. I don't have any reason to think the R3 isn't as safe as a Hans with 5/6 pt belts. I want to get a Hans just because it appears easier to put on.

The R3 has a chest strap and belt guides for shoulder harnesses. It is very similar to the hybrid, but it does not have straps the go down to the lap belts.

I bought the R3 specifically because it would give me Hans level of protection with 5/6 point belts and possibly some protection in student's cars.

-Mike