After my run in last week with the ground been thinking about one of THESE, so waste of space or sound investment?
Bike Forum
[closed]
Met Parachute, honest opinion please
-
Posted 1 year ago #
-
My opinion is you should've bought one last wednesday
Posted 1 year ago # -
A mate of mine has one and swears by it, he's managed a couple of decent faceplants and it did the job. Seen a couple of people make use of the face protection too and it seemed effective.
I don't like them though, the jawbone sticks out an awful long way which seems like it'll attract impacts and increase twisting etc. So I decided against it myself. I've nothing against the idea but the execution doesn't seem right.
Someone'll post that pic of the guy with the broken Parachute and cut face in a minute I reckon... But they won't speculate what the guy's face might have looked like without the helmet
Posted 1 year ago # -
geordiemick00 - Member
My opinion is you should've bought one last wednesday
**** off
Posted 1 year ago # -
I got one as I wanted a lid for road, XC and trail centre riding. Peak off for road use, peak on for XC and full face for trail centres. It meets the requirements fine, but isnt that comfy in full face mode. Taking lid off and putting on with the jaw guard is a bit of a pain around the ears, but I can live with that.
Sound investment IMO, although not tested its toughness, gladly
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've rubbed my face along the ground a couple of times with mine. I'm happy with it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've just bought one. Initial worries about it being too warm were soon allayed, it is better ventilated than my Xen. It is not noticeably heavier either, nor does the chinguard interfere with my field of view. The chinguard is quite pointy- perhaps to help deflect your head sideways onto your shoulder for support?
To date I have a couple of niggles though.
I need to take my glasses off to put the helmet on, then put my glasses back on.
I feel silly in it on some rides- so I use the Xen on those ones where I don't wan't to feel too gnarrly.
I forget about the chinguard when I want a drink, and it gets in the way. I can manage this though.
I have had a cold that I cannot shake off since before Christmas. Hawking up and gobbing out a big lump of phlegm is something I'm not keen to do again in a hurry
Posted 1 year ago # -
The chinbar is not tested as a part of standards testing and contains no EPS so will do little to take the energy out of impacts.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Had one for a couple of years and it did the job fine, used it in the alps and hit the floor and got face deflected from the rough stuff. Took plenty of heavyweight knocks and is still in the garage.
Feels very light weight compared to proper full face.
Now will pull up a chair and wait for the posts explaining how it will explode on impact etc. etc. etc.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I bought mine with a view to using it in the Alps. I'm usually happy enough riding all the South Wales trail centres with out pads or a FF hat, but decided to get one anyway.
Prior to MTB I did a lot of white-water kayaking and would regularly use a FF helmet.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Been my only choice of helmet for years now (previously a Giro Switchblade). Looks flimsy and a bit shit if I'm honest, but the chinguard does a decent job. Saved my face a few times, most recently nosediving off a 4' skinny onto my 'nads/stem and face/skinny. Couple of scrapes on the chinguard (not my face), nice lump on my pubis bone...
I was considering a change back to something like a Giro Xen prior to that most recent event too. Not now.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I bought one after a face / rock near interface. It is OK, but I found the padding way too thin, which made it rub, so I've gone back to using roadie lids instead.
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you're instinct after crashing is to pad up more, and more and more...then buy a Parachute for XC riding.
Otherwise, perhaps you might want to get some expert advice as to why you spanked your face into rocks in the first place - in which case get some skillz! So, give a decent instructor a call.
Posted 1 year ago # -
The chinbar is not tested as a part of standards testing and contains no EPS so will do little to take the energy out of impacts.
So you definately know it will do little to take energy out of impacts because it hasn't been tested? (how do you know, until it has been tested?)
Soz TJ, I know your'e Anti Lid! (dunno any of your other Aunties though.) I've got a Parachute but I've not yet crashed & burned while wearing it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
essel - because it is the EPS that absorbs the energy in helmets. Thats what reduces the injury - having the deceleration over a longer distance and some of the enrage getting dissipated in the collapse of the EPS. That is how helmets work.
As there is no EPS in the chinbar then these two mechanisms cannot work and they are the main ways that a helmet reduces injury.;
Posted 1 year ago # -
the jawbone sticks out an awful long way which seems like it'll attract impacts and increase twisting etc
That's so it's not a PITA for breathing etc
The chinbar is not tested as a part of standards testing and contains no EPS so will do little to take the energy out of impacts.
It might stop stuff going into your face though. Has been said the jaw-bit splits and goes right into your face though.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hmmm, I've actually busted 2 lids from whacking my heed on, a) a gate, & b) a tree stump. Don't think either had an EPS thingywotsit though, & I suffered no serious injury from either.
I am however conviced that the 'gate' incident would have been very different without the lid. (I did see stars on impact)Posted 1 year ago # -
That's so it's not a PITA for breathing etc
It's a PITA for gozzing though. I kept forgetting, & hockling into the chinbar!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've got one, and although not a replacement for a full face I do think that for many more minor offs on XC rides it will protect the face as it should.
Posted 1 year ago # -
essel - all helmets have EPS - thats the Expanded PolyStyrene liner., Its the main bit of the helmet and the bit that absorbs impact
Posted 1 year ago # -
TJ, I still think the gate (Wark Forest) would have come out on top had I not been wearing a lid. (wasn't a Parrotshoot mind)
There again, it was a very unusual situation!Posted 1 year ago # -
I think they look horrible.
Must admit, when I see one of them out xc riding, I do think his mum made him wear that, and the knee pads, and elbow pads, and shin pads, and back brace etc.
If you really feel your face is that pretty that you'd put that contraption on your head then fire on.
Otherwise, look at how you managed to eat dirt in the first place and deal with it in a fashion conscious way.
Posted 1 year ago # -
What meaningful difference would EPS make when compression is not, and cannot be, the failure mode?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Al - go and read up on how helmets work or read my explanation above. The EPS absorbs the energy. It gets comnpressed between your head and what yo hit. Thats how helmets work. They don't need any rigidity.
Posted 1 year ago # -
That's why helmets only work once.
Posted 1 year ago # -
It's not quite that simple though, the chinpiece of any full facer isn't designed to absorb blows in the same way as the skullcap (after all it's mostly not in contact with anything). It'll transmit some energy into the foam elsewhere though. Same with motorbike helmets, the amount of foam in the chinpiece is vestigal (it's only about 10mm thick on my Arais but that thin foam is also full of air vents).
But, that's only one part of it... Riddle me this, if gloves don't have EPS or any similiar way of reducing an impact, does that mean they can't protect you in a crash? If you take a hard hit full on the chin, it'll push the helmet back and it'll most likely not make an enormous amount of difference to the force of the blow- if you were going to break your jaw, then most likely you're still going to. But, you're not going to scrape your face off on a load of rock. It'll also potentially do a bit of spreading and relocating the blow (a tree going for your teeth won't get there)
Posted 1 year ago # -
the amount of foam in the chinpiece is vestigal (it's only about 10mm thick on my Arais but that thin foam is also full of air vents)
Indeed. There's actually zero on my MX helmet.Full face helmets are to stop you getting gravel rash on your face.
Posted 1 year ago # -
See above TJ.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't disagree with that northwind - apart from my FF motorcycle helmet has significant EPS in the chinbar. Chinbars on motorcycle helmets are not tested either IIRC.
All I was doing was pointing out the limitation of a helmet like the met parachute. Teh casco viper is a similar function helmet abut the chinbar is eps hence it will have greater protection
Posted 1 year ago # -
Al - go and read up how helmets work - as usual you actually fail to understand a fundamental point
Posted 1 year ago # -
I know how they work, stop grasping for assumptions about what I have said.
How can a chin-piece fit close enough to the face for compression to be the failure mode?
Posted 1 year ago # -
*hums* "the circle of life"
Posted 1 year ago # -
Oh, missed this one:
Me: the jawbone sticks out an awful long way which seems like it'll attract impacts and increase twisting etccynic-al: That's so it's not a PITA for breathing etc
It sticks out further than my proper full face and it makes no difference to breathing, despite having more structure and coverage.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Al - I suggest you go and read up on this. You clearly don't understand how a helmet works or have grasp of the physics involved and you won't accept an explanation from me.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Northwind YOU WANT TO BATTLE
My point was it's not close to your face, and when they are they're a PITA as they steam up yer goggles, tough to drink etc.
It was also about how EPS is not relevant.
Posted 1 year ago #
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.
