Will be going to the Alps in a couple of months and thought I’d better start getting some suitable protection together, starting with a full face helmet. Other than a good fit – what do I need to be looking for? Also any recommendations on makes/models would be appreciated. Ta muchly.

As I understand it….

It’s hard to find a ‘safety rating’ for them, they all have to comply with CE EN1078 to be sold in Europe, but that the same for every cycle helmet, not just Full face lids. Still they DO work, but like anything else they don’t offer total protection.

So it’s hard to decide on safety, they should all be much of a muchness, you pay extra for lightness, clever design which increases air-flow and looks.

If it’s only for a week in the Alps, I’d go for a well known brand, that’s on offer from a known supplier – 661 lids are often cheap, as are ‘last years’ if you’ve got a massive head (like me) or a very small one.

Everyone is obviously going to recommend what they have. I bough the kali avator from http://www.edgeactionsports.co.uk/collections/kali-special-offers as its a high quality light helmet at a much reduced price being the older model. Certainly considerably better than the 661 that comes in at a similar price point.

I think low weight is a “feature” worth aiming for if possible, I certainly wish my current helmet (TLD D3) was lighter. Sweet protection and urge seem to be lighter than average while still offering full protection.

Also worth trying on with goggles to get a combination that works, never had a problem myself, but have known a couple of people who were just unable to get any goggles to sit right on their faces with their helmets and ended up changing helmets.

Bump for the evening crowd

I’ve had various offerings from 661, Bell etc. Never found anything as instantly well fitting, and let’s be honest, good looking, as my Troy Lee D2.
If there is any offers about it’s worth trying TLD. They do seem to do helmets very well.
Obviously, fit is the most important factor though so try several different types.

MSP – Member

I think low weight is a “feature” worth aiming for if possible

Definitely- makes a big difference to comfort/strain (my old heavy 661 was much more tiring to ride in) but also Science says lighter is better in a crash too, weight increases dwell time (*) of the peak force on your brain, and stresses the spine more.

(ie not the deceleration itself but the length of time you experience the deceleration; this makes a big difference apparently- it’s not just how hard you bounce but how long it takes)

Comfort is a big deal imo, a protective helmet is one you’ll actually wear all day, that won’t boil your head and distract you. I reckon my Urge ticks all the boxes pretty well, it has superior venting, it’s a fair weight, and it wasn’t too expensive…

The other thing though… I took both hats to the Alps last time but I only wore the fullface for 2 days- and was quite happy to have it, for going mad at Pila and La Thuile but was happier in the openface every other day. On the 2 previous trips, I’ve left the fullface at home, if I could only take one I’d take the openface. It depends what you’re riding- I go for #enduro riding not big mad dh jumps and that, so it’s still demanding riding but generally without the huge impact speeds.

But then again I think it was only me and the guides in open face in my group, everyone else was fullface. And lots of people choose fullface for UK riding that I consider obviously openface territory, enduro racing and that. So there’s loads of ymmvs here. You may be prettier than me.

Depending on how gnar you are a bell super 2r or met parachute may be worth a look.

ASTM F1952 is the DH specific helmet standard and a safer bet than bog standard CE certification

I have a Giro Remedy that was one of the first to meet this standard, I don’t have much call to use it any more but its there in case a trip arises

my previous lid was a KBC Super Moto lid that met ACU Gold (motorbike) as I was throwing myself on my bike off the tops of quarries very regularly and reasoned that more protection was probably a good idea

Giro remedy

esher shore – Member

ASTM F1952 is the DH specific helmet standard and a safer bet than bog standard CE certification

Yep, but it lacks industry acceptance so it’s not that useful a standard sadly- lacking the certificate often just means they didn’t think it was worthwhile submitting for it. There’s some issues with the test too, the fixed stresstest locations means that if a helmet has a vent under that exact point, it can’t pass- but if the exact same vent was 10mm away, maybe it would. Pretty daft that, same sort of issue SHARP had for motorbikes. I’d have liked to see it be a real success since the CEN is so crap for pushbikes.

(interesting that Giro are back on board though, they actually let the certification lapse on the Remedy even though it was compliant- but I see the new one is F1952.)

F1592 only tests a chinguard if it’s present which is a bit bonkers so open face helmets can also again it!?

Fortunately most helmets are pretty good these days, just get one that fits snugly

Yeah, also I never could get a straight answer on whether a fullface with a bad chinguard could pass if they just declared it to be not a protective piece- a roost shield or whatever- there’s a lot of evasion/workaround in CEN tests for things like this (*) but I don’t know about ASTM. The summary’s pretty unclear and the full text isn’t freely available.

It’s not a bad idea- they wanted the test to work for pisspots- but they should have made it 2 standards rather than fudging it.

Also, it doesn’t seem to factor in weight or rotation at all, as far as I can tell it’s all oldschool. IIRC one of the MIPS hats passes in non-MIPS format but fails with the MIPS, frinstance.

(* so you get, frinstance, body armour suits that say “CE approved” but it turns out only the elbow pads are CE, and the spine protector isn’t)

Tried 661 lids for fit and found them on the smaller side and pushed into my cheeks quite a bit even in the largest one they did.

Used to have a d2 ages ago and loved it but I bagged a one industry’s off here like new for a good price, tool a chance it would fit and its the lightest and best fitting lid I’ve had on my melon head.

My top priorities would be
Fit
Goggle fit
Weight
Vents
Price

If your not going full on dh then some of the new lids like the bell super and the met parachute may be a better investment.

Lots of the alps is no harder, as technical or as fast as the UK. Just depends what you call home. There was plenty around the Les Arcs area and surrounding trails where a rail lid was more suited.

Unless you live somewhere with a decent bike shop the challenge will be to find a range to try on. It amazes me people any lid on line. Even open faces. They fit so differently. I fit 661 and not giro. I’ve not been able to try any other brands of full face.