A buddy of mine who races had a long conversation with me last night about why he has to replace his helmet because his Snell 2000 certificiation has expired even though his helmet is only 6 years old. His point was this: His helmet was manufactured in 2004, but recieved a Snell 2000 certification- thus his helmet is only good for 6 years instead of 10. He also went on to say that he doesnt understand why DOT helmets do not have an expiration date, but racing helmets do. His conclusion was that the racing helmet manufacturers use the snell rating as a way to generate more sales.
I see his point. If you're buying a $600+ helmet to protect your head, you've obviously got your priorities straight in terms of racing safety. Then again, if the helmet is used only a dozen or so days a year, and spends the rest of its life in a climate controlled environment and out of harmful UV rays, what then causes the helmet to then "break down" and become structurally unsound? Furthermore, DOT helmets used by motorcyclists typically spend lots of hours in the sun and elements locked to the side of a bike, and might not be cared for in the same manner as a racing helmet. If the helmets have similar construction (composite shell with a polystyrene type energy absorbsion) , whats keeping the DOT helmet from needing replacement? My buddy thinks its all about the money and he makes a good logical arguement.
I offered this as an answer. Maybe, Snell and SFI have ever increasing requirements for a helmets ability to do its job. It seems reasonable to state that as technology progresses in material sciences, the helmets used for racing should utlize the latest and greatest advances in science - and do so solely for the purpose of increasing safety. I would certainly like to know what changes in have occurred testing and requirements by Snell between the year 2000, and 2005 certifications?
You draw some really important disitinctions here. I wonder if some lobbyist somewhere for the helmet manufacturers is to blame. Thanks for raising this issue.
ReplyDeleteWhat brands and certifications should you look for in helmets for someone starting in the kart racing?
ReplyDeleteKarting does not have the fire danger element that car racing does- thats why helmet manufacturers offer a "K" rated helmet and an "SA"rated helmet. SA rated helmets use nomex or other fire resistant materials in their liner and are approved for car racing where fires are a potential danger. K rated helmets are manufactured for karting applications where enclosed fires are not a potential hazard, and have similar construction in terms of energy absorbing structure, but are NOT fire resistant. Alot of local kart tracks allow DOT approved helmets, but as the saying goes " $10 head, $10 helmet". For kart racing, I'd recommend buying the best quality helmet you can afford from reputable manufacturers like Bell or Arai. Whatever you choose, treat your helmet like a precious, delicate item- do NOT let it fall and hit the ground, keep it far away from solvents and other typical trackside chemicals, keep it out of the sun as much as possible, and certainly clean it and store it indoors where it is air conditioned, and NOT inside your trailer.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about it, my mountain bike helmet gets 100 times more exposure and abuse in one year than my car helmet will ever see in its Snell lifetime and the bicycle helmet has no mandatory expiration date. Even so, I DO buy a new bicycle helmet about every other year, but its a bit easier because it costs maybe 1/10 the price of a good car racing helmet.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of your blog is very beautiful and the article is written very well, I will continue to focus on your article.
ReplyDeleteRacing Helmets