Track day helmet - beginner recommendations?

Hi all,

I'm looking to start getting involved a bit more in a few beginner trackdays. I've missed out on a few of the recent club events but with inters looming I need to get hold of a decent helmet. I'm not really wanting to spend a lot but wondered if anyone could recommend a starter lid that will meet trackday regs?

I think I'd prefer an open face one and was looking at this offering from OMP:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/helmets/omp-star-helmet

Sparco also do one in a similar price bracket:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/helmets/sparco-club-j1-helmet

I know you shouldn't put a price on your health but I think if I put my mk2 into a wall, a helmet will be the least of my worries lol

Any help appreciated

 

Both good starter helmets, I have both. Used as spares now after upgrading to a 650 sparco helmet.
good starter, not much wasted if you don't use it often and then upgrade when your ready.

Open face is good if you take passengers, go for closed face if it's just you, better protection. Little more money though.

 

The question is how far are you going to push the car? If it's your daily pride and joy you shouldn't be pushing to hard
Also your speeds will be less if it's a standard motor but you'll have more momentum as it's a heavier car
Cars like mine and smithys are light with varying degrees of power so speeds are higher but stopping easier to a degree and we have roll cages to protect us
I've got a nice bell open face rally helmet second hand off eBay had been worn 2 or 3 times paid 50 also bought 6 40 viper helmets in different sizes for my friends to wear when the come with melol
In my opinion second hand is no problem just make sure no serious scratches or wearand not been dropped as these things weaken the helmet
Second hand is only the same or way better than a rental helmet or a helmet at go karting how many times have they been worn?
Get one off eBay but check for ce mark for safety standard you can get some nice helmets been bought for track days and rarely wornlol

 

650 sparco, now that's a man with money!
Jon

 

I know my mates a race driver , racing and practicing every couple of weeks and doing track instruction every week and his helmet was about that much but I think his hahns device cost a bit as well lol

 

Cheers guys, yeah I won't be spending 650 lol

The car is nowhere near a dedicated track weapon, I'm aiming more towards relatively fast road car territory. If it was caged etc then I can see it making sense to spend more on a decent lid but I just need something for the occasional weekend use. I'm guessing the more you spend the lighter and stronger the lid is!

I thought with an open face it might make it a little easier to be aware of the surroundings but it will probs just be for me so is a full face a better option?

 

Have a look at the "Plays-Kool" web site


http://www.plays-kool.co.uk/acatalog/Snell---FIA-Helmets-1.html

They offer budget helmets that should start you off ok.

I haven't bought a helmet from them but did buy a set of race overalls and nomex underwear and was very pleased with the product and service.

Also have a look at Hedtec http://www.hedtec.co.uk/ I use one of their open face helmets for racing and have been very happy with it.

Always best to try on before you buy if you can - helmets may appear to be the same size but are usually shaped differently. I once had to bin a Large Bell full face helmet as it pinched my forehead and bought a Medium Sparco instead, which was a better fit.

 

This is your life we are talking about, I started with the sparco open face helmet your looking at, then bought the omp one for passengers to save them renting one.

I also do a lot of go karting and got fed up of using the smelly rental helmets so started looking for a good closed face helmet, slowly you start off thinking about the 200 mark then oh that one looks nice 300, oh we'll as I'm looking at that one may as well look at this one only a bit more etc etc etc 650 later.... What have I done

Glad I bought it though, it's a great bit of kit.

 

Do you where a helmet every day?
Percentage wise you're more likely to have a crash on the road
You've seen my car crash pics no helmet therelol
If you crash bad enough to damage a 50 helmet I think you've got more problems than a 650 helmets going to helplol
It's your neck that becomes the weak spot I'd rather get a cheaper helmet and neck pad than an expensive helmet
It's like all things a 650 helmet is not 13 times better than a 50 helmet it's the scale of diminishing returns
A 300 hp car isn't 3 times faster than 100 hp and it also costs a lot more than three times the moneylol

 

Just to throw into the mix head tech helmets. I got 2 of them one for me and girlfriend. Fully snell approved helmets and great price. Supplied by a local company to us who do track days.

 

Probably very true lol

 

I agree with vr6smith, full face helmet for the driver since there's no airbag.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, some good info there. Headtek site is down at the moment but will check those out when its active again.

I completely appreciate what is being said about a full face offering more protection (I'm certainly not ruling it out), but being realistic, putting a road going mk2 into a wall at 90+ isn't going to end well no matter whats on your head. Something I will be trying very hard to avoid lol. I just thought an open face one may offer better visibility.

Out of interest are there any restrictions at trackdays regarding open face helmets? Obviously anything without a roof is a no go unless you have a full face with visor etc.

As has already been said I think I need to go and try some on, its just finding a decent motorsport shop fairly local. I'm at Castle Coombe at the weekend, might peruse Merlin Motorsport.

 

Never had my helmet checked on a trackday... That sounds bad lol

 

lol

 

Golden rule: Always buy the best you can afford.

How much is your life worth?

 

Interesting debate.

How much is your head worth?

I run a Bell sport4 full face and a HANS.

HANS devices are mandatory down here in Aus in all but the very lowest classes of motorsport and we're probably only a year or two away from making them mandatory for club level sprints.

I'm told one of the differences between bike helmets and car helmets is that car helmets are built to take multiple hits to the same place as you would expect in a roll over, whereas bike helmets are only designed for a single blow when you come off the bike.

Open face helmets offer less face protection but you don't have to remove them to do CPR which is a good thing if you might have a spinal or brain injury.

I don't know if speed really comes into equation when it comes to choosing a helmet. If you go into the concrete at any speed you're going to want the best helmet you can afford.

 

x2

............and if no sun glasses and a bit bright dip your head and you`ve got a visor blind to look through.

To be realistic, how many track day cars crash and burn, some but not many or it would be banned or we`d all be wearing HANS.

Biggest risk if it turns over is glass dust and splinters in yer face but that's true of an open face without a visor.

More dangerous (and I am guilty) is a bucket seat with a harness but no roll over strengthening. In a normal car you`d sway sideways and the roof dent wont compress your spine/neck as it might when rigidly seated and strapped in.

I have an MX5 runaround with a proper roll bar behind the seats but it is low for me so as to accommodate the hood but it still offers more than nothing at all.

Life is dangerous in many ways we already accept or we wouldn't leave the house

 

Another one to consider is the V2 sport helmets. I have one of these and its brill, plus its a very good price

http://www.v2sport.com/

 

I appreciate you're point and agree with you but I think you're missing my point a bit. Judging by your sig you're clearly a competent and experienced driver and therefore can justify full race gear. I on the other hand am looking to start with a few occasional airfield 'club' days.

Its early days and I'm looking for starter gear. If things progress to something more serious I'll upgrade

Thanks, they look good Looks like they do a returns policy if it doesn't fit too which is good.