search for stand 21 brand. theyre used by formula drivers in europe incl F1.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ekek888 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">search for stand 21 brand. theyre used by formula drivers in europe incl F1.</TD></TR></TABLE>

http://www.stand21.net/

 

Big fan of the Bell helmets. They get a from me for sizing consistency.

 

Firstly, thanks everyone for the useful replies

Jimmy (slammed_93) - I had somehow missed your link previously. That Simpson does indeed look like a candidate.

To the Stand 21 contingent...I hear ya, I'm sure that's nice stuff. The ones I've found, however, are a thousand dollars. I said price was largely unimportant when I started the thread, but a thousand dollars is a little excessive to me.

Rich, I like the Bell stuff as well - my outgoing one has served me well, even if it smells like...well...something that doesn't smell very good. Nine years of use without a balaclava, can't very well complain.

And to anyone reading this for information - use a balaclava. Had I used one I'm convinced my current helmet would be good for another year, which would allow me an SA2005 like someone suggested. Trouble is, I nearly get sick when I put this thing on. Not the hot ticket for endurance racing.

 

Karl,

I'm a sucker for nice helmet as to me driver wear is very important. I used Bieffe F1GP and Arai GP5S before. But currently I really like Motorquality MQ1 helmet. They are really nice and cool inside. The vents work great.

A friend use OMP and really happy with his too. I would give either of them a try.

If you are buying OMP, please give my friend Frank a call at http://www.ompamerica.com

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And to anyone reading this for information - use a balaclava. Had I used one I'm convinced my current helmet would be good for another year, which would allow me an SA2005 like someone suggested. Trouble is, I nearly get sick when I put this thing on. Not the hot ticket for endurance racing.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Unfortunately those Balaclavas can be so unbelievably hot. I got sweaty hot just trying mine on for 10 minutes.

Or you can use Simpson Helmet Fresh spray and let the helmet air out every day.
I give it a light coat at the end of the day, then stick the helmet over the A/C vent in the hotel (or at least leave it out to air out)
After 3 years of around 15 weekends a year my helmet smells fine, in fact there is even a bit of the "new" smell still.

zipping up your helmet wet with sweat in your helmet bag is about the worst thing you can do.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by elgorey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">zipping up your helmet wet with sweat in your helmet bag is about the worst thing you can do.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I think I've pretty well learned that lesson with this one. Been doing that for years with obvious, and unfortunate, results.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Trouble is, I nearly get sick when I put this thing on. Not the hot ticket for endurance racing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hell, I get sick just looking at that horror. I can't believe you actually put your head in that thing. You should send it to Fear Factor. That or we need to burn it, but stay at a safe distance, it might actually vaporize up in a cloud of greenish toxic smoke. Just stay up-wind is all I'm sayin'.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Andrie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you are buying OMP, please give my friend Frank a call at http://www.ompamerica.com</TD></TR></TABLE>

I just checked him out. Those helmets are under 600 bucks! I'm quite surprised that some of these high end helmets aren't as expensive. I was going into this thinking I would be spending Stand 21 kind of money.

When I first went wheel to wheel I cheaped out on all my safety gear except my suit. As I upgrade to more expensive stuff, I am consistently impressed with the jump in quality. Hopefully I'll feel the same with the helmets.

Thanks guys. Great ideas.

 

Karl, I would not necessarily put an OMP helmet above Bell, Simpson, Arai or Biaffe. Having owned one of their "high end" driver suits and racing gloves of the same price point as my Simpsons, it will take a major improvement for me to buy them again. YMMV and I am sure the same can be said replacing names as one chooses but I would not put OMP on a pedestal.

 

Do higher-end helmets not use removable liners?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WRXRacer111 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do higher-end helmets not use removable liners?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll let you guys know. Many of the websites I've been looking at don't specify.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by black3door &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

shields for 5S won't fit the k

not a rebadged K, the eyeports are different</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm the poster from the clubrsx link. As far as I can tell the Arai GP5S and GP5K are the same helmet. Just named differently for Japan/North America and Europe. Look at the pics for both models on the Arai site (Japan site and North America site), they look identical. And according to Speedware the GP5 and GP5K use the same shield, despite the wider eye port on the GP5K. If you look closely at the pics the difference in eye port height is on the inside of the shield.

 

i'll have to look at the gp5k in person then

thanks for your input

 

A followup...

At Road Atlanta this past weekend, I tried on a Sparco WTT F1. It was too small for me but the helmet itself is very impressive. Built-in hearing protection! It's got these hollows, surrounded by soft rubber, where your ears are. Subesports.com claims a 25dB reduction in noise...bye bye earplugs! Also allows for easy fitting of a communicator or radio setup. The helmet looks great and is beautifully constructed. I've got AdamITR of Curpier Motorsports pricing one for me currently.

I also found on subesports.com that Stand 21 stuff is around $800. It's a lot of money, but it's the lightest helmet on the market, and you can get variable-thickness pads for it. So that pretty well guarantees a perfect fit. Of course, the pad kit is around $70...ouch.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WRXRacer111 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do higher-end helmets not use removable liners?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes and no. The high-end Bell stuff (either the Excelerator or the Dominator, I forget which) I looked at did not have removable padding. The Sparco F1 does (their others do not). I'm unclear on the OMP helmets, and have not looked at Simpson. Stand 21 has removable pads on their F21, which appears to be their only full face helmet that has a flip-down visor.

The high-end helmets, I've noticed, also tend to have machined aluminum parts for things like hinges and d-rings. Impervious to corrosion. Some (Stand 21, Sparco) are available pre-fitted with HANS posts.

--Karl, fingers crossed that he can afford (and fit in) that Sparco WTT F1...