One of the local ITA CRX guys is going in for surgery this week to remove bone spurs from his c-spine. The damage was caused from a serious rollover he had on-track just one year ago...

This got me thinking. Is there any other neck support/protection out there other than the HANS or the Hutchins?

I know we are not running as fast and furious as the pros, or have their budgets, but still should be as important as the helmet IMO.

BTW - I'm using a RJS foam collar, but not sure if it's worth it...

Greg

 

Greg,

One day one of the workers took me to task for wearing my neck collar wrong - he told me that the end's needed to be behind my neck (ie put on the collar and fasten the velcro under your chin, then rotate the collar 180 degrees). I've never followed up on what he was talking about - but he was quite adamant.

I notice in the latest Sportscar that there's a new HANS for $975.

Scott, who doesn't want his head to pull out and leave him with X's in his eyes....

 

drawing flies....

neck collar... correctly sized and worn =

Will
-who likes Soundgarden

 

Agreed. There still is a lot of potential compression of that foam if the neck was thrashed about. I was just wondering if its enough support to prevent c-spine injury.

Greg - who wished there was a knockoff HANS for $299.00

 

I can make one for you.

Now where's that big piece of cardboard the dog was playing with the other day...

 

Straight trade for a beer-can splitter?

 

fuggin A!

nick, who thinks VAN-hagar sucked

 

http://www.kineticracing.com/restraint/

 

I use the Sparco collar with the big bulge thing in the back (velcro in the front).

 

when i used to kart race, the foam style neck collars were mandatory and, to be honest with you, i don't think they do much. i had some pretty serious "incidents" while karting and was left with an extremely sore neck on a number of occasions. when you look at the typical foam collar, all it would really do is move the point of stress down a few vertabre. when i bumped up to cars, i immediately stopped wearing a head/neck support for comfort reasons but that changed quickly. most of the series that i run in REQUIRE a neck support i.e. HANS or Hutchens devices. i've worn a HANS device and did not like it much at all. it's restrictive and bulky and it really gets in the way during quick driver changes. also, i had problems with the belts slipping off the carbon "yoke" of the HANS. my dad and i each decided to wear the Hutchens devices and i feel that it is much better suited for my purposes. it's not nearly as bulky, and the quick releases make it easy to unhook if the need be. we both modified the devices to be completely self-contained (during driver changes in endurance racing, you don't have time to hook the device into the harness as it was intended). we have both been using these modified Hutchens for about a year now and, unfortunately, we have both tested them in crash situations. needless to say, the devices worked and we walked away without even a bruise. it has been brought to my attention that the company that made the Hutchens has introduced a new model called the D-Cell and i feel that this new device is the best head and neck restraint on the market. again, that is just my opinion.

 

For the money, the hutchins device is the best thing out.(what I'm using) But now that there is a HANS for $975... it's tempting my credit card. Remember, an MRI costs that much alone(I've had one), and I know that surgery due to these injuries can cost much much more. Don't be another guy who says it won't happen to me.
BTW... that foam collar thing we wear isn't much more than a helmet rest.

 

you might want to check out the D-Cell. the HANS device isn't all it's cracked up to be...
http://www.hutchensdevice.com/html/html.html

i know that i sound like i'm trying to sell this damn thing, but i just feel that it is a good product. also, i'm sick of seeing fellow drivers getting hurt.

 

Thanks man.. just saw your previous post.. I always felt the hutchens needed another attachment in the rear of the helmet... and it looks like they have resolved that as well.. with the two-point D-Link strap on the D-Cel system.. very interesting, and maybe a better option than the HANS... hmm.

 

The latests SCCA Sports Car mag had something about a $300 HANS model 20 that will be available soon. Diff between the cheap and expensive is the weight.

 

Great info. Thanks to everyone for the responses.

 

I was lucky to escape with as few injuries as I did in a rally crash a number of years ago. My chin hit my chest so hard that it shattered the tops of my molars and tore ligaments in my kneck and upper back. This while wearing a foam collar.


Since that time, I've purchased a HANS Device, and I feel much safer. I've used it in a variety of sedans and even a Sports 2000, and I don't even notice it's there while driving. It does make it a bit more difficult to buckle in, but I'm getting used to it. No trouble getting out of the car, or with the harness slipping off. It was a lot of money, but so were my helmet, suit, and medical bills from the aforementioned crash.