1 Topic by TheEngineer (edited by TheEngineer 2022-07-20 04:06 PM)

  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Topic: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I need a new helmet, and finding one that doesn't make my head feel like I'm going to die is hard. I've been using a pyrotect for a decade, and it's far too tight against my forehead. It presses too much on the front of my forehead, but the fit everywhere else is right on. Going up in size helps, but then the rest is too loose.

I tried HJC options, and they're worse.

I would like to stay out of $2000 carbon crazy options.

Anyone know of a brand that is better suited to more pronounced foreheads? No local places to try many on unfortunately. HMS motorsport was HJC only basically (everything else out of stock or stupid expensive).


Edit: just to make it clear, when I say too much pressure, I mean that after an hour it feels like a vice on my forehead and by the end of a shift it's painful enough to impact my ability to focus. I don't think a properly fitted helmet should feel like this.

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  • From: SF BayArea/Land of Enchantment
  • Registered: 2012-01-22
  • Posts: 852

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I feel your pain.....and by that I mean I have experienced the same thing after about an hour with my 'old' helmet...an OMP
I finally retired that beast and picked up a Bell K1 Pro...haven't had any issues since.....
BTW....This is a fairly common complaint ....It seems that some helmets fit our weirdly shaped heads better than others.....

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  • From: Birdsboro, PA
  • Registered: 2009-10-26
  • Posts: 880

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

You need to try on a bunch.  I never thought that was the case until I did, then I saw the light. 

Either go to a real store to try them (like HMS near you) or get a clean head sock and ask people you know to try theirs. I’ll let you try my Stilo, for example.

Chris from 3 Pedal Mafia
  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

So I'm kind of in a pickle on this one. I need a helmet so I can race Thompson, but there is no where to try them on local before then. Like I said, HMS has nothing but HJC bottom of the price bracket and Schuberth $2k carbon. So that wasn't a helpful visit. Is it my fault for waiting until now to solve this problem? You bet it is.

I guess I can just grab a cheap helmet to get me through Thompson and ask a bunch of people to let me try others at the track so I can buy a better one.

BigBird, I have heard the Bell suggestion once or twice, so maybe that's my affordable step 1.

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  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 901

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

You've been dealing with this for a decade?

I have a similar issue; my below topic (from a while ago) has some of my thoughts:

Choosing Safety Equipment - Helmets

One thing I did was to pull the lining back, and locally press into the foam protection directly where my protrusion is, to make some space. It wasn't much, but allowed more uniform pressure on my forehead. That helped a lot - a custom shape for my head.

  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

Lemon_Newton-Metre wrote:

You've been dealing with this for a decade?

Look, I'm the dumb kind of smart. Yes, in 2011 I bought an SA2010 Pyrotect helmet, and my logic was "I already bought it, I don't want to waste money". It's bad logic. But I just kept using it until it expired out. Mostly because I'd forget to even look at other ones until a race was a week or two away.

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  • From: Camarillo, CA
  • Registered: 2021-03-26
  • Posts: 266

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I have a similar shaped head... where it gets wider at the top and you aren't wrong about HJC being the worst. My first helmet was/is an HJC AR10 III (which I'm still running) and I didn't know any better and thought that the comfort level was normal. After buying other helmets over the years and trying friend's helmets so far Simpson has fit me the best. With that said, during the time that I was enduring the AR10 it seemed to break in and mold to my head and now it's comfortable.

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  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 901

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

TheEngineer wrote:
Lemon_Newton-Metre wrote:

You've been dealing with this for a decade?

Look, I'm the dumb kind of smart. Yes, in 2011 I bought an SA2010 Pyrotect helmet, and my logic was "I already bought it, I don't want to waste money". It's bad logic. But I just kept using it until it expired out. Mostly because I'd forget to even look at other ones until a race was a week or two away.

I'm going to suggest 'incomplete'.

The shift in focus from what you're doing, the reduction of enjoyment from something as simple as personal equipment? I'd consider the cost of the entries was partially set off by that money.

It's not as if the car's electronic controls won't allow you to accelerate faster than a slow waltz because you don't have enough oil pressure - that I could adapt to; I'd consider it part of the 'character' of the car, and just deal - like I currently do with my one street car.

But a helmet; geez, I'd have replaced that like:  NOW
and sold it or used it for a fueling helmet.

But: I had credit headroom (at the time), so I ordered several, and returned the rest for credit, even if it was after the race.

  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

See above, dumb kind of smart. I SHOULD have replaced it. I did not. I'm here now.

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  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 901

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I'm sitting here commiserating right now:

I SHOULD have found that YouTube video on how to fix that one problem, but since there were quicker fixes on other things, that got pushed back, and now someone else's requirement is making me do this right now when it's most expensive, whereas if I'd only had one day notice...

  • From: San Leandro
  • Registered: 2019-12-17
  • Posts: 209

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I ordered a helmet directly from Japan. It was back ordered so it took some time to get here and shipping was expensive. That said, Arai helmets are very high quality and made with your head shape in mind. They also have exchangeable pads to make the fit perfect. You can get them on a steep discount here and they are SA2020 helmets.

https://www.nengun.com/arai/

I bought the 5W because I really like the idea of a wider field of view.

  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 901

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

That's the one I was first looking at; but the delivery wasn't soon enough for my first race, and I needed something now.

  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I wish HMS had Arai in stock, i've only ever heard great things about them. But all they had was small and XS, so I couldn't try them. Too much money to order blind without trying first.

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  • From: Seacoast NH
  • Registered: 2013-01-01
  • Posts: 472

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

What size are you?  I have a large forehead and am happy with my Simpson bandit(?).  It's an XL that you are welcome try on if you are ever in the Hampton NH area.

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  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

I'm kind of between large and XL depending on brand.

I think I'm going to just buy a cheap helmet to have to thompson, and then try a few while at the race so I can buy a long term one. Appreciate all the suggestions.

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  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,274

Re: Looking for a helmet for a specific head shape

Just as a follow up. I bought a G Force from the Lemons site. It's not perfect, but it's decent once I swapped the spacers out a few times. My old helmet had zero adjustment.

I'll still probably ask to try some on at thompson, but this helmet is already worlds better than my old one. If I can find a brand the fits even better I'll buy it though.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
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