Helmets for track days.......

[Paulw]

Want to buy my helmet but speaking to a couple of people got different opinions about open face or full face helmets and which is better?

have heard the full face gets too hot and you have better vision in open.

but full face 'looks' meaner and gives better protection.

before I have borrowed full face and found them ok but only done short times on the track and not a full days track action.

what do you lot have and what should I get?

[Stephen Green]

I would suggest a full face even if they are a little less comfortable. If you wear a nomex balaclava underneath it will absorb any perspiration that builds up inside the helmet. Always remember that your life comes before comfort.

[Dillinger]

i'll be off to oulton in a couple of weeks in my supra for my first time out, and have been wondering the same thing.
my track budget is a bit slim at the moment so i might have to go for a budget lid.

Easytrack are doing an offer on an OMP full face helmet for 70 (or 80?) quid. probably not the best in the world but if it does its job like its supposed to it'll do for me.

[Stephen Green]

Why not forego the next track day and use the money saved to buy a better quality helmet?

[Paulw]

so a good helmet is that important? not being funny but your inside a car with maybe an airbag and in a harness I thought a £70 - £80 helmet would do its job fine?

[Stephen Green]

Paul, the simple fact is that it may not be you that causes an accident but someone else. My point is that you should protect yourself to the best of your ability/finance. Don't forget that in a racing car the driver has not only a full race suit, fireproof underwear and a full roll cage, but also full harness seat belts. That I'm afraid is something you wont have the benefit of in your road car. My point is that a car is replaceable, your life isn't. The decision has to be yours as to what you feel adequate but if it were me, I would go with the best quality helmet I could, possibly like those worn by motorcyclists.

Just remember that not all accidents are head on, many are side impact, especially at race meetings (and for that matter track days) so give yourself the best chance of survival.

Oh and before I forget...Have a ball!

[Hobson]

Yep, buy the best you can afford. 'A £50 helmet is worn by a £50 head'.

[Paulw]

Ok cheers advise taken on board!

[Paulw]

sorry another query, are there any standards the helmet has to be to be used on a track day?

obviously if its been smashed about or is broken then it wont but someone i was speaking to said all trackday helmets must have the "british standard gold sticker" do all motorcycle helmets have this? or do I need to look out for this when buying?