New helmet for 2024

[Alan Bowler]

Scrutineers have been reminding me all year I'll need a new helmet for 2024.

I have a "Bell" shaped head, and looks like thats going to cost me around £700+ if I stick with Bell, and get the latest standard.

Does anyone have experience of Headtec or other cheaper brands, in terms of shape/fit?

(My priority of safety should be covered by SA2020, fit is next, then cost)

[Dobson_justin]

I love my OMP GP8, it was good value and great quality. A quick look online looks like they have been replaced by the GPR model now for £410.  
Problem is you need to try to see if you bell head is also an OMP head. 

[Tony Smith]

I am in the same position, as in Bell shaped head and out of date in 24.

Apart from fit and price is it possible to know how good it will be if you need it?

[Drumster]

Well I guess they all have to meet the minimum standards for Snell, FIA etc but does it mean a less expensive helmet only just meets the requirements whereas a more expensive helmet exceeds those requirements by a lesser or greater degree?

I also have a Bell Sport 5 (£300 when new at Autosport) and was quite surprised to see the equivalent is now £700+.

ETA No idea where I got that £700+ from but DT is selling a Bell GT5 Sport with Hans posts for £526 (FIA 8859-2015 which currently has no expiry date)

[Alan Bowler]

700+ was in my post above!

Scrutineers have advised to avoid SA2015 as it will probably only give 2 or 3 years, and go for SA2020. Googling confirms this. 

Is a more expensive helmet with the same sticker better? Maybe. Safer? Seems Bells 2015 helmets don't meet the standard for 2020, unless of course this is all a scam betwen helmet manufacturers and FIA/MSUK etc. to sell more stuff.

Anyone tried or using a Headtec?

 

[Hampshire West AR]

I tried on a Hedtec at Autosport but later tried on a Bell GP3 at Merlin Motorsport and preferred the fit so went for one.  

Nick

[Mcalvert]

Scrutineers told me the same about avoiding SA2015 as it will have a very short life.  in the past,  I've always shopped for helmets at the Autosport Show where they had most manufacturers / distributors represented and sometimes good offers, but from what I heard about the show this year, companies like Demon Tweeks weren't there.  All very frustrating (and expensive).  

[Hampshire West AR]

Only really saw Hedtec and Zamp at the show.  Zamp are worth a look, SA2020 for <£500.  

[Simon.Rogers]

Hi Alan

Having sold a few helmets in the early days of 7 Tips Racing including the budget brands. Once I finally got to try one on myself I decided I didn't want to sell them any longer.

I completely understand we all have different budgets and my first kid was an OMP. It was great.

You are probably closest of all of us to one of the best places to go and try some different brands out.  
 

Merlin Motorsport at Castle Combe always keep a good range. Go and try some.

 

[robmar]

i got great service from Merlin when I bought my latest helmet ( a bell replacing a series of arai ones I had typically gone for), they even posted it up to my painter as well  

[Drumster]

Looking at Merlin's website they show a Table of helmet standards and homologations which shows SA2015 as expiring, for our purposes, on 31.12.2026 but further up the list the 'combined standard' (?) of FIA 8859-2015 and SA2015 has no current expiry date. How does that work, what am I missing?

 

[Alan Bowler]

Very confused.
So my current Bell Sport 5 has SA2005 sticker. No FIA sticker.

A new helmet with SA2015 sticker will "probably" expire in 2026/2027.

With SA2020, maybe 2031?

But if a new one has an FIA2015 sticker, there is no expiry? So I can get a Bell GT5 from Merlin or DT for 473? (minus club discount) 

 

[Dannyboy]

V2 helmets are nice enough

[StevehS3]

#13 are they stocked anywhere to try on or mail order only?

[Dannyboy]

Mail order only, however the sizing was simple and the fit felt similar to my old Arai although not as plush, but more comfortable than my old Simpson helmet. 
 

i'd also however now look at Zapmap who seem to offer good quality helmets at a great price and perhaps Koden? 

[Tony Smith]

I have been looking at this more closely and it seems that the FIA 2015 has no expiry date, but I cant find any indication if it may have 0ne year or 10?

Seems to be totally random when they will or won't go out of date. Its a lot of money wasted if I go for an FIA2015 bell and then next year they decide its expired!!!!

Anyone that  can explain it would be popular!!!

[Mcalvert]

I have heard (indirectly but from an authoritative source) linked to the MSUK sprint and hillclimb sub-committee that is that It is unlikely there will be an extension to the SA2010, but that if your helmet is to FIA 8860-2010 as well then it continues to be valid. They are separate standard, a helmet can be both, and many apparently are.

Not sure how many people that may help?

Edited November 1, 2023 by Mcalvert

[Tony Smith]

Thank you Michael I think!!

I will be putting it off until the spring  just in case.

[johnpbransfield]

Mine is FIA Standard 8858-2010 ☹️

[7 wonders of the world]

I opted for OMP GP-R since this uses the Bell shell and comes with HANS mounts as standard, DT very very helpfull and we get a discount too.

[GulfSeven]

I paid £330 for my Bell Sport 5 from Advantage Motorsport back in 2016. I recall they didn't have the non-HANS post version in stock so they 'upgraded' me for free (not that I use HANS). Thankfully I just do track days so don't need a new lid. The current equivalent is the Bell GT5 Sport, which is £439 from Merlin Motorsport. I actually tried on a few Bell helmets at Merlin (I also have a Bell shaped head) but ended up buying from Advantage because they had the size I wanted in stock. Both the Sport 5 and GT5 Sport are FIA 8859-2015. There's no mention of Snell on the sticker in my Sport 5.

Edited November 5, 2023 by GulfSeven

[Drumster]

 

Extract from 2024 Yearbook, no expiry date given for FIA 8859-2015. According to an FIA document it seems this standard has been around since 2019? So I wonder how many more years we can expect it to be extant. 

[Tony Smith]

seems like a really mad system and is putting me off buying.

I am seriously looking into doing autosolo events next year. No helmet needed and a free licence as well. entry fees under £50 and in the South East of the country as well!!!

[aerobod - near CYYC]

I'm definitely upgrading to a HANS system for track days next season. My current helmet is HANS compatible, but I don't yet have the HANS brace.

The reason for this is that one of our track day members had a serious crash at the end of last season that left him with serious life-changing head injuries when his helmet hit the passenger seat in his 2022 GR86, whereas his passenger who was on the impact side of the crash had no head injury due to the side air bag that supported his head, with the car travelling backwards and hitting sideways into a concrete barrier behind a tyre wall.

It drove home to me the need to restrict head movement in the case of a crash, especially when using a harness.

[7 wonders of the world]

Good point James, be interested to see which you opt for, I've not tried any but the Simpson hybrid seems popular with Caterham drivers,