I have a helmet I bought about 5 to 6 years ago.
What I do know about helmets :
If you drop them from 6’ or above once, the protecting foam will most likely shatter and your helmet won’t protect your head nearly as well, or at all.
What I don’t know :
Do they have a shelf life?
dude, they don’t make helmets big enough for your sputnik sized head.
sorry, i couldn’t help myself
<3
Yes, I think that it may be time to replace. I base this statement on the following:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241958
http://www.fireblades.org/forums/riding-gear-luggage/65266-helmet-shelf-life.html
Most will say to replace every 5 years or so, but it kinda depends on how it’s used. If it’s worn regularly for 4 or 5 years, then yeah, replace it. Sunlight, small impacts, sweat and compression can wear down and degrade the shell and the foam padding on the inside, and make it less safe.
However, if the helmet has been sitting in your closet in the box for 5 years, none of that is really a factor, and it should be fine.
The oldest helmet you can use according to SCCA solo rules is 14 years (current year (2005) and two previous years (2000 and 1995)). Per club racing rules is 9 years.
There may be an overlap year so 15 and 10 respectively.
Could you please provide a link to that information. If an unweighted helmet can’t survive a drop I sure as hell wouldn’t trust my life to it @ 100 mph.
If you drop a helmet from a few feet, say the seat of a motorcycle, is it okay?
Basically, yes. It takes a lot to damage a helmet. If the helmet fell onto a hard surface and your head was in it, you should replace it.
snell will recertify a helmet, say you have a snell 95 helmet, well send them your helmet they Xray it ect, check the spfi numbers ect and give it a newer certification. you could probably get a snell 95 recertified to m2005 if it wasnt cracked.
However the SA2005 has padding wrapped in nomex on the inside, making your head less likely to melt during fire.
(the old helmet liners can and will catch fire)
SNELL helmets also have an expiration or born on date… which would determine whether or not they are “legal”.
DOT != SNELL
Um, yeah, since the standard changes for each helmet year you just have to send them 5 sets of helmets for M @ $940, or 6 sets for SA @ $1,140 for destructive testing to meet the current year standard. Then, I guess for $0.60 they could send you a sticker.
Well, I can tell you from personal experience they will not survive being run over by a Mazda Protege5. My head was not in the helmet at the time.
meh, not much info there…
is this for a car or bike? what kind of helmet do you have?
Pyrotech helmet I bought off a group buy…
If it’s just been sitting on the shelf it’s probably fine. The problem with dropping them is that the shell can flex to allow the foam to crush but then not show signs of damage on the shell. So once you drop it you don’t know if you’re getting full protection or not.
If you’re going to be riding like an ass on a crotch rocket, I’d be absolutely sure. If you’re going to use it in a lower risk scenario like a track day, then I’d just use it.
Did you know that if you so much as drop a dielectric hard hat you’re supposed to replace it? :cjerk:
^thats why i asked what kinda helmet and what for…