Debating between these two. Any thoughts on why I should buy one over the other?

http://soloracer.com/proeliminator.html

http://soloracer.com/hjcar10ii.html

 

Comfort and weight should be the main factors.

They are both going to offer the same protection SA2010. Also a nice feature is the ability to add Hans later on down the line, one is predrilled the other looks as if has the mounts. Also the HJC has a removable liner for washing, thats a plus. Also look into if the visors are changeable, I sometimes wish I had the option for a tinted one.

 

Full face helmets are not recommended for cars with regular seatbelts and air bags.

Get a white helmet to avoid overheating if you run top down in the sun.

I use a CJ's ORIGINAL TEXAS HEADSKIN instead of needing a removable liner.

 

Fit is by far the most important factor for a helmet. Every head is different, and every brand fits differently. I'd buy both, keep the one that fits better, and return the other one.

I think that concern's overblown. Remember that a helmet's primary job is to protect from impacts, which is why the inside of a helmet in lined with crushable foam. The impact of hitting your head on an airbag is far less severe than the kinds of impacts helmets are designed to deal with. Yes, a full-face helmet will concentrate more force on a smaller part of your face in an impact, but I don't think the difference isn't enough to consider when buying a helmet.

I speak from firsthand experience, as I experienced an (admittedly low speed) airbag deployment with a full-face helmet on. A few minutes later, I noticed I had a small cut on my lip, which I survived. I continue to run full-face helmets today, including in cars with airbags.

 

Was your airbag experience with a first generation airbag, or a second generation airbag. First generation airbags inflate with a lot more force than later ones do. My former brother-in-law (RIP) suffered a broken neck from a first generation airbag lifting him up and impacting his head on the roof of the car. This was not helmet related, and he was not wearing a seatbelt, but, it was a low speed accident and does indicate the force that early airbags inflated with.

For Autocross I don't see the need for a full face helmet.

For the Track that is a different story, but, then you should have a harness and HANS.

 

Good thread, gonna watch this one. On my list in 2012 is to buy a new helmet.

 

Don't forget the bloody nose too.

From your post on SCCAforums in 2004 "I speak from personal experience, having had an airbag deploy while I was wearing a full-face helmet -- I got a bloody lip and nose out of it, but nothing worse."

 

I assume it was a second generation airbag -- the car in question was a 2001 Porsche Boxster.

Prevents people from seeing my ugly face in photos.

Doing your research, are you?

 

speaking as someone who recently "used" a helmet I would say get a light one.. your head is gonna accelerate into stuff that harder the heavir the helmet
My new one was $100 more and its noticeably lighter I think its an entry level bell around $400

 

Kind of like the SFI glove discussion, I like overkill.

There are websites that publish helmet weights and that's one of the major things I looked for when buying a full face helmet. The neck is an incredibly fragile thing and I want maximum protection with minimum weight.

For autocross, I use an open face helmet.
For pretty much all track work (includes instructing), I feel nekkid without a full face.

You never know when debris or fire could come into play. Some open track days let all kinds of cars participate. You never know when the other guy's equipment might give way.

I figure a restrained airbag hit with a full face couldn't be worse than a motorcyclist hitting pavement, so I'll take the theoretical chance.

I'd love to see a Mythbusters test of full vs open, though. But it's the debris and fire that make me feel better wearing a full lid.