Help.

Never owned a crash helmet - never even thought of going on a motorbike and probably never will.
But - I would like to take my car out on track in 2012 and need some advice...

Is it essential that you have a helmet for Track Days?
1, at the place near Stansted?
2, at Japfest I and II

So after I work out if I need one - then which one?
Do they have to be a special type (ie not open fronted)?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Minvo !

 

You don't need one for the Car Limits day at North Weald (presumably the place near Stanstead?)

For regular "Open Pit Lane" type days you do need one. You can usually hire them from the organisers for about a tenner.

If you think you're going to be doing a good number of track days then your best bet is to go to a local motorbike shop and try a few on to get one that fits properly.

This is a useful thread which I found by searching for "helmet"

https://www.s2ki.com/...c/826993-helmet

 

I valued my head at approx £75

 

I do see a lot of open face helmets on track days, I assume it's so the drivers face is more visible on the in car videos.

 

Not really.

You can breathe easier, get better visibility, feel less claustraphobic and the helmet is going to be lighter too.

Since that thread that Lovegroova posted, I bought an SA HANS helmet which means I can use it for racing.

Still, there are plenty of helmets availible on ebay for low prices that'd be perfect

 

It also means you can speak more clearly to your passenger (particularly difficult in a Caterfield!)

 

I use an open face helmet because it gives me better visibility (and boy do you need it at Castle Combe action days )

Quite a few circuits are now only allowing MSA approved helmets so if you are going to be doing a lot of track days then best go this route.

 

I'm just getting in to track days. Most MSV track days need an EC22.05 rated helmet. This can be had cheaply though.

I picked up an OMP one from Ebay for £75. Their entry level karting one and it meets the EC standard.

Its best to get full face if you are a rag top still as MSV at their tracks say it must be full face, but they rented my girlfriend an open faced one! Plus they were charging £20 for hire!!

I was going to buy a really well rated Nitro Akido motorcycle helmet for £70. It got the full five star rating for only £70!! http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testsratings/nitro-aikido . However I read that motor bike helmets are designed for one hard impact, where as motosport helmets are designed for multiple impacts typical in a crash, so went the OMP route as they are a respected brand.

 

You have over-estimated

 

I am an Arai whore,so my head must ba a £450 head.I don't know much about visibility on track days but I don't have any problems with it on the road.