I’ve done some reading on Motocross Helmets. As I asked an read everything pointed to Snell ratings being more stringent than the DOT ratings. I was at my ATV shop today and saw a helmet that I liked (If forget the manufacturer) that had a DOT rating. I barked a little saying I wanted any helmet I purchased to have a Snell rating. The Tech showed me that it had a DOT rating as well as an ECE rating. He said that the ECE ratings are tougher than the Snell rating.
Any insight?

 

Maybe Snell didn't get around to rating it yet. For the speeds I ride my ATV I think the DOT rating is sufficient.

 

Did a quick google of ECE and found this.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc.../ece-22-05.htm

It is an european standard comparable to snell more rigid than dot. I see alot of the chinese helemts are ece.

 

The DOT rating should be enough. Fit and comfort are very important to me.
Just remember that if your helmet takes a hard hit to replace it! It could be cracked or weakened and wouldn't protect you like it should!

 

When it comes to protecting my melon, I like the helmet to be Snell AND Dot approved.

 

DOT is not really enough........

A DOT rating is done by the manufacturer. The empty shell of the helmet needs to withstand a 10 foot drop fall, and it has to cover the head. That is it.

It is not enough because the results of a DOT test are conducted in house and are not done with any oversight by the DOT itself. They are only randomly independently verified. So if you trust the manufacturer, and it is a major brand, a DOT rating might be safe, but again maybe not. There is just no way to know.

The part of the helmet that really protects your head is the foam on the inside of the helmet and that is not tested in a DOT test. It is the foam that compresses to take the brunt of the impact to your skull. A SNELL rated interior has been crush tested to be sure that it is the correct consistency to take the impact..... Too soft and your head will take a hit against the shell, too hard and your going to hurt your brain.

SNELL is a test done independently of the helmet maker, and the test is done on the shell AND on the liner and foam. Anything less than a SNELL rating and you are taking a chance that the helmet will not do all it can.

ECE is the Euro version of DOT, but it is slightly more tough to pass. In addition to a drop test, they to a flex and pressure test for ECE. Unlike DOT, ECE is also independently done from the helmet maker.

There is really no excuse today to NOT have a SNELL helmet. It used to be that people would go with the DOT helmet for cost. But you can pick up a DOT/SNELL rated helmet for under $100 which makes them affordable for everyone. If you can afford an ATV costing 5k or 10k a $100 helmet should be a no brainer.

I will never understand those who will spend $7,000 on an ATV, and then spend $29.99 on some cheap Wal-Mart helmet. As someone who has had several concussions and suffers from occasional after effects from PCS, I can tell you it is NOT worth it. Your helmet is the ONE piece of equipment you should not skimp out on. And since great companies like HJC make SNELL rated helmets for like $80 now, it is well worth the investment.

 

..I 2nd that

 

I'd read this article before insisting on a Snell rated helmet, it has some very interesting test results. Helmets that are only DOT rated may actually be safer than Snell rated helmets in most crashes.

Motorcycle Helmet Design, Helmet Standards and Head Protection - Gear Box - Motorcyclist Online

 

Thank you all for the explanations. From what I have read DOT is the minimum. ECE is 2nd as it is a tad bit tougher to pass but is done independently therefore reducing the chance of fudging the numbers. Snell it the "go to" as it is more stringent that both DOT and ECE. Also Snell is done independently.

Some believe that in most impacts DOT is enough and it may be. I’m of the belief that the more the head protection the better.

I know that some manufacturers use the Snell rating as a reason to increase the price of their helmets. I am able to find Snell rated helmets from major manufactures for under $100.00

 

Good article, but it only barely touches on the problem.

As a testing standard, the DOT test is indeed fine for most ATV or off-road crashes. But it is not the test in an of itself that is the problem. It is the lack of oversight. The DOT test is not regulated, so you are forced to trust that the maker has tested it. There is nothing saying that it was in FACT tested.

A DOT helmet from HJC or Bell, or another major brand has probably been tested. But these no-name Wal-Mart specials probably were not. And beyond that there is no guarantee that the DOT test they conducted was up to DOT standards.

This is the push IMO..... A SNELL helmet is best, simply because it passed some sort of independent testing. The article is 100% correct that the SMF should be increasing its standards every few years, as the Doctor in the article indicates.

If the DOT test was done independent of the helmet manufacturing process, the SNELL test would not hold nearly as much weight. It would probably be reserved for very high end helmets. But makers like Bell, Shoei, Troy Lee etc.... are willing to pay SNELL because it proves that what they say about their helmet is probably true.

Most of the cost in an expensive lid is NOT the SNELL rating, it is in things like carbon fiber, fiberglass, Kevlar and other exotic materials which makes them very light. You also pay for things like cooling systems and moisture wicking liners, and feature and designs that do not make it into cheap helmets.

It also should be noted that this article is about tests done to street bike helmets....which is a totally different animal......