I'll be doing low to medium speed riding on trails and some off trails. No jumping, no racing, no sand, no mud holes, just riding to and from the pickup in prairie and badlands areas. Do I need a "Street" helmet or an "Off-Road" helmet for this type of riding? Does it have to be Snell AND/OR D.O.T. certified? Thanks for the advice.

 

While I often wear a D.O.T. open-face helmet, I must say, the full-face protection of my Snell Foundation-approved lid offers lots more insurance.

The open face helmet is much more comfortable to wear, especially in the summertime. However, far too many times I've almost kissed the handlebars in the rough stuff, pointing out the value of a full-face model. I HAVE kissed numerous branches and limbs; full coverage makes those encounters less unpleasant.

So far, I haven't left any teeth or their enamel on the trail; but, advising someone who's buying only one helmet, I'd say: get a full-face helmet for the extra protection offered. Snell Foundation certification is more rigorous than D.O.T.; however, I can't quantify the value of the difference.

Most important: make sure the helmet fits before you buy it. Modern energy-absorbing helmets don't "break in" like the brain buckets of yesteryear, with their elastic suspensions. If your helmet doesn't fit comfortably when you first try it on, it ain't gonna get any better.

Regardless, any helmet's better than none at all; you're on the right track considering a skid lid.

Tree Farmer

 

Silver,

I just bought my ATV not too long ago. My brother-in-law is letting me use his street helmet until I purchase my own. My riding style seems to be very similar to yours. I am past the age(30)where I believe I am immortal...I think Anyways, I have been looking into what helmet to buy and have a case of sticker-shock. The things are so expensive. I did see a helmet, however, that seems to be of good quality, and VEGA makes it. I am not sure how it compares to the name brands such as Bell and ????. The particular style I am interested in is for off-road use and is full face as well. I found it as low as $90 - $110. My local dealer carries them or you can find them for sale at this link Competition Accessories

 

If you think you are going to get a 90-110 dollar helmet that is fine. But think of it this way. If you buy a 90 dollar helmet, does that mean you are only protecting a 90 dollar head? Here is my advice, buy the best one you can get.

 

In your opinion, what is the best helmet for my sedentary type of riding? I think my head is worth considerably more that $90 to $100, but if the helmet is Snell and D.O.T. certified, isn't that good enough? I have found some $90 to $130 helmets that have both Snell and D.O.T. certification--is a $260 helmet two or three times better than the $90 to $130 helmet?

Is there a particular brand or two that are outstanding in quality and safety? Do I need an "off-road helmet" or will a "street helmet" do the job for me? I'm not trying to flame anyone here, I honestly don't know anything about helmets and am trying to gather information on which to base my purchase. Maybe someone can point me in the direction of some research on helmets too?

Hey, any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

If there's one piece of equipment you don't wanna skimp out on, it's a helmet. Yes, you really do get what you pay for. Some of the higher end helmets have lots of features that most low-dollar helmets don't.

Some things I look for: what type of material is the shell made of?, how well does it ventilate?, how much does it weigh?, are the cheek pads/liners removable?, what type of material are the cheek pads/liners made of?, can I customize the size w/ different cheek pads/liners?, are there replacement parts available?, and is the visor easy to adjust/replace?

One helmet I highly recommend is a Fox Pilot. NO other helmet compares when it comes to ventilation- a nice feature for hot weather climates. It's made of lightweight, strong materials and you can get different size pads and liners to get a perfect fit. If you're concerned about the cost, go for a Fox Flite helmet. They pretty much weigh the same, but the Flite doesn't vent as good but still gets good airflow when compared to other comparably priced helmets. Also, both have nice goggle locators and quick, easy {no tools needed} visor adjustments.

 

Oh man, defently get a full face such as a Bell Moto 6 or HJC or Lazer MX-5 They are only $100 to $200. Without a doubt I wouldnt be posting this if it wasnt for my old Lazer MX-2. Back in highschool I wiped out on my XR500R at 50MPH, the bike's footpeg landed where my tempel is, the full face saved my jaw and life. (my toe was touching my knee also, but that is becides the point). Quads are much heavyer than bikes and I wouldnt want a handel bar of a rubicon stabing me in the head

 

O.K. Buy an off-road, full-face, Snell Foundation-certified helmet. Use the right tool for the job. Why mess with street helmets; why compromise with protection? A good ATV/Motorcycle dealership can explain the features of the various helmets available; and, importantly, provide models and sizes for your selection.

Tree Farmer

 

I am so vain that I doubt there is anything good enough for my head. However, I must put something on it to protect it. Why not find something that offers comparable safety with the leading brands along with best value? I truly believe that some of the high dollar helmets carry at least half of the price in their name. I am still shopping around and don't know what I may buy. At the moment, I am leaning towards the Vega. Most of them, from what I could tell from the website I gave in my other posting, are DOT approved. Is SNELL a better rating system?

I liked FOXRACE's post; it was very informative. Seems like some of the other posts were hindering towards $$ = quality. Give me substantial evidence to back up the $$'s. Again, I am still looking; who knows, in the end, I may be dishing out the $200

 

Silverfox,

Did you ever buy a helmet? If so, what type? Did you find out any info. that may help other purchasers (me)?