Snell=Unsafe Helmets?

[Nbot]

Howdy Y'all....sorry to be gone so much lately, don't take it personally, I wish I was on here more, but working 80-90 hours a week doesn't leave me much free time;(<br><br>Anyways, I'm posting the link to the AMA's Motorcyclist's story about helmet safety....which clearly challenges Snell's safety standards. I know its a can of worms that's been opened before, concerning the effectiveness of Snell, but this article and the reasoning behind it have persuaded me, I'm afraid, into hoping that Snell changes its policies, the sooner the better.<br><br>Its a very long read, but the response to Snell's response sums it up quite well.<br><br>FYI...I found this, b/c I was asking about helmet safety on another forum...I was actually researching the safety of a "Scorpion" helmet that I was going to buy (I tried them on at Laguna Seca)..after my last wreck and two nights in the hospital with a brain injury, I'm a little more concerned about my helmet...basically, I wanted to know if what Scorpion says is true..."What's the difference between a Scorpion and a Suomy? About $400...." The Scorpion helmet costs about $200, and actually fit me better than my wrecked Z-II (SHOEI). I wanted to know if the commonly held, knee-jerk reaction had any merit...that a $500 helmet was safer than a $200 one.....every one thinks that...and no one would dare go racing without spending $400+ on a helmet, would they?...however, the old adage might not be currently true..."how much should I spend on a helmet? Well how much is your head worth?"<br><br>If an Arai or Suomy was more safe, than they would be touting that in every add wouldn't they? But they don't...instead their advertising and reputation is founded on fit and venting and comfort and weight...NOT safety. So, it would seem that Snell/DOT approved is Snell/DOT approved, no matter the helmet....the only justification for buying a more expensive helmet must than be the comfort/fit/weight/or venting.--however, each of the helmet lines vary in the g's that they allowed to the head, even though they are all Snell rated...it is TOO BAD that the other helmet makers didn't supply the article with helmets to test. Icon actually performed the best (for Snell rated helmets), if you can imagine that...the Suomy's that ARE NOT Snell certified performed very well, but clearly all the US or Snell certified helmets were worse off in g's allowed to the head. I suppose if you can get a non-snell helmet, and you can race w/o the required sticker, than that may be a good option...<br><br>So, I decided to buy the Scorpion EXO-700, for $200 or so....fiberglass construction, excellent venting, no fog lens (for real), removeable/washable liner, wicking liner...a good deal. But then I read the article @ Motorcyclist, and now I think I'm going to get the Scorpion EXO-400, for like $140/$150...only difference is that it has a poly-carbonate shell instead of fiberglass......Why? Isn't fiberglass safer for the head? NOT according to the testing done and supported by all the organizations in the article, including Europe's safety org....it seems instead that the softer poly-carbonate shell allows the "EPS" to do its job better, and that the fiberglass is too "stiff." The fiberglass helmet averaged 211g's to the head, while the polycarbonate average 187g's. Even the RF (right-front, 10 foot drop--the maximum strike according to Snell), the ESO-700 scored 236g's, and the EXO-400 scored 212g's....Why should I spend more money on a fiberglass helmet that is not actually safer?<br><br>Snell's response to the article was a bit absurd...especially where they claimed that the "threshold for safety" was not determined. They imply than that a 220g hit and a 240g hit are equally as safe/dangerous, since they are both below 300g....obviously the less g's to your head the better off you are going to be...I don't see how it could be otherwise, and plenty of head-injury specialists seem to agree with the article, NOT Snell. Snell needs to lower its acceptable g's allowed asap.<br><br>Let me know, without childish rhetoric, if you think I've lost my mind.<br><br>Link to Scorpion Helmet query: <br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?s= ... <!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>Link to Motorcyclist article on helmet safety:<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/h ... <!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p072.ezboard.com/bexupbrotherhoo ... ot>Nbot</A> at: 9/6/05 9:59 am<br></i>

[dragracer1951]

I thnk you are correct. The Suomy that I bought is not SNELL approved. It IS however Euro standard (which ever one ??) approved and legal to race in BSB<br>The difference IS apparent in fit and finish. I looked around for a nice upper end helmet that had great venting and good safety protection. I think I have found it. I also was on the verge of an X Eleven Shoei but couldn't find one that I liked the graphics of. The Shoei was certainly a quieter helmet than the Suomy but I always wear earplugs anyway...<br>But I certainly think you will be well served with your new helmet.<br>After reading the report on the Snell certification, I don't think I'll ever buy another helmet that is certified by Snell again. <p>Jim <!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ ... Cheers.gif" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br><br><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ ... states.gif" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>Hey Kid...Is my taillight working?</p><i></i>

[YZFRob]

Soumy is DOT'ed in teh US. it also carries BSI cert. IMO BSI is a better standard than Snell anyways. <p>Rob <br><br></p><i></i>

[Nbot]

I agree w/ you Rob...I just bought my EXO-400, b/c I know it fits well....but from now on I'll prolly go w/ the Euro specs instead of Snell if possible, although w/ my polycarb snell I'm doing much better than w/ a fiberglass shell.....Snell's policy is borderline gross negligence, claiming that 300"G" hits are safe...and that a 200G hit isn't necessarily safer than a 300 IS gross negligence.....<br><br>there's some more links here if anyone wants:<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://forums.mra-racing.org/viewtopic. ... <!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <p><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:orange;font-family:century gothic;font-size:medium;">Nbot</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><br><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:green;font-family:century gothic;font-size:small;">'94 Fizzer Litre</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><br><!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="color:orange;font-size:small;">This is your sig on drugs....</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>