Full Face Helmet and Peripherial Vision

[Skyper 0]

Do FF helmets influence the pheriperial vision in such a way that it bounds the skydivers visual perception during canopy flight?

A long time ago, and I think it's still the case it was not allowed to students to jump FF helmets because it bounds the pheriperial vision. I remember that some were also speculating that some low pulls or no pulls were also related with FF helmets, because the divers couldn't locate the handles.

[Rugby82 0]

Another problem is hearing people under canopy while wearing a FF-helmet. Had a close-call reserve opening a while ago and shouted to the guy next to me under canopy but he didn't hear me due to him wearing a FF-helmet.

Blue skies!

[ps5601 0]

Some full faces do have more restricted vision than open faces - I think this is more true of the older style full faces (original oxygen for example has a fairly large blind spot in the bottom centre making it hard to see you emergency handles).

Full faces certainly have a greater restriction on hearing, and even more so on being heard.

If is for these reasons that you require 200 jumps in the UK to use a full face helmet.

Blue skies

Paul

[cpoxon 0]

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If is for these reasons that you require 200 jumps in the UK to use a full face helmet.

Blue skies

Paul

B Certificate (50 Jumps, Jumpmaster and Canopy Handling Grade2) and CCI's permission.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[phoenixlpr 0]

I've jumped only with Z1 and Factory Diver.
I like them. I prefer to keep my face warm.
I have not noticed significant restriction of vision, but other people might not hear what I say if I have them on.

[skydiverek 55]

I think 'FreezrMK2' and 'Gas2' have the best peripherial vision.

[manseman 0]

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Some full faces do have more restricted vision than open faces - I think this is more true of the older style full faces (original oxygen for example has a fairly large blind spot in the bottom centre making it hard to see you emergency handles).

Full faces certainly have a greater restriction on hearing, and even more so on being heard.

If is for these reasons that you require 200 jumps in the UK to use a full face helmet.

Also, full face helmets sometimes fog up under canopy and this can be quite distracting to deal with, especially if the visor is fixed.

[MorfiusX 0]

My main concerns with full face helmets are fixed with the Cookie G2. The peripheral vision is excellent and the locking/hing mechanism is very secure.

[wmw999 2,126]

There is a tradeoff with just about every safety decision. Full-face helmets can restrict vision (very minimally), but we don't prevent people from jumping with glasses where the glasses don't correct to the side, no matter how bad their vision is.

It just means that you have to take that into account, just as you might have to take into account an RSL, AAD, or anything else that you have.

The inexperienced jumpers who had fatal collisions were almost certainly not wearing full-face helmets, and I don't believe swoopers do as a rule, either.

I think that moving the focus to how to make sure that swooping only happens on dedicated swoop jumps is a good one. It won't fix all problems, but it will have two effects -- one of helping the collisions, and another of reducing the number of young-swooper-impacts-earth incidents, because they will have devoted more jumps to just focusing on swooping, instead of throwing it in at the end of a freefly or RW jump.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[topdocker 0]

Your "vision" may not be restricted by a FF helmet, but your range of motion might be. Meaning that while you can still see what you are looking at and around it, the ability to pivot your head is restricted by the front of the helmet hitting the risers, thus limiting your field of vision.

"Head on a swivel" may not mean as much....

top

Jump more, post less!

[NWFlyer 2]

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but other people might not hear what I say if I have them on.

That's one of the reasons I like a full-face helmet with a visor that opens (I believe the ones you've used have fixed visors?).

I was on final at Eloy a couple years ago with my visor up and yelled at someone who had already landed and wasn't paying attention and was about to cross into my path. I yelled at what felt like the top of my lungs and the volume of my own voice didn't seem that loud to me (could have been my ears were a bit clogged, plus the insulation of the helmet). Fortunately, it was plenty loud enough to get her attention and she stopped and let me land, but it made me realize that if I could barely hear my own voice yelling that hearing someone else might be a challenge.

But I think that goes for almost any helmet that comes down over the ears, except perhaps a Pro-Tec (which is why all those CRW dogs use 'em, of course).

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[kawisixer01 0]

I have participated in the same arguments in regards to motorcycle helmets and always get a laugh out of the "anti-helmet" crowd (typically harley riders) and their arguments that are based on rumor and not real experience or truthful statements. I think many of the pro-helmet arguments I've used there could apply here. For a little background search "the hurt report". It was a research project done on the use and claims of helmets in the 70's, but is still very valid today.
I think it is more of "feeling" of being impaired rather than an actuality. And like motorcycling the benefits outweigh the detractions. As far as the sound thing goes, it's a double edged blade. If you expose yourself to the full sound of freefall it WILL impact your hearing over time and you will end up with poorer hearing. Many people I know wear ear plugs no matter what helmet they are wearing. I typically open th visor on my helmet once I am under canopy and have done all my "post opening" checks and adjustments. I wear sun glasses under the visor so really have no reason to have my visor down any more.

[TheBachelor 4]

The new Square 1 Phantom helmets also have GREAT peripheral vision.

There are battered women? I've been eating 'em plain all of these years...

[jimjumper 25]

I was the OP about helmets in the incidents forum and the post was just my thoughts and observations about hard shell and full face helmets. Peripheral vision is not just left to right but as noted by previous posters up and down also. I currently use an Aviator for all my jumps, (Fun, AFF, and Tandem) but am considering going back to my frap hat for Tandems. I prefer something solid for AFF and fun jumps but for Tandems the frap hat would allow for much better vision. The hard shell I currently use still allows me to talk to my student and allows them to see me while still giving me some protectioin from hard collisions. The biggest pain is the choice of either buying another dytter or swapping out my single depending on the jump.

[Skyper 0]

Jim, the "up and down" peripherial vision is exactly what I meant. I can imagine that "left down behind and right down behind" is more hard to observe with an FF helmet. Doing only a 90 degree turn with that kind of helmet is (IMHO) more risky than with open face helmet or no helmet at all purely because peripherial vision is obstracted by the helmet.

Of course I'm talking only about canopy flight! Not wearing a helmet or wearing open face helmet may lead to painfull experiences during formation jumps or tail strike or...

[phoenixlpr 0]

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Doing only a 90 degree turn with that kind of helmet is (IMHO) more risky than with open face helmet or no helmet at all purely because peripherial vision is obstracted by the helmet.

Sure it is, if you have a stiff neck.

[Skydivesg 6]

I use a Cookie G2 and the vision in all directions is unrestricted even with the visor closed .

It also flips open which is mandatory for me.

My mouth is not covered which allows me to communicate in the tunnel, in the plane and under canopy.

Plus the D3o makes it more protective than my old Z1.

I love this helmet.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.