skycop806 0 #1 September 5, 2005 I've gone back and searched for helmet topics. I've got 110 jumps, and have used my trusty Pro-Tec helmet and googles. I wear eyeglasses, and I just don't like how the googles smash my glasses.. I also would like to start wearing an audible, either a Pro-Track or Dytter...hence my quest for a full-face helmet. I was looking at the Havoc and the Mamba from Bonehead. I know there are other full faces, like the Oxygen A3, Italia Z1, etc. I'm wanting feedback on what helmet you use, likes/dislikes, but more importantly, how they work with your glasses! This will be a retirement gift to myself..I'm retiring out of law enforcement after 20 years to be a skydive bum lol... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GQ_jumper 4 #2 September 5, 2005 i cant give you any feedback on how they work with glasses but i can tell you that the z1 is not the full face to go with if you have any desire to do 4 way, the lens isn't installed very securely and a knee to the face can easily send it into your nose. The factory diver is the way to go for full face.History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 93 #3 September 5, 2005 QuoteI also would like to start wearing an audible, either a Pro-Track or Dytter...hence my quest for a full-face helmet. They fit very well into a Protec, your quest is not needed for that purpose. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1763027#1763027People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycop806 0 #4 September 5, 2005 I kinda put a detour by saying the dytter option.. I really want it for the convience of the glasses and not have to worry about goggles fogging, etc. THEN I'd put the protrack/dytter into it... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #5 September 5, 2005 I have an Oxygen A3 that I wear with Ray Ban sunglasses that are prescription and the work well. (wrap around). If I had it to do over again I would give a serious look at the Mamba by Bonehead. Maybe BillVon will jump in with some infor. for you, he was jumping one last week. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #6 September 5, 2005 QuoteI have an Oxygen A3 that I wear with Ray Ban sunglasses that are prescription and the work well. (wrap around). If I had it to do over again I would give a serious look at the Mamba by Bonehead. Maybe BillVon will jump in with some infor. for you, he was jumping one last week. Sparky *** I thought you were a fellow 'Frap Hatter' ?! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #7 September 5, 2005 QuoteQuoteI have an Oxygen A3 that I wear with Ray Ban sunglasses that are prescription and the work well. (wrap around). If I had it to do over again I would give a serious look at the Mamba by Bonehead. Maybe BillVon will jump in with some infor. for you, he was jumping one last week. Sparky *** I thought you were a fellow 'Frap Hatter' ?! Thats what I jump most of the time. If I am chungking part of the base, I will wear my Frap Hat. I don't want to get the custom paint job on my helmet dinged up. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 4 #8 September 5, 2005 I have a Havok, which I bought to replace a Z1. I wear glasses, and that is why I changed over to the Havok. I hated the hassle of dealing with glasses every jump with the Z1. Now, the Havok lets me forget that I am wearing glasses. I have tried many other helmets, and have found nothing even close to the ease of the Havok. If I didn't wear glasses, I'd probably have a FreeZR. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #9 September 5, 2005 Agreed. I mainly wear my Havok while doing PFF. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tink1717 2 #10 September 5, 2005 I love my Z1. It makes winter jumping so much better. (I don't wear it in the summer) However, it doesn't leave much room for glasses. I hear similar things about the A3 from Oxygin as well. Good luck.Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off. -The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!) AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pkasdorf 0 #11 September 5, 2005 Quote...the z1 is not the full face to go with if you have any desire to do 4 way, the lens isn't installed very securely and a knee to the face can easily send it into your nose. Sorry, I totally disagree, it is not true. I love my Z1 but don't know how it works with glasses. HISPA # 18 POPS # 8757 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panzwami 0 #12 September 5, 2005 QuoteThe factory diver is the way to go for full face. I agree. I've had mine for ~250 jumps and it still works great. If you don't mind the lens not flipping up, I think it's the way to go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #13 September 5, 2005 I would suggest the Havok. the whole faceplate thing is awsum for wearing glasses under it. You can keep the faceplate open till the door opens and you are ready to exit. I never had an issue with fogging.. but I did melt a hole thru the padding to the nice big vent in front of the mouth and tried to exhale thru there to prevent it from fogging. I sold it off to another DIZZE DOT COMMER though. I did not like the way it rattled when I was doing speed dives.. the rattling was kinda unnerving at around 250+ mph. I replaced it with a FreeZR... the faceplate is far heavier than all the other full face helmets I have seen and tried. I LIKE that... never an issue with the high speed at all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bob.dino 0 #14 September 5, 2005 Quote i cant give you any feedback on how they work with glasses but i can tell you that the z1 is not the full face to go with if you have any desire to do 4 way, the lens isn't installed very securely and a knee to the face can easily send it into your nose. The factory diver is the way to go for full face. Where did you get that opinion? The visor is very secure, and you'd have to get kicked very hard in the face to dislodge the lens. In my opinion, the flip-up visor makes the Z1 a much better option than the Factory Diver. If your helmet mists up under canopy you can just pop open the visor instead of having to completely remove the helmet. 90% of new full-faces bought on my DZ are Z1s. That said: we don't have anyone actively promoting Bonehead products near here, so I can't proffer an opinion on how the Mamba compares. edit: To add context, I've about 300 jumps on my Z1. Apart from a couple of scratches (note to self: don't drop helmet), it's as good as new. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jsaxton 0 #15 September 5, 2005 IMHO it's easier to handle fogging with goggles than a full face. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RMURRAY 1 #16 September 5, 2005 why don't you just get contacts??? I have an Oxygn and contacts, never a problem. most of my 4 way buddies like there Z1's. I like the oxygn - better visibility out of it for sure. rm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Squeak 17 #17 September 6, 2005 QuoteQuote i cant give you any feedback on how they work with glasses but i can tell you that the z1 is not the full face to go with if you have any desire to do 4 way, the lens isn't installed very securely and a knee to the face can easily send it into your nose. The factory diver is the way to go for full face. In my opinion, the flip-up visor makes the Z1 a much better option than the Factory Diver. If your helmet mists up under canopy you can just pop open the visor instead of having to completely remove the helmet. edit: To add context, I've about 300 jumps on my Z1. Apart from a couple of scratches (note to self: don't drop helmet), it's as good as new. I wear an Oxygn (not the A3) with my glasses, I find that it is much stronger on the face plate than the Z1. The Z1 only have a weak plastice screw holding the face plate, I've seen a few of these damaged quite easily. Also the Z1 did not fit with my glasses, the Oxygn fits very well with both my wrapps and my nornal specs.You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites pilotdave 0 #18 September 6, 2005 You will hear many opinions, but they are all useless... ok not really . The only real way to find out is to try on some helmets. I wear my glasses under my Z1 with no problem at all. I can put the helmet on and take it off with my glasses on easily. The bigger your head and glasses are, the worse a Z1 will work with them. It's definitely one of the narrower helmets though, so it doesn't work for a lot of people with glasses. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites timbarrett 0 #19 September 6, 2005 I started with the Havok but then switched to the Mamba which i much prefer now. The Havok was very easy to use with glasses but it never felt totally secure on my head. I felt too reliant on the chinstrap adjustment sometimes and it slipped slightly - especially during long tunnel sessions. Vision was slightly restricted when looking straight down my body so i tilted my head a bit to see cutaway for example The fit and the seal on the Mamba worked much better for me but without the compromised visibility. With a tight fit I had no difficulty in using it with glasses although it worked better with thin frames. The neoprene seal works well and it takes my Neptune very simply."Work hard, play hard and don't whinge" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Rdy2skydive 0 #20 September 6, 2005 I absolutely love my Mamba but I don't know how well it work for someone who wears glasses. I hated my Oxygen - too many problems keeping it secure and keeping the visor closed. I've heard good things about the Freezr helmet. It's supposed to be good for people who wear glasses. Might be worth looking into. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jkbernstein 1 #21 September 7, 2005 My Mamba arrived last week (less than 2 weeks after placing the order, by the way), and I love it. Good fit, very comfortable. It feels snug and secure on my head, but there's still enough room to comfortably wear my shades. The opening mechanism takes a little getting used to, but once you get it, it's a piece of cake. The big selling point of the Mamba for me was the fact that, unlike most helmets, which come in one size with different amounts of padding, Boneheads have different size shells available. I have a tiny little head; everything else was too big, even with padding. Regardless of what size head you have, the shell options make for a much better fit. Plus, there's the whole "Therma-fit" lining thing, which does seem to make the lining conform to your head quite well. I would definitely recommend checking out a Mamba.May the (relative) wind take your troubles away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Adriandavies 0 #22 September 7, 2005 Does anyone know where to get a Bonehead Havok in the UK? I have tried the websites of all the UK dealers but none have any in stock and although I could get one via the internet I really want to try one on first. Failing that I'll get a Freezr! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Adriandavies 0 #23 September 7, 2005 Silly me...DZ Sports at Hinton have them on their website! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites timbarrett 0 #24 September 7, 2005 never seen a Havok in the UK dealers but if you are anywhere near London or hang out near Weston or Hinton you are welcome to try mine out..."Work hard, play hard and don't whinge" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Elisha 1 #25 September 7, 2005 Are you guys saying that if you wear contacts, the Oxygen (and Mamba and Z1 as well?) are fine WITHOUT goggles? That would be great to not have to wear them with a helmet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. 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bob.dino 0 #14 September 5, 2005 Quote i cant give you any feedback on how they work with glasses but i can tell you that the z1 is not the full face to go with if you have any desire to do 4 way, the lens isn't installed very securely and a knee to the face can easily send it into your nose. The factory diver is the way to go for full face. Where did you get that opinion? The visor is very secure, and you'd have to get kicked very hard in the face to dislodge the lens. In my opinion, the flip-up visor makes the Z1 a much better option than the Factory Diver. If your helmet mists up under canopy you can just pop open the visor instead of having to completely remove the helmet. 90% of new full-faces bought on my DZ are Z1s. That said: we don't have anyone actively promoting Bonehead products near here, so I can't proffer an opinion on how the Mamba compares. edit: To add context, I've about 300 jumps on my Z1. Apart from a couple of scratches (note to self: don't drop helmet), it's as good as new. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsaxton 0 #15 September 5, 2005 IMHO it's easier to handle fogging with goggles than a full face. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMURRAY 1 #16 September 5, 2005 why don't you just get contacts??? I have an Oxygn and contacts, never a problem. most of my 4 way buddies like there Z1's. I like the oxygn - better visibility out of it for sure. rm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #17 September 6, 2005 QuoteQuote i cant give you any feedback on how they work with glasses but i can tell you that the z1 is not the full face to go with if you have any desire to do 4 way, the lens isn't installed very securely and a knee to the face can easily send it into your nose. The factory diver is the way to go for full face. In my opinion, the flip-up visor makes the Z1 a much better option than the Factory Diver. If your helmet mists up under canopy you can just pop open the visor instead of having to completely remove the helmet. edit: To add context, I've about 300 jumps on my Z1. Apart from a couple of scratches (note to self: don't drop helmet), it's as good as new. I wear an Oxygn (not the A3) with my glasses, I find that it is much stronger on the face plate than the Z1. The Z1 only have a weak plastice screw holding the face plate, I've seen a few of these damaged quite easily. Also the Z1 did not fit with my glasses, the Oxygn fits very well with both my wrapps and my nornal specs.You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #18 September 6, 2005 You will hear many opinions, but they are all useless... ok not really . The only real way to find out is to try on some helmets. I wear my glasses under my Z1 with no problem at all. I can put the helmet on and take it off with my glasses on easily. The bigger your head and glasses are, the worse a Z1 will work with them. It's definitely one of the narrower helmets though, so it doesn't work for a lot of people with glasses. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timbarrett 0 #19 September 6, 2005 I started with the Havok but then switched to the Mamba which i much prefer now. The Havok was very easy to use with glasses but it never felt totally secure on my head. I felt too reliant on the chinstrap adjustment sometimes and it slipped slightly - especially during long tunnel sessions. Vision was slightly restricted when looking straight down my body so i tilted my head a bit to see cutaway for example The fit and the seal on the Mamba worked much better for me but without the compromised visibility. With a tight fit I had no difficulty in using it with glasses although it worked better with thin frames. The neoprene seal works well and it takes my Neptune very simply."Work hard, play hard and don't whinge" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdy2skydive 0 #20 September 6, 2005 I absolutely love my Mamba but I don't know how well it work for someone who wears glasses. I hated my Oxygen - too many problems keeping it secure and keeping the visor closed. I've heard good things about the Freezr helmet. It's supposed to be good for people who wear glasses. Might be worth looking into. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jkbernstein 1 #21 September 7, 2005 My Mamba arrived last week (less than 2 weeks after placing the order, by the way), and I love it. Good fit, very comfortable. It feels snug and secure on my head, but there's still enough room to comfortably wear my shades. The opening mechanism takes a little getting used to, but once you get it, it's a piece of cake. The big selling point of the Mamba for me was the fact that, unlike most helmets, which come in one size with different amounts of padding, Boneheads have different size shells available. I have a tiny little head; everything else was too big, even with padding. Regardless of what size head you have, the shell options make for a much better fit. Plus, there's the whole "Therma-fit" lining thing, which does seem to make the lining conform to your head quite well. I would definitely recommend checking out a Mamba.May the (relative) wind take your troubles away... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adriandavies 0 #22 September 7, 2005 Does anyone know where to get a Bonehead Havok in the UK? I have tried the websites of all the UK dealers but none have any in stock and although I could get one via the internet I really want to try one on first. Failing that I'll get a Freezr! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adriandavies 0 #23 September 7, 2005 Silly me...DZ Sports at Hinton have them on their website! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timbarrett 0 #24 September 7, 2005 never seen a Havok in the UK dealers but if you are anywhere near London or hang out near Weston or Hinton you are welcome to try mine out..."Work hard, play hard and don't whinge" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #25 September 7, 2005 Are you guys saying that if you wear contacts, the Oxygen (and Mamba and Z1 as well?) are fine WITHOUT goggles? That would be great to not have to wear them with a helmet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
