How to mount a dytter to the outside of a Z1??

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Hey everyone,

Hopefully I'm not the first one to do this (I really hope not) but I am trying to mount my Optima to the outside of my helmet. I have 2 questions:

1) Is it safe to do this (snag point etc...)?
2) If it's not unsafe, how did you do it, or how have you seen it done.

I had 2 ideas...

1 - Go all out, get some fibreglass resin, cut a hole in my helmet and make the "pocket" myself.

2 - Attach it to the outside with zip ties going through the helmet.

I don't really like either of those options because option 1 forces me to massachre my helmet and it makes the helmet fit tighter. (Same reason I don't want it in one of the internal pockets. Option 2 has a much higher snag potential

I had also thought about getting a pocket sewn on the neck liner that could close with velcro. I'm almost sure I'd still hear the dytter. Maybe someone with experience could elaborate but this idea is the most appealing to me.

Anyways, Thanks for the advice


Chris

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[vid666 0]

Quote

Hey everyone,

Hopefully I'm not the first one to do this (I really hope not) but I am trying to mount my Optima to the outside of my helmet. I have 2 questions:

1) Is it safe to do this (snag point etc...)?
2) If it's not unsafe, how did you do it, or how have you seen it done.

I had 2 ideas...

1 - Go all out, get some fibreglass resin, cut a hole in my helmet and make the "pocket" myself.

2 - Attach it to the outside with zip ties going through the helmet.

I don't really like either of those options because option 1 forces me to massachre my helmet and it makes the helmet fit tighter. (Same reason I don't want it in one of the internal pockets. Option 2 has a much higher snag potential

I had also thought about getting a pocket sewn on the neck liner that could close with velcro. I'm almost sure I'd still hear the dytter. Maybe someone with experience could elaborate but this idea is the most appealing to me.

Anyways, Thanks for the advice


Chris

after tinkering along the same lines, and coming up with a zip tie solution.... about 20 jumps later a riser strike solidified my opinion that upgrading to an STI was cheaper :)

good luck

[bob.dino 0]

The Optima is not very tough. My suggestion would be to mount it inside, in the pockets designed for an audible. Otherwise I don't think it'll survive riser knocks or combat RW.

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Hey,

Yeah, I totally agree, It doesn't make sense to try and reinvent the wheel as the pockets are already there, but....

With the dytter in either pocket, it's really tight on my head and I feel that I'm going to crush it. It really is not at all comfortable. Maybe my helmet is a bit small, but it fits nice and snug. The riser slapping the dytter is true, I had thought about it, but as far as I'm aware, it's never happened to me yet.

I really am thinking about the pocket being sewn onto the neck protection. Picture a pocket right about where I have it in the second picture that is closed on 3 sides and has velcro on the other so I can change settings/batteries etc. As for the sound, I'm sure I can hear it through the material, but I was also thinging of putting a rivet through the neck material, similar to the holes in your shoes that you pass the laces through. I think it will work, I just need to find someone who can help me do it.

Thanks for the info

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[RossDagley 0]

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... Otherwise I don't think it'll survive riser knocks or combat RW.

ROFL. Just had to comment about that - thats the first time I've heard that expression - "combat RW". really made me chuckle

[phoenixlpr 0]

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Quote

... Otherwise I don't think it'll survive riser knocks or combat RW.

ROFL. Just had to comment about that - thats the first time I've heard that expression - "combat RW". really made me chuckle

How would you call if you might loose some teeth on exit?

[RossDagley 0]

I call it "dives i'd rather not be on" Or "whoopsie I went low and tracked the fuck away "

[MagicGuy 0]

Maybe it's me but.. the neck liner on a Z1 is pretty tight as it is, and adding an audible to the game sounds really uncomfortable.

Honestly dude, when they designed the helmet and put the pockets on the inside, they probably did it for a reason. I have an old Bonehead Mindwarp with an outside of the helmet audible pocket and I hate it. It doesn't seem all that secure and there's a higher chance of it A.) snagging and B.) getting hit and/or broken.

Just wear it on the inside!

[steve1 5]

I put mine inside, and like it there. You might want to trade for a bigger helmet if yours is too snug. You could always try cutting a hole and then building a shell with fiberglass (If you are really handy!) and that would probably mean repainting your entire helmet.

I personally love doing stuff like that, but sometimes the finished product is less than desired. Not to mention that I end up wasting a ton of time on some of these projects.

I tried to build a camera helmet a while back out of an old protec helmet. This was a great challenge that I really got into. After hours and hours of pouring fiberglass, sanding, painting, and fixing this and messing with that....I ended up with a monstrosity that probably wasn't even safe to jump. My cameras were missing the target, and I now have a sore neck from all that weight on my noggin at opening time. I wonder why I didn't just buy a camera helmet, instead of making one that was a total failure....Steve1

[skytash 0]

It feels like there is a gap in the lining into which the audible should fit, making it even with the lining. I sometimes need to fiddle a bit to get my Protrack to sit in it. Perhaps it's just a matter of you doing that kind of fiddling, or you could attempt to increase the size of that gap in the lining.

If it's mounted on the outside, you may not hear it, so you risk making holes in your helmet, loosing your audible from a riser strike and not hearing it if you mount it on the outside.

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[Scoop 0]

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With the dytter in either pocket, it's really tight on my head and I feel that I'm going to crush it. It really is not at all comfortable. Maybe my helmet is a bit small, but it fits nice and snug. The riser slapping the dytter is true, I had thought about it, but as far as I'm aware, it's never happened to me yet.

I had the same problem with my Z1 open face. I mounted my Pro Dytter on the outside in the end using the mounting bracket, drilling holes for the speaker and oodles of windscreen bonding sealent to make it air tight so don't hear wind noise, only the spreaker.

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Hey,

I know there is a gap in the helmet lining. It does sit in there and becomes flush with the lining btu that's the problem, my ear goes there. It really doesn't have the room to put it on the inside. The helmet fits my head good, but there's no room for a dytter beside my ear.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to attempt to make my own pocket on the outside and make a small hole in the neck lining and put a grommet through it for the sound. If it doesn't work, big deal, I'll have a pocket on my helmet, won't be in the way of anything and will barely be seen.

I agree fully that mounting it to the outside(plastic portion) of the helmet is not the best idea. Yes it will work, but it adds a potential snag point and I don't want to lose my dytter to a riser strick. With the pocket, there are no snag points, the hole "should" allow the sounds to be heard, and it won't make the helmet any tighter.


On another note, The optima is damn loud. I am wondering that even if I did put it in my helmet, it would essentially be pressing against my ear, and I'm sure it would be painfully loud. 120db is enough to make you go deaf. Tis is another reason I like the neck lining idea, it will be close to my ear, but not "in" my ear.

Thanks for the ideas and opinions.

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[brianfry713 0]

You could try a bigger liner. The Z1 shell is the same size, but it may fit better with the audible in a bigger size liner.