maurice1369 0 #1 July 8, 2007 I am looking into possible getting a new helmet. I already have a Bonehead Pimpdaddy and I like it alot. My question is what would be better for freeflying a full face helmet or an openfaced one? Also any input on a few of the companies would be great or are they all pretty much the same and the only difference really being the customer service areaEXPECT THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEST!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
countzero 7 #2 July 8, 2007 the Z1 and the Oxygn are the popular fullfaces i see in use. use a Z1 myself and like it alot. all the free fliers i know wear open faced. personally i've got a lot to learn before i try FF. so perhapse a FFer could chime in with more info. or you could do a search on open faced helmets in the FF section.diamonds are a dawgs best friend Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dontiego 0 #3 July 9, 2007 Freeflyers use to have open face helmets. Some say that's because they like the wind on their face, some say it's because a full-face blocks your vision downwards or to the side... Some others say it's easier to lose altitude-awareness when behind a visor... But i feel it's really only a fashion thing. I read some comment somewhere: "you could absolutely use a full-face helmet while freeflying, but don't you want to feel the freedom?". I thought this was a very crappy argument. Team Mandarin (who rock at VRW) wear full-face helmets. If full-faces were a hinder, they wouldn't. Get what you feel is best, there's nothing against full-face even in FF. If you jump when it is cold, you'd love to have a visor... and you could laugh at these open-face people whose nose falls off after a jump I also feel that i can set my audible to the lowest sound level and still hear it (i'm really cautious with my ears). Not sure it would work with an open face... "We call on the common man to rise up in revolt against this evil of typographical ignorance." http://bancomicsans.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squarecanopy 0 #4 July 11, 2007 I jump a Parasport Evo in warm weather and a Bonehead Mamba in cold weather. I have not noticed any vision problems in a sitfly with the Mamba, and it sure is nice when the air is cold. And as previously stated, when you need to hear your dytter, the full face helmet is quieter and you can turn down the volume on your audible. My opinion is that the Mamba, being carbon fiber, is a superior full face to the others because it is lighter, and with the extra material present on any full face helmet, weight is a consideration. Just burning a hole in the sky..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brabzzz 0 #5 July 11, 2007 Whatever floats your boat. If it's cheap and used, so much the better - minimises the 'all the gear and no idea' aura. Seriously, all it does is keep you legal (UK), hold audibles/cameras and maybe help prevent some minor knocks. Unless of course you actually care about protection, in which case get a ProTec...but that's SO uncool. --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jheadley 0 #6 July 11, 2007 The real reason freeflyers always wear open face helmets is so they can wear their hot Gatorz and look cool for the 4 other people filming them. If you're going to freefly with a full face, I'd suggest a Factory Diver. My Oxygn visor got ripped off by the wind while in a stand once. I nearly have to wear a full face. Every time I try to jump in goggles, my contacts come out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdog07 0 #7 July 12, 2007 I use original bonehead open face helmet, I was going to do some RW so I got factorydiver I try it on one time and it I made me feel claustrophobic so never use it and end up selling if for half the price couple years later, I you dont get claustrophobic you can use full and open face helmet if you got the money."A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones ..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LloydDobbler 2 #8 July 13, 2007 While I don't have much experience with full-face helmets, a buddy of mine (who rarely flies on his belly - it's all wingsuit or (mostly) freeflying) has a Bonehead Mamba that he SWEARS by. He's had 2 instances - 1 where he got kicked in the face on a wingsuit exit, and one where someone corked out of a freefly jump and clipped his face - that he feels like the full-face helmet has really protected his noggin on, more than an open-face would have. But of course, YMMV. Personally, I think it's a matter of preference. I have no reason not to get a full-face, except I'm putting a Cypres higher on my priority list right now...and when freeflying, I like the way an open-face looks better. (It is all about looking cool, after all...). Signatures are the new black. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #9 July 17, 2007 I got started in the old days when everyone wore motorcycle helmets. Then everyone went to hockey helmets and finally to those stupid leather hats that contain the brain matter after you're already dead. Never did go for one of those, I wore a Protec instead. When I returned to the sport, I picked a Bonehead Mindwarp, just because I was used to always having jumped an open face hard hat. That and the extra expense of a full face didn't interest me. I'm not a competition jumper either. If I jumped on a team I would absolutely go full face, all those close in maneuvers really demand the extra prtection. But even on my weekend "fun" dives, I've already caught a few knees, feet, and elbows in the chops, so I'm still thinking this might be the year to make the big change and go with a full face. Better a full face than a broken one. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #10 July 18, 2007 I too started in the days when everyone wore motorcycle helmets. I later went to a protec and use a Z-1 now. Some people feel claustrophobic in a full face helmet. I've never felt that though. I really like keeping all that wind out, particularly on a cold day. I used to hate messing with goggles that fogged up if you put them on early and then trying to get the right tension on the band under your helmet. We used portia goggles in the 70's. They left a lot to be desired. So, again I like a full face helmet just fine. There may be a few draw back though. I've noticed when tracking away that I have some problem reading my chest mount altimeter with my Z-1. It's hard to look directly down with one. I've since learned to turn my head to the right and I can still read that old altimeter that I bought in 1972. On a demo once, I needed to open the top of my jump suit to dig out a streamer after opening. I wasted several seconds trying to dig things out of there because I just couldn't look down enough with my Z-1 on my head. A full face helmet can fog up too if you breathe wrong at higher altitudes. A Protec probably offers a lot more protection than a Z-1. But despite all this, I'd buy another full face helmet. I really like them....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
micduran 0 #11 July 18, 2007 See if your fellow skydivers at the dz will loan you their helmets. You can try several types and styles that way and see what you think works best for you.Be patient with the faults of others; they have to be patient with yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
