Bonehead Mamba Ventilation

[PrairieDoug 0]

I just got a Mamba full face helmet from Bonehead. It fits perfectly and looks great, but I wonder why the design doesn't allow for some kind of mouth ventilation. As shown in the attached pic, the jaw portion of the helmet is intended to fully cover the mouth. I often use deep breathing as a relaxation technique and this design would seem to limit that. There is plenty of ventilation at the top of the visor, but none near the mouth.

I haven't flown the helmet yet, so maybe in practice it's not really an issue. Anybody have have any thoughts or experience with this?

Doug

[pilotdave 0]

There are mouth vents in the Mambas I've seen, and in the pictures you attached. Yours doesn't have those? They're lower down than the vents on the Z1...no idea how well they work.

Dave

[PrairieDoug 0]

Dave - Yes, there are slots off to the side on the lower part of the jaw piece, but they are not near the mouth and are blocked by the padding. There's no direct mouth ventilation.

Doug

[kingbunky 3]

i haven't had any problems with ventilation on mine. i just leave the visor up until the door opens to keep it from fogging up, but i imagine it's the same with any full face.

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001

[hottamaly 1]

There is a hole in the helmet where your mouth should be and thinner padding in the same area. There are plastic baffles to direct your breath out the exterior holes in the helmet.

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live

[PrairieDoug 0]

Thanks. I'll take another look at the helmet when I get home.

[Joellercoaster 6]

I had a Havok to fit my glasses underneath, but my glasses fogged (ironically, all that extra space directed breath inside the helmet as well).

So I bought a Mamba and have never had any kind of fogging in it - the vents at the front work very well.

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[tetra316 0]

Thought I would resurrect this thread since this is exactly my question. I bought Mamba this summer and for haven't had any issues with it fogging in freefall, except in Colorado where the air is coolder up top. But the visor is fogging up under canopy as there is no ventilation on the mouth piece per se. I've seen oxygens with a hole cut in the foam on the chin cup to prevent fogging but the mamba has none. So I cut a hole in mine last night but will have to wait till this weekend to try it out.

I can't be the only heavy breather here so what have other people done with theirs?

[Andy0689 0]

If I'm under canopy and the visor fogs, I raise the visor. Problem solved.

TheDon cut a hole in the padding on his Mamba and swears by it. Maybe he'll chime in here.

Andy
I'll believe it when I see it on YouTube!

[tetra316 0]

Quote

If I'm under canopy and the visor fogs, I raise the visor. Problem solved.

TheDon cut a hole in the padding on his Mamba and swears by it. Maybe he'll chime in here.

I have been as well. The issue is what happens if I have a mal, and try to fix it. The visor fogs up and I can't see my altimeter. No time to lift the visor if you are dealing with a mal.

[Andy0689 0]

Sounds like you did the same thing Don did. Cut a neat, round hole in the padding right where your lips would go if you pucker them like you're kissing it.

He says this has improved the ventilation but didn't mention anything about problems with fogging. I haven't had a problem with breathing or fogging on mine so no cutting for me unless i have a problem when it gets colder.

If that doesn't fix it, try some cat crap. I use it when I ski and it works pretty good. REI has it.

Andy
I'll believe it when I see it on YouTube!