ryan_d_sucks 0 #1 December 23, 2008 I'm asking for a new helmet for Christmas. I'm tired of my student-looking old beat up Pro-Tec. I want something that will hold the ProDytter I bought 6 months ago. I was thinking about full face, partly for the added protection, and also I've found a pretty good deal on one. But do they impair your communication with other jumpers while in the air? Not that you can hear each other in freefall, but I find myself often mouthing simple words/phrases (ie: "fuck it" when a jump is FUBAR, and other simple things). Also, I think facial expression can say a lot to the other people on your jump (like the look of "somethings wrong" when you see that their closing loop broke and their D-bad is coming out with the PC still in the BOC. Am I overthinking it, or are my concerns legit? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #2 December 23, 2008 Yeah, it will impair communication, but expressions usually come through too... Imagine what the face in the helmet in the 4th pic would look like if it had been an open face. Broken nose or black eye and some serious road rash from the non-skid on a CASA tailgate (although they were two separate incidents). Bigger concern to me is difficulty seeing handles. See if you can borrow one for a jump and decide if you like it. But you can't beat a protec for expressing yourself... Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_d_sucks 0 #3 December 23, 2008 Hrmmm.. Pic 4 may have just sold me on the full face, granted I still have a good view of handles. Pic 1 is interesting-- No goggles, and a full face without a lense? I wonder if she can see anything. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #4 December 23, 2008 She has a lens.... it's just clean. And if that helmet convinced ya, you shoulda seen the kick to the face that caused this carnage... Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaryRay 0 #5 December 23, 2008 Quote She has a lens.... it's just clean. And if that helmet convinced ya, you shoulda seen the kick to the face that caused this carnage... Dave dude, that looks like it got run over by a fucking 18 wheeler. did the person's foot brake?JewBag. www.jewbag.wordpress.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #6 December 23, 2008 My protrack works just fine in my protec, why wouldn't your dytter? Yes, full faces impair communication... if you look at the photos, that were posted, the only way to really see the full face was if you are looking down on the other jumper. The other angle blocked the mouth. How can you mouth words to someone in freefall that way? As an instructor, I need every possible communication tool to use with my students, so I sacrifice some face protection for the communication and ability to see handles easier. That's just my judgement call though, doesn't mean it is the same (or should be the same) as yours. Try out some friends' full faces on the ground, see how you like them, if you are comfortable, ask to borrow them for a jump or two. That's the only way you'll get a feel for it. I wouldn't throw out or sell the protec either.. there's a time and place for both styles of helmets and it's good to have options. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #7 December 23, 2008 Well actually I have no idea... never found out who that one belonged to. It was found after being run over by farm equipment I think. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewcline 0 #8 December 23, 2008 I have liked full face helmets since I got kicked in the cheeck during a little "Kungfoo Relative Work". I have had no issues communicating, your eyes can be real expresive when need be. MattAn Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #9 December 23, 2008 I wear a Havok (Bonehead) to allow my spectacles. All I know is that a full face improved my RW work. The "peacefullness" of having my face out of the wind allowed me to focus better on my work, and more easily remain calm. My only complaint is that mine tends to fog at deployment (I guess that I exhale at that point). Having a fogged lens when I need to be checking my canopy is a pain. I am still exploring various ways to keep the lens from fogging.The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VideoFly 0 #10 December 23, 2008 I’ve worn an Oxygn for years on RW jumps, but since I do mostly video flying, I am more used to an open face. Now, on most RW jumps, I wear a frap hat and goggles, however, I recently did an RW belly jump with some freeflyers and wore my oxygen. On the first donut, one of the freeflyers kicked my face shield open and I had to rip it off and toss it so the sharp edges didn’t cut my face while flapping in the wind. On the negative side, I find that I have difficulty understanding others on the plane if they are wearing full face helmets because I am hard of hearing and usually read lips. Also, because I am more used to an open face, I find that my Oxygn obscures my lower peripheral vision at flare time. All in all, closed face helmets are great. They are warmer and quieter. For me, I’ll stick with my frap hat unless I anticipate carnage on a zoo dive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwrl 56 #11 December 23, 2008 Well, that's all fine and good for free flying and RW, but one could never get kicked in the face in a wingsuit, right? Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #12 December 23, 2008 Absolutely true. Especially during side-by-side gainer exits. It's just not possible due to... oh, never mind. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
erdnarob 1 #13 December 23, 2008 Some AFF instructors don't wear a full face helmet when jumping with students in order to have a better eye contact and therefore a more direct communication. Personally, I like to have in free fall as much freedom as possible concerning a helmet : total vision, light weight, no protruding parts...that's is why I still have a frap hat. The main purpose of the helmet is to protect your head from the risers at opening. With the tension from the opening forces which can reach a thousand pounds per risers, those are like steel bar. If your body is slightly at lateral angle at opening time, the risers go straight up anyway and can catch your ear, neck or any protruding part of your helmet.Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_d_sucks 0 #14 December 23, 2008 QuoteMy protrack works just fine in my protec, why wouldn't your dytter? Yes, full faces impair communication... if you look at the photos, that were posted, the only way to really see the full face was if you are looking down on the other jumper. The other angle blocked the mouth. How can you mouth words to someone in freefall that way?.... ... I wouldn't throw out or sell the protec either.. there's a time and place for both styles of helmets and it's good to have options. I can't fit my pro-dytter in there because the previous owner cut a hole in the ear-piece to fit one of the original style dytters. The original and pro are slightly different shapes, with the orinal being shorter and fatter, and the pro being longer and more slender. However, the large chunk of helmet missing over the ear made it so loud that I couldn't even hear the original dytter in freefall when I still had it in there. I could hear it on the ride up, but not down. But yeah, no matter what route I go I will def. keep my protec to have around, especially if I go full face. Its not a bad helmet by any means, but I'm just looking for something a little nicer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azureriders 0 #15 December 24, 2008 I am calling no fair to the first picture. i thought I was the only one who jumped bright orange black and decker gloves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Springbock 0 #16 December 26, 2008 Get a Fullface Helmet and keep the Protec. I still have and use my 6 Year old protec, and nobody is mistaken me with a Student, because its just plain cool ;-) but on RW the Fullface is just the safer option while I don't like it on a Hot Summer Hop'N Pop Take care up there! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladydyver 0 #17 December 26, 2008 I have a friend who had her visor cracked due to a kick in the face. It saved her from a broken nose...and she only ended up with a scratch. It looks like the pic that was posted. I wear a full face as well...love it. the only two issues i have had with it is that i occasionally have a glare problem (this is time of season issue - I think anyway as it is not always a problem) and the fact that you need to change out the visor periodically....which can be a pain. I honsetly prefer the full face helmet. As for the communication issue it has not been a problem for me. DPH # 2 "I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~ I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eJAKAL 0 #18 December 28, 2008 No full face. Communications can be critical. Faces were designed to be bashed in (but you've got to protect your brain bucket). Besides, you might miss a phenomenal photo-op post-landing. If you've never seen someone's face after bleeding at terminal, you just haven't lived. A simple nose bleed ends up looking like a few rounds with Mike Tyson. It's a sight to behold. JAKAL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gadget 0 #19 December 28, 2008 You mean like this? If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes??? My logbook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #20 December 29, 2008 Three hours ago I was reminded why full face helmets are a good thing. We were putting a nine way out of a Caravan. The exit was ugly and I got smacked with a shoe on the visor of my Bonehead Havoc. No injuries and I was able to continue the jump without difficulty. PS: For those of you getting hammered with a winter blast... The jumping weather in North Central Texas was WONDERFUL today!!!! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #21 December 29, 2008 You seem to spend a lot of time getting in other people's way. Talk to me...I'll show you how to dodge those bozos trying to smack you in the face. Anybody who does RW with freeflyers deserves what they get. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #22 December 29, 2008 Quote You seem to spend a lot of time getting in other people's way. Me? Not usually... except my 4-way team. I started dropping down next to them just before breakoff to get good shots of them tracking by me. It gets a little ridiculous when they stop their jump at 7000 feet (to get used to the time of 10.5k jumps for nationals). That gave em time make multiple passes at me. Quote Talk to me...I'll show you how to dodge those bozos trying to smack you in the face. Only hits to the face I've taken are on exit. A couple of feet to the jaw diving out of CASAs and stuff. My fault for being too slow. Quote Anybody who does RW with freeflyers deserves what they get. I don't spend a lot of time touching people (aka doing RW) these days. Staying away and shooting video is a lot safer! Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
