Full face helmet considerations

[burtonjm 0]

Don't forget that there is an anti-fog coating on the lens. Anything used to clean off the scratches might ruin that.

This shit, right here, is OK

[Beer 0]

Anti fog on the inside.
Scratches on the outside.
Auto parts store should have some stuff for things like Jeep soft tops and rag top convertibles with soft windows.

Learn to be happy. You can't be there for anybody else in life if you can't learn to be there for yourself.

[Rstanley0312 0]

Quote

In 30 years of jumping, I've never used a full face, but am now considering it as I'm waiting for my new set of nylon to arrive. Haven't jumped for a couple years, and won't be to the DZ for a month (enough time to get a new helmet if I could only decide which). Unfortunately, I've never even put on a fullface helmet.

I've read reviews and searched the forum, but still have some specific issues for which I hope you'll offer your perspective.

1) Visibility downward toward chest. I'm particularly concerned about this related to handle visibility and because I want to put a digital altimeter on the mudflap area so I can see it while tracking away.

It seems like the Oxygen A-3 has a thicker lower "jaw" area of the helmet than the original Oxygen. Is the result worse lower visibility?

2) Are some of the older designs (Factory Diver, original Oxygen, Z1) lacking in some of the really nice comfort or whatever features that I should care about? It really is hard to make sense of the differences from reading the descriptions from the mfgs. Do some old desings have fixed screens?

3) I don't want a helmet that has nothing but a shell and felt padding. I want it to have something of a shock absorbing layer beyond felt. Which are the worst ones in this respect.

4) I have a 24 inch head circumference, about a 7 5/8 to 7 3/4 hat size (definitely XXL), but not unusual in terms of forehead/chin/nose. Are there some helmet that are not so good at fitting the larger heads?

5) My left ear works better than my right, so I'd rather be able to put my audible on the left side. It isn't at all clear from some of the mfgs if they can accommodate an audible one either side.

6) The quality of the visor mechanism always seems to be a contentious issue, so it is hard to tell which helmets are to be excluded, if any, for having a lousy design. Can the less than fantastic designs be easily enhanced by the owner?

As I said, I've tried to read up on all this stuff, but haven't been able to confirm these questions overall.

Thanks in advance for your help. I feel that even if I try some on at my DZ, I'll still want a wide group of opinions as I can get here. Sure would like to be able to get one before putting my knees back in the breeze.

My Mamba is great. No problem with seeing handles, great fit on a big head, great locking mech., and audible pockets on both sides. I love the helmet.

Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
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[monkycndo 0]

Careful how you clean the Mamba lens. It can scratch/haze easily. Only wash with clean water using your fingers to scrub it. Air dry. Any type of paper towel or cloth can do damage.

I also have a large melon and the Mamba fits great. Love it in cold weather.

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You know you want to spank it
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[kallend 1,621]

Quote

I wear earplugs in my fullface, and much prefer it. I'd never say that a full-face was quiet enough not to wear hearing protection. It's absolutely no problem hearing the audible in there.

For me, the feeling of claustrophobia in the Z-1 was immediate -- it spent about 30 seconds on my head.

Wendy P.

I wear earplugs in my OXYGN.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[stclaire2003 0]

I exclusively use a full face. I HATE goggles so I decided to try the full face last year. It was claustrophobic at first but I got a Z1 and put it on and watched TV with the face mask up. It helped alot. I particularly like how my 40 year old face is no longer stretched to the pint of no return. I also like how quiet my dives are.

Drawbacks for me are less visibility then with an open face. Also, unless you get a Z1 (that opens) you do not have the option of clearing your ears while under canopy. It also gets pretty darn hot in the summer. Once I deploy I pop my face mask open for fresh air and clear my sinuses. Definately get one that opens.

[Joellercoaster 6]

Something that's not necessarily apparent from a lot of discussions on here is that full-faces of different brands are quite different shapes, and that it matters more than for open-face helmets.

For example: My head like GAS and (slightly less) Mamba. I can't even get it into an Oxygn or Factory Diver; it's too long from chin to inion (that little bump at the back of your skull).

MrsCoaster, on the other hand, has an almost precisely Oxygn-shaped head, and loves hers as a result.

--
"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?

[erdnarob 1]

I suggest you try a full face helmet on a suspended harness. A friend of mine got a full face and has reviewed his cut way procedures in my basement about a month ago on a suspended harness. His rig was equipped with a standard size metal reserve handle. When suspended, the harness shifts and he could just barely see his reserve handle (chin on the chest). When the cut away handle was pulled, he fell on a mattress and still with the full face helmet had hard time to see the handle since the harness has shifted again on the side. Imagine what would be the eye contact on the reserve handle if this one has a small size!!!!????

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[sundevil777 93]

The downward visibility is better than I thought it would be, thanks.

People 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

[phoenixlpr 0]

I got over 1000 jumps inside a Z1 fullface. I liked it much, but I lost it because a worn off clip.

I've bought a Factory Diver. Its nice and light, but coming with a fixed visor. I tried last fall. I got it fogged up in the plane and frozen up in 20 seconds. I got an almost blind WS flight than some opening I could not see. I ripped the visor off. Its a nice helmet, but not for icing conditions.

[lurch 0]

Bonehead Havok user review here:
I've got roughly 2200 jumps on one with the lens removed.
These things are weird. Theres actually room for 4 audibles- 2 outer mounts 2 inner slots.

Comfort and fit are perfect. I have never noticed the slightest vision restriction with or without the lens on it. I use it with no lens and goggles under it just because I like some wind on face- with whole face behind glass skydive feels too much like watching television.

Helmet is quiet and good for noise reduction even with no lens. Major reason for continuing to jump this helmet is, I've had braces on teeth for last 5 years. A kick to face would make hamburger out of my mouth. The motocross-looking lower half of this helmet provides awesome level of protection. I got BADLY kicked in the face by a newbie wingsuiter on exit once. A full blooded sole-of-the-shoe dead center in the mouth. Hit so hard my camera whited out and took several seconds to reboot and refocus itself. I didn't feel a thing and took absolutely no damage from the hit. Helmet paid for itself in a split second. So if actual injury prevention to face is a concern, this helmet kicks ass.

Havok also makes a pretty good rough-and-tumble camera helmet with a little creativity. I only have 1 audible slot left because 2 are taken by remote battery mount and one taken by camera mount.

Latch mechanism is somewhat overelaborate and gives the helmet a certain "Darth Iguana" look, but seems failureproof- I've never had the slightest reliability problems with anything on this helmet. After 9 years of use and many impacts everything on the helmet still works as well as the day it was made. No weird creeping wear issues, nothing comes apart.

And last, the way this thing clamps onto your head, the chinstrap is redundant. You won't lose this thing because it'll stay on your head just fine with or without a strap.
-B

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[ChrisRomp 0]

I like my Z1, though it's the only full-face I've used. There are audible pockets on either side... I keep my N3 in one and spare ear plugs in the other. I added a little velcro tape to the side with my N3 to keep it from slipping out when I carry it around. It's lightweight and comfortable (for me).

The only downside is that the visor can be difficult to open with gloves on. Also I've left the plane twice forgetting to close my visor, so that's something you'll have to get used to doing.

[discovery4 0]

Does anyone have a picture of someone wearing the Bonehead Havok? I can't quite figure out how it sits on the head.