Helmets

[Marcus93 0]

Hi guys, just wondering the pro's/con's of full face/open helmets.

what opinions does everyone have on them and which they think are best and why?

should you start off with one in particular or does it matter?

any info would be appreciated

Marcus

[mrubin 0]

I wear a full face because I do a lot of RW and there are a lot of arms and legs moving very close to my face and I would prefer that they did not hit me directly.

If I'm not mistaken, you need something like 50 jumps in the UK before you can wear a full face.

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[Marcus93 0]

ahhh that makes sense, does it affect sound/vision etc at all?

[NWFlyer 2]

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ahhh that makes sense, does it affect sound/vision etc at all?

Full-face helmets tend to be quieter. As for vision, it depends on the design of the helmet - some have a very wide field of vision, others have a more narrow field of vision. Of course, a dirty or scratched visor will impact vision, but that's remedied by cleaning/replacing the thing.

Full-face fit can be a trickier thing than an open-face since the shape of your head/face matters more, so it's very critical to try them on to see which works for your particular noggin.

I wore an open face helmet till I had around 450 jumps then switched to a full-face and haven't jumped my open face since. I waited as long as I did to switch to a full-face partly because I had trouble finding one that I liked that also fit my (freakishly large) head.

I like the additional protection that a full-face gives me from errant body parts, as well as the additional warmth it gives in freefall in the winter months. I don't have to keep track of goggles, which is nice. I also strongly prefer it in the wind tunnel because it keeps me from getting snotty after a long tunnel session.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Marcus93 0]

thanks, seems to me the general trend is in favour of full face.

i heard somewhere that some guy preferred the feeling of freefall on his face so i guess thats something to take into account.

are there any benefits of open face over full face, or is it just down to practicality?

[NWFlyer 2]

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thanks, seems to me the general trend is in favour of full face.

i heard somewhere that some guy preferred the feeling of freefall on his face so i guess thats something to take into account.

are there any benefits of open face over full face, or is it just down to practicality?

It's really a matter of personal preference. Both provide similar protection for your head - the full-face also adds protection for your face.

Some pros of open face: open face helmets eliminate the risk of a fogged visor (but add the risk of fogged goggles). Some people (as you said) prefer the feeling of the wind on their face. Open face helmets are more comfortable in warmer weather. Open face helmets are less expensive than full-face helmets.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Stearny 1]

I have found that the majority of the Belly RW guys prefer full faced helmets. I personally chose an open face (Cookie Ozone) because I known I want to eventually get into FF. While I think you can easily FF with a full face, the majority of FFers I see have open faced. A helmet is a helmet. Comes down to your style and as stated your preference.

Also, I do enjoy the feeling of freefall on my face. Moisture from clouds is SICK!

Cheers

Stearny

[NWPoul 1]

If you do work - take an aquarium Fullface
If you do fun - take an open face and feel the wind

Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

[spootch 0]

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I have found that the majority of the Belly RW guys prefer full faced helmets. I personally chose an open face (Cookie Ozone) because I known I want to eventually get into FF. While I think you can easily FF with a full face, the majority of FFers I see have open faced. A helmet is a helmet. Comes down to your style and as stated your preference.

Sorry dude ! most closed face helmets are not designed for freeflying and usualy turn into an open face about half way down

Cheers

[mjosparky 3]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=Helmets&sb=score&mh=25

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[JackC1 0]

You probably need to be aware that if you're in the UK, you'll need a B cert (that's an A cert + 50 jumps + JM1 + CH2 + packing) before you can wear a full face.

[DanG 1]

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Sorry dude ! most closed face helmets are not designed for freeflying and usualy turn into an open face about half way down

Tell that to these guys: http://www.azarsenal.com/team_members.html

- Dan G

[wildcard451 0]

Quote

Quote

Sorry dude ! most closed face helmets are not designed for freeflying and usualy turn into an open face about half way down

Tell that to these guys: http://www.azarsenal.com/team_members.html

But it's on the internet. It must be true.

[mchamp 1]

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I have found that the majority of the Belly RW guys prefer full faced helmets. I personally chose an open face (Cookie Ozone) because I known I want to eventually get into FF. While I think you can easily FF with a full face, the majority of FFers I see have open faced. A helmet is a helmet. Comes down to your style and as stated your preference.

Also, I do enjoy the feeling of freefall on my face. Moisture from clouds is SICK!

Cheers

Tell that to these world champions of VFS. Wtih 700+hrs of tunnel and 10,000+ jumps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsBmHc0aurw

For info regarding lift ticket prices all around the world check out
http://www.jumpticketprices.com/dropzones.asp

[Prior23 0]

I wear a full face with the visor taken off. I prefer this method because you get a lot of the benefits of the full face helmet without being stuffed up in a closed off helmet. If you are like me and prefer to feel the wind in your face this is a great method, just take the visor off and put on some sunglasses, you don't need a strap for them either.

B.A.S.E. #1734

[Stearny 1]

How is skydiving with just sunglasses? I have always wondered about doing that. I typically wear contact lenses when I jump. Is there any airflow around the sunglasses that would affect me?

Cheers

Stearny

[Olmed 0]

Quote

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ahhh that makes sense, does it affect sound/vision etc at all?

Full-face helmets tend to be quieter. As for vision, it depends on the design of the helmet - some have a very wide field of vision, others have a more narrow field of vision. Of course, a dirty or scratched visor will impact vision, but that's remedied by cleaning/replacing the thing.

Full-face fit can be a trickier thing than an open-face since the shape of your head/face matters more, so it's very critical to try them on to see which works for your particular noggin.

I wore an open face helmet till I had around 450 jumps then switched to a full-face and haven't jumped my open face since. I waited as long as I did to switch to a full-face partly because I had trouble finding one that I liked that also fit my (freakishly large) head.

I like the additional protection that a full-face gives me from errant body parts, as well as the additional warmth it gives in freefall in the winter months. I don't have to keep track of goggles, which is nice. I also strongly prefer it in the wind tunnel because it keeps me from getting snotty after a long tunnel session.

A relief to hear others with "freakishly large" heads in this sport. I have been wanting to ask how this affect your flight..

[thrillstalker 0]

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thanks, seems to me the general trend is in favour of full face.

maybe on here, but at a real dz you pretty much see 50/50.

i hate wearing a fullface helmet. i couldnt give you an answer why i prefer one to the other. on my motorcycle i wear a half shell, even during the winter.

full face helmets are pretty expensive, and a protech has a better chance of helping you out during some kind of trauma.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[thrillstalker 0]

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How is skydiving with just sunglasses? I have always wondered about doing that. I typically wear contact lenses when I jump. Is there any airflow around the sunglasses that would affect me?

Cheers

i know some people who jump with gators who also wear contacts. these glasses are $150 and still might not fit your face good enough be adequate in freefall.

i have had my contact lens blow out inside of motorcycle goggles before.

i use these now http://www.chutingstar.com/newgear_en/peerser-goggles.html and have never had a problem. at 15 bucks you can replace them cheaply if you scratch them too bad.

a trick i have found to keep them really snug is make sure the goggles are putting pressure on the bridge of my nose. works great even in a sit.

they are pretty low profile for goggles and they dont look too bad.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[Prior23 0]

I've got a pair of Gatorz that I wear regularly, they fit so perfectly to where they really fit snug around my eyes and no air gets through but they are not uncomfortable at all. I normally don't buy expensive sunglasses but I keep losing cheap ones because I simply don't care about them as much being 5 dollars and all. Plus I got my pair for 75 bucks because my DZ was going to discontinue selling them.

B.A.S.E. #1734

[ChrisL 2]

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i heard somewhere that some guy preferred the feeling of freefall on his face so i guess thats something to take into account.

I feel exactly that way. I have both types and vastly prefer the open face.
I'll only wear the full face if its super cold.

I wear a half-helmet on my motorcycle as well.

I just like the wind in my face

__

My mighty steed