REVIEW Bonehead Aero Helmet

[weaverd 0]

Alright so I was pretty sure when I got my REV2 that would be the last helmet that I would need. Well folks Bonehead has gone out and done it again. They have created another NEW helmet again, The AERO.

Now this helmet is nothing like the Revolve or REV2 so it is no use to compare it to them. If I had to say it is somewhere along the lines of the G3 or Sky Systems C6 Air. But since the sky systems helmet is more of a myth than a reality I will compare only to the G3.

So where to start? Well as usual this helmet like all Bonehead helmets is NOT made of plastic like a G3 but is injection moulded carbon fiber. So that translates into a strong durable helmet.

The face mask/visor ( whatever you want to call it) like previous face shields is injection molded and has Bonehead's excellent anti fog coating ( not the spray bottle kind)

You can also purchase the helmet with a GOPRO mount which I will get into later.

And lastly it has a cutaway/quick release system which I will get into a little more detail.

So for fit and comfort this helmet is a winner. I was able to put it on out of the box and jump it. The helmet fits comfortably and securely on my head and does not move around. I jumped the helmet, belly, sit fly and head down. During all theses jumps I it did not move or shift only my head and no wind entered the helmet.

As with all Bonehead helmets and UNLIKE the G3 the liner/padding is removable. So you are able to remove it to wash or easily replace if needed. Also you can add or remove padding to get that perfect fit.

Now the visor/facemask area is huge! With the helmet on you can see my mouth clearly for tunnel/coaching or whatever you need. No matter which direction I look in I have a clear view and cannot see any part of the helmet while wearing it!Also there is NO distortion that goes along with the huge curved surface! I have included a picture of the helmet next to a G3 and you can see just how much bigger the visor is!

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If you purchase the GOPRO mount you have two options. Have Bonehead install it for you or do it yourself. Which option you choose will come down to personal preference. When Bonehead attaches the mount they mount it so that the visor can go fully back. What I chose to do is I put the helmet on my head and opened the visor up so that it is just past my eyes and does not obstruct my view and placed the mount just behind the visor. This allows me to have the camera close to the front of the helmet. Also with it setup like this the visor does NOT show up in the cameras field of view. I am not 100% sure but I believe if you have it mounted farther back by Bonehead the visor also will not get in the way of the camera. Here are some pictures of how I mounted it.

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And finally the quick release/cut away buckle is attached to a string that goes through the collar. This enables you to tighten the helmet to your desired tightness and comfort. I tested the "cut away" under pressure with two people pulling me up by the helmet and it did not fail to release. Obviously this does not accurately imitate a canopy pulling on the helmet but I am confident that it will release if needed.

As with any new helmet I highly recommend spending time with this on the ground getting use to it before jumping it. Specifically get used to opening and closing the visor with and with out gloves! The visor is a little tricky in the beginning but within 5 mins I was able to master opening it. The easiest way that I can suggest to open it place both hands at the back of the pivot points and push all the way forward and the rotate up. Once you have this action down (its not hard) you will not have a problem opening the visor.

The spring in the visor is a strong little sucker, when you close the visor it snaps shut with authority and you KNOW its closed and will stay closed!

I should also mention there are cut outs in the padding for your audible altimeters.

I hope this review helps everyone and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I will apologize in advance if I am slow at responding as I am away from internet connections a lot with work!

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[airtwardo 6]

Excellent review!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[piisfish 135]

Thanks for the great review.

How many helmets do you have ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[weaverd 0]

piisfish

Thanks for the great review.

How many helmets do you have ?

i have a couple

[Di0 1]

Excellent review, the helmet looks sick.

I have a couple of questions, maybe some folks from BH will be able to answer.

First, I have seen on the website that in the future they will offer the option to mount the gopro on the side too (right now they only offer the side mount for the countour).
I would be interested in this option, if that doesn't mean cutting 2 holes in the helmet shell, but using the metal plate instead? Any idea on how this will happen.

Second, what is the material used for the padding?

Overall, it's such a badass helmet. BH does great products and I am trying to decide between this and the REV2 based on what uses I will do the most. But this seems better suited for me, I'll buy as soon as there is a way to mount a gopro on the side without altering the shell.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[piisfish 135]

as a side question, why would you want to mount a GoPro on the side ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[weaverd 0]

Di0

Excellent review, the helmet looks sick.

I have a couple of questions, maybe some folks from BH will be able to answer.

First, I have seen on the website that in the future they will offer the option to mount the gopro on the side too (right now they only offer the side mount for the countour).
I would be interested in this option, if that doesn't mean cutting 2 holes in the helmet shell, but using the metal plate instead? Any idea on how this will happen.

Second, what is the material used for the padding?

Overall, it's such a badass helmet. BH does great products and I am trying to decide between this and the REV2 based on what uses I will do the most. But this seems better suited for me, I'll buy as soon as there is a way to mount a gopro on the side without altering the shell.

Thanks for the compliment

As for your comment about the GoPro. I have discussed this with the owner of BH and there will NOT be a side mount for the GoPro. The reference to a side mount option on the website is for Contour Cameras.

Mounting a gopro to the side of the helmet is both impractical and dangerous. While is a side mount works great for the contour it does not for the Gopro.

With the contour it is slim design but even with its slim design i have the my risers smack the contour on both the Revolve and Rev2. Luckily it being on a rail it just came off the rail and the tether held it. In one case it did damage the plastic rail on the camera.

The problem with a go pro is that it is boxy and there is no way to change the picture orientation to sideways. You either have right side up or upside down. So to mount the go pro to the side you would need to use go pro's "side mount" This would cause the camera to be out 2.5 - 4 times farther out from the side of the helmet than what the contour is. This is even more dangerous as you run and even greater risk of your risers getting caught on the camera or in the event of a cut away getting stuck on it.

So with that in mind there are no plans to create a side mount for the go pro. Not worth the risk.

If you are really gun ho about have a camera on the side then you can purchase a contour and at some point a side bracket for the contour will be created for the AERO.

Hope that helps!

cheers!

[Di0 1]

Thank you for the detailed answer, that makes a lot of sense and I needed the extra explanation, I am a newer-ish jumper trying to figure out what camera setup would work best for me, I needed some info to think about and I didn't think about a few points you made. Good stuff!

In that case, I'd recommend re-writing this section of the website:
http://www.boneheadcomposites.com/m8/102--aero-full-face-helmet-new.html

Quote

Go Pro's can be top mounted using our standard mount and side mounting options will also be available.

The way I read it, it specifically says that GoPro side mounting WILL BE possible. This is not true and confusing. It made me assume that go pro had the possiblity to flip the picture by 90 degs. I was wrong.
As to why I would prefer a side mount to a top mount, my points are basically 2:
a) I don't want to compromise the shell of the helmet. The way I understand it, side mounting can use the plates and not compromise the helmet structure.
b) (not sure about this, but it's my feeling) I'd rather have something stuck in my risers, which means the canopy is probably at least partially inflated than in my lines, which means the canopy is probably not inflated. It should give me more times to deal with it although there is probably more force on your neck at that point.

That's why I am, at this stage, partial to side mounts (although, in all honesty, I have been asking to many experienced camera fliers and they all seem to prefer the top mount, gopro or not gopro).

Although at this point, since Countour is pretty much out of business (actually, just recently came back with new ownership, but no new models on the horizon etc), the next best bet for side mounting would be the Sony AS serie. But there aren't many mounting for Sony AS's out there, unless you build it yourself.

So long story short, if you want an up-to-date camera on a full-face and you're lazy, like me, you're "forced" with gopro and top mounting.

Nevertheless, I still think the aero is, on the paper, the best "low profile" full face out there at the moment and I was very happy to read your review.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[weaverd 0]

Di0

Thank you for the detailed answer, that makes a lot of sense and I needed the extra explanation, I am a newer-ish jumper trying to figure out what camera setup would work best for me, I needed some info to think about and I didn't think about a few points you made. Good stuff!

In that case, I'd recommend re-writing this section of the website:
http://www.boneheadcomposites.com/m8/102--aero-full-face-helmet-new.html

Quote

Go Pro's can be top mounted using our standard mount and side mounting options will also be available.

The way I read it, it specifically says that GoPro side mounting WILL BE possible. This is not true and confusing. It made me assume that go pro had the possiblity to flip the picture by 90 degs. I was wrong.
As to why I would prefer a side mount to a top mount, my points are basically 2:
a) I don't want to compromise the shell of the helmet. The way I understand it, side mounting can use the plates and not compromise the helmet structure.
b) (not sure about this, but it's my feeling) I'd rather have something stuck in my risers, which means the canopy is probably at least partially inflated than in my lines, which means the canopy is probably not inflated. It should give me more times to deal with it although there is probably more force on your neck at that point.

That's why I am, at this stage, partial to side mounts (although, in all honesty, I have been asking to many experienced camera fliers and they all seem to prefer the top mount, gopro or not gopro).

Although at this point, since Countour is pretty much out of business (actually, just recently came back with new ownership, but no new models on the horizon etc), the next best bet for side mounting would be the Sony AS serie. But there aren't many mounting for Sony AS's out there, unless you build it yourself.

So long story short, if you want an up-to-date camera on a full-face and you're lazy, like me, you're "forced" with gopro and top mounting.

Nevertheless, I still think the aero is, on the paper, the best "low profile" full face out there at the moment and I was very happy to read your review.

Well you can ask BH to change their webiste but in reality its not that important of an issue.

With regards to top mounting the Gopro. There are more experienced camera people on this board than me and they will probably chime in if I am wrong here, but there is not safe way to mount a camera. Be it a go pro ,contour or other. They all hold risk to some degree. The people at your DZ who tell you they prefer the top mounted go pro it is probably because it is the safest of your mounting options. (less of a chance for riser strikes) I could be wrong on that point and if I am, I am sure someone will chime in.

Mounting the Gopro to the top of the helmet does not "compromise the shell" as you put it. It is two small holes for two screws.

Now if you are that worried about two small holes you can always use one of the go pro sticky mounts.

[Omni 0]

How is the sizing? My noggin measures in at 23 3/4 - 24 and I am worried about the fit.
How about the logo, is it just a sticker that comes off easily or is it permanent?

[monkycndo 0]

I am a member of the freakishly large head club and BH helmets tend to fit me better than most other helmets.

YMMV.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[Di0 1]

weaverd

Well you can ask BH to change their webiste but in reality its not that important of an issue.

With regards to top mounting the Gopro. There are more experienced camera people on this board than me and they will probably chime in if I am wrong here, but there is not safe way to mount a camera. Be it a go pro ,contour or other. They all hold risk to some degree. The people at your DZ who tell you they prefer the top mounted go pro it is probably because it is the safest of your mounting options. (less of a chance for riser strikes) I could be wrong on that point and if I am, I am sure someone will chime in.

Mounting the Gopro to the top of the helmet does not "compromise the shell" as you put it. It is two small holes for two screws.

Now if you are that worried about two small holes you can always use one of the go pro sticky mounts.

Yes, it is important to me because if you didn't tell me, I would have been waiting to buy this helmet with a "gopro sidemount" that would have never happened.

I agree with the idea that there is no safe way to mount a camera in the end, that's why I am doing my homework and trying to figure out the safeish way to do it, or at least the less risky, and understand the risks that I am adding.

As for compromising the shell, yes, I still believe that two holes drilled after the fact do compromise the shell, especially if it's made of carbon fiber. And especially if you then put a nice hard object ready to hammer that section of your helmet. I'm an engineer and I'm quite anal about this stuff.
The idea of eventually using the sticky mount on the Aero is what I am considering at the moment.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[wicodefly 0]

Thanks for the review. This one looks really promising and I can't wait to try one on.

How easy is the cutaway to use with gloves? It's hard to see in the pictures.

Does the helmet come off really easily after you use the cutaway?

Chance favors the prepared mind.

[weaverd 0]

wicodefly

Thanks for the review. This one looks really promising and I can't wait to try one on.

How easy is the cutaway to use with gloves? It's hard to see in the pictures.

Does the helmet come off really easily after you use the cutaway?

I did not have a problem using it with gloves on.

For me the helmet comes off easy

[jumpwally 0]

Wow !! There is no way that camera is snapping off,,,,

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[mxk 1]

jumpwally

Wow !! There is no way that camera is snapping off,,,,

Isn't that a bad thing? I'm still more than 100 jumps away from bringing a camera along, but when I do, I would rather have the camera break off when a force above a certain threshold is applied to the mount. That seems like a safer alternative than a cutaway for the whole helmet, especially for someone like me who wears glasses with a fairly strong prescription.

I have the Rev2 and absolutely love it, but I got rid of the cutaway handle and just routed the yellow cable under the pads where it can't get snagged on anything. I'll have to figure out some other solution when its time to put a camera on it.

[realpet 0]

mxk

but when I do, I would rather have the camera break off when a force above a certain threshold is applied to the mount.

How are you going to arrange that? Browse a bit dz.com and you'll see images and videos of pilotchute in tow on those this-small-camera-mount-will-break-before-anything-bad-can-happen setups.

- Petri

[mxk 1]

realpet

***but when I do, I would rather have the camera break off when a force above a certain threshold is applied to the mount.

How are you going to arrange that? Browse a bit dz.com and you'll see images and videos of pilotchute in tow on those this-small-camera-mount-will-break-before-anything-bad-can-happen setups.

- Petri

Are there any photos or videos of a pilot chute in tow being fixed by a helmet cutaway? The ones that I've seen were all solved by manually untangling the bridle.

Genuinely curious, because my understanding was that the cutaway is for the case where you've got a main line wrapped around the camera. Would the pilot chute actually generate enough force to pull the helmet off, especially if your head is not in line with the airflow?

[Pobrause 6]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YKfARBJtZU

seen a couple helmet cutaways due to lines entangled and at least one with a bridle wrapped around a cam, can't find any of those atm though

-------------------------------------------------------

To absent friends

[wpturner 0]

good review

how do you like the AERO in contrast with the g3?

specifically: is the helmit sizing commensurate with the g3, would an xl in g3 be an xl in AERO?

how clear is the visor on the AERO?
Cookie told me that their visors are made in such a way that they are clearer than many other companies' products.

[wpturner 0]

did you get the Aero in gloss carbon fiber?

[weaverd 0]

wpturner

good review

how do you like the AERO in contrast with the g3?

specifically: is the helmit sizing commensurate with the g3, would an xl in g3 be an xl in AERO?

how clear is the visor on the AERO?
Cookie told me that their visors are made in such a way that they are clearer than many other companies' products.

Love the Aero over the G3, its hard to same if the sizing is similar, I would highly recommend using Boneheads sizing chart. And with the ability to add and remove padding (shims) you are able to make the helmet fit you.

The visor is great. It is the same clear moulded plastic as the Rev2 with zero distortion and the same great anti fog coating. I don't know what bonehead uses but I have never had a lens fog up on me, even jumping in the winter!

[weaverd 0]

Just a heads up for people who ordered the helmet, it will start shipping out this week!

[Di0 1]

Eheh, I notice somebody changed the website to be more clear about the type of mounting that will be available.

With that being said, I put some thought into it and I am pretty sure I'll buy an aero in the near future (as soon as I am less broke lol), it really seems to me like the most complete full-face helmet out there at the moment. Thank you for the review and the info, I wanted to read something more about this helmet since it was announced.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[william.dalban 0]

How much does it weight ? grams/oz ?
How much does the shell cover down the neck ? could you post a picture of that ?