Skydiving Helmet

[lifeofleizure 0]

Hi guys! I'm fairly new to the skydiving scene and have a question about helmets. I know there are other forums about helmets but non of them really answered the question. I'm looking at buying a helmet from Amazon and I'm hoping somebody with experience can tell me if this will do. I don't really want to spend $$$ on skydiving helmets and this seemed good for the price. I heard Pro Tec's were a good choice. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

PROTEC Original City Lite Bike Helmet, Satin Black, Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IG4GLHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_hZ.Mwb0C92JSM

[Hellbender 0]

Pro-tec's aren't considered "cool", but they're actually one of the better helmets out there, for the padding that they have on the inside compared to the high-end full face helmets. However, that one is not the right model, as it leaves your ears exposed. For one thing, the wind noise will be enormous and you'll go deaf, and secondly, sooner or later you'll have an opening where risers or lines go past your ear, and will leave it bloody. So get the type of Pro-tec which has the wrap around shell that covers the ears. It still has openings so you can hear, which is a good sense to keep when you're under canopy.

Something like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/PROTEC-Original-Full-Cut-Helmet/dp/B00ZX0MNGQ

That's it for me. Now all the cool kids will chime in and tell you to buy the $300 helmet which blocks your hearing, restricts your vision from being able to see your handles, has no protective padding inside, and has a mirror visor so no one can read your eyes.

PS: Turn your photo upright!

[lifeofleizure 0]

Thanks Hellbender, that was really helpful.

[peek 20]

lifeofleizure

I don't really want to spend $$$ on skydiving helmets and this seemed good for the price. I heard Pro Tec's were a good choice.

Yes, they are a very good choice. Note that you might find a better selection of size and color at a reasonable price if you get it from a skydiving equipment dealer.

http://www.paragear.com/skydiving/10000020/L3104/PROTEC

http://www.square1.com/manufacturers/square1/p519.asp#ProtecHelmet

[tred 0]

http://www.chutingstar.com/advanced-benny
another option

[BIGUN 1,048]

tred

http://www.chutingstar.com/advanced-benny
another option

I like.
$75.00 is a great price and the helmet looks as safe as the paratec.
One may have to call chutingstar for sizes though... the website indicates that only an XS is available.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[skytribe 16]

Thats probably because sky system went belly up.

[skytribe 16]

Whether the half shells are good ideas is debatable. Sure it will be noisy, sure there are better options.

As to the riser slap and bloody ears. I think this is more anecdotal. Many Many CRW jumpers jump with half shell designs and they have a load more stuff on the risers and I do't see them coming down with bloody ears in 25 years of doing CRW.

[tred 0]

BIGUN

***http://www.chutingstar.com/advanced-benny
another option

I like.
$75.00 is a great price and the helmet looks as safe as the paratec.
One may have to call chutingstar for sizes though... the website indicates that only an XS is available.

I bought one about a year and a half ago, they are good beginner helmets and IMO more comfortable than the protecs.. but I didn't realize the company went out of business

[pchapman 261]

The Advanced Benny's are nice, with a better quality liner than the standard Benny's.

Like some other SkySystems products, they could do with a revival.

I see the advanced liners are available in all sizes still at ChutingStar, so at increased cost one could still get the basic Benny and add the advanced liner.

[BIGUN 1,048]

skytribe

Thats probably because sky system went belly up.

I confess to not having had enough coffee this morning and didn't even connect the dots!!!

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[riggerrob 558]

If you really want to over-spend on helmet liners, but from Oregon Aero. OA sells fancy, shock-absorbing liners for Pro-Tecs. SEALS, Rangers and other Special Forces soldiers too sneaky to mention wore Pro-Tecs for decades.

As for half-shell helmets .... they are great after opening, but leave your ears exposed to injury during openings. Ear injuries are the same reason I quit wearing leather hats.

[DvK 2]

Hellbender

Pro-tec's aren't considered "cool", but they're actually one of the better helmets out there, for the padding that they have on the inside compared to the high-end full face helmets. However, that one is not the right model, as it leaves your ears exposed. For one thing, the wind noise will be enormous and you'll go deaf, and secondly, sooner or later you'll have an opening where risers or lines go past your ear, and will leave it bloody. So get the type of Pro-tec which has the wrap around shell that covers the ears. It still has openings so you can hear, which is a good sense to keep when you're under canopy.

Something like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/PROTEC-Original-Full-Cut-Helmet/dp/B00ZX0MNGQ

That's it for me. Now all the cool kids will chime in and tell you to buy the $300 helmet which blocks your hearing, restricts your vision from being able to see your handles, has no protective padding inside, and has a mirror visor so no one can read your eyes.

PS: Turn your photo upright!

Your arguments can go both ways , really... Full face gives more protection in some respects, makes freefall much more quiet and calm, allowing for more mental focus on the jump, enables you to show facial expression to someone else, without the wind in your face etc...

I agree on the mirror visors though, it's like jumping with a robot ^^ "

[3331 107]

Check out these Helmets too. I've never heard a complaint from anyone that has one and most important you'll look cool at the DZ. I've been using their goggles for years. http://www.unfeathered.com/

Here's the phone number in Pensacola Florida: (850) 479-7320

I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving.

[damir 1]

I've been jumping a Benny for 4 yrs now. Never had any problems, plus they are comfortable. I just can't spent $300 on a helmet yet. I believe I got it for like $40 back then.

[flyingwallop 5]

I think this article written by Matt Gerdes on headgear will be of interest and it shines a light on a rare case of safety oversight in skydiving.

http://base-book.com/headwear