Skydiving helmets - What would you like to see?

[tlipiec 0]

Afternoon everyone,

In short: I'm looking at a side-project of helmet design & manufacturing (which, if everything goes well, hopefully turns into something bigger). I've been in sport for about 6 years, which gave ma quite a good idea what I'd like to see, but it's not out there yet. If anyone fancies sharing their opinions on what would make a "perfect helmet design", please comment (and depending on type of helmet, quote which type are you referring to):

1) Student / newly licensed helmet
2) All-around camera-friendly helmet
3) Helmet dedicated to professional camera flyers
4) BASE / Speedflying helmet
5a) Full-face helmet for general use
5b) Camera-friendly Full-Face (i.e. with cut-away system, possibly camera platform)
6) Any other helmet not specified above

Muchos Gracias & Blue skies!

# 2092
Stay away from the rivers

[Hopps 0]

Water hazard alarm?

[dpreguy 14]

One obvious improvement, sorely needed, is to design a helmet with the camera inside of it. Cameras are small enough now to do that. One guy (saw it on dz.com) took a smartphone apart and put the camera part inside with the lens being just behind a small hole.. Can you do that with a new small camera? (Without taking the camera apart)

[jumpwally 0]

I don't know why most helmets don't have an open ear hole,,,,Hearing under canopy is mighty important...any idea's ?

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[gowlerk 2,097]

Quote

I don't know why most helmets don't have an open ear hole,,,,Hearing under canopy is mighty important...any idea's ?

Probably because protecting your hearing long term is also important. Depending on hearing under canopy is only for CRW. It's not dependable enough for anything else.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[BrianM 1]

dpreguy

One obvious improvement, sorely needed, is to design a helmet with the camera inside of it. Cameras are small enough now to do that. One guy (saw it on dz.com) took a smartphone apart and put the camera part inside with the lens being just behind a small hole.. Can you do that with a new small camera? (Without taking the camera apart)

http://www.skyvisionpara.com/acheter-skyvision.html

"It's amazing what you can learn while you're not talking." - Skydivesg

[sammielu 3]

^ yes. More of those. Full face helmet with internal gopro mount and as much peripheral vision as you can give me, and a cutaway system.

[T_C 0]

A helmet that offers some real protection would be good. Not a $500 camera mount with a chincup. Something certified to ski/paraglide/mountaineering standards.

[BH_Composites 0]

Our CRW X-Sport has open ears and mesh on the ear opening for better hearing for CRW dogs.

Bonehead Composites
(951) 943-1166
www.boneheadcomposites.com
www.facebook.com/boneheadcomposites

[wan2doit 6]

Maybe drill a hole.

[dpreguy 14]

I appreciate the picture of the Gopro built in. Yes a step in the right direction.
But, what I am envisioning is a helmet without protrusions and bumps and warpy looking top bulges like the one pictured. That the observer couldn't tell any difference between a helmet with or without the camera inside it.

[JP_1337 0]

dpreguy

I appreciate the picture of the Gopro built in. Yes a step in the right direction.
But, what I am envisioning is a helmet without protrusions and bumps and warpy looking top bulges like the one pictured. That the observer couldn't tell any difference between a helmet with or without the camera inside it.

I'm only a new jumper, but I don't quite agree with you on this point.

Yes, I agree that something could be made to look much sleeker than the pictures in the link, however I think some bulge is both necessary and a good idea.

Off the shelf cameras, such as gopros and other compact action cams are not yet small enough that they could be fitted into a helmet without either modifying the shell of the helmet or modifying your skull, and a special tiny camera specific to the helmet just wouldn't be a great idea. To make a small enough camera that matches the quality of action cams out on the market already would be prohibitively expensive unless you make in such extreme bulk as the likes of gopro or sony.


I love the idea of the camera mount molded into the helmet shell, as it eliminates snag risks and could look real slick if done well. But I would prefer a bulge in the helmet to provide room for the cam rather than a dent in my head....

_____
SPLAT

[Maddingo 21]

T_C

A helmet that offers some real protection would be good. Not a $500 camera mount with a chincup. Something certified to ski/paraglide/mountaineering standards.

Tonfly made it

[timski 80]

T_C

A helmet that offers some real protection would be good. Not a $500 camera mount with a chincup. Something certified to ski/paraglide/mountaineering standards.

+1

[Deimian 43]

Maddingo

***A helmet that offers some real protection would be good. Not a $500 camera mount with a chincup. Something certified to ski/paraglide/mountaineering standards.

Tonfly made it

Halfway. It is a sky helmet with an audible pocket (just solo, optima, quattro and protrack II) in the right ear. I was excited when I saw the teaser on FB, but I was expecting more. There isn't a proper cutaway, chincup, left audible pocket or any snag-resistant camera mount.

There are sky helmets EN 1077 certified for less than 1/10th of the price (in decathlon, 30€) of the ICE. For sure they aren't as beautiful as the ICE, but paying 360€ for a left audible pocket, a headband cover, an a fancier chinstrap doesn't seem to me like a reason to be satisfied. To me it looks like an overpriced sky helmet or a protective skydiving helmet for basic needs.

[timski 80]

Deimian

******A helmet that offers some real protection would be good. Not a $500 camera mount with a chincup. Something certified to ski/paraglide/mountaineering standards.

Tonfly made it

Halfway. It is a sky helmet with an audible pocket (just solo, optima, quattro and protrack II) in the right ear. I was excited when I saw the teaser on FB, but I was expecting more. There isn't a proper cutaway, chincup, left audible pocket or any snag-resistant camera mount.

There are sky helmets EN 1077 certified for less than 1/10th of the price (in decathlon, 30€) of the ICE. For sure they aren't as beautiful as the ICE, but paying 360€ for a left audible pocket, a headband cover, an a fancier chinstrap doesn't seem to me like a reason to be satisfied. To me it looks like an overpriced sky helmet or a protective skydiving helmet for basic needs.

I checked out Tonfly's website, and with all things skydiving YES it's overpriced! That being said the tried and true PRO TEC helmet offers protection and a VERY nice price. Sexy it's not but what's more important??? Tonfly offers several models and all look pretty customizable...

[Maddingo 21]

Yes, I agree it is overpriced but some people do not realise that such helmet is already on the market place. :)

I also believe that if there won't be a lot of sales they Will drop the price in time.

[Anachronist 2]

Open face market is completely saturated from protecs to ski/snow helmets, to Cookie and Tonfly.

Full face is the only place for significant improvement.

In order of importance:
1- < $300 (< $200 even better).
2- Removable and user replaceable liners.
3- Real protection.

Integrated cameras are stupid and won't sell. Reasons:

1 - You can only integrate shitty cameras (every GoPro is shitty).

2.0 - Shitty camera probably married to helmet, need to replace one? Have to replace both...

2.1 - Zero angle or placement adjustment due to marriage.

3 - You can count on one hand the number of people that have died from GoPro entanglements (not counting 3ft poles, but integration doesn't fix that problem). You can probably still count them on one hand even including the 3ft poles. E.g. it is a non-issue.

4 - I'm sure I'm not the only person that thinks they look stupid.