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skytribe

Frap Hat Manufacturer

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True, it is just a leather hat, but is it not still considered a frap hat? Thats what I've always called it. I have had a couple different versions, and this one is my favorite so far.

It is lined and has an audible pocket. It has the goggle strap on the back too.

(That is my daughter, Was taking her the day after her 18th B-day)

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pterodactyl1986

Can some one explain to me the purpose of such a frap/leather hat?

It does not seem to provide much protection in any regards, is it merely for style?



Depends on what you mean by 'protection'. In terms of absorbing a blow to the cranium, I think you might be surprised by how well a padded frap hat performs in comparison to a typical full-face skydiving helmet.

Admittedly a frap hat is not going to provide any protection for your face, but don't be fooled by the appearance of full-face skydiving helmets - they may resemble motorcycle helmets, but (of necessity) they're far too small and light to provide anything like the same level of protection. Their main purpose is to keep the wind out and give you a little insurance against bumps and bruises inflicted by your overenthusiastic teammates. :)

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pterodactyl1986

Can some one explain to me the purpose of such a frap/leather hat?

It does not seem to provide much protection in any regards, is it merely for style?



keep the noise out of your ears in the plane and in FF; protect you from bruises inside the plane. they do these two jobs pretty well
The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

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evh

I understand they protect your ears from getting slapped by risers?



yep. that to. maybe thats were the name really comes from - the sound of a riser "frapping" ears :P
The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

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feuergnom

***I understand they protect your ears from getting slapped by risers?



yep. that to. maybe thats were the name really comes from - the sound of a riser "frapping" ears :P


About 20 years ago, our DZO at the time decided to do a jump bare headed instead of using his frappe hat. He needed six stitches to sew the torn part of his ear back in place!
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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Frappe hats were only one step in the development process leading to modern skydiving helmets.
Early show jumpers (1920s) wore un-padded leather helmets borrowed from pilots (of open-cockpit biplanes.)
Leading up to WW2 a variety of padded motorcycle, football and tanker helmets were developed. During WW2, a few specialized helmets were developed for static-line paratroopers, but their steel shells were primarily designed to slow shrapnel.

Post WW2, state-funded skydiving schools - in France - developed a variety of progressively lighter cloth and leather helmets, leading to the 1960s-vintage, padded leather frappe hats.
During the 1970s, freefall formation jumpers experimented with a wide variety of ways to lighten gear, including trading their Fiberglas motorcycle helmets for lighter, padded leather frappe hats. Frappe hats became fashionable as lighter, more reliable, softer-landing square Parachutes dominated the market during the 1980s.
Frappe hats dominated skydiving until freefall formation teams started turning 20 or 30 points per jump (early 1990s.) Then the fear of getting kneed in the face by a team mate drove the trend to full face helmets.
Modern full-face skydiving helmets are too thin to accommodate much shock-absorbing padding, but they keep the wind off your hairdo and provide plenty of pockets for electronic gadgets and the mandatory camera! Hah! Hah!

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I can name several people, in the past few years, who wished that they had been wearing a full face hard helmet vs. the frap hat that they had on. I too, like many in the early days, wore a frap hat, but if you are jumping with others and wish for a safer and quieter skydive, you will put away that frap hat and get a decent full face helmet. It will give you a lot more protection.
Dano

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Around 1980, when I passed the BPA's qualifying mark of 200 jumps for wearing a non-motorbike helmet, I tried on a friend's frappe hat. I slapped my head with the palm of my hand - and it hurt. That was the only test I ever needed to do - it failed.

The other "cool" helmet at that time, which hasn't had a mention yet, was the Cooper. I think they were originally made for ice-hockey. But those had hard lumps of polystyrene inside, which I found uncomfortable. So I bought a Pro-Tec , which was wonderfully comfortable, and used that for about 20 years until someone eventually made what I had been advocating for years - a full face helmet with a visor that you can flip up, like putting your goggles up on your helmet stud. Thank you, SkySystems, for making the Oxygn.

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danornan

I can name several people, in the past few years, who wished that they had been wearing a full face hard helmet vs. the frap hat that they had on. I too, like many in the early days, wore a frap hat, but if you are jumping with others and wish for a safer and quieter skydive, you will put away that frap hat and get a decent full face helmet. It will give you a lot more protection.



I didn't mean to give the impression that I'm still jumping a frap hat - I've been wearing a full-face helmet for the last sixteen years or so, and there's nothing about the frap hat that I miss (well, other than its portability, and that's hardly the top criterion when it comes to choosing gear to protect your head).

However, I do think it was worth pointing out that a full-face skydiving helmet's resemblance to a motorcycle helmet shouldn't lull people into thinking that it provides a similar level of protection. As Rob says above, to do so the helmets would need to be significantly heavier and bulkier than they are. I know people who've been knocked unconscious, and who've had facial injuries, even while wearing a full-face helmet and where there was no obvious damage to the helmet itself.

I guess the bottom line is, get the best head protection you can, and be careful out there. :)

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MikeJD

***I can name several people, in the past few years, who wished that they had been wearing a full face hard helmet vs. the frap hat that they had on. I too, like many in the early days, wore a frap hat, but if you are jumping with others and wish for a safer and quieter skydive, you will put away that frap hat and get a decent full face helmet. It will give you a lot more protection.



I didn't mean to give the impression that I'm still jumping a frap hat - I've been wearing a full-face helmet for the last sixteen years or so, and there's nothing about the frap hat that I miss (well, other than its portability, and that's hardly the top criterion when it comes to choosing gear to protect your head).

However, I do think it was worth pointing out that a full-face skydiving helmet's resemblance to a motorcycle helmet shouldn't lull people into thinking that it provides a similar level of protection. As Rob says above, to do so the helmets would need to be significantly heavier and bulkier than they are. I know people who've been knocked unconscious, and who've had facial injuries, even while wearing a full-face helmet and where there was no obvious damage to the helmet itself.

I guess the bottom line is, get the best head protection you can, and be careful out there. :)
I agree on the frailty of the skydiving full face helmet. I've ridden motorcycles since the late 60's and would not ride without a helmet. Today I have the lightest and probably one of the safest motorcycle helmet and would still rather ride with my Z-1 for weight, comfort and visibility ! I wish my Z-1 offered as much protection as my Schubreth !
Dano

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