Z1 STI Discontinued

I bought this helmet after my first aff dive, best investment I could have made at that time. I now have a whopping total of 5 AFF jumps under my belt and I think this helmet has helped. I couldn't relax with the wind in my face but now I can't wait to get out of the plane. I can hear the radio through the helmet for landings. The only bad thing for me is that I have to put my glasses on after the canopy opens. Great helmet.

Just ordered the Z1 STI. After reading the reviews for the Oxygn and the horrific customer service, even though they're down the street in Denver, I decided to save myself the brain damage and order this helmet. I can tell you the great reviews I read on this helmet are definitly true. The anti-fog coating on this thing is amazing. I can't possibly forsee the face shield coming open in freefall. Only downside: I don't have a huge melon but the X-LRG didn't work even though the sizing chart said it would. Go one size larger. I contacted Para-Gear and they claim that the shell is all one size, it's the liner that changes the fit. I have yet to see if a new liner will fit better but I could live with the X-LRG. Recommendation: Buy It. Too bad my DZ won't let me jump it 'till I have 50 jumps.

By far the most comfortable helmet on the maket. Not only do I wear one, but I am also in the buisness of refinishing them. All of my friends seen the special effects I sprayed and clear coated on mine, and now instead of placing stickers all over their dinks and scraps, I refinish it for them. The hard thing is tring to let them know that they will be jumping without it for a few days. Some find that part quit difficult...

Simply the greatest, best fitting full face helmet i have ever used. Best investment i ever made. Thanks T.

After many reservations about using a full face helmet, I bought a Z1 and love it! It enables you to have full vision, doesn't fog and is comfortable to wear. I love the flip up visor because it is airtight(this is important when you wear contacts) and is easy to flip up under canopy. I would recomend this helmet to anyone looking for one!

After about 60 jumps on my Z-1 sti w/skytronic pro I have decided this is one of the best investments in skydiving gear. The helmet is very comfortable and functional. It does not fog up even on the coldest days and seals up nicely. The access to the audible and the flip up visor are a superior design to any other helmet. I have an extra large size, which is suprisingly light weight and compact( it doesn't hit the door on our 182 during exit) I would definitely recomend this to any one interested in buying a helmet. My brother is ordering one upon my experience with this product.

I just purchased a Z1 STI, and right from the time I put of my head I knew it was the right helmet for me. I have jumped the Factory Diver Oxygen in the past but didn't like the way the visor flipped open. Quite the contrary with the Z1. The visor opens with ease (even with gloves on), allows me to see without blind spots. and is incredibly light weight. I would recommend this helmet to anyone to is looking for a full face helmet. Give it a try, but I will forewarn you. If you do, be prepared to buy it. You won't want to give it back. Blue skies to all...

I tried on several full face helmets before deciding on the Z1. I chose it because it felt the least claustrophobic of the group. I don't have a particularly large head, but I needed the "large" size liner to get a comfy fit. I now have about 200 jumps with this helmet, in conditions from minus 28F at exit altitude in December, to 100F in July.

What I like:
It's comfortable, and OK to wear on the ride up because of the flip-up visor. It's quiet in freefall and in the plane (I *estimate* about 12dB of sound dampening in the plane). The visor doesn't mist up or ice over even at -28F during freefall. The visor latch is secure, yet easy to release. It's easy to get the helmet on and off. My audible (Skytronic Pro) fits comfortably in the pocket. In several encounters with the plane door during
full-contact exits it has proven it's worth. It provided good protection from a kick to the face during less-than-elegant RW. Scratches to the clear face mask have been fairly easy to polish out. Visibilty up and to the sides is excellent. It's nice and warm in the winter although it's not oppressive in the summer.

What I don't like:
The face mask scratches easily (although it's easy to replace). The color is not impregnated in the helmet shell, so it shows scratches. The visibility downwards is not good enough to see my cutaway and reserve handles without tilting my head sideways. The breathing vent at the front is restrictive - I cut away one layer of fabric in the liner to open it up a bit. The only color for the visor is "clear" - a tinted option would be nice. The visor doesn't seal tightly against the helmet when it's closed, resulting in some wind noise (although this may be deliberate to stop it from misting up in cold weather). My visor tends to mist up in the cold weather while under canopy, so I almost always open the visor for canopy flight. I can't fit any but the smallest pair of glasses under the visor.

I love my new Z1 with built-in Skytronic. It is comfortable, quiet, and the flip up visor is great. It works well. It is like doing a virtual reality free fall...quiet and nice. The perfect whatever does not exist, there is always room for improvement on anything. This helmet does it's job well. Way better (and safer) that my old one.