Helmets?

[jig n' jerk]

I was wondering how much you should pay for a snowmobile helmet. What brands are good, and what are some good values.(not paying $300 for a helmet) Also I am not looking for any artic cat, skidoo, or yamaha helmets unless there are no company logos on them(I have 2 polaris sleds). Thank you in advance!!

Also what are the MN regs on snowmobiling and the use of helmets (are they needed by law)?

[SledNeck]

How much is your head worth to you?

Get a cheap helmet if you have a cheap head.

Ski-doo makes an awesome helmet called the BVS-2.

You can get a good helmet for 250. All depends what u want, sno-x style, modular or regular shield.

[minneman]

I own a cat, I bought a skidoo modular, its all black, it doesnt fog up. its got a slide up/down dark tinted sun shield. It plain works like a helmet should! I think I paid around $300.

[wall_guy_101]

Shade tree in big lake minnesota always seems to have great deals on good helmets. Just bought a real nice snowmobile helmet with a dual lense shield for about 190 bucks. They always seem to have good deals going on.

[SCUMFROG]

Bob's cycle supply in St. Paul off 36 and Rice, hasa huge selection of helmets.

[Uncle Bill]

Wait for the snowmobile and powersports show at the convention center in Minneapolis. November 10-12

[hanson]

I've got an Arctic Cat helmet that I love!

It has a moto style sunvisor on it which is really nice.

The only thing I wish it had was the flip up and down tinted shield that is inside the helmet. Its just a single piece of plastic that is tinted that you can flip down if its sunny outside.

After that, make sure it has really good ventilation or you'll be icing up inside the shield, even if it has a dual lense shield. I've had 2 different helmets that have both fogged/iced up inside. It can get really bad riding behind guys in their snow dust. Of course, a heated shield would easily take care of this and may be something else to look at.

I've also wanted to try an open face motocross style helmet and goggles but haven't gotten around to it. I know you'll be a little colder but you'll completely eliminate the fogging factor and have a little better peripheral vision as well.

Guess my AC helmet was around $250.

[wally-eye]

I've used a motocross style with goggles for the last 8 years and I love it. Never fogs up. A little chilly on real cold days, but not enough to stop me from wearing it.

[lots of luck]

Motorcross style with goggles is the only way to go!!!

-weighs less

-better vision

-flexibility with different goggles

-0% chance of fogging

-often cost less

I have used both, and will never go back to a full face helmet. I own a HJC hsolist-X4, with Scott Turbo Flow goggles, I also use the quick strap connector.

[jig n' jerk]

Do you just use ski/snowboard goggles with the open helmets? I am asking 'cause I have many pairs of high end googles for snowboarding.

[jig n' jerk]

It seems like all the helmets whether cheap or expensive are all DOT and SNELL aproved. So are you paying for the acsessories like venting, double lens, breath box? What do you guys think of the HJC CS-12 Vonbreaker? I am unclear as to what a modular helmet is, since I have only been looking online. Also, no one answered part of my original question, what are the laws on using a helmet. Are they needed all of the time or just when on state trails. If I am just puttn' out on the lake pulling my fish house do I need to wear a helmet then?

[hanson]

As far as I understand, helmets are NOT required equipment.

Pg. 18 of the 2006-2007 Snowmobile Regulations

"Operators or riders under 18 years of age must wear a helmet, except when participating in a parade or operating on land belonging to a parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, or aunt."

A helmet may not be required equipment but I rarely, if ever, ride without one. It keeps my head warm, the wind out of my eyes, and protects my mellon if I crack into something.

[jerkin'm]

If you plan on riding in Canada it IS the law....

[wingnutken]

My son uses ski goggles and says they are the ONLY way to go.Ken

[Bob Horn]

Find out which one you want and then check hsolist. I bought mine off of hsolist last year. Slightly used and saved $150.

[Reynolds]

I highly reccommend wearing a helmet. I had a personal experience ten years ago that I owe much thanks to my helmet. I was riding on the Rum River and was t-boned by another snowmobiler who came out of another branch of the river. When he broad sided me we both flew off our snowmobiles in the same direction. From what we can figure we had a helmet to helmet collsion when we both landed. The paint from his helmet was smeared all along the side of my helmet. He ended up with sore shouler, I ended up with a concussion, broken ankle, broken leg, and a totalled out sled. Had i had not been wearing a helmet that could have turned out much worse. So please wear your helmets!!!

[SomethingFishy*]

Not to hijack the thread but do the heated shields make a nice difference or is it hust a pain to be corded to the machine?

[fishfart]

They work great, the cord takes bit to get use to it.

[lawdog]

For what its worth, I have a modular helmet (Blizzard helmet by Lazer) that I paid a good deal for, but wouldn't ever have anything else. Its got a fighter pilot style mouth/nose guard to deflect air down and almost never fogs. It also can be worn as a full face helmet or as an open face helmet. Its the cat's meow.

As Evil Kneivel used to say, "If you have a $15 dollar head, go ahead and put it in a $15 helmet"... I'll use the best one I can find.

[let it snow]

Modular refers to the fact that the full-face part of the helmet goes up and down plus there are other pieces involved like the sun screen, mouth piece and nose guard.

Law Dog hit it on the "head" so to speak. Why not wrap your brain with something decent?

I have been sledding since I was 9 - that's 42 years - and have always wore a helmet. Have tried many but the Ski-Doo modular is great. And we ride Cats. Mine is all black and Mrs. Snow's is all gray. They are also made by Lazer/Cross/AGV Helmets. I wear glasses and have no fog-ups. It's relatively light for all the bells and whistles, warm, comfortable and safe. I paid $350 a few years back and it's well worth it. And make sure you strap it on! I knew a guy that forgot to tie his helmet down, hit a bump on the lake, the helmet flew off when he did and his head came down on the corner of a spear house block of ice that wasn't properly disposed of. A severe concussion & 20 stitches and later, he learned his lesson.

The new Snow-Goer mag has some helmet tips too.

LIS

[Macgyver55]

As was stated earlier, helmets should be DOT and Snell rated to be accurately compared for their safety. The DOT rating simply indicates that a manufacturer believes that its helmet meets the basic DOT standards, without any actual testing on the helmets themselves. In that sense, DOT ratings are fairly easy to come by, and virtually anybody can make and sell a helmet with a DOT sticker.

The Snell rating on the other hand is a more stringent rating, and is completely voluntary, meaning that helmet manufacturers can choose whether or not they wish to meet Snell's advanced safety guidelines. Snell standards are set to levels that only the best, most protective headgear will meet. Moreover, Snell certification is more than simply high "standards", it is based on actual testing of actual helmets. The Snell Memorial Foundation rates helmets. The rating is based on dropping the helmet containing a simulated head from a height of 10 feet. The "head" must receive no more than 285 Gs. A second drop is also done from a lower height.

If they meet this rating, as far as I know there is no way to know if a more expensive one gives you any more protection or not. In other words paying more doesn't always get you more as far as safety is concerned. Paying more for extras and niceties is a different story and usually leans to personal preference.