Thinking about trying an autocross - pretty sure I need a helmet. I don't know what they cost, but I'm sure a used one is less. No XL or XXL, probably medium or large.

 

www.jscspeed.com - pyrotect helmets - less than $100

 

You really, REALLY want to get a new helmet. You will have no idea if a used helmet has been in a crash (they can be painted), or how old it really is.

SCCA and other organizers require helmets meet Snell SA, K, or M standards for 2008.

Pyrotect is a great choice, that's what my wife and I wear (and a LOT of other drivers).

http://www.pyrotect.com/product.php?...&cat=14&page=1

 

Dude, thanks for the link. I was planning on going to an Autocross school in April, and the thought of using a loaner was bothering me.

 

same here.....$100 or less is much better than a stinky helmet. also, check out www.thebellstore.com - Bell makes good stuff, just pay attention to the ratings as they vary (some are outdated and some sanctioning bodies won't allow you to use them).

 

Thanks, guys. I knew you'd point me in the right direction.

 

Nice thing about the Pyrotects, you can wash the liner.

 

You want a helmet that's either Snell SA-rated, K-rated or M-rated, but don't bother looking for "Snell 2008" certification. The Snell standards are only updated every five years, so the current standards are "SA2005", "M2005", and "K2005".

SCCA rules allow the use of helmets meeting the current standard *or* the two prior standards, so you can use a helmet with any of the following ratings:

SA: SA95, SA2000, SA2005
M: M95, M2000, M2005
K: K98 or K2005 (The K ratings weren't updated on the normal 5-year schedule)

That being said, I'd really try to find a 2005-rated helmet (which shouldn't be hard) for two reasons.

1) Your local autocross club may have more-stringent requirements than the SCCA guidelines regarding how old a helmet can be.

2) Even the newest Snell 2005 helmet is going to be at least 2-1/2 years old. Opinions vary as to how much helmet performance deteriorates while the helmet is aging on a shelf, but why buy a 2+year old helmet, even if it's unused?

 

I registered for my 1st event, an autocross school, put on by CENLA SCCA, on 3/29. They furnish helmets. If I still want to continue pursuing this after that, then I'll get one of the Pyrotects.

What got me interested (well I WAS interested, what got me off my rear end) was that I found out my father-in-law did this in Okinawa in the 70's in
a Honda 800.