On Mon, 08 May 2006 07:24:53 -0700, GaryG wrote:

Get a clue, NYC...many outdoor products have a "shelf life" (e.g.,
tents, lawn furniture, etc.), due to the effects of UV and heat.

In the case of helmets, there's also the fact that they are designed to
be light and comfortable. You could probably design a stainless steel
helmet that was not subject to UV breakdown...but, you wouldn't want to
wear it.

Gary, it takes *a lot* of UV exposure to break down plastics. We've all
seen styrofoam cups, coolers, and beach toys crumbling from exposure to
the elements, but we forget they've been lying around outside for decades,
and exposed to worse things than UV. Helmets may get a few hours a day of
exposure, a few times a week, if that. Newer ones have non-structural
plastic caps on them, and dyes in the styrofoam to protect from UV. So
the structural styrofoam is well protected. Basically this is not worth
worrying about.

Matt O.