Cooler Helmet?

In South Texas, the sun is broiling my brain in the styrofoam and
plastic helmet I bought despite the air vents through it. Can anyone
recommend a different helmet that won't have me struggling with heat
exhaustion quite so quickly?

Samatha wrote:
In South Texas, the sun is broiling my brain in the styrofoam and
plastic helmet I bought despite the air vents through it. Can anyone
recommend a different helmet that won't have me struggling with heat
exhaustion quite so quickly?

More expensive helmets generally have more, larger vents. It would be
helpful to know what kind of helmet you have now.

Also, I find that wearing a cotton bandana under my helmet helps keep
my head cool. Wetting the bandana down periodically helps even more.

Jeff

I think what I have now is a Giro Eclipse. I haven't been really happy
with it; it's only three weeks old and the rear adjustment wheel slips
out instead of holding tight enough to keep the helmet from sliding
back too far. I am considering taking it back to the bike shop to see
if they'd do a swap for something better with me.

Samatha

"Samatha" wrote
In South Texas, the sun is broiling my brain in the styrofoam and
plastic helmet I bought despite the air vents through it. Can anyone
recommend a different helmet that won't have me struggling with heat
exhaustion quite so quickly?


How about one of these?
http://www.villagehatshop.com/pith_helmet.html

Samatha wrote:
I think what I have now is a Giro Eclipse. I haven't been really happy
with it; it's only three weeks old and the rear adjustment wheel slips
out instead of holding tight enough to keep the helmet from sliding
back too far. I am considering taking it back to the bike shop to see
if they'd do a swap for something better with me.

Samatha

As already mentioned, more expensive helmets usually have more and
bigger vents to let in the air. And are generally lighter in weight.
I've never been fond of Giro's Roc Loc systems. They attach to the
inside of the helmet with velcro. So when you squash the helmet down
onto your head or over a headband or bandana, the velcro comes loose
and the helmet is not tight and can easily be pushed back. I like
Bell's GPS system as found in their Sweep, Ghisallo, Alchera, Delirium
models. Its mechanically attached to the inside of the helmet and will
not come loose like the Giro Roc Loc velcro attachments. Other helmet
makers may or may not use velcro to attach the rear sizing system to
the inside of the helmet. Find one that does not use velcro and fits
your head shape.

Thank you; I'll go check those brands out to see if I can find
something better. As for cost, well, I only have one head, and it's not
replaceable, so spending some cash to make it safer is okay by me. If I
can be safer and not drop over from heat exhaustion, so much the
better.

Samatha

In article
om,
"Samatha" wrote:

In South Texas, the sun is broiling my brain in the styrofoam and
plastic helmet I bought despite the air vents through it. Can anyone
recommend a different helmet that won't have me struggling with heat
exhaustion quite so quickly?

Must ... resist ... must ... resist

--
Michael Press

Samatha wrote:
Thank you; I'll go check those brands out to see if I can find
something better. As for cost, well, I only have one head, and it's not
replaceable, so spending some cash to make it safer is okay by me. If I
can be safer and not drop over from heat exhaustion, so much the
better.

Samatha

I like Bell because its helmet shape fits my head best. Giro fits sort
of OK too. Limar does not fit me well. Other brands I've tried fit or
did not fit. I'm not really suggesting a particular brand of helmet.
Just look for one that has the rear sizing system attached to the
inside of the helmet securely. Not velcro. You want it to stay in
place when you shove your helmet down over headbands, bandanas, etc.
And generally the more expensive helmets have more vents and are
lighter. So they should be cooler. But I'm sure there is some sort of
venting and wind flow principles involved that might allow big vent
helmets to actually be hotter than closed up helmets with minimal
vents.

You can almost always find an older model of a very high end helmet for
about the same cost as a current cheap helmet model. So price isn't
really a factor. Unless you have to have the newest style. Nashbar
has last year's Bell Ghisallo helmets for $40 before using a 10%
discount coupon. Size small only and limited colors. But there are
other sales, closeouts, etc.

Samatha wrote:
In South Texas, the sun is broiling my brain in the styrofoam and
plastic helmet I bought despite the air vents through it.

Need to know your current helmet. I have a basic Bell and have never
even noticed it when riding in 105 degree temps.

Greg
--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

Michael Press wrote:
In article
om,
"Samatha" wrote:


In South Texas, the sun is broiling my brain in the styrofoam and
plastic helmet I bought despite the air vents through it. Can anyone
recommend a different helmet that won't have me struggling with heat
exhaustion quite so quickly?


Must ... resist ... must ... resist


She should just ride without one when it's hot, or when it's cold, or
when it's in between. Helmets do nothing except protect one from minor
injuries such as cuts and bruises.

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons