How Much is Your Head Worth? The Five Keys to Proper Helmet Fit

Copyright © 2007 by Larry Mason

How much is your head worth? The answer is simple – priceless! However, just because you spend nearly a thousand dollars on a helmet, if it doesn’t fit properly, you’ve wasted money and compromised your safety. Just like there’s more to tires than round and black, there’s more to helmets than open or closed face. Below we’ll take a closer look at this incredible safety device.

Let’s start with the basics. According to the 2007 SCCA GCR, the minimum safety requirements and certifications are spelled out quite clearly and are as follows. “Crash helmets approved by the Snell Foundation with Snell sticker 2000 or later Special Application (SA2000), or by the SFI with a SFI sticker 31.1a for open faced helmets and a SFI sticker 31.2a for closed faced (if purchased prior to 12/31/04), SFI 31.1 (if purchased after 1/1/05), or by the FIA standard 8860-2004.” These standards are based on the theory that the head can briefly withstand forces of 300 Gs. In his book Motorsports Medicine, Dr. Harlen Hunter describes what happens to your skull and brain during impacts. “The seriousness of head injuries depends upon head movements during impacts or decelerations, the duration of an incident and the total G forces experienced. When the head is contacted directly, shock waves can be passed to the brain directly through the skull, which may or may not fracture. Shock waves may travel through the brain tissue and even rebound off the skull and pass through the brain several times. Distortion of the skull can cause fractures at locations other than the point of contact. Skull fractures may or may not be accompanied by brain injuries.”

Keep in mind that the GCR is only stating minimum safety standards and they don’t directly address a key point which is proper helmet fit. In order to understand what’s proper, we need a deeper understanding of what a helmet is designed to do and what its limitations are. According to the Snell Memorial Foundation, “Helmets are normally comprised of four elements: a rigid outer shell, a crushable liner, chin straps or a retaining system and fit or comfort padding. The rigid outer shell . . . adds a load-spreading capability, and prevents objects from penetrating the helmet. It's kind of like an additional skull. The liner, usually made of EPS (expanded polystyrene) . . . absorbs the energy of an impact by crushing. The chin strap when properly buckled and adjusted along with the fit padding helps the helmet remain in position during a crash. Helmets work kind of like a brake or shock absorber. During a crash a head is traveling at a certain speed. Since the head has weight, and is moving there is a certain amount of energy associated with the moving head . . . in short everything slows down really quickly. A helmet will effectively reduce the speed of the head by breaking and crushing which reduces the amount of energy transferred to the brain. The whole process takes only milliseconds to turn a potentially lethal blow into a survivable one.”

With the understanding of how helmets work, it’s “absolutely essential” says Ed Becker of the Snell Memorial Foundation, to get the proper fit.

First of all, consider the end use of the helmet. Impact Racing’s John Dambros says, “Consider the type of racing you are participating in when selecting a model . . . including full-face, open-face, aerodynamic and air-induction models.” Keep in mind that helmet weight is also important. The higher the G force car you’re racing, the more strain on the neck you’ll experience with a heavier helmet. Keep in mind the safety aspects of a light versus a heavier helmet. They still have to meet the same impact standards yet there could be more strain on your neck with a heavier helmet during rapid decelerations without an impact.

According to Kyle Kietzmann at Bell Racing, there are five key steps in determining proper helmet fit.

1. Measurement
2. Try on
3. Horizontal and Vertical Movement Check
4. Retention Check
5. Pressure Point Check

Once you’ve decided on the type of use for your helmet, begin with the measurement step. Some manufacturers list their helmets in inches/centimeters, some in hat sizes, and some in S, M, L, XL. Impact Racing lists their helmet sizes in small, medium, large, etc. but still recommend that you use a soft tape measure to obtain a number that corresponds to those sizes. Kietzmann recommends “The circumference of the head should be measured at a point approximately one inch above the eyebrows in front and at a point in the back of the head that results in the largest possible measurement. Take several measurements to make sure you have the largest one. This measurement is a baseline.” Even though you have a measurement number, Simpson Racing’s Desire’ Burkle says “We prefer that someone try the helmet on especially if they’re switching brands.”

Step two is obviously a natural progression. Jeremy Curtis of G-Force Racing recommends that users try on a number of manufacturer’s helmets while at the retail outlet since helmet brands may fit different shaped heads differently. He also says along with numerous other sources to “fit the helmet as snug as possible without causing pain.” “It is important to get the best fit around the crown of your head as possible,” says Dambros. This is an important note in that most consumers (if left on their own) tend to (mistakenly) opt for a little bit larger size than what they actually need.

Step three checks for vertical and horizontal fit. In other words, with the helmet securely pulled down on top of the head, when you try to rotate the helmet up and down or side to side, it should not slide around, but it should move the skin. Additionally, your eyes should be located approximately in the center of the eye port. The top of the eye port padding should be located just above your eyebrows. Also check to see if the cheek pads are in contact with the cheeks. Some manufacturers have different size cheek pads to swap out to ensure a perfect fit. Kietzmann states that the helmet should be as tight as the customer can stand to wear it which corresponds to all the other sources I’ve been able to scour. Helmets are a bit like a shoe in that there is a slight break-in period in which the helmet may tend to loosen up just a wee bit over time. Kietzmann says “If the helmet is too large it will shift during impact and if not sized properly could come off and that is a real risk. Fit is one of the most critical aspects no matter what brand. We rely on our distributors to help our customers with proper fit.”

Step four involves the retention check. Here we find a couple of different recommendations for this check. G-Force recommends that you do this with the helmet unstrapped, while Bell and Impact recommends doing this strapped. Either way, the purpose here is to grab the bottom of the back of the helmet and see if you can rotate it towards your chest and off of your head. This can be an uncomfortable test. If the helmet rolls off, then it is too big, go down another size or try a different style/manufacturer.

Step five is the pressure point check. After going through all of the other steps; remove the helmet and look at the coloration of the skin at the forehead and cheeks. Sometimes in the excitement of trying on a new helmet, the wearer doesn’t pay any attention to these pressure points. If you notice some small discoloration spots in these areas then put the helmet back on and focus on any undue pain. If pain is excessive, you might have to go up one helmet size or try another brand. If not, then you’re ready to take delivery of your new partner in safety. This can be the point where you might get a bit of price sticker shock. Simpson actually has a finance plan called the “Safe Racer Program” for safety purchases over $800.

A few last notes to keep in mind, most helmet manufacturers and the Snell Memorial Foundation recommend that you replace your helmet every five years whether or not it’s had an impact. There is a natural breakdown of materials over time due to temperature, moisture and such. Another reason is that the latest products and safety features will then be available to you.

This also brings up the painting issue. Many drivers like to have custom paint jobs on their helmets. Whether you do it yourself or have a reputable painter do the work; make sure that the utmost care is taken during preparation. The paint won’t damage the shell surface but don’t let solvents get into the vents and eat the inner liner. If you’re unsure if this has happened, send it back to manufacturer for inspection. Most manufacturers will inspect your helmet at no charge. This is a great service that should be taken advantage of even if you’ve just dropped your helmet off of the pit wall.

What’s the future of helmets in fit and safety? Most manufacturers are on an evolutionary design process and they constantly improve their products. They’re always looking at new materials for shell construction and the latest developments in energy absorbing liners. They’ll continue to look at ventilation options to reduce heat exposure along with moisture wicking and flame retardant materials.

You know how much your head is worth. Just remember, a helmet is a “one time use” product. Protect your brain, it’s the only one you have.