8 replies to this topic

[MattC]

If I was racing saloons, I would probably choose to wear a full-face helmet with a visor, even if the regs didn't require it. It seems to me that even in saloon car racing you might whack your chin on something, or have something fired at you small enough to make you grateful for your visor.

However, most of the tin-top drivers I have seen think otherwise. I can understand rally drivers going open-face, as they need to shout at each-other with/without intercoms. But Touring car drivers etc just seem to be taking unnecessary risks?

Anybody know better?

[blkirk]

I just spent a day at the track driving around in a tin-top. I have a full-face helmet for the very reasons you mention. However, I was driving with the visor up because it was hot as hell out there (37 C or so in the shade) and the extra breeze helped tremendously. As I was pulling on to the front straight, the car in front of me spun and kicked up a cloud of dust, sand, and gravel. Some of the airborne debris came through the open driver's window, my open helmet visor, and my open eyelids.

I will be driving with the visor *down* from now on.

[MattC]

I guess you could just drive with the window up next time...;)

[tak]

I race an Rx-7 with the SCCA, and I would only use a closed face. As blkirk mentioned, it's very common for competitors to through up debris that comes in the window.

If that isn't enough, there is also the whole fire risk issue.

If it's a hot day and I'm not in traffic, I will crack it open though!

Tak

[Ray Bell]

I feel that another advantage of the full face helmet is a better balance as it sits on your head. Right or wrong?

[MattC]

Ray:
I'm sure you're right, but I suspect this isn't all that significant - sorry!

tak:
You're right about the fire risk. I find it strange that the organisers of UK track days make a big fuss about covered arms and legs, yet let you drive around with half a helmet.

It doesn't look like we're gonna get to the bottom of this one....

[desmo]

Ray,

I'd never thought of that. I've worn both types in karts and on motorcycles, and I've never noticed that one seemed better balanced than the other. But it might be a whole different story at high-Gs. Perhaps the weightier full-face would put more stress on one's neck muscles at high-Gs as well.

[TNSFH]

I like my full face, it has dial open vents for air flow and I can also fit an external hose to the right side of it for freash air. I don't worry about perifrial vision becuase I set my mirrors so all it takes is slight movement of the eyeballs to see whats going on around me.

[KzKiwi]

You get a far better awareness of what is going on around you with an open face helmet. When I was racing karts I switched from a full face to an open face helmet - the difference was incredible. You had far superior vision to the sides and a much greater awareness of where your opponent was. As such you could react earlier to foil any attempts at being passed. I recall that there was more noise with an open face helmet too (makes sense!).

On average I believed it was more advantageous and safer to race with an open face helmet - due to a greater awareness of what was happening around you. You knew when it was safe to lunge down the inside or around the outside of a competitor because of the advantages described above.

If I were in any form of tin top racing I would wear one for sure. It would be cooler as well, which must contribute to an improvement in a racers physical condition.