Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Helmet lifespans

profile picture
mikemac
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 3,711
how many years do helmets typically last? ive been using the same one for about 4 years now and its still great but pretty scratched/dinged up(i do this thing where i eat shit alot) and the styrofoam is somewhat loose from the plastic. how long does your average helmet remain effective?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
rubasu
Posts: 185 - Karma: 121
My Bern is on year 2. Before that I had a Smith helmet for about 3 1/2 seasons
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
wreck_720
Posts: 135 - Karma: 47
depends on how much abuse it has taken. Usually, one or two good hits is all it can take. I replaced my RED helmet after I took a hit and the shell separated from the inner foam.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
rudager
Posts: 11336 - Karma: 4,650
I'd look into a new helmet if yours is all loose. Many helmets are sold as multi impact helmets, but in reality, one good hit to the dome, and you should have it replaced. This goes especially for helmets like the Smith Maze and Bern Hard Hat
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Blindsurfer
Posts: 2252 - Karma: 2,802
dude get a new helmet if the shell is separated from the foam, common sense man
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
vincentlee223
Posts: 1571 - Karma: 382
As far as i know, Pocs are the only ones that make true multi impact helmets. 1 good hit on anything like a holt and it should be replaced.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Ian.D
Posts: 1254 - Karma: 1,093
Really? what changes about the structural integrity of the helmet that makes the rider more susceptible to injury after the initial hit on the helmet?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,018
once you get a large impact on the helmet you're supposed to replace it. the foam gets compressed making it not as protective
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Jahrassicpark
Posts: 2075 - Karma: 38
That's definitely not safe
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
vincentlee223
Posts: 1571 - Karma: 382
This
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Elmo.
Posts: 4320 - Karma: 669
yea helmets r good for like 2 years IF you dont take any huge falls with them. the foam with compress and become harder actually giving you a bigger chance to get a concussion when you hit your head on that same spot. whether its a big fall or not

anyways. you need a new helmet OP like now. your way over due
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Childstar.
Posts: 1947 - Karma: 2,213
HELMETS DO NOT PREVENT CONCUSSIONS. THEY PREVENT SKULL FRACTURES.

HOW I KNOW? I'VE HAD 7 CONCUSSIONS.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Lord.Quasimoto
Posts: 958 - Karma: 33
your hard as fuck eh?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TOAST.
Posts: 7756 - Karma: 39,756
hmmm, i should probably invest in a new helmet.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Childstar.
Posts: 1947 - Karma: 2,213
Hard. As. Fuck.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
northeast
Posts: 2119 - Karma: 254
i wear my lacrosse helmet on the hill so that shit's gonna last forever.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6747 - Karma: 11,771
Most every helmet is a single impact helmet. This means that, when in mint condition, the helmet can protect you only once. If you toss your helmet around, throw it, abuse it anyway you are dramatically reducing its effectiveness in keeping you safe. If your helmet looks like it needs replacing, it most likely really really does. A good rule of thumb is if you take a fall and you say "wow I'm glad I had my helmet on" you need to replace it. If you are wondering about the integrity of your helmet, replace it- you only get one head so take care of it.

Multiple impact helmets are designed to have the foam rebound after your first impact so they can absorb another impact, but this is actually scary- there is no way to know if this happened or to what extent it rebouned, or how many rebounds it will make. It could very well die on the first impact and not work again and this is what is scary becaue you think it will. So potentially you are riding an expired helmet when you think it will last another impact. And you only find out when the helmet doesn't protect you.

When in doubt, if you sustain a fall on any helmet, replace it. If your helmet looks beat, replace it.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
CDdesign
Posts: 1015 - Karma: 92

one impact... a really hard one, but yeah a new one is in the mail!

13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Smokey.
Posts: 236 - Karma: 26
.

i've had a concussion with a helmet on. got a new helmet the next day. like it's been said, after any good hit, even if there is no cracking or loosing of foam, it's a good idea to replace it.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Mr_pretzel
Posts: 4616 - Karma: 1,289
I change mine out every season.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
mikemac
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 3,711
its not completely separated just wiggles a little but yea sounds like i could use a new one
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6747 - Karma: 11,771
If the EPS foam is separating from the ABS shell, then you 100% need a new helmet.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pbandj
Posts: 5610 - Karma: 28
as was said previously, only POC makes helmets that are truly multi impact. this is part of the reason why they are double the price of the majority of helmets on the market. the POC receptor bug is a great helmet. i've had mine for about two years, and haven't really had any major impacts on it that would cause me to replace it.

jabronis mom... there's more than one way to get a concussion, i know too, i've had 9.

the best way to avoid a concussion is a mouth piece. Helmets do help to an extent as well.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
mikemac
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 3,711
also just wondering i see kids rockins skate helmets. They're like 30 bucks which is tempting but are they at all effective or is it just a style thing? they gotta be pretty strong bc theyre designed for hitting wood and concrete but theres no styrofoam and impacts would be at much higher speeds. Don't think its really even my style but anyone now the science behind this?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
idskithat
Posts: 1314 - Karma: 154
how?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
onenerdykid
Posts: 6747 - Karma: 11,771
The safety rating system is different, and they do not cover the same impact protection scale. Some helmets are rated for 4 season usage though, so those pass all of the tests. Just double check with the specific model to see what it is rated for (they always print that on the box or user's manuals).
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pbandj
Posts: 5610 - Karma: 28
most concussions are caused from impact between your lower and upper jaw, causing your brain to rattle around.

a mouthpiece cushions the blow so the impact is less extreme.

the main reason why football players and youth hockey teams (where they are required to wear full face masks) use mouth guards is to prevent concussions.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pissboy
Posts: 303 - Karma: -241
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/ourgame/goalsassists/equipmentguy/story/2009/01/21/ourgame-mouth-guard.html

nope
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
pbandj
Posts: 5610 - Karma: 28
just because the research hasn't yet been done, doesn't mean it won't effectively work.

but thanks for the read, it's been a while since i've played hockey, and we were always taught (by docs, trainers etc.) that mouth pieces helped reduce the risk of concussions, and it does make sense, but until the research is done, i guess it cannot be proven.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
mikemac
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 3,711
at the risk of sounding like a pro ho anyone know what protec helmet henrik wears looks pretty sick
13 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 7:47AM