Jofa 690

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Open to review.

[cgin6 0]

Jofa 690

Fit-My head is a bit on the large side (7 3/8 ball cap) and the large size for this helmet fit me with a whole inch of play left in the length adjustment. I found that my old helmet, a CCM HT652 pinched my temples but this is not a problem with the Jofa. This padding in this helmet is EPP, like the padding in bike helmets, with soft foam/rubber pads built into the EPP, similar to the CCM 1052 memory gel, that cushion your head to the EPP (older versions of this helmet have strips of nitrile foam glued in instead of the soft rubber). One thing I've noticed is that this helmet is a lot thinner compared with other helmets. This makes it feel less bulky. 8/10

Protection-I've been bumped on the head a few times and had my head knocked into the glass a few times with no ill effects. The helmet meets all of the regulations but I do reserve some concerns about how well my dome will withstand a more severe hit because of the thinness of the helmet and because of the fact that the EPP seems to have less give than nitrile foam. But I suppose they use EPP in bike helmets instead of nitrile for a reason. 7/10

Weight-I have not weighed the helmet but because of its padding and thinness I presume it to be one of the lighter ones on the market. One thing about the EPP liner is that it does not soak up sweat and it should stay light during game play. 9/10

Durability-After 7 months of use the liner is as good as it was the day I bought it. The EPP pads are not glued in like nitrile pads so they will not fall out like nitrile ones will after a while (the older versions of this helmet with the nitrile stripes instead of the built in foam/rubber pads have problems with falling off). Time will tell whether or not the soft foam/rubber gets hard like nitrile padding does. I have heard that a common problem with helmets that have EPP padding is due to how the screws attaching cages and visors to the front of the helmet pass through the foam. If the screws are overtightened the foam around the holes will crack and you will not be able to attach the cage properly anymore. I do not know if you can buy replacement pads and although I have not experienced this problem I will factor it into my grade. 7.5/10

Intangibles-The vent holes seem less efficient than other helmets but I have not had any problems with my head overheating. I will be able to comment on this further once my roller hockey season starts. The sweat proof EPP may be a problem for people with sweaty heads because the sweat may flow into your eyes (get a headband or get in shape!). Most people will agree that the style of Jofa helmets takes a while to grow on you if at all. I sorta like it because it is rare around here. One of the main reasons I decided to get this helmet was because it is way cheaper than helmets of comparable lining ($69 compared to $90-100 CDN for an Itech HC-100 or a CCM HT-1052). 9/10

Conclusion-If you have a large head that's a bit on the wide side this helmet definately deserves a a try. For a cheaper price you get the same sort of padding you would get in high end buckets. If you do decide to get this helmet make sure you get a current version with the built in foam/rubber cushions instead of the glued in nitrile pads. 8/10

[Chadd 916]

Fit - My It's a bit more rounded than some other helmets and not great for those with thinner head shapes. Fortunately, it fits me quite well. I can actually wear either a medium or large, in fact I have one for playing and the other for reffing. I especially like the soft foam lining found in the original 690 series helmets and not the style found in the newer style 690s. I liked the older style so much I bought every one I could get my hands on from wholesalers on closeouts. 9/10

Protection - No issues at all here. Protection is good and the soft foam lining is sufficient to absorb impacts in conjunction with the impact dispersion properties of the EPP foam. 8/10

Weight - It's not heavy. Quite honestly I never notice the weight one way or the other when I'm on the ice. Isn't thinking about the weight something you shouldn't do when you're playing? 8/10

Durability - I've been using one of my helmets since January and it still looks new. The only issue I've noticed with the padding is if you leave it in your hot car all day. The adhesive tends to get loose and the softer foam can be easily moved. Cooler temperatures lock the padding back into place. 7.5/10

Intangibles - Cooling is pretty good with this helmet as it has more vent holes than any other helmet I've ever used. The other thing about this helmet is you either look like a Euro player or a dork in it and I don't look european. The Itech HS22 wave visor I've been using lately adds to the whole bug-eyed look as well. All that aside, I really like the helmet. 8/10

Conclusion - Very comfy and cool helmet for those with wider head shapes. People either love or hate the look. If you love it, get it and you won't be disappointed. average score 8/10