EPP foam in helmets

[gman 0]

They newest and highest end helmets have EPP foam. This is the same stuff the higher end bike helmets are made of. I know that the bike helmets are made as "single use" helmets. Meaning that if you bonk your head, you need to get a new helmet. THis is because the foam takes all the impact and deforms instead of your head. The trouble is that the foam does not go back to the original shape. Technically if you drop your bike helmet you need to inspect it closely and may need to get a new one.

Hockey helmets have considerable outer shell protection that bike helmets don't. However, do the manufactures suggest replacing the helmet after a hard fall or big bonk on the noggin? From what I have been reading, the helmets that use dual density foam sound like the offer the best combination of protection, comfort, and re-useability.

Does anyone have any experience with this???

I did a search on EPP in titles and came up with nothing.

[tume 0]

Well I'm not sure, but at least manufactures suggest checking if padding is ok and if outer shell is cracked or deformed on a regular basis.

[gman 0]

If I am wrong about the foam being the same let me know. I know for certain about the bike helmets and the foam in the hockey helmets has been described as "the same as in high end bike helmets". Can anyone shed light on this subject? I am looking for a new helmet and this is one of my selection criteria.

[golfpuck 0]

i believe bike helmets are made of the same if not similar stuff.

however, i am not sure they are quite single use.

it probably varies depending on the amount of impact.

hockey helmets have a harder outer shell than bike helmets, which are just covered in a thin piece of plastic.

this harder outer shell is what disperses any hard impact to a large area of foam, spreading the impact to a wide area, instead of 1 spot.

this is probably why bike helmets are single use, as they do not have that harder outer shell.

give the manufacturer a call and see what they say...

always check your helmet (all your equipment) to make sure they are ok

[gman 0]

always check your helmet (all your equipment) to make sure they are ok

The thin shell on the higher end bike helmets is to protect from scratches and incidental punctures. Some bike helmet manufaturers will even warranty their helmets if they are in a wreck. Louis Garneau is one example of this.

Regarding the hockey helmets, if you take a big hit on the ice or the boards, the helmet will take a considerable amount of impact from the inside out. The micro structure of the foam is now different from how it was manufactured and is therefore no longer in spec to protect you. Taking a puck to the head puts the impact on the plastic shell which will disperse the shock before it gets to the foam.

I know that this stuff is far and away the lightest material for helmet protection, but it really seems like the dual density stuff is better as you can re-use it without having to worry about losing any protection over time.

[analog999 0]

I cannot imagine that a puck to a hockey helmet would render it useless - unless it cracked the helmet. Now if you really smashed your head good to the point where you are seriously feeling it and have to go to the hospital then maybe yeah. But that doesn't mean it's just a one time use thing -- you could probably hit your head against the board dozens of times. Bike helmets are made for the one crash. I think if the hockey helmets were a throw-away after a high wrister they would have to list that on the packaging. All I have seen is inspect for cracks.

[gman 0]

You're right on the fact that a puck should not make a helmet useless. I think the issue is a hard fall where your head hits the foam hard from the inside. Maybe the tripple density helmets that have layers of different foams would protect the EPP foam in this case.

[yipperzz 28]

i don't think they are single use helmets. bike helmets (motorcycles in my experience) are made to "break" on impact. i'm not sure about the exact science but something about the foam and the shell that will allow you to absorb the impact from a high speed crash. and after you crash once, it compresses and is not usable again. hockey helmets seem like a simple shell design with some foam inside to make it more comfortable.

[Chadd 916]

If you get hit in the head hard enough to get a concussion, you should probably replace he helmet. Obviously this doesn't apply if there was no impact on the plastic/foam.

The parents who complain about little Johnny's concussion problems but won't get him a new helmet or tell him to keep his mouthguard in his mouth are some of the worst ones in my book.

[cause4alarm 7]

I believe that all helmets, not just EPP ones, come with a recommendation to be replaced after every serious collision, so maybe keep that in mind.

[gman 0]

I believe that all helmets, not just EPP ones, come with a recommendation to be replaced after every serious collision, so maybe keep that in mind.

I did not really know that. It does make sense if you think about it though Thank you for that. Unfortunately I do not have any of the "owner's manuals" that came with my boy's new helmets so I cannot verify that instruction. They have the single density models. I am thinking about upgrading to at least dual density once they get into the next higher league whether they have outgrown them or not.

[gman 0]

Well I just learned a ton about foam. Here is the link to the page I used. I tried to find more recent stuff, but this is about as "cutting edge" as I can get. The bottom line is that EPP is one of the many foams used in the bicycle helmet manufacturing and there are quite a few others. EPP is more of a Multi-use than manyof the others. So it seems that we are okay (not that many of you were actually worried) with EPP. Further, the multi foam helmets (that use three different layers) sound llike the really do have the best of all possible worlds. Here's the link:

http://www.helmets.org/foam.htm

[asdfa 0]

EPP will deform but on impact, it'll usually spring back to almost it's original shape. after repeated impacts, the foam will become denser and be able to contract less and less, but that would require many many impacts in the same area. the main benefit of the "foam" type helmets vs. EPP helmets is that the foam returns to it's shape much slower than EPP, even though it will deteriorate similarly to EPP

[cause4alarm 7]

Btw, I think helmets also have some sort of "expiration date" on them. There's a sticker on mine that says it's certification runs out in a few years. I guess it's so that people who have had repeated minor traumas eventually replace their helmet--and that helmet companies aren't liable for people who sustain injuries from wearing beat up old helmets. Your boy will most likely outgrow the helmet before then anyway, so for growing players it's probably not an issue.