Most protective helmet

[Sticks of Fury 0]

Wouldn't it make sense if the helmet foam was softer and full of ridges like the jofa 390 helmet? The foam would act like a shock absorber whereas the EPP and VN will just encompass the head and seem to act as a conduit when a hit is absorbed by the high priced helmets.

[TML4LIFE 0]

One other thing: Pick up a RBK 8K and squish it front to back. The helmet will collapse! How safe is this? More importantly: How did this helmet pass certification when they drop the weight on it from 5'?

actually the helmet passed csa certification above the 8500 somehow. I know its suprising but we had a Mission/Itech PK and they had the CSA results on there laptop since the Mission factory has CSA testing Lab so RBK/CCM,NBH send there helmets there for certification. I know it doesnt look safe but it actually is much safer in comparison to the 8500

In these tests, what exactly are they measuring that makes one helmet more "safe" than another?

[chk hrd 164]

One other thing: Pick up a RBK 8K and squish it front to back. The helmet will collapse! How safe is this? More importantly: How did this helmet pass certification when they drop the weight on it from 5'?

actually the helmet passed csa certification above the 8500 somehow. I know its suprising but we had a Mission/Itech PK and they had the CSA results on there laptop since the Mission factory has CSA testing Lab so RBK/CCM,NBH send there helmets there for certification. I know it doesnt look safe but it actually is much safer in comparison to the 8500

the RBK could be safer because of the flexibilaty (squishing ) of the helmet. It is possible that they designed the helmet to have more flex than normal and to have the liner help absorb the overflow loads. The flexing could distribute some of the impact force over a broader area than a stiff helmet. Also the light weight of the helmet helps prevent head injuries (energy = mass x acceleration) the lighter something is the less mass it has. In auto racing the drivers were experiencing alot of neck trama and head injuries because the weight of the helps, once the started limiting the hlmet movements it helped quite abit.

My question is do they test the helmets for one major impact to see if the pass certification or do they have a standard number of impacts they test the helmets to before failure? I have never read the small print on helmet boxes but does it say to replace the helmet after X amount of years or after a major impact (what is considered a major impact)? Motorcycle helmets have this disclamer all over them.

[JR Boucicaut 3770]

Will give you a breakdown of testing standards once my boy's helmet goes through.

[Joker518 0]

"It is possible that they designed the helmet to have more flex than normal and to have the liner help absorb the overflow loads."

Yea, thats what I always figured with the composite inner shell and such... I don't know about testing standards but I chose the 8K because it was super light and the most comfortable bucket I ever tried. I play roller hockey primarilly so I wasn't worried about being rocked into the glass quite as often... But for the record over the last two seasons I can think of atleast three times where my legs have been knocked out from under me and I've clanked my head hard on the floor (think Patrick Swayze in "Youngblood"). All of those times I was able to get up without having to shake off any of the usual suspects.

I've played hockey for over 10 years now and I've had my share of near-blackouts and lingering foggy episodes. Either helmets are getting better or my head is getting thicker :)

[hockeymom 2]

In these tests, what exactly are they measuring that makes one helmet more "safe" than another?

I can't get this video link to work - I'm adding it in case it is a mac issue, and you guys with PC's might be able to access it. (I've emailed the webmaster to check into it)

It is from a 2003 Canada AM episode where the CSA demonstrated how they test a hockey helmet.

CTV-hockey helmet-CSA

[mdamson 0]

A little dated (eg. 2000) but interesting nonetheless.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/h...mets/index.html

[headcasehockey 0]

Why epp? 1, its cheaper and easier to mold. 2, Helmet impact tests only measure acceleration forces. For standard softer foams to pass these tests they need to be thicker than the epp. This produces the bubble look which tends to not sell.

Standard epp is the gold standard for protection against "catastrophic" injuries. Meaning preventing fractured skulls, not concussions.

There are basically 3 types of forces that impact a head: high energy, low energy, and rotational. To date no helmet adequtely protects against rotational forces. Ice hockey helmets are designed to pass high impact standards and for this the epp works well. Epp works by absorbing the impact energy by compressing. But at low impact energies the EPP does not compress but simply acts like an energy transmitter to the head.

Thus in players with former concusssions who are more prone to another concussion, protection against low impact energies is critical. Look what the NHLers wear. NHLers with concussion injuries wear 3/4" foam.

[Sticks of Fury 0]

Why epp? 1, its cheaper and easier to mold. 2, Helmet impact tests only measure acceleration forces. For standard softer foams to pass these tests they need to be thicker than the epp. This produces the bubble look which tends to not sell.

Standard epp is the gold standard for protection against "catastrophic" injuries. Meaning preventing fractured skulls, not concussions.

There are basically 3 types of forces that impact a head: high energy, low energy, and rotational. To date no helmet adequtely protects against rotational forces. Ice hockey helmets are designed to pass high impact standards and for this the epp works well. Epp works by absorbing the impact energy by compressing. But at low impact energies the EPP does not compress but simply acts like an energy transmitter to the head.

Thus in players with former concusssions who are more prone to another concussion, protection against low impact energies is critical. Look what the NHLers wear. NHLers with concussion injuries wear 3/4" foam.

Good post! I had the same thoughts about EPP too. My jofa 390 is good for protecting the head especially when you have guys going "Good job!" and they slam their hand on your head. I thought to myself if I wore the EPP style helmets, it would hurt for sure.