Narrow helmets? Is my heard weird?

[edcurtis 0]

Hello!

I'm a new skater and would like to upgrade my gear but am having trouble finding a helmet that feels like it fits correctly.

I've been using a Bauer 2100 Size Medium and it fits good and snug, but sometimes develops a pressure point on the back of my skull about halfway through a game.

I bought a Size Medium Easton S19 and it fit good front to back but was VERY wide! Next I purchased a Bauer 9900, again, it fit good front to back, but after a lot of space on the sides. If I put my hands on the side of my head, I could EASILY rock the helmet back and forth on the sides. Same thing with a Re-Akt. All size medium.

I do not live in a hockey rich environment, so there is not a hockey store around for my to try on anything. Should I try a small helmet? It's a little confusing, because the 2100 M fits fine, but no other Medium does.

Head circumference measures 22 3/8, which according to sizing charts is a medium. But I'm narrow?

[bunnyman666 445]

I went from a 2100 to an IMS 7 and found the same thing. I used bicycle helmet sizing pads to take up the slack. I think the 2100 run slightly small-ish, though on the IMS 7 I was definitely on the smaller size of large.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Yes, your head is weird!

Seriously, they all have different "cuts." Try the Reebok. I found it was wider. I have a big head - it's weird too.

[jsykes 35]

You may want to consider the Warrior helmet as it adjusts, not only for length, but for width as well.

[edcurtis 0]

Yes, your head is weird!

Seriously, they all have different "cuts." Try the Reebok. I found it was wider. I have a big head - it's weird too.

If Reebok is wider than a Bauer, then I'd definitely be lost in a helmet. I need something more narrow :-P

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

If Reebok is wider than a Bauer, then I'd definitely be lost in a helmet. I need something more narrow :-P

Yeah, I realized later I got it backwards. Sorry.

[flyers10 57]

Try Bauer 4500

[wrangler 157]

I found the Bauer 4500 to be the widest helmet I'd tried on, until maybe the RE-AKT.

[icewalker_bg 126]

The bauer 4500 is a narrow helmet, slightly on the longer side too.

[AIREAYE 248]

Many people had to drop down a size when trying a Re-Akt. Give a Small Re-akt or IMS 9.0 a try. As much as I dislike the Cascades, give the IMS 7.0 a try too.

[icewalker_bg 126]

As usual, you know your stuff. A medium react fits me perfectly. Currently using a large 9900 and an xl 8500.

[wrangler 157]

The bauer 4500 is a narrow helmet, slightly on the longer side too.

It wasn't narrow for me. The 7500, 8500, 9500, and whatever other Bauers were around at the time were all too narrow for me. The 5100 was barely wide enough, and the 4500 was wider than that. The Reeboks and CCMs were also too narrow. The 4500 in L was wider than the others in XL.

[bigdmac 12]

Weird, I could hardly even get the 4500 on because it was so narrow. The 7500, 8500, 9500 all fit me pretty well in a large, but I would definitely have to drop down to a medium if I were to get a Re-Akt.

[wrangler 157]

That's confusing. Maybe we're dealing with narrowness at different points? The helmets I found too narrow all squeezed me at the temples.

I ended up with a 5100 XL, but now I have the RE-AKT in L.

[icewalker_bg 126]

Exactly. Thats where the 4500 is narrow to people most of time with bigger/normal heads. I know a few guys that most helmets are too wide for them and they are big fans of the 4500.

[althoma1 575]

Many people had to drop down a size when trying a Re-Akt. Give a Small Re-akt or IMS 9.0 a try. As much as I dislike the Cascades, give the IMS 7.0 a try too.

Yes, sizing down in the RE-AKT is good advice. I also found the IMS 9.0 to be much narrower than the RE-AKT in the same size even though it uses the same shell - the VN foam takes up more volume.

Why do you dislike the Cascades?

I also found the old Nike 004 helmet to be quite narrow (it gave me headaches and I switched to a Carbster and then an M11 after that - both of which I find far more comfortable, but the M11 does get a little warm) and I believe they fit similar to the Bauer 4500.

[bigdmac 12]

That's confusing. Maybe we're dealing with narrowness at different points? The helmets I found too narrow all squeezed me at the temples.

I ended up with a 5100 XL, but now I have the RE-AKT in L.

That could be it. I noticed it mostly at the back sides of my head.

[AIREAYE 248]

Yes, sizing down in the RE-AKT is good advice. I also found the IMS 9.0 to be much narrower than the RE-AKT in the same size even though it uses the same shell - the VN foam takes up more volume.

Why do you dislike the Cascades?

I also found the old Nike 004 helmet to be quite narrow (it gave me headaches and I switched to a Carbster and then an M11 after that - both of which I find far more comfortable, but the M11 does get a little warm) and I believe they fit similar to the Bauer 4500.

I dislike them because I don't believe that they can manage higher energy impacts and still stay stable on one's head... If I can squeeze the shell together at the temples with only my thumb and pinkie finger, then regardless of what controlled tests are done, it's not a product I believe in.

We're talking about width pretty broadly, as evidenced by the anecdotes here. Width is a dimension that can differ depending on what cross section of the head we're talking about, temples? Front of the temples? Above the ears? Along the 'crown' of the skull? Tough to tell from person to person.

[wrangler 157]

Exactly. Thats where the 4500 is narrow to people most of time with bigger/normal heads. I know a few guys that most helmets are too wide for them and they are big fans of the 4500.

No, the opposite. I said that's where the other helmets were too narrow for me, but the 4500 was wider.

That could be it. I noticed it mostly at the back sides of my head.

Well, that's one more example of what we always tell people: It's not just size, it's shape -- you have to try it on.

[Chadd 916]

No, the opposite. I said that's where the other helmets were too narrow for me, but the 4500 was wider.

I always had problems with the 4000/4500 being too narrow for me as well.

The Easton S9 was much more narrow than the S19 from what i recall.

Well, that's one more example of what we always tell people: It's not just size, it's shape -- you have to try it on.

I couldn't agree more. You shouldn't guess when it comes to helmets.

[wrangler 157]

I always had problems with the 4000/4500 being too narrow for me as well.

The Easton S9 was much more narrow than the S19 from what i recall.

I think we take a similar fit. Your E700 fit me OK, as I recall.

[edcurtis 0]

Unfortunately, I can't try on helmets because the local hockey "shop" only has in stock a few Bauer 2100, one 9900, and a couple Reebok 8Ks... Hockey is new here :-P If you guys recommend stepping down to a small in a IMS 9.0/Re-Akt, I may order one of those to try. Luckily IceWarehouse has a good return policy.

I'd like to try a lightweight helmet like the E700. The S19 I had was nice but REALLY wide. So I was worried about trying another Easton.

[althoma1 575]

Even though the IMS 9.0 and Re-Akt use the same shell the IMS 9.0 fits smaller/narrower because the VN foam takes up more volume than the Vertex foam and Poron. So you could step down to a small in the re-akt and that may work well, but a medium IMS 9.0 may fit better than a small. It's hard to say without you trying them on, but I can tell you I've tried the re-akt and IMS 9.0 and can comfortably fit into a medium re-akt, but the same size IMS 9.0 was too small.

[salibandy 21]

I have felt the Re-Akt fits my head well, my head being what I consider to be a round head. I have tried the 4500, Reebok 7k and Easton S19 in medium, and they were all too narrow for me, the worst being the 4500. The 5100 that I tried was ok, but still too tight on the sides for my liking. I decided to buy a Re-Akt in small and it fit my head perfectly. I lucked out because there's no hockey store here as well. So while the Re-Akt might fit me, it may not fit you because you have a seemingly narrow head.

[default user 3]

I have the same problem. I got a S19 and front and back it was perfect but I cold almost wedge a finger in between the sides and my head. I got a S7 (E300 now i think, single density foam) and it fits like a glove. I got a small because my head is right a the upper limit of the size (22 1/4). I get a pressure point at the back of my head after about 30-45 minutes of wearing it continusally but if you where to get a medium I doubt you would have that problem.