Bump caps - do you know them?!

[oxred81]

Hi
Do any of you wear bump caps instead of helmets? they're basically protective caps, I think originally used on building sites.
my boyfriend is keen on wearing one instead of a helmet. I know they're not going to provide as much protection as a helmet, but are they any use at all?!
Any thoughts/experience?
thanks!

 

[Brommie77]

Bump caps are designed to their name - eg stop a bump when you are underneath equipment / machinery that could injure you, and they are desgined to give protection from a gentle bump. Used for cycling I can't see they would be any use at all, in fact I suspect in the event of a fall it would just fly off.

I have worn them in the past when appropriate for my job, but personally there is no way I'd use one for cycling.

Lets NOT get into another helmet debate .....

 

[ianrauk]

At the end of the day, it's your boyfriends choice, so let him make his own mind up.
If a bump cap works for him then that's fine.

 

[JiMBR]

We have them at work...I wouldn't have thought they were suitable for cycling, but as Ian says...it's up to the rider in question.

 

[Matthames]

I would say they would be about as much use as a chocolate tea pot and would more than likely fly off in the event of an accident. Cycle helmets are designed specifically to absorb energy over a large that would normally be experienced with an average size adult falling off head first at an average speed. Cycle helmets also have straps so that in the event of an accident they stay in place.

Hard hats are designed to absorb energy in a totally different way, like a point blow caused by somebody accidentally dropping a hammer from the top of some scaffold.

 

[Piemaster]

In order of protection:
Hard hats - falling objects (may have chinstrap)
bump caps - trying to stand up in spaces too small eg. under pipes, tables, etc. (lightly padded flexible plastic baseball cap, no straps)
cycle hats - saving you from certain death when falling off a bike as strapped to your head.

 

[Ravenbait]

cycle hats - saving you from certain death when falling off a bike as strapped to your head.

You are kidding, right?

I mean, the OP may not have been around long enough to work out tongue in cheek melodrama.

Sam (fallen off lots of times, without a helmet, definitely not a zombie)

 

[oxred81]

Alright, thanks guys. I didn't want to reignite the helmet/no helmet thing....so thanks for steering clear! but I just had no experience of this.
cheers.

 

[thomas]

In order of protection:
Hard hats - falling objects (may have chinstrap)
bump caps - trying to stand up in spaces too small eg. under pipes, tables, etc. (lightly padded flexible plastic baseball cap, no straps)
cycle hats - saving you from certain death when falling off a bike as strapped to your head.

In Vietnam I saw a couple scooter riders with hard hats on....no chin strap. haha. I think it was enough to stop the local police fining them a few dong though

 

[fossyant]

Do they come in Burberry patterns ?

 

[Piemaster]

You are kidding, right?

I mean, the OP may not have been around long enough to work out tongue in cheek melodrama.

Sam (fallen off lots of times, without a helmet, definitely not a zombie)

Oops. There was supposed to be a at the end there

 

[jefmcg]

At the end of the day, it's your boyfriends choice, so let him make his own mind up.
If a bump cap works for him then that's fine.

This seems like quite a strange thing to say. It's one thing to say "if the cycle shorts work for him" or even "if the break pads work for him" but with a cycle helmet, working is what happens in the unlikely event of your head hitting the pavement. And that's not the time to find out it doesn't work for you.

A hankie with four knots tied in the corners (and a bobby pin to hold it on) works as well as a helmet ~100% of the time.

 

[Brommie77]

Come on - lets not get into the helmet debate again.... this is thread starting to go there

 

[jefmcg]

Obviously we should avoid the helmet debate: but the bump-cap debate? Surely it's ok to say that something not strapped to your head and not designed for road use won't help, without stirring controversy?

 

[Brommie77]

Hmmmmmm

cant see any emoticons with helmets, but this guy looks like hes just wearing a cap, so does that mean they are endorsed....