Drying a helmet

[helston90]

I'll be the first to admit I'm a bit of a sweaty beast and I'm comfortable with that.

However last night I was out on a 30 mile ride until 8.30pm, got up this morning and went to put the helmet back on at 7.45 to ride to work and all the pads were still wet with last nights sweat. Urgh.

In winter I'd have chucked it in the airing cupboard to dry out but the heating is not on at the moment so the airing cupboard just becomes a cupboard- anyone know of a way of drying it efficiently and effectively?

I was thinking newspaper like with wet shoes but then didn't want to arrive at work with paper ink smeared across my forehead.

 

[Keith Oates]

I get the same problem and the only answer is to put the wet and cold helmet on in the morning and then it'll soon warm up when you start cycling.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Rinse it in the shower with you or under the tap. Then squeeze the pads out whilst they're in the helmet, using a towel. The towel will come out wet but the pads will be dry-ish. Then, an overnight hang up should have it dry in the morning. The key is to not leave the sweat soaking the pads overnight, it will not dry and when it tries, it is yukky.

If that's not enough, do what I do with wet shoes. Fill it with silica gel, the stuff you find in little packets when buying appliances. The cheapest way to buy silica gel is to buy a pack of kitty litter, the "crystal" type. Silica gel is a wonderful thing to have in the house and I'm surprised that it isn't a standard household item for most people. It can be re-used again and again, by heating it to 110 degrees until it is dry again. The cheap kitty litter variety doesn't have an indicator in that changes colour when it is saturated, so you'll just have to guess.

 

[si_c]

You could always try not wearing the helmet...

 

[winjim]

You could always get some spare pads and have one set rinsing / drying, and one set in use.

 

[Bodhbh]

This time of year, normally just hang it up by the straps somewhere where it'll get a good airing. The washing line or the landing if it's raining. Don't recall it ever still being wet in the morning.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I've just bought some replacement pads for my Giro Savant, so I can rotate them on a wash.

My forehead seems to have turned into a water spout of late.

 

[Globalti]

Simply wear a buff, which soaks up the sweat and evaporates it preventing the pads from becoming saturated and stinky. This is no hotter than not waering a buff because the evaporating sweat keeps you cool. In winter a buff keeps you warm.

Occasionally rinse the helmet in the shower squeezing the pads out as described above.

 

[PeteXXX]

Scrunched up newspaper absorbs a lot of the moisture. I do this with soggy shoes as well as it helps retain the shape.

 

[Steady]

The only time I've found my helmet wet from sweat the next day is when I've left it down on the table rather than upside down with the opening/pads getting aired.

 

[cyberknight]

Stopped mucking about , you need more than one helmet so you can wash and wear , leave it hanging on the line to dry .