Helmet attachments

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Hawk

Veteran
Assuming helmets do afford us some useful protection (debatable), what are people's thoughts on attachments to helmets and their behaviour in the event of a crash? Helmet cams, lights, etc attached to a helmet would presumably change the potential dynamics of sustaining injury. Do these reduce the effectiveness of helmets or pose additional hazards, or would we hope that such attachments would simply snap early on during an impact and thus make little difference to the outcome?

Any thoughts?
 

MrJamie

Oaf on a Bike
I figure most attachments would snap off, although maybe it ups the chances of snagging on something causing neck injury. Hmm.. i clearly have no idea :smile:
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Its been mentioned before and as a result I've stopped wearing a helmet cam. If I film rides (which is becoming rare) its from the bars. Actually this was as much to do with the better frame rate of my GoPro as it soaks up vibrations from the bars far better than my old cam.

But. .I now wear a ski helmet (when skiing of course). Not because it helps me feel safe but because its the only way I can attach a decent POV go pro.
:blush:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sXUVX2_EmQ
 

Norm

Guest
Sticking something sharp or snaggy on a helmet is not, in general, a good thing to do IMO. It might be possible to do it without increasing the risks, but you'd need to consider it carefully, I reckon.
 

mumbo jumbo

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham
A helmet makes your head bigger than your brain computes it to be. Some years ago, a physio concluded that my most lasting injury following a freak accident (a rotational neck injury) was caused by my wearing a helmet and that I probably wouldn't have hit my head on anything if i hadn't been wearing it. So making your head bigger still increases the rotational injury risk. Which makes me a complete idiot for routinely wearing a helmet with added light and camera! Still, it appeases Mrs mj, it's a convenient place to put a camera and, you never know, it might make a positive difference one day. Just one of life's little compromises...
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Bout 4 years ago i dealt with a job where a feller came off quite badly and his lid mounted torch punched a hole in his skull through the helmet. He did live, but I don't think he attaches solid objects to the outside of a deformable energy absorbing helmet any more.
 

guitarpete247

Just about surviving
Location
Leicestershire
I made a comment on some guys Instructable once. He had instructions on attaching a mirror, bolting the mount through the body of the helmet. I simply said that it might be a little dangerous putting something into a helmet that could if he was unlucky could puncture his skull. He did not take to kindly to me suggesting this.
I feel that anything added to a helmet should be easily snapped off in the event of an impact not be there to puncture the helmet.
 

Norm

Guest
I feel that anything added to a helmet should be easily snapped off in the event of an impact not be there to puncture the helmet.
Don't say that to a cam-warrior. ;)
 

Gez73

Veteran
I have a light attached to the visor on my helmet. That's the only place I would mount anything as I assume the visor is designed to snap off itself anyway. Gez
 

Drago

Legendary Member
One of my lids has a light built into the visor. Useful for reading a map or writing in a police note book, but not very good to ride by. It's bright enough, but you need a nice bit distance in the base of the triangle between eyes and light to assist the brain in interpreting what it sees and helmet lights don't offer that.
 

dellzeqq

pre-talced and mighty
Location
SW2
Bout 4 years ago i dealt with a job where a feller came off quite badly and his lid mounted torch punched a hole in his skull through the helmet. He did live, but I don't think he attaches solid objects to the outside of a deformable energy absorbing helmet any more.
a sad and salutary tale. Aren't head-mounted torches de rigeur for off-road night riding, though?
 

Norm

Guest
Aren't head-mounted torches de rigeur for off-road night riding, though?
Often, yes, but there are ways that they can be mounted which are less risky than others, if the rider gives it a moment's thought.

It seems that most who mount cameras and lights on their head don't have that moment to spare, though, attaching snag points and pressure spots and possibly making the optioned-up helmet considerably more 'dangerous' than riding bare skin - if there is any actual safety benefit in them anyway.
 
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Hawk

Veteran
Often, yes, but there are ways that they can be mounted which are less risky than others, if the rider gives it a moment's thought.

It seems that most who mount cameras and lights on their head don't have that moment to spare, though, attaching snag points and pressure spots and possibly making the optioned-up helmet considerably more 'dangerous' than riding bare skin - if there is any actual safety benefit in them anyway.

Where do you think the safest places would be?
 
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