Helmets for absurdly out of spec heads...

[bad Chad]

My head is ridiculous, 96% of helmets on the market squeeze my noggin something fierce.

Thanks to folks on this web site, I found www.Lidpicker.com, and it saved me much trouble and money.  For $15 they provide a measuring tool for your skull, and then they take your specs and provide a list of dozens and dozens of helmets, and the ones that will fit your head best!  If you have a hard to fit head, don't just go off the free recommendations based on over shape, spend the few dollars for the kit and get a customized list of helmets, that shows those "with in range" which equals a good fit, or "ideal" which is self evident.

So turns out my head is way outside norms, and there are only a scant few full face and modular helmets that work for me.  Had I not had their info, I would have been trying to find ovalish helmets like Arai and a few others that might work for me, maybe.  But their system showed me exactly which lids would work the best for me.  This after I wasted time and money blindly trying to find something to work. 

I ended up getting a Scorpion 2000 full face, and a Nolan N104, both of which have worked out very well!  I really encourage anyone with a hard to fit head to purchase the $15 kit, it worth the money several times over.  As a bonus, if you end up buying a lid from motorcyclegear.com they will apply a $10 credit; I have found motorcyclegear.com to be really good to work with.

[Aaron D.]

Thanks, I may try this when it is lid time.

[yogidozer]

I believe this is more common than most realize. I would buy online w/o having tried a specific model on

[Pop]

I used to wear a full overage helmet, no problem. Then I had this acoustic neuroma thingy and now can't stand the pressure on my skull behind my ear. Now I use a half helmet, but would rather more coverage.  At least it is a certified one.
Pop

[Sasquatch Jim]

 
Now you understand why Harley types like those little Beeny cap helmets.
 Or is your skull like one of these?
 http://www.theancientaliens.com/variations-in-shape

[TimmyTheHog]

Thanks for the find...

my head is a mix between neutral and oval...

so far the only helmet that fits me that I can find for now is Shoei...oh god the price...

even most of open face & 3/4 for nearly all the model that my shop carries gives me a headache due to pressure points on the temples...

Hopefully this might give me an insight what other helmets actually fits me

[Pop]

Yooo SJ.
I resemble that remark. As soon as I saw the ancient aliens tag come up , I started laughing. One of my favorites, "as ancient aliens theorists believe". ( middle row bottom)Oh, larger rear sprocket on shopping list.
Pop

[jpv7]

I was an Arai Signet "client" for years as that was all that could fit...but i decided that my daughter might want to go to college someday so i wanted to find a cheaper, decent alternative.

Discovered the Scorpion exo 2000 at the bike show and it actually fit.  Snell approved to boot (was the only Scorpion at the time).  Now it's no Arai, but after a couple of years I can honestly say it is fairly decent, quiet and good ventilation.  I can wear it all day without issue and its a snug fit.

And it came with both clear and tinted visors.  Nice.

[TimmyTheHog]

I was an Arai Signet "client" for years as that was all that could fit...but i decided that my daughter might want to go to college someday so i wanted to find a cheaper, decent alternative.

Discovered the Scorpion exo 2000 at the bike show and it actually fit.  Snell approved to boot (was the only Scorpion at the time).  Now it's no Arai, but after a couple of years I can honestly say it is fairly decent, quiet and good ventilation.  I can wear it all day without issue and its a snug fit.

And it came with both clear and tinted visors.  Nice.

Damn that is nice...I actually liked scorpion but it just won't fit me...

And I completely understand what you are going thru...every time I need a new helmet, it's 500+ per pop'

[nyITguy]

Another big/odd head here. An XL will usually fit, but not always, so that kit could come in handy someday.

I ultimately bought a Shoei Neotec (on sale) from Webike Japan, for about $250 less than it would have cost in the states. Designed and printed my own DOT stickers from Vistaprint to match the "real thing," just to be on the safe side. Fits really well, nice ventilation and other features, but it's noisier than I hoped it would be.

I've got plenty of extra stickers if anyone has a Neotec without one...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hymes Inc.]

Glad to see you finally found a helmet. As a benefactor of your blindly buying helmets I'm enjoying the HJC F-17 I got from you. 

[chuck peterson]

Cherry red metal flake works for me...circa 1974....pretty hi-tec...

Some new helmets are coming with adjustable inner liners to fit your head shape

[Guzzistajohn]

Thanks! I'm checkin' that out. I got a head like a casaba melon

[yogidozer]

Thanks! I'm checkin' that out. I got a head like a casaba melon

it's not the size usually, but more of the shape. some helmets are referred to as long oval, or round.
for me an Arai Quantum is the only one I have found that's comfy.
I gave up on buying online w/o trying one on first.

[Steph]

I replaced my very old Arai Quantum with a Nolan N87 a couple of weeks ago.
Did lots of online research and tried about 50 helmets in the shops.
The fit for my head is very good and I'm pretty happy with it.

There is a Snell vs Sharp testing debate out there, and I think Sharp testing has its value.
See how helmets fared based on brain G's (deceleration) testing:
https://sharp.dft.gov.uk

[yogidozer]

I replaced my very old Arai Quantum with a Nolan N87 a couple of weeks ago.
Did lots of online research and tried and 50 helmets in the shops.
The fit for my head is very good and I'm pretty happy with it.

There is a Snell vs Sharp testing debate out there, and I think Sharp testing has its value.
See how helmets fared based on brain G's (deceleration) testing:
https://sharp.dft.gov.uk

Thanks for that info. If the Quantum was working for you, good chance the Nolan N87 will work for me!

[Steph]

Thanks for that info. If the Quantum was working for you, good chance the Nolan N87 will work for me!

Yes, the Nolan N87 shape was good for me.
The only thing is that I had to go one size up on the Nolan N87 to XXL.
The Arai was XL.

[yogidozer]

Yes, the Nolan N87 shape was good for me.
The only thing is that I had to go one size up on the Nolan N87 to XXL.
The Arai was XL.

Thanks! I would try one on locally, manufacturers have different ideas about sizes

[Dukedesmo]

Quote from: Steph on Today at 09:08:16 PM

Yes, the Nolan N87 shape was good for me.
The only thing is that I had to go one size up on the Nolan N87 to XXL.
The Arai was XL.

That's odd because I have been an Arai wearer for many years, had 3 in a row of various RX7 variants, latest being the 'RX7 Corsair' and XL were always a perfect fit. I recently tried a new RX7V in XL and I couldn't even get it on my head - the opening was too tight. Apparently they don't import the XXL into the UK so I couldn't try one for size.

So I bought an Xlite 'X802RR Ultracarbon' (the Xlite brand is from Nolan) and, due to the sizing of the Arai I initially tried the XXL but it was too big, the XL is a perfect fit, more comfortable and (slightly) quieter than my old Arai plus, being made of Carbon Fibre it is lighter than the Arai whilst also being almost 50% cheaper than a (non-carbon) Arai and a carbon Arai costs like 6 times as much.

Overall I'm very happy with it. 

[Steph]

Quote from: Steph on Today at 09:08:16 PM

Yes, the Nolan N87 shape was good for me.
The only thing is that I had to go one size up on the Nolan N87 to XXL.
The Arai was XL.

That's odd because I have been an Arai wearer for many years, had 3 in a row of various RX7 variants, latest being the 'RX7 Corsair' and XL were always a perfect fit. I recently tried a new RX7V in XL and I couldn't even get it on my head - the opening was too tight. Apparently they don't import the XXL into the UK so I couldn't try one for size.

So I bought an Xlite 'X802RR Ultracarbon' (the Xlite brand is from Nolan) and, due to the sizing of the Arai I initially tried the XXL but it was too big, the XL is a perfect fit, more comfortable and (slightly) quieter than my old Arai plus, being made of Carbon Fibre it is lighter than the Arai whilst also being almost 50% cheaper than a (non-carbon) Arai and a carbon Arai costs like 6 times as much.

Overall I'm very happy with it. 

Yes, while trying helmets, the new Arai rx7v xl opening I was extremely tight. The Chaser X was bettter but I noticed that arai' XL had got smaller. Also, the Chase x was pretty heavy at 1750g for 400GBP

[bbolesaz]

For those with a hairy cinder block where your head should be -

Bell Helmets will do a custom fitted helmet.  They 3D scan your head, then a computer controlled system cuts the inner foam to match your noggin.

https://www.bellhelmets.com/bell-custom-fit

I was really hoping this would have worked for me, but after getting the scan, the factory told me that even their biggest shell wasn't big enough.

I ride with a 65mm Schuberth C3 Pro, mostly because it is one of the few XXXL helmets out there, but it doesn't fit great.

[Sheepdog]

I stopped buying expensive Snell certified helmets after reading the Dexter Ford article, "Blowing the Lid Off" in '05. Basically, he asserted that these helmets transferred excessive shock in an accident...particul arly to folks with smaller heads. The tests that he cited showed that even cheapie helmets like Z1R or HJC performed better than most of the expensive lids in an impact (this was largely due to the flawed Snell 2005 standard).

Now I realize that high dollar helmets incorporate a great deal more than just safety into their design. Venting, more comfortable interiors, light weight, sound abatement, and finish also matter. However, my last Arai Quantum (circa 2000), though comfy and quiet, started falling apart after about five years and the venting was really a joke. My 2016 HJC CL-17 is just as comfy and vents far better (though it's not quite as quiet) and...here's the kicker...it cost me about $125 (Guzzi content). Going with this brand/model allows me to buy a new helmet every couple of years (a good practice) without compromising comfort or safety. In the bargain, I get all the latest features and don't have to endure the inevitable "helmet-stink" of a lid that stuck around too long. All my new BMW buddies cringe inside their seven year old Schuberths, but I don't care...

http://coneheadhelmets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Blowing_the_Lid_Off.pdf

[bad Chad]

For those with a hairy cinder block where your head should be -

Bell Helmets will do a custom fitted helmet.  They 3D scan your head, then a computer controlled system cuts the inner foam to match your noggin.

https://www.bellhelmets.com/bell-custom-fit

I was really hoping this would have worked for me, but after getting the scan, the factory told me that even their biggest shell wasn't big enough.

I ride with a 65mm Schuberth C3 Pro, mostly because it is one of the few XXXL helmets out there, but it doesn't fit great.

Then you my man, if you haven't yet, should try the service I recommended at the start of this thread!

[Dukedesmo]

To show how important a good fitting helmet is, watch this video showing what a poor fitting helmet can do (no head injuries or gory stuff BTW);


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FJBMsw4ARM&feature=youtu.be

[twowheeladdict]

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you find a helmet that fits today, when you replace it in 5 years the same company and model might not fit.  They are constantly changing.

I might try this before my next helmet purchase.  The last two helmets I bought I bought one shell size and then had to mix the sizing of pads inside the helmet at an extra cost. 

I am more oval at the crown, but not as oval at the jaw line.  This means that oval helmets fit great at the crown, but put pressure on my TMJ.  Conversely Intermediate oval helmets that are comfortable for my TMJ press on the front of my crown. 

My most comfortable FF helmets are the Bell Star and Bell RS1.

I still haven't found the best modular.  The LS2 long oval modular presses on my TMJ, and the intermediate oval HJC modular presses on the front of my crown.