The last time I bought a helmet was in the post-civil war carpetbagging era. I went online today and was surprised at the range of prices from $20-something to the hundreds. I want to buy something for winter use. I cannot wear the military-style helmet, because the back of the helmet interferes with the neck brace/headrest on my trike. Any thoughts on what keeps you warm in winter (important, as I have a shaved head) and is moderately priced?
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love my 180s! To keep your whole head warm, wear a thin fleece beanie under the helmet
180s and a bandana if you're short up top will cover most daily commutes in the winter.
Pick the helmet that fits well, but also has a litlle room to adjust to a bigger size when needed
That way you can adjust as the temps get colder:
I start of with my 180s. When it does get colder (lower twenties to upper single digits), I replace that with headband made out of technical fabric. When it does get really cold (low single digits), I use a beanie style hat made out of technical fabric under my helmet
I use the same helmet year round, with a fleece balaclava under the helmet (after adjusting helmet straps) for colder days, and a breathable skullcap for not-quite-so-cold days. For wet or truly arctic weather, I add a water resistant helmet cover. I like to have ventilation so that sweat doesn't build up and make me colder when I'm getting a bit of a workout in cooler temps.
Bern, they offer winter liners that cover your ears and have a top to keep heat in.
I've picked up a couple ski helmets at the REI garages sales. They have built in ear flaps and liners and work great with goggles.
I really hate the winter liner for my Bern. It was the whole reason I bought the helmet but the synthetic "fur" gets soaked with sweat and then freezes and stinks to high heaven.
Thin enough to fit under a snug-fit motorcycle or snowmobile full-faced helmet, so it will work with any bike helmet. Warm enough to ride at 75MPH at sub-freezing temps and below on a snowmobile -so on a bicycle it'll be more than warm enough.
Find a helmet that you like the looks of, and the fit, and don't worry about built-in liners is my theory. The Shampa (pick the style you like) works like a charm. I've got a couple of them.
Cool. What do you wear on your head?
Jeff Schneider said:
I usually use a Nutcase, which doesn't have a lot of vents (shady in the summer, warm in the winter).
Gene, I would strongly recommend against ordering a helmet online. Each manufacturer has its own shape and while I like to believe my head is not some weird outlier of a shape, I find that about half of all helmets out there are too short front-to-back (or I guess too "round") for me; and we're talking unable to don at all, not just nuance. Once you know which manufacturer tends to work well for you, maybe... although I still wouldn't count on it.
I'll second Howard's opinion about ordering online. I've tried different models from the same manufacturer and found that the shape/fit varies enough that not all are comfortable. You have a much better chance of getting something that's a comfortable fit for you if you try/buy in a shop.
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