$12,000 for a Helmet?

[Frank Capua]

In 1977 I bought a top of the line Bell Star full face helmet to ride my motorcycle and my Uncles and my Dad teased me to no end for paying $120 for a helmet. Well actually there was an end, it ended after my accident where I was thrown 20 yards and I had no head injury... Which was just about the only location on my person that didn't suffer an injury.

So while I was watching practice in Hungary this morning I heard that and it made me wonder what your basic full face helmet costs today? I could Google it but I figured finding out what others were buying for Track Day might be more informative as to what folks are really buying.

[dalz]

12 large?! Last I heard the latest FIA F1-spec carbon helmets could be had for about $3000-5000, which is still nuts. I was thrilled to score a Sparco carbon FIA model on closeout for $1,100. It better last at least 5 years.

You can get a standard composite-shelled helmet to the latest Snell spec from the usual suspects (Simpson, Bell, Impact) for $400-800, or an Asian import no-frills brand (G-Force, Safequip) for maybe 2/3 of that. That should be all the quality that anyone not in the pro ranks needs.

[ARROWZ46]

My guess is that its a painted Schuberth FIA carbon spec helmet(with a complex scheme featuring tons of detail...) would be $12,000 as a base helmet costs about $9,800.

BELL GP2/HP3 Carbon is about $3500.

http://www.bellracing.com/helmets/ultra-series/hp3

Stand 21 & Stilo FIA helmets are about the same price.

Edit: I'm wrong on the Stilo... its $5600 The Stand 21 FIA spec, carbon sports car helmet is $2500

http://stilo-usa.com/helmets/st4f1-zero-8860

http://www.stand21ga.com/products.r-...force.f-6.html

[Frank Capua]

So the $12K they spoke of included the paint job? I was wondering if they were including that thanks.

And yes the Schuberth Helmet is the one they spoke of.

[KevMcNJ]

I used to be up on these things but is the Snell Rating still Gospel?

What is the newest Snell rating?

[ARROWZ46]

I used to be up on these things but is the Snell Rating still Gospel?

What is the newest Snell rating?

SNELL SA 2010 & FIA 8860-2010. Snell is required for NASCAR/Indycar/etc The ALMS might require the FIA spec for open cockpit cars? & of course F1 is required to use the FIA 8860 spec.

So the $12K they spoke of included the paint job?

No worries, Frank... however my guess is that most of the F1 drivers have a sweet deal with their helmet manufacturer & don't pay to have their helmets painted. BELL Europe also has an in house painter for some of their top EU racing talent. Ferrari & McLaren aerodynamicists are so specific that they require their drivers where the same brand of helmet

[ptclaus98]

Can't put a price on your dome.

[BadazzZ06]

For more on the Snell Foundation and helmet testing/ratings ....

http://www.smf.org/

[KevMcNJ]

Can't put a price on your dome.

I remember hearing more than once

If you have a hundred dollar head, get a hundred dollar helmet

[Frank Capua]

I remember hearing more than once

If you have a hundred dollar head, get a hundred dollar helmet

Maybe that is what freaked out my Dad & Uncles when I paid $120 for my Bell Star back in `77... they felt there was an imbalance in the value of my head and the cost of my helmet... going by your scale I over spent by at least 20 bucks.

[ARROWZ46]

I remember hearing more than once

If you have a hundred dollar head, get a hundred dollar helmet

the original 1970's ad tag line was: “If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet”

I don't think they were talking about their top of the line BELL Star though!!!

[KevMcNJ]

the original 1970's ad tag line was: “If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet”

I don't think they were talking about their top of the line BELL Star though!!!

I didnt hear it in the 1970s

Inflation

[dalz]

I used to be up on these things but is the Snell Rating still Gospel?

What is the newest Snell rating?

Snell (currently SA 2010) is still all we need, but FIA wanted a superhelmet standard, hence 8860-2004, then -2010. They're all carbon because the usual composites would be too heavy. For lightness never seen before, check out the carbon Snell-spec offerings (about a grand).

[Dadburgess]

[QUOTE=ARROWZ46;3113076]My guess is that its a painted Schuberth FIA carbon spec helmet(with a complex scheme featuring tons of detail...) would be $12,000 as a base helmet costs about $9,800.

Could additional electronics, driver comfort fittings, special visor coatings make up this difference? Also a booth announcer is going to include the price of a special paint job, regardless who paid for it.

[KevMcNJ]

The visors are probably replaced every weekend

Possibly even every day of a race weekend

Why not?

In the grand scheme of things a few hundred dollars a weekend on visors is tip money to even the lowest F1 team

[ARROWZ46]

Could additional electronics, driver comfort fittings, special visor coatings make up this difference? Also a booth announcer is going to include the price of a special paint job, regardless who paid for it.

The reason the Schuberth is so bloody expensive is that they digitize each buyers head.... it literally fits your skull like a glove!!!

[Frank Capua]

The visors are probably replaced every weekend

Possibly even every day of a race weekend

Why not?

In the grand scheme of things a few hundred dollars a weekend on visors is tip money to even the lowest F1 team

In the same spot where they talked about $12,000 helmets they said that Vettel normally shows up with a new helmet every weekend special paintjobs for specific tracks and different charitable concerns that would result in the helmet being auctioned off after the race... then added Vettel wasn't having to pay for them.

Probably keeping the back-up for his trophy room to boot.

[ARROWZ46]

Vettel's Arai FIA spec helmets are probably $3-$4,500 a piece, but my guess is he has a deal with Arai that gives him basically free helmets. Most F1 drivers also have a very sweet deal with a helmet painter, so you are correct... he can afford to show up with 2-3 new helmets for each GP weekend (there is always back up helmets painted identically...)

[KevMcNJ]

In the same spot where they talked about $12,000 helmets they said that Vettel normally shows up with a new helmet every weekend special paintjobs for specific tracks and different charitable concerns that would result in the helmet being auctioned off after the race... then added Vettel wasn't having to pay for them.

Probably keeping the back-up for his trophy room to boot.

None of that surprises me. His driving suits are all one week wonders too I imagine. I do remember seeing helmets and visors at The Mail Room in Indy and even for 1990s mid-packers a helmet used in the 500 had a large price tag. A race used item from an active F1 champ is a pricey item Im sure

[dalz]

The reason the Schuberth is so bloody expensive is that they digitize each buyers head.... it literally fits your skull like a glove!!!

Wonder if the price includes airfare to the Schuberth 3D scan studio in Germany? Prolly not.

The visors are probably replaced every race weekend...Probably every day of every race weekend.

I'd bet on it. I know I sure would! My visors spend their entire lives behind a tearoff and seemingly get trashed overnight.

In a refreshing change, former F1 and now sports car shoe Alex Wurtz paints all his helmets personally. Every one is a little different.

Nelson Piquet Sr. may have been the first over-the-top helmet diva. A new one for every weekend, from a variety of painters. From race to race you can see his trademark design changed from thick black lines between the red and white parts, to thin black lines, to sometimes no black lines.

Back in the '80s Mario and Michael's contract demands included all new gear for every race weekend.

[ForzaFerrari]

My Shoei was around $800. That is just for a plain matt black. It is the second top of the line model.

The super lightweight carbon models do make sense in something like F1 when you are talking about 3.5G of cornering force, and 5G+ of braking force. Just a 200g weight saving = 1KG less force under 5G breaking. Think of that 10+ times per laps, for 60 or so laps.

Even if I was a pro (in any sport), I wouldn't actually wan't new gear every race/game. You get accustomed to things. Things like boots and gloves and helmets need to break in a bit. If I was an F1 driver, I would get a new helmet every season, but no more (unless it actually took a hit of course).

Reminds me of Wayne Gretzky wearing that ice cream bucket on his head on his whole career. Apparently it was actually quite common for a lot of older NHL players to keep wearing their older, thin padding for years and years after it should have been replaced.

[KevMcNJ]

My visors spend their entire lives behind a tearoff and seemingly get trashed overnight..

Yeah hockey visors are the same way.

They never look clearer than the first shift.

After that youre looking thru starbursts and lens flare

I ony used one helmet thru out my entire unspectacular racing "career"

I did make sure it was a Snell 85 (this was in 1985)

Think I paid something like $80 for it at the swap meet.

[Frank Capua]

... Even if I was a pro (in any sport), I wouldn't actually wan't new gear every race/game. You get accustomed to things. Things like boots and gloves and helmets need to break in a bit...

Back in my high school football days I had a lucky jockstrap and I wore it every game... every practice too. But then you wouldn't really want to have to go through the rash stage of breaking in a new one for every game. Just wouldn't be prudent.

Socks, gloves, shoes and helmets weren't nearly as important.

[Indy kiwi]

Heard from a reliable source - most F1 drivers use 3 new driver suits every weekend: one for Friday, a new one for Saturday and another new one for Sunday. Sometimes you'll see a worn drivers suit for sale. Was tempted by a Mika Hakkinen suit a few years ago, but the $10K price tag cured me.

[ForzaFerrari]

See, that I could understand, as they get very sweaty and dirty between sessions, but I would think they would then re-use them each weekend.

Actually, i remember once at the Melbourne GP years ago... One of the Prost mechanics after the race race jumped over the fence onto the pit straight were everyone was after the race finished, opened up his kit bag... and started an auction in the middle of the crowd! So he obviously has a ready supply of gear

I guess driver suits don't really break in like other things. The padding in my motorcycle helmet definitely does after a little wearing, same thing with my gloves and boots.

I've never had to wear a nomex suit (only leather bike gear) so I don't know if nomex does break in, leather certainly does. Think of your favourite pair of jeans, I bet they weren't so comfortable the first time you wore them.

I used to play ice hockey as a goaltender. I don't think your gear, especially your leg pads, ever really stops breaking in. There have been some NHL goaltenders who have been known to wear the same leg pads their entire career. In fact, when getting new leg pads, you need to use them for hours and hours in practice before they are 'game ready'. Same with the catching glove, which is like a massive version of a catchers glove in baseball.

I read once that Michael Jordan got a new pair of Nike's every day. I don't know if that's true, of if he's shoes were specially designed for his foot, but I couldn't imagine anything worse than playing sport in a brand new pair of shoes.

[KevMcNJ]

I used to play ice hockey as a goaltender. I don't think your gear, especially your leg pads, ever really stops breaking in. There have been some NHL goaltenders who have been known to wear the same leg pads their entire career. In fact, when getting new leg pads, you need to use them for hours and hours in practice before they are 'game ready'. Same with the catching glove, which is like a massive version of a catchers glove in baseball.

My skates are over 15 years old. I bought a like new pair off a guy on Craigslist several years ago and wore them once or twice before I went right back to my old pair.

[Indy kiwi]

My understanding with the drivers suits, is that it is driven by the need for race-weekend worn suits to be available to sponsors and suppliers around the world rather than any driver preference.

[ARROWZ46]

Heard from a reliable source - most F1 drivers use 3 new driver suits every weekend: one for Friday, a new one for Saturday and another new one for Sunday. Sometimes you'll see a worn drivers suit for sale. Was tempted by a Mika Hakkinen suit a few years ago, but the $10K price tag cured me.

Geez, hard to believe F1 teams can't figure out Shock Doctor or MOLECULE systems!!!

http://www.speedmerchants.com/collec...shock-doctor-1

http://www.moleculelabs.com/AboutUs.html

[Frank Capua]

It's probably in the driver's contracts that they have new uniforms. I know it's been in some of the Indy car driver's contracts for years.

[Offy85]

Geez, hard to believe F1 teams can't figure out Shock Doctor or MOLECULE systems!!!

http://www.speedmerchants.com/collec...shock-doctor-1

http://www.moleculelabs.com/AboutUs.html

MOLECULE works like a champ well worth the money. As far as helmets go that's one thing I wont go cheap the difference between a Bell Sport Series and something like a Star GP or GP2 is night and day as far as comfort and ventilation