helmets: full face or standard

[Guest SpecRaceM5]

This reasoning doesn't really apply to an accident on a snowboard. The two reasons for the HANS device in auto racing (prevention of fatigue and accident protection) are resultant from the fact that in a race car, your body is fixed and your head is free to move about. This is not the case in snowboarding, where both are free. If you hit a wall driving, the car and your body stop, while your head keeps moving. If you hit a wall snowboarding, both stop.

No neck protection is used in MotoGP or FIM Super bikes. The collars worn karting are strictly for lateral protection, again because your body is fixed and your head is free.

These helmets are lightweight for performance (and to some degree comfort), not safety. Think of the money and effort spent trying to drop fractions of ounces from bikes. Why gain it all back with an overly heavy helmet?

You bring up good points, however, with the added weight from a motorsport helmet, when your body hits the snow, it will be harder to control your head. For instance, your body hits, your head bounces and the weight adds stress to your neck. And any kind of racing is going to look for the lightest parts possible. Motor racing not excluded. My lotus friends look for every little bit they can loose. Motorsports are racing at alot higher speeds, and call for different helmets. Different shells, different padding. The result weighs more so neck protection now has to be taken into respect. I do like your point about your body being fixed, hoever I think there is a little bit more to it then that. Would type more but my thumb is throbbing. Thanks for the reply.

Brian

[Gleb]

while skiing, always use a regular leedom helmet. The venting is pretty good and its warm when i need it. Unless you're doing some crazy dense forest back country riding, going ridiculously fast, or ur just all over the place, I don't think a full face helemt is neccessary. I might get one eventually if the right deal comes along. full face helemts seem kind of cumbersome.