# Lightweight full-face XC helmet?



## Appendage (Jan 12, 2004)

Anyone know of a lighweight full-face helmet intended for XC use? I had a Giro Switchblade for a while but it didn't fit my bullet head well.

A couple of days ago, I witnessed a face vs. ground crash at, say 15 mph. The rider sustained severe brain injury and will probably not live. I don't know if a full-face helmet would've saved her but it wouldn't have hurt. And I have witnessed other crashes resulting in broken jaws where a FF helmet definitely would've helped.


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## marktomin (Mar 14, 2007)

After my recent crash pictured here http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=550304
I got myself a full face helmet - Specialized Deviant. I only received it today and it's lighter than other full face helmets I tried and seemed to be very well ventilated. So that would be my recommendation.


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## iSlowpoke (Feb 24, 2009)

This is what I wear http://www.met-helmets.com/home.jsp?idrub=8421

The lower part is held by 4 screws. I don't think it will hold in a serious crash. But is has saved me a split chin at Skeggs...


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## Gringo (Feb 25, 2004)

I use the Met Parachute shown above. It's light, but the chin bar does deflect your breath back in your face making it warmer than you'd think. The rest of the helmet is well ventilated and quite light. It's difficult getting the helmet on and off with the chin bar in place, but mine is very well made.

I think it was worth the money.

G.


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

Met Parachute - very breathable, less protection
Switchblade - are these still made?
Casco Viper - more solid than the Met, hotter it's less ventilated and the faceguard is close in
Spec Deviant - non convertible, I wouldn't really call it "XC"

I've used 1, 3 and 4. If I wanted one high protection XC helmet, it'd be the Met.


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## mnigro (Jul 31, 2007)

I've been looking for one of these too. Almost impossible to find because they really don't exist. The only true FF XC helmet is the Met. I passed on buying it b/c I'm leaning more towards the Spec Deviant. 

A few weeks ago I saw a guy on the trail who was bleading from the nose & mouth with a nice gash in his cheek that definitely needed stitches. That pretty much sealed the deal for me. Don't care how stupid people think I'll look riding singletrack w/ a FF lid.


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## WhiteNoise (Jun 1, 2009)

I wear the RockGardn Warbird series helm.

I like it a lot. it feels pretty light for a DOT approved helmet and the inside is quite plush compaired to other fullface helmets I've seen.

Being a long time motorcycle rider this helmet is as close as I found to something I would wear while riding a motorcycle and its much lighter too.

The liner completely pulls out for washing and the vents work pretty good at speed.


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## Johnny No.5 (Mar 20, 2008)

The new 661 compII is great. Breath doesn't heat up as much as my Flight II does. Lots of vents and very light. Price ain't too bad either. That met helmet looks meager, mabey strong but doesn't look like it. OT, what's is that helmet going to do in a skydiving accident?


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

WhiteNoise said:


> I wear the RockGardn Warbird series helm:
> 
> I like it a lot. it feels pretty light for a DOT approved helmet and the inside is quite plush compaired to other fullface helmets I've seen.
> 
> ...


You wear this as a "lightweight full-face XC helmet?"

Or did you just want to post some pics of your new helmet?


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## CharacterZero (May 19, 2004)

Having just shopped FF helmets and owning a Switchblade, here is my take...

Specialized Deviant
661 comp?

The bell drops/giro remedys/warbirds/all those are not even close to an XC helmet. The 661s were less padding, lower profile and not as beefy. The Specialized deviant felt a lot like the Switchblade...but watch out for build quality. The helmet I tried on literally broke right there in the shop - shell not glued properly.


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## WhiteNoise (Jun 1, 2009)

womble said:


> You wear this as a "lightweight full-face XC helmet?"
> 
> Or did you just want to post some pics of your new helmet?


Yeah I wear this as a lightweight full-face XC helmet. As far as full face helmets go it is one of the nicer 'cheap' helmets and is quite light. Like I already stated; I ride motorcyle all the time and I'm used to wearing moto helmets. When i was looking for a mtb helmet I tried many on and some were lighter but at this price point (under $100) I couldn't find a better helmet.

I didn't realize that posting pictures of the helmet I bought would cause myself to get flamed. Consider them removed.

I know there are lighter helmets out there but this helmet is DOT approved and pretty damn light. At $69.99 (On sale I couldn't find a lighter 'better' helmet. One that I felt would truly save my life in a bad accident.

P.S. I should add that I own two helmets. if I'm doing really tame xc riding then i don't wear my full-face and I wear my bmx style helmet. When I'm riding more technical trails with some dh thrown in I wear the full-face.


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## architectx (Jul 24, 2007)

WhiteNoise said:


> Yeah I wear this as a lightweight full-face XC helmet. As far as full face helmets go it is one of the nicer 'cheap' helmets and is quite light. Like I already stated; I ride motorcyle all the time and I'm used to wearing moto helmets. When i was looking for a mtb helmet I tried many on and some were lighter but at this price point (under $100) I couldn't find a better helmet.
> 
> I didn't realize that posting pictures of the helmet I bought would cause myself to get flamed. Consider them removed.
> 
> ...


I've got one of the Rockgardn helmets as well (not the Warbird, but the plainer version of what I believe to be the same helmet). I do like it, especially so given what it cost, and agree that it is relatively light for the protection you get. That said, I've relegated it pretty much to winter time and the more intense night rides. It's just too darn hot for me to wear day to day on XC rides (about the only sort of riding I really do).

The silly comment someone made about you posting a picture was unnecessary imho.


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## Appendage (Jan 12, 2004)

*She's on life support*

The rider I spoke of in the OP is on life support and is not expected to recover.

In looking at odler threads covering the same topic, two themes come up:
1. Manufacturers don't make a FF XC helmet due to fear that it will be used for DH/FR application for which it is not intended, resulting in injuries and lawsuits.
2. The concept itself is stupid- a lightweight, FF XC helmet wouldn't provide good protection and/or would have to be discarded after a single crash.

Regarding point 1, it makes me wonder how many other good ideas don't materialize due to our litigious society.

Regarding point 2, I understand that it wouldn't offer the level of protection that a DH/FR helmet provides. That's okay- I'll take _some_ protection over _none._ The goal would not be to prevent injury, but to reduce its severity. The choice between bad injury or catastropic injury is not one I want to make, but its better than no choice at all. And if the helmet is only good for one crash, well, that's the price of playing with big boy toys.

I was thinking that even a simple football-style face guard would be helpful- just something to deflect the initial impact. It would be light and not interfere with airflow. Anyone ever tried riding with a football helmet? Now that would be a fashion statement, which we all know is all that really matters.


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## laxman2001 (Jun 1, 2009)

Appendage said:


> The rider I spoke of in the OP is on life support and is not expected to recover.
> 
> In looking at odler threads covering the same topic, two themes come up:
> 1. Manufacturers don't make a FF XC helmet due to fear that it will be used for DH/FR application for which it is not intended, resulting in injuries and lawsuits.
> ...


Forget football helmets, I ride in a Lacrosse Helmet. Newer ones look BadAss Too:









no, not really. But I would do it just to look ridiculous. Course I would also ride in full Lax gear (inc jersey)+ knee pads just to be awesome


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## vyper005 (Jul 30, 2007)

Jenson USA has some great deals on full face helmets...

Here's the Bell Bellestic...The Bellistic full face helmet by Bell features a tough, multi-layered fiberglass shell with a comfortable EPS foam liner and gives you an adjustable retention harness, adjustable visor and large eye port to accommodate goggles, and 15 built-in vents.

Not too bad for $64.00...Here's the link https://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HE290G11-Bell+Bellistic+Helmet+09.aspx


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## stumblemumble (Mar 31, 2006)

Anyone know when the 2010 Deviant will be available in the US?


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## mb300 (May 9, 2006)

Sorry to hear about the rider down, that's really rough....


A few years ago my girlfriend and I were talking about getting XC full face helmets from Chain Reaction, but we decided they were too expensive and that we'd stick to our open face helmets and downhill helmets.

Less than a week later we were out for a casual XC ride (on a really tame trail) after work and she faceplanted into a rock. 4 surgerys, $60k in medical bills (thankfully she had good insurance, our out of pocket is about $5k), 4 root canals, 2.5 years in braces, and now shes wearing a retainer for the next 8 months. She has some permanent scarring on her chin, nerve damage, and 3 teeth aren't expected to make it.

Now we ride in full face XC helmets, she has a Deviant, I have a Casco Viper. Had she been wearing a Deviant when she crashed she probably wouldn't have had a scratch, as the impact was 100% between her jaw and a rock.

Hindsight is 20/20....


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## jski (Mar 15, 2009)

The fact that your g/f still rides is impressive to me. I just fell on my face and had some good injuries, and now I am going back and forth about whether I am going to ride again. Although, I think I full face mask would make me feel a lot more comfortable. It's good to hear your girl got back out there.


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