# What type of helmet do you wear for AM?



## RTTR (Aug 8, 2006)

Do you wear a full face or the standard style helmet when riding AM? I was looking at the Giro and Troy Lee Design full face helmets but I don't really see many AMers wearing them, only FR/DH mostly.


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## renderedtoast (Dec 6, 2006)

Fox Flux for AM and XC. SixSixOne Bravo for DH & FR.


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

I wear my remedy occasionally for AM. 
But mostly I rock a Azonic skate lid (yes the one with speakers) and yes I wear googles with it


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

I'm now wearing my FF since my face plant on my backyard pump track. Stuck my lower lip between 2 teeth.


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## crisillo (Jul 3, 2004)

auch, dog!


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## trailripper (Apr 30, 2007)

cracked my older GIRO riding DH with it and goggles, picked up an Xen for cheap, and use a TLD d2 for dh runs...usually


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## Rb (Feb 28, 2007)

Just a standard xc helmet... nothing flashy/fancy.

I reserve the full-face for racing, techy/nasty DH.

There's no need to wear a FF for all-mountain... Looks silly.


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## RTTR (Aug 8, 2006)

Rb said:


> Just a standard xc helmet... nothing flashy/fancy.
> 
> I reserve the full-face for racing, techy/nasty DH.
> 
> There's no need to wear a FF for all-mountain... Looks silly.


I'm glad someone said it before I went out and bought one, cause that's what I was thinking.


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## PsyCro (Jun 8, 2007)

RTTR said:


> I'm glad someone said it before I went out and bought one, cause that's what I was thinking.


All it takes is one bad crash......
Then we'll see what people think of your new face :skep:


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## All Mountain (Dec 9, 2005)

RTTR said:


> I'm glad someone said it before I went out and bought one, cause that's what I was thinking.


Hey RTTR .... nothing wrong with using a full face. It's only your face your protecting .


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## RTTR (Aug 8, 2006)

All Mountain said:


> Hey RTTR .... nothing wrong with using a full face. It's only your face your protecting .


I know  but I don't wanna look silly on the trail. But I do wanna wear a FF.


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## All Mountain (Dec 9, 2005)

RTTR said:


> I know  but I don't wanna look silly on the trail...


:nono: :nono: :nono:

get a FF mate :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:


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## RTTR (Aug 8, 2006)

All Mountain said:


> :nono: :nono: :nono:
> 
> get a FF mate :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:


I like the Giro Remedy, it's a pretty good price, and good ventilation, and available in CF for less than the Troy Lee Design standard D2


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

RTTR said:


> I know  but I don't wanna look silly on the trail. But I do wanna wear a FF.


why do you give a **** about "looking silly"? its a bike ride, not a fashion show.

if theres a pretty high risk that you're going to fall and bash your face in,nothing wrong with wearing a full face helmet.

ive heard people say it looks silly to wear ANY helmet. it looks silly to wear spandex. it looks silly to wear baggies. it looks silly to ride a hardtail/full sus. no matter what you're doing, theres someone out there that thinks you look silly. if you feel you need the protection of a FF, dont let other peoples opinion influence your safety.


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## V.P. (Aug 26, 2007)

IMO fullface looks cool.


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## Jet Fuel (Jan 17, 2004)

I don’t have a fullface helmet, but I plan on getting one for the 08 season. My riding has gotten a lot more aggressive. I don’t plan on wearing the FF every ride, just those special occasions. :thumbsup:


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## DirtyJ (Oct 23, 2007)

It looks silly 
I saw an ad for a 661 Strike FF- $70 at Greenfish, looks like a hellva deal...I'll be purchasing one ASAP, I'll be doing mostly aggresive XC / light AM and I'm going with a FF. I'd rather look silly then have to get plastic surgery to fix my face!:eekster:


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## presslab (Jan 5, 2007)

Looks silly!! LOL. I'd bet you'd look silly with all your front teeth missing too. 

Now on the other hand it is a lot hotter in summer. But for winter riding it rocks, no cold ears. Also it cuts down on the wind noise which is nice.


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## AM Octopus (Dec 17, 2007)

I base it on the ride/course. I did some Super D races this summer and depending on the course I would either wear a Giro Atmos (Superlight Road), Giro Xen (XC with more coverage) or a Giro Remedy CF (Lighter Full Face). I usually wear the Giro Xen on my everyday rides since it does have really good coverage. If it's really hot I will wear the Giro Atmos.

Who cares what you look like....pretty much all the helmets these days look pretty cool anyways.

I'm an ex downhill racer and this year I wore my Full Face during Super D races more than any of the other helmets so....I guess it's whatever makes you the most comfortable. The mental edge that you have with yourself really helps as well.

Just my two cents


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## PissedOffCil (Oct 18, 2007)




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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*Fashion police...LOL!*



Rb said:


> Just a standard xc helmet... nothing flashy/fancy.
> 
> I reserve the full-face for racing, techy/nasty DH.
> 
> There's no need to wear a FF for all-mountain... Looks silly.


And I don't like to come on these forums and use "absolutes" very often, but I think you're wrong to make a statement like that. It's fine that you don't want to use a full coverage helmet for AM/trail riding, but it's definitely not "silly" to use one if a rider decides to wear one. This issue isn't a "fashion police" element anyway.

For the OP, the only problem with most full face helmets is that they're usually too hot to use for prolonged trail use...climbing, hot days, etc. There aren't many options when choosing a full face trail helmet. For me the Specialized Deviant and a modified Pryme AL have filled the bill excellently. They're both highly vented, light, and still offer some pretty awesome protection. I have a Giro Mad Max also, but it's too hot for true trail riding for me.


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## jeffus (Sep 28, 2007)

Giro Hex, for me funny really on my motor bike I wouldn't wear anything but full face, got me thinking now, you can still easily do 35mph -40mph on the trail, and face plant.......


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## Owler (Aug 24, 2007)

I faceplanted after a bad jump and landed me with 22 stitches in total between my chin, upper lip and gums, wasn't a fun time at all in hospital and part of my mouth is still numb with nerve damage. 

I now go between a standard helmet if it's mainly XC/trail work or a Specialized Deviant FF if jumps or rocks are involved. The deviant is very comfortable and well ventilated.

In terms of worrying what other people think about ANYTHING you have/wear/look like quite frankly WGAF?


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## Psycho Mike (Apr 2, 2006)

I've got a 3/4 (skater / boarder) style (Giro Semi MX) I use. I know one of the local shops has Pryme A1's on sale and I'll be looking into one.

I don't care what I look like (though I do admit I try not to be a rainbow rider). My main goals are to have fun and be safe doing it...doesn't matter if it is XC, AM, FR/Urban or *gasp* on-roading with the mtb.


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Owler said:



> I faceplanted after a bad jump and landed me with 22 stitches in total between my chin, upper lip and gums, wasn't a fun time at all in hospital and part of my mouth is still numb with nerve damage.
> 
> I now go between a standard helmet if it's mainly XC/trail work or a Specialized Deviant FF if jumps or rocks are involved. The deviant is very comfortable and well ventilated.
> 
> In terms of worrying what other people think about ANYTHING you have/wear/look like quite frankly HGAF?


Yikers, I got lucky no more missing teeth & my wife pulled my lip out from between my teeth, still healing but you definatly beat me out. :cornut:

FF helmet's are a good thing. :thumbsup:


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## man-bites-dog (Nov 26, 2007)

I prefer a turban for AM, helmet for everything else.


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## All Mountain (Dec 9, 2005)

It would be nice to have a "light" full face somewhere in between a 1kg DH FF and the MET Parachute.

Perhaps it could be around 700 grams target weight, but would need a disclaimer saying it's not for serious FR or DH. I think the legal issues will squash this idea.


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

For me it really depends on the weather, the trail, and my mood.

If its cold out, full face regardless.

If its an easy trail with few if any dangerous spots and/or slow, usually just a standard helmet.

If its fast, rocky, technical, dangerous...full face.

If I'm not feelin' confident that day, full face.


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

You people who think a FF helmet looks silly are clueless.

The only thing I've ever seen that I'd consider silly is my buddy threw on a lycra bib he bought and he combo'd that with his full suit, elbow guards, and knee shin guards. He did it just to get some laughs though


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## acuracer (Sep 17, 2007)

Specialized got a $130 FF (4got the name) that's looks lite. It looks like a normal MTB helmet up top since it has lots of vents. Not sure about the weight but it also comes in CF too. For someone that thinks FF helmets might be too much, this would be a good helmet looking at. I might get it too, when my biking get more aggresive.


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## Owler (Aug 24, 2007)

acuracer said:


> Specialized got a $130 FF (4got the name) that's looks lite.


It's the Deviant mentioned on this thread.



dogonfr said:


> Yikers, I got lucky no more missing teeth & my wife pulled my lip out from between my teeth, still healing but you definatly beat me out. :cornut:
> 
> FF helmet's are a good thing. :thumbsup:


Good to hear you didn't loose teeth, that can be $$$... My injury has actually healed really really well, the scar under my chin can't really be seen and everything else has left no visible damage. I was also very lucky I didn't break my jaw , that is very very nasty to recover from.

Thing is I did the jump about 6 times, looped again, too much speed, messed up the landing and bashed my face first fast into very hard ground (a small light FR area in a old quarry). I simply shouldn't have been doing it without a FF helmet.

It's winter over here, went out last w/e with the spesh deviant and it was really nice, can certainly vouch for it for AM purposes it seems spot on. Probably not tough enough for real DH/FR stuff though (which I don't do).

I always pad up too, probably always more than I need to on light trails, but safety has got to come first, and you never know when it's going to be your day. Coming out of a wash out unhurt = saving yet another day to have fun MTBing! :thumbsup:


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

Owler said:


> I always pad up too, probably always more than I need to on light trails, but safety has got to come first, and you never know when it's going to be your day. Coming out of a wash out unhurt = saving yet another day to have fun MTBing! :thumbsup:


I'm in the process of picking up pads(knee/shin and elbow/forearm), and I will definately wear them regardless of the conditions. Not too mention preventing even simple scrapes, the more armor I have on the more confident I seem to feel.


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## Lowball (Sep 1, 2006)

Most of the time I'm wearing the open face standard Giro Xen. I have a Deviant too, and I use it on the same trails but only if I'm shuttling them. I like the comfort and protection of the Deviant, but for trail riding where climbing is involved I find it hampers my breathing (especially at elevation). So if I'm doing some extended climbing and I want to use the FF then I usually pack it to the top and then wear it for the DH section. But I jump all the same stuff regardless of which helmet I'm rockn' 

I voted _standard style_, hope this helps in your decision.


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

All Mountain said:


> It would be nice to have a "light" full face somewhere in between a 1kg DH FF and the MET Parachute.
> 
> Perhaps it could be around 700 grams target weight, but would need a disclaimer saying it's not for serious FR or DH. I think the legal issues will squash this idea.


All Mountain...what's wrong with the Deviant? IMO it's not up to the crash worthiness of my Mad Max, but it is light, highly ventilated, and has much more protection than my Giro Switchblade that it replaced. It definitely strikes me as more of an aggressive trail helmet.


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## All Mountain (Dec 9, 2005)

TNC said:


> All Mountain...what's wrong with the Deviant? IMO it's not up to the crash worthiness of my Mad Max, but it is light, highly ventilated, and has much more protection than my Giro Switchblade that it replaced. It definitely strikes me as more of an aggressive trail helmet.


Thanks... yeah I will look into it. It looks like it has reasonable ventilation. What does it weigh ?~? Can you hear in it ?~?

The biggest complaint with using my DH helmet for trail riding is I cannot hear anything !~!

I was just thinking that a 'new' specific AM FF helmet would be an ideal marketing product for AM


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

All Mountain, I don't have the exact weight, but it is very light...not even close to the "bonafide" DH/FR helmets. Here's a couple of pics of the interior that kind of shows the more minimal padding and air flow quality. It does come with additional pads in the cheek, ear, and jaw, but they are designed to be removed if desired or as necessary for heat.


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## zephyr11 (Nov 8, 2007)

i'm using a 661 mullet now, but lookin to get a deviant from specialized....
sure it might look silly, but end of the day, its ur head that ur protecting, nothin more important then that if u ask me...


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

zephyr11 said:


> i'm using a 661 mullet now, but lookin to get a deviant from specialized....
> sure it might look silly, but end of the day, its ur head that ur protecting, nothin more important then that if u ask me...


Out of curiosity(because I have yet to figure it out) what about a full face helmet makes a rider look silly?


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## All Mountain (Dec 9, 2005)

TNC said:


> All Mountain, I don't have the exact weight, but it is very light...not even close to the "bonafide" DH/FR helmets. Here's a couple of pics of the interior that kind of shows the more minimal padding and air flow quality. It does come with additional pads in the cheek, ear, and jaw, but they are designed to be removed if desired or as necessary for heat.


Thank-you for the information and photos


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## Chapped (o) Hole (Nov 13, 2007)

I mainly ride xc and last time I went out I did DH at Mammoth bar in my xc lid. Now that's silly, stupid. I'm going FF from here on out for just about everything but commute.


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## Psycho Mike (Apr 2, 2006)

I armor up more in the fall too. It can be cooler here (Alberta) so the extra warmth is nice, but I do it more because of the way the trails get crowded by the growth. I swear, there are days I think I'm more DH skiier using the pads for bashing gates out of the way than going for a ride down the well established singletrack!

A FF may yet be in my future....esp. if I decide to try out the local bike park next year.


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## floorguy724 (Apr 20, 2004)

Giro Xen most of the time and Bell Bellistic for the really rough stuff/shuttle runs.:thumbsup:


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

Psycho Mike said:


> I armor up more in the fall too. It can be cooler here (Alberta) so the extra warmth is nice, but I do it more because of the way the trails get crowded by the growth. I swear, there are days I think I'm more DH skiier using the pads for bashing gates out of the way than going for a ride down the well established singletrack!
> 
> A FF may yet be in my future....esp. if I decide to try out the local bike park next year.


Don't hold back, pick up a FF cheap before the christmas specials are over!


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## Cholopolitan (Aug 20, 2007)

*BMX helmets*

ie Giro Flak... Overly hot? Good fit?
Thanks.


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## Owler (Aug 24, 2007)

Some more pics of the deviant:


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## GreenLightGo (Oct 24, 2006)

I'm not an AM rider (I wear a Giro XEN) but this MET Parachute offers some light duty full facial protection yet won't blip the radar of the fashion police.

Looks kind of alien in a cool way I guess.


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## cloudturtle (Dec 17, 2007)

Hi,
I´m using Giro Xen, and Bell Bellistic for very rough riding days..:thumbsup:


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## RTTR (Aug 8, 2006)

I think it's safe to say more people prefer the standard style bicycle helmet for AM.


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## Yardstick (Jan 10, 2007)

Where can I get one of those MET helmets??? I spent almost four hours in an Azonic FF this morning. It was cold and I knew the trail was going to be pretty gnarly so I carried my pads and wore the FF to keep my head warm on the way up. I was glad I had it even though I didn't wreck. It did keep my ears nice and toasty.  It just sucked wearing it for that long.


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## fishywarren (Oct 20, 2007)

I have a The F-14


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

While the MET looks pretty neat, I don't think I'd trust it. What's it made of? Any specs?


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## Chapped (o) Hole (Nov 13, 2007)

GreenLightGo said:


> I'm not an AM rider (I wear a Giro XEN) but this MET Parachute offers some light duty full facial protection yet won't blip the radar of the fashion police.
> 
> Looks kind of alien in a cool way I guess.


That thing looks like it would just crumble with any sort of impact.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

cloudturtle said:


> Hi,
> I´m using Giro Xen, and Bell Bellistic for very rough riding days..:thumbsup:


Tortugo... Bienvenido...  :thumbsup:


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## d_m_b (Jun 8, 2007)

tomsmoto said:


> why do you give a **** about "looking silly"? its a bike ride, not a fashion show.


_really_?? from what i've seen, many seem to disagree.

i feel like if you're wearing a FF, you better be doing some hardcore sh*t. then again, your little girl can fall and smash her teeth out riding her kiddie bike about as easily as you can on your mtb, no?

i guess i'm torn, because i don't think i'm enough of a badass to sport a FF...like i said above, i expect FF wearers to tear it up. then again, i have nightmares about smashing up my face, because quite frankly, i'm _goregous_


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

d_m_b said:


> _really_?? from what i've seen, many seem to disagree.
> 
> i feel like if you're wearing a FF, you better be doing some hardcore sh*t. then again, your little girl can fall and smash her teeth out riding her kiddie bike about as easily as you can on your mtb, no?
> 
> i guess i'm torn, because i don't think i'm enough of a badass to sport a FF...like i said above, i expect FF wearers to tear it up. then again, i have nightmares about smashing up my face, because quite frankly, i'm _goregous_


If someone wants to go through the post my guess is the people writing in feel FF is a good idea, the others that dont want to be known are just voting. Which one is really true?? This year is the first time in 8 years that I did a face plant & on my back yard pump track not the DH trails I normally ride with a XC helmet. I now wear a FF helmet. 

Would love to hear the daughter laugh about the gorgeous comment. :lol:


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Warp said:


> Tortugo... Bienvenido...  :thumbsup:


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## d_m_b (Jun 8, 2007)

dogonfr said:


> This year is the first time in 8 years that I did a face plant & on my back yard pump track not the DH trails I normally ride with a XC helmet. I now wear a FF helmet.
> 
> Would love to hear the daughter laugh about the gorgeous comment. :lol:


yeah i've never done a face plant so i'm taking my chances at the moment...hopefully that'll never change. and i ain't got no kids (that i know about :thumbsup: ), i was just using an extreme example...but really, aren't xc racers even going out hard enough and often enough to justify a FF, at least by some people's standards?

i guess it's a compromise between level of difficulty / skill / concern for one's well-being. but yeah, i don't mind gnarly scars on the body...they're like medals of honor (or stupidity)...but the face is the meal ticket  guess i don't know where i'm going with this...talk to me in a few years to see if i've faceplanted yet.

i watch a fair number of bmx videos and don't see many people besides mirra wearing FF. what do you think is up with that? think most of them haven't faceplanted yet, or have and still don't care, or haven't and want to look totally rad? i would assume that once you faceplant, you go FF...
seen lots of videos of skaters faceplanting too though...nasty stuff with curbs... :madman:


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*Que?*



dogonfr said:


>


Que es el problemo?...no hablo espanol, Perro?

LOL!...Dog, I think the other guy is from Spain.


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

TNC said:


> Que es el problemo?...no hablo espanol, Perro?
> 
> LOL!...Dog, I think the other guy is from Spain.


One would wonder with my last name Rodrigues. 
no habla espanol here, go figure. :crazy:


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## Owler (Aug 24, 2007)

d_m_b said:


> i feel like if you're wearing a FF, you better be doing some hardcore sh*t.


IMIO it's the other way round too - begginers who aren't doing any hardcore sh*t are more likely to crash, and should have additional reason wear extra protection when learning.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

dogonfr said:


>


He's a good folk from Spanish forums.... The guys is clicking down the days to get his Banshee Rune. :thumbsup:


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## GreenLightGo (Oct 24, 2006)

black hills tj said:


> While the MET looks pretty neat, I don't think I'd trust it. What's it made of? Any specs?


Yardstock/black hills tj - not sure where they are sold but info can be found here. There is an email address which you can probably hit up CS and get all the pertinent details.

rickthedick - it's an option, more than an XC helmet, less than a FR. Nobody is making you wear it. :skep:


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## MartinS (Jan 31, 2004)

Here's a suggestion I haven't seen yet...
How about running a custom mouthguard with either your 'standard' helmet or full face. It will give you that little bit of extra tooth protection that you may want with a full face, but in warmer climes would be more comfortable. If you are so inclined colours are available to match your bike too!
They have caught on in BMX and in a surprisingly intelligent move, George W. wears one when he mountain bikes (sorry, I know this isn't a selling feature for some of you, but if he is a moron and wearing one....)


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## MartinS (Jan 31, 2004)

All Mountain, check out the Giro Remedy, I just replaced an Azonic AZX FF that I cracked this summer (still ended up with 3 stitches in my lip and a cracked tooth, hence the above mouthguard recommendation), and hearing is not a problem at all. It is also very well vented.


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Owler said:


> IMIO it's the other way round too - begginers who aren't doing any hardcore sh*t are more likely to crash, and should have additional reason wear extra protection when learning.


So the more experienced you are the less likely you are to crashing. This is very reassuring to know, I wouldnt let any body with experience in on this secret of yours their will be allot of embarrassed riders out there. :lol::rockon:


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## horse of iron (Oct 22, 2007)

I dont even own a dome lid...just a full face...as dogon and mrperc can tell you I like to crash..ALOT...2 weekends ago i ran head first into a tree on cindy, and last weekend i taco'd my front and flew off the side of chap...if i wasnt wearing my full face for either of those crashes by mug would be even uglier...and my woman wouldnt like that


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## cloudturtle (Dec 17, 2007)

Warp said:


> Tortugo... Bienvenido...  :thumbsup:


Je je je, what´s up, Warp?

I´m discovering new territories here...:thumbsup:

But I´m very bad in English..

Nos vemos!!!


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## GrampBredo (Dec 18, 2007)

Yup, I didn't bother to read the entire thread, but anyways...
I have 2 lids- Giro Havoc and Specialized Deviant.
I use the Giro for everything but lift-accessed DH and FR. But then again, I have a wonderful tendency not to crash [knock on wood].
The deviant is really, really light and well ventialated. My only complaint is the lousy quality paint. My 1st crash in a _grass field_ chipped alot of the paint off the visor. :madman:

If you're paranoid or have a tendency to crash, snag a light FF lid like the deviant and go ride.


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

But Gramp...those scars and marks on the Deviant will give the appearance of being a really, really gnarly rider...LOL! I love that helmet...wore it on this evening's ride.


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## horse of iron (Oct 22, 2007)

RTTR said:


> I know  but I don't wanna look silly on the trail. But I do wanna wear a FF.


LOOKS VS. BRAINS.....HRMMMMM lets make an educated decision here...seriously are your looks going to pay your bills the rest of your life, or are your brains...i'd be frickin dirt poor if it were for the looks...


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## GrampBredo (Dec 18, 2007)

Hmm you have a point, lmao.


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## RTTR (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks to everyone that contributed to the poll, I didn't expect this many voters.


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## colombo357 (Oct 31, 2007)

This question doesn't make sense.

"All Mountain" is a type of bike, not a riding style. 

An AM bike can be used for a ride on a smooth trail, a gnarly freeride/downhill trail, an urban commute, or a dirtjump session. Different situations, different helmets.


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## Yardstick (Jan 10, 2007)

colombo357 said:


> This question doesn't make sense.
> 
> "All Mountain" is a type of bike, not a riding style.
> 
> An AM bike can be used for a ride on a smooth trail, a gnarly freeride/downhill trail, an urban commute, or a dirtjump session. Different situations, different helmets.


Ah, but what happens when someone like me rides their XC framed hardtail all over the mountain? :skep: Did the bike change or was it the ride/riding style?


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Yardstick said:


> Ah, but what happens when someone like me rides their XC framed hardtail all over the mountain? :skep: Did the bike change or was it the ride/riding style?


:idea:XAM :thumbsup:


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

colombo357 said:


> This question doesn't make sense.
> 
> "All Mountain" is a type of bike, not a riding style.


:nono: Cannondale came up with it to add a new style of riding.



colombo357 said:


> An AM bike can be used for a ride on a smooth trail, a gnarly freeride/downhill trail, an urban commute, or a dirtjump session. Different situations, different helmets.


That is personal, if you read through the post some have gone to a FF the hard way. I used to wear a XC helmet doing some stupid AM stuff, now I wear FF after crashing on my back yard pump track. :rockon:


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## terrible (Jun 25, 2007)

I like to wear mine when I feal like riding hard or for night rides. It's very comfortable and weighs almost nothing, pec. carbon deviant.









I bought the black one and it looks really good in person. They left the mouth/jaw area bare so the carbon shows, really neat. I wore my googles last weekend for a snow ride and it was great still I started getting warmed up and fogging up the inside of the goggles.


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## black hills tj (Apr 4, 2007)

That looks like a pretty nice helmet. What's the pricetag on it?


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## colombo357 (Oct 31, 2007)

Yardstick said:


> Ah, but what happens when someone like me rides their XC framed hardtail all over the mountain? :skep: Did the bike change or was it the ride/riding style?


I have an XC hardtail that I ride all over the mountain as well. I call it XC riding.

If the terrain's a bit harsher, I grab my AM bike and ride it all over that harsher mountain. I call it XC riding.

If I want to hit some DH runs on something relatively tame like the Sea Otter DH course, I grab my AM bike. I call it DH riding.

If I want to hit the local dirt jumps and my DJ bike is out of commission, I grab my AM bike. I call it dirtjumping.

HTH


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## Owler (Aug 24, 2007)

dogonfr said:


> So the more experienced you are the less likely you are to crashing. This is very reassuring to know, I wouldnt let any body with experience in on this secret of yours their will be allot of embarrassed riders out there. :lol::rockon:


Honestly I wasn't having a go at begginer's dogon, I'm talking from experience, or lack of actually  I'm still a n00b and feel the need to pad up more than my more experienced friends since I seem to have a closer relationship with dirt than most of them


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## Lintott (Oct 14, 2006)

*Casco Viper*

Me and my wife use Casco Viper's for AM riding. The Casco Viper helmet is very high quality and very comfortable, but you have to be very careful when attaching and removing the chin guard so you dont crack the plastic chin guard attachments (on the chin guard). The particular chin guard attachment is fragile (poor design on this particular bit) when being attached and removed. Once the chin guard is attached to the helmet it is fine though. I cracked one of the chin guard attachments the first time I put it on the helmet, and I was still rather careful... Since then I have filled up the hollow attachment pieces with epoxy to make them stronger.

The Casco Viper is the best light weight chin guard helmet solution I have found so far (530 grams). The Specialized Deviant would be the next step up weightwise as far as I know. The Casco helmet is as high quality as the top level XC helmets on the market.

If you do a proper full force face plant with the Casco Viper, the chin guard is not unlikely to snap in one or both of the helmet attachments, but the chin guard would probably still take a lot of the impact and potentially save your face from some scratch damage. Think of it as a deformation zone on a car.

The Casco Viper is good for taking on trips when you will do both XC and some light gravity focussed riding, since it is effectively two helmets in one. It is still a compromise though, and I feel safer with a proper (heavier) DH helmet when ripping down the mountain. Buy the smallest size goggles to ensure a good fit in the helmet. I had to cut my full size Oakleys down in order to get them to fit well.

Overall recommended, as long as it is not used as a substitute for a DH helmet when doing the more serious gravity stuff.


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## terrible (Jun 25, 2007)

The carbon deviant is 350$ regular but they are on sale in last years colors for 275$ However: if you go to your local spec. dealer I know you can get a good deal on them because they are selling them cheap to make room for the new ones.

You might see if they have one you can try on too. I bought a medium and could probably wear a large but I figured it'd break in and the foam would crush a little in the jaw area. I really like the fit with the adjusters in the back and a set of moto googles seals the face up nice for winter riding.


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Owler said:


> Honestly I wasn't having a go at begginer's dogon, I'm talking from experience, or lack of actually  I'm still a n00b and feel the need to pad up more than my more experienced friends since I seem to have a closer relationship with dirt than most of them


Experience doesn't change the severity of what can happen, better to be "over protected" just in case. OT my bud fell on a standing still almost left hand U-turn & impaled his calf on a 4" long 1/2 round tree limb that took 24 stitches inside & 20 outside. He was riding solo & had to get back to his car load his bike & drive himself to the hospital. We just never know when or where. :rockon: :cornut:


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Lintott said:


> If you do a proper full force face plant with the Casco Viper, the chin guard is not unlikely to snap in one or both of the helmet attachments, but the chin guard would probably still take a lot of the impact and potentially save your face from some scratch damage. Think of it as a deformation zone on a car.


MX style chin guards are designed to snap if the impact is that severe. Better the helmet then your jaw or neck. :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Hyena (Dec 23, 2007)

Full Face for now, too cold outside to have your ears exposed.


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## unsponsored (Nov 8, 2006)

Giro Xen for day to day. Giro Remedy for DH duties.


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## aletek (Dec 9, 2010)

I think I'll use the viper mx for the next riding !!


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## ZeroNine3 (May 18, 2009)

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## arne_and (Dec 5, 2006)

I have the Viper MX, and I think it works great. The fit is very good, and the chip protection is way better than the Met Parachute. The only issue with the Viper is that the chin guard restricts breathing more, so I always take it off for climbing. This was not necessary with the Para.

The Para has a bad design IMO, it made a couple of cuts in my chin on a relatively harmless fall. The stoopid spike made the deepest cut and the sharp, unpadded edge made the other. This was three years ago, scar still showing from the deepest cut. I e-mailed them and told them they should change the design, but it seems they did not listen.


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## Blksocks (Dec 22, 2009)

Just a regular helmet. If I crash, well, it's because of me and not the helmet.


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## Haus Boss (Jun 4, 2010)

Fox Flux for all my riding. But, I'll most definitely be investing in a full face before Summer rolls around.


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## Broccoli (Jun 11, 2008)




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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

Blksocks said:


> Just a regular helmet. If I crash, well, it's because of me and not the helmet.


exactly my take on it.


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## charging_rhinos (Jul 29, 2008)

I have a Fox Flux helmet, but recently bought a TLD D2. My second ride with it, I had a nasty crash on a relatively wimpy section of trail. No obstacles or anything, just a swath of loose gravel. It had slightly changed since the last time I had ridden it a few days before, and I paid the price. I hit my head between my right ear and cheekbone harder than any crash I've ever had (and I raced motocross competitively for years). My FF saved me that day, I'm sure of it. I had ridden that trail a million times, and ridden it much more aggressively than I was riding that day, too. Point is, you never know when your number's up for a bad wreck.

Do FF helmets weigh a tiny bit more? Sure. Did I look a bit geeky with it on as I rode the xc trails to the top? Probably. Did I care? Not really. Would an open-face helmet have protected me in that fall? I'm sure I would have smashed that helmet to bits and still crushed the side of my face in. My Flux helmet is now gathering dust in the toy closet.
*
Look a bit geeky on the trail vs. have post Braveheart ball-and-chain smashyface... you pick.*

ps- My D2 isn't all that hot, even when pumping up the big climbs (no I don't take it off like a lot of people). It's actually very comfortable and light, and I forget I'm wearing it until I crash.

pps- Skate helmets are not very good at protecting at speeds over around 15 mph or so.


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## Helmetless (Jan 12, 2010)

What you guys think about the Met Armadillo... I thought it is perfect for AM use, although I don't see myself riding with that much frequently. The odd thing is, that the helmet is no longer into their catalog, but still has its merits like being the lightest FF helmet (sub-700gr), apart from being a very nice and well ventilated design...


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## roxnroots (Aug 12, 2010)

I do a lot of solo rides on steep, rocky (big, sharp pieces of granite) singletrack filled with trees and covered in snow right now. Had a couple of close calls in isolated areas. Its not DH and most guys on group rides around there go open-face but I decided I'm not taking chances anymore.

Never got banged up much but have heard enough stories from others that I've started accumulating some armor and just bought a Giro Remedy. Still getting used to all the extra weight but I feel a little more confident riding and already whacked a forearm without a problem on one of those supertight V-tree ridethrough deals when snow made things a little slippery.


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## Tim-H (Mar 20, 2010)

Yeah an old thread but I'll still put in my opinion(not that that means anything, haha)

Bought a Giro Remedy. Full face helmets look good not silly, I'm a dental technician so I know how expensive Dental implants and crowns are, You can screw up and go OTB to faceplant on minor stuff, even just a bad pull over a rooty section, and as others have said in this thread it keeps your face warm on cold days. All of those are more than enough reason to wear a FF. $150 now and look good, or $15,000+ in dental work later. Seems like a clear decision to me.


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## roxnroots (Aug 12, 2010)

Tim-H said:


> Yeah an old thread but I'll still put in my opinion(not that that means anything, haha)
> 
> Bought a Giro Remedy. Full face helmets look good not silly, I'm a dental technician so I know how expensive Dental implants and crowns are, You can screw up and go OTB to faceplant on minor stuff, even just a bad pull over a rooty section, and as others have said in this thread it keeps your face warm on cold days. All of those are more than enough reason to wear a FF. $150 now and look good, or $15,000+ in dental work later. Seems like a clear decision to me.


Glad to hear that from somebody who knows the dental damage risk better than I do. :thumbsup: I always liked the look of FFs personally - they're just not very popular here in eastern PA although a few guys I know do own them but seem to use them rarely.

On the positive side, the new Remedy I just got only cost me $125 including tax at my LBS which gives members of the local mtb club a 10% discount.


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## Guy.Ford (Oct 28, 2009)

AM duty - general use
Bell variant:









for Resorts or shuttle AM/DH 
Giro Remedy


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## lew242 (Aug 7, 2008)

I wear a Giro Remedy if the weather is under 10c (50f). If not then rarely wear anything. I think skull-only helmets are practically useless, in terms of protection, and only promote dehydration in very hot weather. That MET parachute looks like it might be worth a try in the 10c (50f) - 25c (80f) range though.


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## DGB (Sep 8, 2007)

lew242 said:


> I wear a Giro Remedy if the weather is under 10c (50f). If not then rarely wear anything. I think skull-only helmets are practically useless, in terms of protection, and only promote dehydration in very hot weather.


That's why so many "skull-only" helmets are sold per year and why they protect riders from sustaining worse injuries than had they not been wearing a helmet.

I recently crashed on a rocky section and cracked my new Giro Xen just above my right ear. I suffered some minor concussion, I couldn't remember the crash or some of the events after it, along with some minor cuts and bruises. Had I not been wearing a helmet, I hate to think what the outcome might have been.
I was annoyed with myself for crashing and for being out of pocket, having only recently bought the helmet, but that all pales into insignificance had I suffered a brain injury. :eekster:

I'm now using my Giro Hex (which I keep for night riding) and will be trying out a Bell Variant next. I'm also considering a FF when riding in more aggressive terrain.

I wouldn't be without a helmet out on a bike; you never know when you're going to crash and that seemingly useless bit of plastic and polystyrene saves your head.

If it's too hot, then carry more water! Good luck. :thumbsup:


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## DGB (Sep 8, 2007)

Double post


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## lew242 (Aug 7, 2008)

DGB, you are right, I should wear a regular skull helmet. It's just that I know one guy with a seriously messed up face that wore regular helmet so when I am sweating my head off at 45c (100f) I really feel aggrieved to be draggin' the thing around. Will wear one scout's honor! :thumbsup: (Although won't be a problem as I'll be wearing my Remedy until March/April).


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## Theycallmebrown (Nov 23, 2010)

GreenLightGo said:


> I'm not an AM rider (I wear a Giro XEN) but this MET Parachute offers some light duty full facial protection yet won't blip the radar of the fashion police.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


do they make this style of helmet anymore?


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## discombobulated_conundrum (Aug 2, 2008)

There were complaints about the pointy cheek guards stabbing faces in a fall. Awesome to look at, but bad design


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

GreenLightGo said:


> I'm not an AM rider (I wear a Giro XEN) but this MET Parachute offers some light duty full facial protection yet won't blip the radar of the fashion police.
> 
> Looks kind of alien in a cool way I guess.


That's what I'm wearing and I really like it!


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