Selling the Abarth (it's for sale here, you know). Going to try a little autocrossing this NA Miata I bought last summer. How well do open faced helmets work with convertibles? It's a 2010 bought in 2010, so I've probably gotten my $ out of it with AX, RX, track days.
Maybe another cheap Racequip.
For Autocross an open face helmet is probably fine; if you remotely think you are going to track the car then nothing less than a full face helmet.
I once tried a open face helmet in my Showroom Stock C Miata (had a hard top and window net) and actually had a bit of gravel smack me in the cheek.
Almost everywhere will let you autocross with an open face helmet, but check with your sanctioning body.
When I bought my current helmet in 2015 I hoped to do some track days so I bought a full-face. Frankly full face is a PITA and unnecessary for autocross, even in a roadster / convertible. I just ordered a G Force NOVA OF SA2020 open face for $250.
If you are sure you will only do AX in it I would get an open face unless you're driving a Formula or A Mod car.
They're just as worthless in a convertible as they are in any other type of vehicle.
I can only afford one helmet, so I went with a full face so I could use it at the rental kart tracks.
I autocrossed and road raced with an open face and didn't have an issue. I wouldn't replace an open face unless it was expired and then I'd buy a closed one, just cuz.
The only advantage of an open face helmet is better visibility at the expense of safety. Crap can go south at an autocross just like an HPDE. I really don't want to eat an airbag (or a Junebug, wasp, gravel, etc) directly to the face unnecessarily. Tinted visor, so no messing with sunglasses.
I used an open-face helmet in the Abomination with no issues until I cut the windshield off of it. Once I did that, the SCCA and I required a closed face helmet.
I saw some stuff awhile back indicating that an open face without the stuff in front of the chin might be better for taking an airbag in regards to pressures on the neck.
The way I would go (and have done) is if it has an airbag - open face. (usually wear sunglasses with this anyways)
If it has no airbag and a windshield - either/or.
If it has no windshield - closed face. (you take a rock to the cheek from the front wheels of a formula car ONCE then you learn that just eye protection ISNT enough. Plus its a rule for SCCA)
If it has no windshield and an airbag, WTF is the airbag still doing in it!?!?!
How well do open faced helmets work with convertibles?
Since they both have steering wheels probably about the same.
Maybe another cheap Racequip.
Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls.
No airbag. Kind of like not stuffing my eyeglasses inside a closed face if I don't have to.
And not really interested in waving people by constantly with about 100hp.
I have an open face 2010 Simpson if you want to go that route for $40 and that includes shipping.
I used it doing open track days in my NB (and for instructing).
Nothing wrong with the RaceQuip helmets and I've been using them for years. For driving suits I prefer Pyrotect.
I see helmets like running shoe's. We all have different feet so they will all fit us differently. It's the same with helmets IMO.
L5wolvesf said:How well do open faced helmets work with convertibles?
Since they both have steering wheels probably about the same.
Maybe another cheap Racequip.
Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls.
Back when I started racing (1962 ) I cut the bar off a football helmet. I eventually got to buying actual race car helmets. In all those decades of racing no helmet ever got a scratch on it. Most of my racing with SCCA I went with only a vestige of a windshield,
I realize helmets can save lives. But most of the time the price paid has little to do with the life saving. If there was a rule requiring $1000 helmets then helmets would start at $1000 and go up from there. Price isn't what saves lives circumstances are.
Do what you want it is your head/eyes/face. I like full face better than open face. I like to run a polarized visor and not ware sun glasses.
I've never had issues wearing sunglasses (aviators, so not exactly tiny ones either) with a proper helmet, I can't imagine normal glasses would be that different. I guess I'm not totally sure how open face helmets fit but I would think a properly sized helmet should be tight on the sides of your face either way, so the presence of the chin bar shouldn't really make a difference in glasses fitment.
As far as quality, I wouldn't be afraid of the cheaper stuff. I've had two GForces and a Bell and nothing about the Bell gave me the impression that it was substantially better quality (it was the cheap sport model but IIRC that was still ~50% more expensive than either of the GForces). Some of the external parts were not as nice and/or aged noticeably worse and it also didn't fit as well, but that's just size/shape differences, not a quality issue.
I'd go full. My long time motorcycle experience with a proper fitting full is that they accept glasses better than an open. Meanwhile, researching the history of the 'Snell' helmet standards is highly recommended.
Quote: "Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls."
No truer words can be spoken when it come to racing motor vehicles.
I'll take old faithful Racequip 2010 open face and see how it goes. There's a chance after a couple runs I may say berkeley it and buy a new closed face anyway. Have to see if US Racegear is still in Full Throttle Go Karts in Cincinnati to try on (got a big noggin).
I find the Bell M8 is a good full face helmet for those of us with a fat head and glasses. It has a nice and large eye opening. I just ordered a new SA2020 to replace my SA 2010.(Its on backorder)
When I was learning to ride motorcycles, I had a friend say something that really makes you think. Put a price tag on your face and brain. Get a helmet accordingly. I used to have a helmet from the time I was hit by a drunk driver on a motorcycle. You want the best gear you can get. I always wear full face helmets. My routine is get all geared up, get in car, and at the starting line face shield down. I see lots of people doing laps with the shield open.
L5wolvesf said:Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls.
I agree with the recommendations for a closed face helmet, but I don't necessarily agree with this. All SA2015 or SA2020 helmets have to pass the same testing to meet the standards, even the $200 ones off of Amazon. When you pay more for a helmet you're generally paying for lighter weight, better ventilation, features like radio headset integration, etc.
Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls.
I feel like this is a bit of an oversimplification. Where does it end? Should I spend $10k on a helmet because my head is so important? Granted, you want something better than the $30 DOT motorcycle helmet they sell at Walmart. But I would submit that SA2020 is a pretty stringent standard, and any helmet that meets it is sufficient, especially for autocross. Further, I don't know that a $1000 helmet is really any safer than a $100 one if they both meet the standard. The $1000 one is going to be lighter, maybe more comfortable, have better ventilation, have HANS connectors, radios, an air tube, etc. But for pure safety, I submit that a cheap Racequip or G-Force is as good as an expensive Simpson or Bell.
Edit: ShinnyGroove and I were typing at the same time!
ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:L5wolvesf said:Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls.
I agree with the recommendations for a closed face helmet, but I don't necessarily agree with this. All SA2015 or SA2020 helmets have to pass the same testing to meet the standards, even the $200 ones off of Amazon. When you pay more for a helmet you're generally paying for lighter weight, better ventilation, features like radio headset integration, etc.
The only thing is lightweight is actually a safety feature, the lighter your head is the less it's going to get ripped around in a crash and be super hard on your neck. For primarily autocross use it's not really worth worrying about though. Also forged certifications/counterfeit products are a thing, going suuuuper cheap can be risky in that respect. But yes, especially for low risk use cheap within reason helmets are just fine.
In reply to dps214 :
Just bought a $259 GForce Nova OF SA2020 for autocross. It's open face but has pretty substantial cheek extensions. It's right at 3 lbs in size XL, and is very nicely put together.
In reply to dps214 :
Fair, but I think if you buy a known brand helmet from a reputable seller, you're pretty safe. Just stay away from Chairman Mao's Brain Bucket Bonanza. 
dps214 said:ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:L5wolvesf said:Cheap helmets are great for covering cheap skulls.
I agree with the recommendations for a closed face helmet, but I don't necessarily agree with this. All SA2015 or SA2020 helmets have to pass the same testing to meet the standards, even the $200 ones off of Amazon. When you pay more for a helmet you're generally paying for lighter weight, better ventilation, features like radio headset integration, etc.
The only thing is lightweight is actually a safety feature, the lighter your head is the less it's going to get ripped around in a crash and be super hard on your neck. For primarily autocross use it's not really worth worrying about though. Also forged certifications/counterfeit products are a thing, going suuuuper cheap can be risky in that respect. But yes, especially for low risk use cheap within reason helmets are just fine.
You do realize that if you race ten events or one event you have the same statistical probability of testing how good your helmet is. There is no such thing as low risk. It is always the same risk.
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