Zamp Racing Helmets...

What's everyones take on these? Got a friend who is going to do some PDXs with me this year and he needs a helmet. They are only like $200 from saferacer, SA2010 and don't look bad. Hell I might get one for my noggin and save the $100 on the Bell Sport I was going to purchase.

I have a Zamp RZ-31 (SA2005) and love it. I got it super cheap and it's very comfortable, it's held up well to a lot of use in auto-x, rally-x, HPDEs, and endurance racing. It's also extremely light. I weighed it against a friend's Bell or G-Force (?) carbon-composite helmet and the Zamp was a tenth of an oz lighter.

I had a Bell Sport something-or-other previously and it was nice too, but I like the Zamp just as well.

The only issue I would bring up is that the eye port is on the small side, so if you have larger glasses or want to wear big sunglasses, then this particular model isn't great.

Also, in my experience, if SafeRacer sells it then you can expect it to be a pretty decent product.

I had no idea?

I would recommend you find a place local and try it on first. I was going to buy from saferacer when a friend recommended I try it first and I'm glad I did. The zamp is fairly narrow in the front and squeezed my cheek and jaw enough to not be comfortable. If you have a narrow jaw and cheek bone you might be alright, but I'd hate to order it and have to ship it back because it didn't fit right.

I have been using a Zamp full face SA2010 for a few years after switching from an open face SA2000 Gforce for trackdays. I am plenty happy with it's fit and finish (Dull black rubberized type finish) I would feel fine recommending one.

Got the flat black sa2010 and i like it quite abit. Comfortable and breaths okay.

I just "upgraded" my SA2000 Bell M2 to a Zamp FSA-2 SA2010. The Zamp's shell feels too soft too me, at least at the chin bar area. Doesn't make me feel really safe. Otherwise it fit pretty well, and the cost was half of a repalcement M series Bell. I'm with Tom, go try helmets on first, since fit is the #2 consideration(safety being #1), and each brand has a slightly different shape to them.

I have a Zamp that I autocross with. I like it especially for the price.

I have had one for a few years. They are decent helmets.

For my next helmet, I plan on getting a Bell or Simpson. No real complaint on the ZAMP other than for similar age and use, I have seen the others hold together a little better, and the Bells I have worn are a little more comfy.

tpwalsh wrote: The Zamp's shell feels too soft too me, at least at the chin bar area. Doesn't make me feel really safe.

If it meets the SA standard, it meets the SA standard. Feel has nothing to do with it.

Rest assured, you should NEVER not feel safe wearing the racing equipment with the latest regs. Its all in your head at that point. You should be 100% confident in knowing that the equipment you are buying was developed and tested to a stringent standard that has saved many peoples lives. How much more "safe" can you get?

Got one last summer from my girlfriend for a birthday present. Not sure of the model but it's full faced/sa2010/fits well. For my first helmet it's been great.

I bought a ZAMP brand new from Saferacer, used it for junkyard racing, it is a decent helmet. Helmet sizing is always difficult for me XL is to small and a XXL is to big, regardless of the brand.

In reply to trigun7469:

+1 on the joys of having a fat head.

I do have to ask. Where are then made? I'm going to take a guess and say China?

I have used Bell for the past 20 years and will stay with that brand as they are made right here in my home state of Illinois in the Champaign-Urbana area.

HiTempguy wrote:

tpwalsh wrote: The Zamp's shell feels too soft too me, at least at the chin bar area. Doesn't make me feel really safe.

If it meets the SA standard, it meets the SA standard. Feel has nothing to do with it. Rest assured, you should NEVER not feel safe wearing the racing equipment with the latest regs. Its all in your head at that point. You should be 100% confident in knowing that the equipment you are buying was developed and tested to a stringent standard that has saved many peoples lives. How much more "safe" can you get?

I'm well aware of the regs, and my head says it's fine, but my heart says otherwise. That being said this helmet was a gift(from my mother in law!) and for autocrossing only. I probably would have bucked up for another Bell if it was my dollar on general principle.

Great helmet, I had to get one size larger then the Bell helmets I have had, the shape of the helmet is more round then the Bell. So if you have a round head you are fine, but if like me, you have a oval shaped head you will need to test out the fitting.

frogy130 wrote: Great helmet, I had to get one size larger then the Bell helmets I have had, the shape of the helmet is more round then the Bell. So if you have a round head you are fine, but if like me, you have a oval shaped head you will need to test out the fitting.

Same experience here with an oval shaped head in a round shaped helmet. I picked up a Zamp JA-2 open face helmet for Autocross and had to go with a size Large even though my head circumference measured closer to a Medium. The Bell should fit oval heads better than the Zamp but, was also $100 more.

tpwalsh wrote: I just "upgraded" my SA2000 Bell M2 to a Zamp FSA-2 SA2010. The Zamp's shell feels too soft too me, at least at the chin bar area. Doesn't make me feel really safe. Otherwise it fit pretty well, and the cost was half of a repalcement M series Bell. I'm with Tom, go try helmets on first, since fit is the #2 consideration(safety being #1), and each brand has a slightly different shape to them.

Thanks for the reply everyone! And I live on an island pretty far from any track venue or place to try on helmets. I ended up going with a Bell Sport but my buddy purchased the Zamp based on the reviews you guys left. He's a newb to racing and doing his first PDX. I got him squared away with some Hawk pads and extra rotors, he's got a helmet on it's way and hopefully he'll be hooked afterwards to get the 1LE package from GM afterwards instead of buying an exhaust for his Camaro.

I'm posting a reply to tpwalsh, and I am posting a question.  First the reply I've been in racing since I was 6 years old, I'm now 35 so for 29 years and I'm going to say this would you feel safe or safer if it had a simpson sticker on it rather then a zamp? I'm not asking in a rude way, I'm simply asking? reason being, I'd say 18-19 years ago while still racing gokarts I had a Simpson race helmet it was actually brand new (within a couple months) got it for my birthday and I actually think the thing cost about 800-1000 dollars!! Long story short there was a mechanical fairer the front fairing ( it is the front nose/body price made of fiberglass nose for people not familiar with kart racing) broke filled up under kart and when it did snagging on and sticking the throttle wide open in middle of corner of a track with about 30 degrees of banking needles to say I was in for and went for a ride shot me over about a 10ft catch fence and down a 15ft or so drop off so about 25' drop running wife open at racing speeds(again for those not familiar with kart racing they run every but as fast or faster at some tracks than a race car) so what better way to test a helmet!!!!??? The simpson helmet completely split in two from the bottom of my chin to about middle of the top what is messed up about this, I did not take a hard hot to the front face. Took majority of hit to back/back left side breaking collar bone, all ribs on left side and puncturing lung. I'm telling this story because when we approached simpson about their brand new helmet breaking the way it did all they said was "oh well at least you're not dead" exact words and offered free shipping that's all free shipping on a new helmet, my other point is that I would trust a company like zamp or bell.... Way before I would impact or simpson as a sticker or name doesn't guarantee quality especially when things are mass produced by huge companies I don't encourage or support simpson or impact and I never in my life will.  With that being said I'll get to my question are the zamps heavy or light I can't stand a heavy helmet as burgers neck from neck surgery

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