Sweet Protection also make white water helmets, I am waiting to hear back about which helmet would be good for windfoiling and potential mast impacts. They have thick padding but no double layer shell, but very good venting in the Rocker, the black areas on the top of the helmet are vents. But those vents also could weaken the helmet for a mast impact.

sheddweller said..
I havnt read the whole thread so apologies if I am repeating others...
You should be very careful with
Sun visors or helmets with any protrusion that can change a linear impact into a rotational one. Rotation is a really really bad idea. If you are wearing/ buying a helmet for safety reasons it does not make any sense to choose one that has the potential to make a head impact worse!

Thanks sheddweller, that has not been mentioned, at high speeds it certainly could be an issue. I use a soft flexible sun visor under my Chaos helmet because it has no visor, but would prefer to have a built in visor. Trident visor is fairly short, may need to use the flexible visor on it too, but will keep that in mind during a crash.

Now the larger visor on the Rocker is made to rotate upward during an impact, and also has vents built in, probably for the reason you pointed out, but once it reaches the upper end of the upward rotation would lock-in place. Trident is looking like a better option with the short built in visor.

Sweet Protection sells replacement visors, wondering if they are designed to break free on impact.

Got my WRSI Trident helmet in L/XL today, fits perfect as is!, and I have a big head so this is really an XL IMO. What was neat to see is the helmet is coated/painted white except for the WRSI logo which lets you see the carbon fiber twill outer shell. Really like the double shell design that keeps an object from punching/impacting straight though. Comes with a nice fabric cover bag, and a breathable mesh removable liner, will be interesting to see how cool or hot it is in Florida sun cause I want to wear it year round if possible.

Awalkspoiled said..
Sandman what size hat do you wear? I'm usually 7 7/8 (63cm circumference) which means most XL don't really fit me. WRSI claims up to 62cm on that helmet - do you think it runs larger than that?

My head is 24"/61 cm and it fits with a cushy feeling, can get index finger (~3/4" thick) in between helmet and both sides of head comfortably, and 1 finger between front of helmet and head (snug) with back of head tight against helmet. Guess it depends on the shape of your head, if you head is wider than mine, it may fit fine, but if your head is longer it may be too tight. Call them and ask, they like to talk to people. Free shipping and free returns.

Used a C-clamp to measure my head, 6" wide and 8-3/16" wide, so if your head diameter is bigger due to an increased width you should be okay, but not too much room for increase in length.

ozzimark said..

Sandman1221 said..
The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.

WTF!! NHTSA arrived at 50-75g as the fatal limit for sudden acceleration/impacts. What a ****ty criteria for a protective helmet.

An once is 28.35 grams, so you think a peak acceleration of a 2-3 ounce impact is going to be fatal?

I looked at the NHTSA website (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), they rate car impacts!, www.nhtsa.gov/ratings. Where did you get the 50-75 g limit as being fatal? Who here is windsurfing on highways!

Sandman1221 said..

ozzimark said..

Sandman1221 said..
The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.

WTF!! NHTSA arrived at 50-75g as the fatal limit for sudden acceleration/impacts. What a ****ty criteria for a protective helmet.

An once is 28.35 grams, so you think a peak acceleration of a 2-3 ounce impact is going to be fatal?

I looked at the NHTSA website (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), they rate car impacts!, www.nhtsa.gov/ratings. Where did you get the 50-75 g limit as being fatal? Who here is windsurfing on highways!

"g" in this context is a measurement of acceleration. 250g means your head is applying 250 times the force of gravity while decelerating. That means 2750 pounds of force to the inside of the helmet, assuming your head is an average 11 pounder. Your brain is gonna be mush. Again, assuming it isn't already.

I think the NHTSA had a fair understanding of how to protect human bodies from impact, and their research is directly relevant here. They do focus on the body as a whole, which is a bit more robust than the head itself. that pesky brain and all not liking being sloshed around. The rating is pulled from a research paper they released. Feel free to read here: www.nhtsa.gov/document/criteriapdf-0

Are you ok there man?

I use a Gath Eva.
No peak or other sticky out bit to catch on water or boom as you fly past it. Snug fit all around, including lower down the back of the head unlike those which sit at ear level. I use it for sun protection as well as impact. Over 4 years old and no corrosion.
There are no rivets on the helmet holding things in place, apart from the chin strap. Take a big hit on a rivet and will that be like someone hammering a (blunt) nail in your head?
gathsports.com/product/gath-hat-eva/

Sandman1221 said..
PhilUK, Yeah, the Gath EVA (see red helmet in previous post) is the one I saw a PWA racer wearing, just looks kinda funny to me

Different model. That one has removable ear pieces, which I would never remove, after having a load of problems with ear/eustachian tube after a wipeout. Also a rivet around the temple.

Got out today with the Trident helmet, around 88 degrees, did not even notice the helmet, so cool helmet in the heat cause my head is not pressed against an eva liner, but instead Trident has a mesh liner with room for air to circulate. And the brim is good, kept sun out of my eyes all the way to 7:20 pm or so when I stopped. Touched outside of the white helmet and was cool, then touched the WSRI logo that shows the carbon fiber, was warm, but small area and only warm on the side facing the sun, so does not hold heat, great helmet over all!