When do you replace an old helmet?

[macbec29]

So I have a top of the line Arai helmet, no damages, no drops or accidents and still in good shape. BUT I bought it in the mid-90's (I had a 5 year riding hiatus in the mid 00's). I've heard people in these forums say that as long as there have been no accidents or drops there is no reason to replace an old helmet that fits comfortably and is in good shape. Yet we have all heard the generally accepted belief that one should replace your helmet every 5 to 6 years.

What are the reasons why people claim a 5-6 year helmet shelf life. Is this just one of those beliefs that have no real basis that anyone can articulate but is generally accepted, or is there a real fact based, scientific accepted reason for this tenant of helmet ownership?

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

mid 90s thorw that away now.
New lids are pricy but the foam liners degrade.
Anything that old is just a pretense of protection much like a condom in your wallet.

 

[Nessism]

I'm not one to throw stuff away before it's due, but 15 years is a long time for a helmet. If nothing else, the new 2011 Snell standard is a significant upgrade to the standard at the time your helmet was made so even if your helmet was new, a new version one is not a waste of money.

 

[Flyboy]

The helmet manufacturers and bike shops say so, to sell more helmets
I think it has something to do with degredation due to the UV from the sun or something like that.
I would have a problem throwing away a perfectly clean Arai as well, I feel your pain.
But I guess you gotta ask what your head is worth at the end of the day, it is a bit of a lotto really, it may be fine, maybe not, question is do you want to find out the hard way??????

 

[Guest]

Plus the newer stuff (even the cheaper end of the spectrum) is so much nicer. Better venting, fog free sheilds, removable washable liners, liners with adjustable air bladders for better fit. And usually lighter weight.

 

[nvr2old]

I've always thought (and many will disagree) as long as a helmet's integrity was intact, ie; foam good, never thumped on the pavement, etc..why not continue to use it. I gave up on my mid 80's Arai helmet only becuase I could no longer find replacement face shields for it. Loved that helmet, hated to stop using it.

 

[Animal Mother]

Bin it.

The casing degrades, the impact absorbing material degrades, the strap degrades.

5 years is about right. 10 years it too long. 15 years is WAAAY too long.

 

[76Mike82]

The life expectancy of a helmet has to do with both the damage to the shell due to UV light and the damage to the inside due to your sweat. Having been in a wreck and seeing first hand how the helmet held up I personally would not depend on a helmet that old.

 

[Guest]

I think It's more like keeping up with the times. The helmet may be pristine but the standards and materials are constantly improving, so replacing it every 5 to 6 years is probably a good thing.

 

[macbec29]

thanks all for the input. looks like i should be in the market for a new helmet, but man the prices for top quality, $500 plus, crazy!!!

 

[Nessism]

thanks all for the input. looks like i should be in the market for a new helmet, but man the prices for top quality, $500 plus, crazy!!!

Expensive helmets are nice, but no safer than cheaper helmets. I'm going to get a Scorpion EXO-750 as soon as I can find one for cheap.

 

[tkent02]

Expensive helmets are nice, but no safer than cheaper helmets.

Even the lousiest Chinese cheapo is safer then the best 15 year old helmet. Get the best fitting helmet you can afford.

HJC makes good helmets for around $100, if they fit your noggin.

Some but not all of the cheap helmets are just too poorly made to be comfortable, look like they would fall apart.

 

[DrunkenChekhov]

I've got a cheapy AFX, it fits my lid good and is very comfortable. (also a steal at $70ish I think)

 

[ddaniels]

Personally, I'm not convinced about all the degradation stuff. I can't see how the foam on the inside could have deteriorated without being used. I need proof.

 

[tkent02]

I think I would need proof that the foam hadn't deteriorated before I'd trust my brain to it.
Foam needs to be soft to work, to collapse on impact so the brain doesn't have to. Our U.S. DOT or Snell specs require the foam to be too hard anyway, at least compared to European helmet standards that the rest of the world uses. Maybe they think Americans have harder heads, I don't know. Seriously though, old rubber, vinyl, plastic, or any other synthetic material that I know of gets harder as it ages, it seems a no brainer to me.

Here's another thing though, old helmets get nasty inside. Do you really want that old thing on your head? I like to treat myself to a new one once in a while.

 

[Flaming Chainsaws]

I think I would need proof that the foam hadn't deteriorated before I'd trust my brain to it.
Foam needs to be soft to work, to collapse on impact so the brain doesn't have to. Our U.S. DOT or Snell specs require the foam to be too hard anyway, at least compared to European helmet standards that the rest of the world uses. Maybe they think Americans have harder heads, I don't know. Seriously though, old rubber, vinyl, plastic, or any other synthetic material that I know of gets harder as it ages, it seems a no brainer to me.

Here's another thing though, old helmets get nasty inside. Do you really want that old thing on your head? I like to treat myself to a new one once in a while.

Well said. :clap:

I'm looking at getting an Icon Variant helmet. Tried it on at a shop and it's perfect! For me at least. Although, I'm sure most of you guys don't agree on the looks lol.

 

[bwringer]

The EPS (hard) impact foam doesn't degrade much assuming that it has NEVER been exposed to solvent vapors. (In other words, never leave your helmets in the garage!)

What degrades, even without exposure to sweat or solvents, is the soft "comfort" foams used in the liner. These are very important to the helmet's fit and maintaining the correct position on your head.

I say bin it -- you can get a much better helmet nowadays for $100 or so, or treat yourself to a current model Arai. You won't believe how much better helmets are.

 

[tkent02]

The EPS (hard) impact foam doesn't degrade much assuming that it has NEVER been exposed to solvent vapors. (In other words, never leave your helmets in the garage!)

Thanks, I did not know this, mine have all been in the garage since I bought them.
Time for a new one. I've been looking at those carbon fiber HJCs anyway, maybe it's time.

 

[wacky941]

I think I would need proof that the foam hadn't deteriorated before I'd trust my brain to it.
Foam needs to be soft to work, to collapse on impact so the brain doesn't have to. Our U.S. DOT or Snell specs require the foam to be too hard anyway, at least compared to European helmet standards that the rest of the world uses. Maybe they think Americans have harder heads, I don't know. Seriously though, old rubber, vinyl, plastic, or any other synthetic material that I know of gets harder as it ages, it seems a no brainer to me.

Here's another thing though, old helmets get nasty inside. Do you really want that old thing on your head? I like to treat myself to a new one once in a while.

I think ddaniels was talking about the Styrofoam not the cloth covered soft foam. The styrofoam has a shelf life that will outlast mankind.

You do know that most helmet manufacturers sell replacement parts including all of the foam and padded foam pieces, chin straps, etc., right? I know Bell Helmets does.
Personally, if you can replace everything but the shell and the shell was taken care of over the last fifteen years, I would think that it would be the same as new, would it not?

 

[Darin Jordan]

Funny this topic should come up... I just finally gave up on my once VERY expensive Carbon/Kevlar shelled Bell, and ordered a new Bell. The cushioning foam at the forehead, and towards the back, the areas that generally absorb the sweat, just simply disintegrated. Time to replace!