Buying riding helmets online

FieldOrnaments

FieldOrnaments

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Locally I appear to be very limited for places to buy a new hat, but I do need one. I've never bought one online and always had them fitted in person, but I wondered about simply purchasing an in standard version of my current hat (which fits but is too far out of standard to be acceptable to use) in the correct size and returning it if it doesn't fit.
Is this a terrible idea versus making the trip to a larger store with trained fitters and a large selection to try? I have huge misgivings about buying without trying but store prices seem higher than online as well.
Rather horrifyingly, 'my' hat (an old one of my mum's that fits me), which I wore whilst backing diva, is 16 years old 🤯😂 when I rode I borrowed one and when exercising RDA ponies (lunging and loose schooling) I also borrowed one but would like my own
 
I’ve bought the exact same as one I had fitted properly online. I knew it was the one I liked and didn’t give me head aches but couldn’t find one close by.
Have you had it ages? I’d be very cautious they are the same first!
You can’t return riding hats if they don’t fit.
 
I've bought online, but a direct replacement for a previous hat. If yours was second hand when you got it I'd be a little cautious about the fit of a new one as it won't have been worn in (although that doesn't matter as much if it was nearly new when you first had it).
I don't know what I'm going to do about future hats now Charles Owen are no longer manufacturing the style that fits me! It seems that most small/medium shops only stock one or two models from one or two manufacturers - I get that keeping a large stock is expensive, but it makes buying a new hat extremely awkward.
 
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Unfortunately with the standards changing the fit changed, can't get a HS1 anywhere near my head these days. Went to replace my pro II after a fall and despite there having been no change in the standard they'd changed that too so it no longer fitted.
 
I got a Uvex online.
You can return if it doesn't fit, however the one I bought has the dial at the back so I was confident it would be ok, as long as I bought the right shape.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I’ve bought the exact same as one I had fitted properly online. I knew it was the one I liked and didn’t give me head aches but couldn’t find one close by.
Have you had it ages? I’d be very cautious they are the same first!
You can’t return riding hats if they don’t fit.
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I also bought the same one online as I had fitted. The most recent one I bought was fitted - it was also Charles Owen and was the same size as I had bought previously.
 
I've bought like for like online quite happily as had it professionally fitted the first time.

I'd go to a bigger store to get fitted seeing as brands, styles and shapes have moved on in 16 years.
 
Catbird said:
I'm too paranoid about it being bashed or dropped in transit, so haven't bought online before. Personally I'd make the journey to make sure you get a good fit
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I have bought the majority of my helmets online as I have no tack shops local to me. I ordered a Kask helmet online and the delivery driver threw it over the 5ft gates at the front of our drive! Thankfully the company I bought it from replaced it for me and had a word with their delivery company.
 
The trouble is that while dial are adjustable you do still need the right shape, from someone that ended up with a stack of 9 cycle helmets in her living room and only one brand worked (there’s a valegro cycle helmet, sadly it wasn’t that one)

I do have a dial air rider
 
ester said:
The trouble is that while dial are adjustable you do still need the right shape, from someone that ended up with a stack of 9 cycle helmets in her living room and only one brand worked (there’s a valegro cycle helmet, sadly it wasn’t that one)

I do have a dial air rider
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I agree. When I bought my latest hat, I went through every dial-to-fit hat in the shop that was in my budget and size range that they had in stock, and there was only one that fitted properly. It didn't help that my head size was on the cusp between two sizes in most brands; the smaller one was too small and either the bigger one was too big or they didn't have it in stock. There was also one that was a perfect fit in circumference but just not deep enough for my head. I also ended up with a fairly random one that I probably wouldn't have thought to order (I didn't even know Pikeur did hats before I bought my current one).

However, I have in the past done an exact like-for-like online replacement, and I would do that again.
 
I replaced a hat recently and I must have tried on every hat in the shop only one brand fitted in the end! Either my head has changed or the hats have! Previous hat was about 5 years old. So I advise to go to the store. So important your hat fits properly
 
What I'd be inclined to do is go and have a fitting somewhere and see if you can find something that fits; then look on-line. Naughty I know, but some of us are on a tight budget and so personally I'd do this unashamedly.

However what I will say is that I do have to confess being a tad negative about "hat fittings"; invariably when I've been to an outlet and had a fitting, I've always found that I am being, unobtrusively or otherwise, steered towards the more expensive end of the market........... 'tis funny that. With my last hat, I had to ask persistently to be allowed to try a child's hat (same spec as the adult version exactly, but considerably cheaper) and was consistently discouraged from doing so.

The other thing is to know your head-shape - sounds obvious I know - but if you are "oval" like me you'll likely have a considerable challenge in getting anything that fits.

Good luck anyway!
 
Shape is the thing worrying me, I do only seem to fit in very specific brands (well I think every hat I've ever had has been a champion actually, they just work). At least two brands mentioned so far on the thread I didn't even know made hats, so will probably go for in person and just be firm on not looking at ones over my budget. I'm hoping to not pay more than £90 so I hope that's realistic. I must admit I didn't realize how expensive they were.
 
This thread has got me thinking about my hat. It's 5 years old. It's only a Whitaker one but it was a dial to fit and up until recently, has always been comfortable. Now every time I put it on, the lower back of my head hurts (which from a quick google is the suboccipital muscles). I've tried loosening the dial which doesn't work to solve it and also just makes it too loose anyway but it does go away after 10 minutes usually. I'm not sure why it has started happening. 🤔
 
I think it depends on the brand, I had a nightmare trying to buy a Gatehouse hat online despite having 2 other Gatehouse hats and ordering in the same size. First attempt was tiny, second attempt was huge! In the end I travelled out to a stockist who told me that even within the same brand, every style/model of Gatehouse apparently fits completely differently- helpful!
 
GrassChop said:
This thread has got me thinking about my hat. It's 5 years old. It's only a Whitaker one but it was a dial to fit and up until recently, has always been comfortable. Now every time I put it on, the lower back of my head hurts (which from a quick google is the suboccipital muscles). I've tried loosening the dial which doesn't work to solve it and also just makes it too loose anyway but it does go away after 10 minutes usually. I'm not sure why it has started happening. 🤔
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You are advised to replace helmets every 5 years
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
What I'd be inclined to do is go and have a fitting somewhere and see if you can find something that fits; then look on-line. Naughty I know, but some of us are on a tight budget and so personally I'd do this unashamedly.

However what I will say is that I do have to confess being a tad negative about "hat fittings"; invariably when I've been to an outlet and had a fitting, I've always found that I am being, unobtrusively or otherwise, steered towards the more expensive end of the market........... 'tis funny that. With my last hat, I had to ask persistently to be allowed to try a child's hat (same spec as the adult version exactly, but considerably cheaper) and was consistently discouraged from doing so.

The other thing is to know your head-shape - sounds obvious I know - but if you are "oval" like me you'll likely have a considerable challenge in getting anything that fits.

Good luck anyway!
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Our local now takes a deposit of fitting, refundable on purchase it’s not ideal but I understand why they do it - and they don’t charge it if nothing fits.

I’ve mostly bought at big shows where I can try lots but last necessary replacement was terrible timing and given the shops near mum have a better selection I did a road trip. Since the Charles Owen palaver I do now own 3 of the same hat cos I couldn’t face it again and it’s genuinely the best one I’ve ever had, ones on the wardrobe waiting 😂

If you’ve always had champion that’s an easy starting spot :) I do think some people are easier than others I’ve always been tricky
 
I must have an easy head.

First helmet was from Decathlon, tried on in the shop, bought it and wore it for about five years.

But I don't like a fixed peak, I found that when ducking under low branches in the forest the peak got in the way of my vision.

So I eventually bought a Charles Owen skull, online, in the same size as the Decathlon helmet. It fits but it's taken a few knocks from low branches and is now five or so years old, so a few months back I bought another of the same model, online again.
 
If your current hat is 16 years old I’d go for a fitting as I don’t think you could guarantee the shape and sizing of the hat would be the same even in a similar model of the same brand.

I’m another with an oval head who has had an absolute nightmare recently trying to get a hat to fit. All hats seem to have changed shape in the last couple of years!
 
ester said:
Our local now takes a deposit of fitting, refundable on purchase it’s not ideal but I understand why they do it - and they don’t charge it if nothing fits.

I’ve mostly bought at big shows where I can try lots but last necessary replacement was terrible timing and given the shops near mum have a better selection I did a road trip. Since the Charles Owen palaver I do now own 3 of the same hat cos I couldn’t face it again and it’s genuinely the best one I’ve ever had, ones on the wardrobe waiting 😂

If you’ve always had champion that’s an easy starting spot :) I do think some people are easier than others I’ve always been tricky
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Honestly I think even paying for the fitting is fair enough never mind if it's a deposit taken away from the final cost of purchase. The fitting is a service just like having a saddle fitter out is.
Incidentally I do also know CO have never worked for me.
Trying to nearest local ish one today after work, I need one by Friday really for riding and it would be useful for exercising at RDA anyway because you are required to wear a hat for that..
which is fine but stuff keeps getting moved and it's not fair on the ponies if they miss out on some fun work because I can't find a hat to borrow.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
What I'd be inclined to do is go and have a fitting somewhere and see if you can find something that fits; then look on-line. Naughty I know, but some of us are on a tight budget and so personally I'd do this unashamedly.

However what I will say is that I do have to confess being a tad negative about "hat fittings"; invariably when I've been to an outlet and had a fitting, I've always found that I am being, unobtrusively or otherwise, steered towards the more expensive end of the market........... 'tis funny that. With my last hat, I had to ask persistently to be allowed to try a child's hat (same spec as the adult version exactly, but considerably cheaper) and was consistently discouraged from doing so.

The other thing is to know your head-shape - sounds obvious I know - but if you are "oval" like me you'll likely have a considerable challenge in getting anything that fits.

Good luck anyway!
Click to expand...
It’s quite expensive to do the fitting course, I’ve started charging a fitting charge which comes off the price of the hat, or refundable if nothing suitable after someone stood in front of me googling for a cheaper price online having had a professional fitting with me. Annoying people are also those who ask the price, mess about with a fitting then say they didn’t want to pay that much. We’re also on a budget with bills to pay & have paid for the course & also all the stock which you want to waste our time trying on. A child’s hat is not so deep so not the same so may not have offered such a good fit, TBH I would have let you try it just to get you to leave by this point as it would have been obvious by now you were a time waster.
 
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