Cool riding hat - Whittaker?

TigerTail

TigerTail

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I am looking for a new hat and desperately need a cool one asi resemble a boiled lobster dripping in sweat in my current five yr old champion.

I tried some on at a recent show and loved the Charles Owen £240.00 but it’s a tad out of budget! Quite liked the Whittaker vx2 but it doesn’t have the kite mark safety standard.

Has anyone got one and come off in it and survived?!!

Many thanks
 
I feel your pain, my hair is a horrible wet mess after half an hour in my champion skull hat o_Oo_O

I also have the Caldene Ultra Plus that has a mahooosive air vent across the whole top of the hat - this is much better but still get a little sweaty under it at times.
I think I may have to resort to putting an ice pack ontop of my head before the hat.. either that or line the hat with sanitary towels:D

Always have a baseball cap handy to chuck on as soon as the hat comes off to hide the hideous hair:D:D
 
I like the Uvex ventilated hats as they are lovely and cool and very lightweight. Just check the model though as not all are competition legal.

I haven't come off in it so I can't comment on your chances of survival!
 
Outside of competitions, I wear vented, fully tested, off-road, low back, bike helmets by Bell. Because of the vents they won't pass riding hat penetrating tests, but I believe they are tested to be at least as safe in all other respects. There's no reason why they shouldn't be, they are designed for off road bikers hurtling down stony tracks at a rate of knots. I'm not much concerned about being poked in the head by a twig, and I have a syndrome that makes me sweat a lot and the big air flow is a godsend in summer. And you can get them in Hi Vis.

I have just noticed that they now do the additional MIPS standard, which you can't get in a horse riding hat of the same price range. This might be my next hat (the visor snaps off on impact)

https://www.bellhelmets.com/en/spark-mips/p/7101673
 
I have a gatehouse air rider (albeit the older version) which is lovely for summer and not so £££ as many others!

cycling helmets have definitely been quicker on the MIPs take up.
 
I use a Tipperary helmet. I don't generally use it for competitions but last I checked, it did pass all the necessary tests. I have never once got a sweaty head with it and I have done 80km endurance rides in it so it definitely has my recommendation.
 
I have a Gatehouse RXC1, which I believe is the only vented hat that meets SNELL standards (or was when I bought it a year or so ago). I came off a few weeks ago, landed on my head, and didn't even have a headache. I promptly went out and bought exactly the same model to replace it!
 
eggs said:
I like the Uvex ventilated hats as they are lovely and cool and very lightweight. Just check the model though as not all are competition legal.

I haven't come off in it so I can't comment on your chances of survival!
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I came off in an Uvex and was quite badly concussed. They are extremely comfortable, but I've gone for something with a higher safety standard since. (Although if summer carries on like this, I may be tempted back into an Uvex.)
 
I have the whitaker one, I bought it instead of uvex because of the price, I also now have the Charles owen aswell as I honestly don't think the whitaker one would do anything to save my head if I fell off, its just so flimsy although super lightweight to ride in.
 
I have a lovely dial adjustable, vented uvvex with a removable and washable liner. I love it. I used to hate wearing helmets because I get really overheated but I always wear my uvex. It's one safety level below current competition requirements. I payed about £80 for it. Screenshot_20190521-140349.png
 
It doesn't have a kite mark for a reason - because it's not good enough to pass the testing. I know what I'd rather have on my head...
 
I actually have come off in my uvex over a jump. I got a right bang on my head but I was fine. It might have been because of the helmet, how I landed or just luck 🤷‍♀️
 
AFB said:
It doesn't have a kite mark for a reason - because it's not good enough to pass the testing. I know what I'd rather have on my head...
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I think the original poster is mis informed. The Uvex DOES meet current safety standards, is BSI Kitemark & VG1 Safety Standards. And suitable for all affiliated disciplines (aside from XC as has fixed peak).

https://www.justequine.co.uk/products/rider/horse-riding-hats/uvex-exxential-riding-hats/

I love mine, and do not believe is cutting and safety standards or compromising.

And people saying they were fine or not fine after landing on their head is meaningless, as it depends how hard fell, the speed, the impact and the surface, and isn't a meaningful comparison.
 
flying_high said:
I think the original poster is mis informed. The Uvex DOES meet current safety standards, is BSI Kitemark & VG1 Safety Standards. And suitable for all affiliated disciplines (aside from XC as has fixed peak).

https://www.justequine.co.uk/products/rider/horse-riding-hats/uvex-exxential-riding-hats/

I love mine, and do not believe is cutting and safety standards or compromising.

And people saying they were fine or not fine after landing on their head is meaningless, as it depends how hard fell, the speed, the impact and the surface, and isn't a meaningful comparison.
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You're right, I was confused. It's xc that it's not suitable for.
 
flying_high said:
I think the original poster is mis informed. The Uvex DOES meet current safety standards, is BSI Kitemark & VG1 Safety Standards. And suitable for all affiliated disciplines (aside from XC as has fixed peak).

https://www.justequine.co.uk/products/rider/horse-riding-hats/uvex-exxential-riding-hats/

I love mine, and do not believe is cutting and safety standards or compromising.

And people saying they were fine or not fine after landing on their head is meaningless, as it depends how hard fell, the speed, the impact and the surface, and isn't a meaningful comparison.
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Sorry I'm lost, the OP is talking about the Whitaker hat - not Uvex?
 
Pippity said:
I have a Gatehouse RXC1, which I believe is the only vented hat that meets SNELL standards (or was when I bought it a year or so ago). I came off a few weeks ago, landed on my head, and didn't even have a headache. I promptly went out and bought exactly the same model to replace it!
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I've just bought a CO 4Star which is a vented SNELL, super comfy too.
 
You either have a "gatehouse" shaped head or a "CO" shaped one! DD can't wear a gatehouse but has the CO 4 star - which is vented - and loves it. You only have one head and your family only has one you. IMO there is no excuse for not wearing the highest safety standard you can get.
 
Shay said:
You either have a "gatehouse" shaped head or a "CO" shaped one! DD can't wear a gatehouse but has the CO 4 star - which is vented - and loves it. You only have one head and your family only has one you. IMO there is no excuse for not wearing the highest safety standard you can get.
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As above.
I seem only to fit a Champion Pro Plus.
 
I wear both CO and gatehouse, although the new HS1 doesn't really fit as well since they lengthened the back hence switching to a CO PROII (4star didn't fit), but I have the air rider and a velvet GH that fit great. The RXC1 doesn't go anywhere near me and neither does any champion I have ever tried. There's a lot of variety in fit within brands these days.
 
I have a LAS Anvil and love it - I am a hot head too and this is one of the few that I truly do manage to keep a reasonably cool head in. Not even sure what safety standards it has but like to kid myself as I am nothing more than a happy hacker these day it will do for me - has to be better than the thin cork, elastic chin strap, velvet covered melons we wore back in the day doing dangerous stuff surely?

Feel free to tell me I am wrong and perhaps suggest it is carved on my headstone when I hit the road and slip into an endless coma. Hopefully not, but it is a risky pastime whatever you put on your head.
 
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