Helmets and XC

[PiebaldRosie]

It's my first hunter trial at Swalcliffe this Sunday and I was just wondering about hats. On the website it advises jockey skulls but my jockey skull is a) old/dirty/dread to think what's living in it, b) leaves an attractive red line across my forehead, and c) gives me a huge headache for the rest of the day.

I do however have a Caldene Ultra helmet like this:

Although the peak is fixed, it's really squashy and I have no doubt it'll give if the worst does happen.

I think I already know the answer (gross skull cap) but just thought I'd double check with you lot because I would really love to wear my nice comfy hat!

 

[*hic*]

Why not think of your safety and buy a comfortable new replacement skull cap? If it's as terrible as you say then surely it needs replacing.

 

[skewbaldmillie]

and with a skull you can just put on a different hat silk depending on what you are doing

 

[Darremi]

I would never use a fixed peak for XC. They are dangerous IMO and the fixed peak just gets in the way of my visibility!

 

[Zebedee]

If the hat is made to a current standard the peak will not be fixed regardless of the design. BE / BRC rulebooks both require British hats to PAS 015 or BSEN1384 standards to be kitemarked, or european EN1384 hats to bear the SEI mark. Other standards which would be accepted are ASTM 95 or F1163 2004 (American) SNELL E2001 & AS/NZS 3838 2003. There is no mention of fixed peaks in either rulebook.

 

[JenJ]

I will never ride in a fixed peak hat again. 5 weeks ago I came off mid-gallop, landed on the front of my head and ended up in an ambulance to a&e then admitted to a ward with a brain haemorrhage and a suspected broken neck.

I looked at the hat afterwards and the peak had not given way. It was a 3 year old hat that met all safety standards at the time of purchase. The brain bleed was on my forehead, just where the peak was, and I firmly believe that had I been wearing a skull cap I would have had no more than a temporary headache.

I have little or no recollection of the 2-3 weeks following my fall, had very worrying double vision for ten days or so, and still have memory/concentration/tiredness issues. Other than my head, I had no other bruises. I have no doubt I was very lucky, but without the fixed peak pushing into my head, I would have been luckier.