RE: What's the safest type of hat?? This could save your life!

J

jen1

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 July 2006
Messages
872
Location
Herts
Visit site
RE: What's the safest type of hat?? Accident Sunday

Thanks to everyone who answered the questions yesterday on my post re hats. I thought I would put this up again tonight so some others who may not have been on line last night could have a look.

I am not being melodramatic but it could possibly save someones life!! I am now seriously thinking of getting one of the Troxel hats. I have always been a fan of skull caps but looking at the results of testing on the Mark Davies Injured Riders site, the ones that look like cycle helmets come out tops of the survey, and as someone stated, the big names and expensive hats may not be all they are advertised as! (see www.mdirf.co.uk)

I suppose for tradition people will still be requred to wear the traditional velvet hats for showing and dressage and of course the Beaglers but for me for everyday riding I am leaning towards the cycle helmet type. My problem now is to find a tack shop that has a good selection. Unfortunately the tack shops near me only seem to stock the big names and traditional designs. I could go mail order but would like to have the hat fitted in a shop. It would be interesting if anyone on here is a hat fitter and could give their views?
 
I was told today that the Charles Owen APM scull cap was the safest around at the moment (designed by A P McCoy).
 
I'm looking for a new hat too and found your last post very interesting, glad you posted this one as I hadn't seen your old one. Although interesting though, I'm still not sure which one to go for - Troxel seems best on the results. I couldn't care what it looks like (my riding will distract all would be watchers), nor am I fussed by price, I just want the best.....now why can't that just be a straight answer
smile.gif
I am also limited by local tack shop products.
 
Silly I know,as really I should know better after working in the trade but I always use a velvet even though skulls are much safer. HOWEVER I wont let my 4 yr old have anything other than a skull. Stupid I know.
 
Thanks for the link, some very interesting reading. Was going to get a gatehouse this year but obviously must read around a bit more first. Does anyone know if the ENHAP tested the gatehouse HSI?
 
Thanks for the link.

I was going to ask for a GPA Speedair for my birthday, but I don't think I'll bother now with a safety rating of 2 stars!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Silly I know,as really I should know better after working in the trade but I always use a velvet even though skulls are much safer. HOWEVER I wont let my 4 yr old have anything other than a skull. Stupid I know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Apparently there's research to the effect that youngsters below the age of 9 don't have strong enough neck muscles for skulls and can be damaged. It's on the Troxel website under the stuff about PC regulations

E - and yes, it does seem as if Troxel are the best
 
[ QUOTE ]
My problem now is to find a tack shop that has a good selection. Unfortunately the tack shops near me only seem to stock the big names and traditional designs. I could go mail order but would like to have the hat fitted in a shop. It would be interesting if anyone on here is a hat fitter and could give their views?

[/ QUOTE ]

If I'm understanding the site correctly, the top of the range Troxel comes in S, M, L and there's some kind of nifty self-fitting system which means you can adjust it to fit your hairstyle on the day (!) - so all you need to know is the range that you take and then fit the rest yourself according to their instructions.

Given that they genuinely seem to be highest on the independent safety tests, (at least on the mdirf site) then presumably they're a good buy?

E
 
I use a Champion Universal (cycle style) hat for everyday wear. I found it to be one of the safest hats according to the site above, but also one of the most comfortable and cooling hats to wear as I do suffer from a very sweaty head. Added bonus of course is the price...about forty five quid making it one of the cheapest hats i've ever owned too
smile.gif


Must confess I still use my Speedair at shows though
blush.gif
 
so, I had to buy a new hat recently and was looking for a Champion ventair, but after going to one of the big horse store and being fitted with nearly every hat in the shop I ended up with exactly what I didn't want, a Charles Owen because that was what fitted best and according to the people in the shop I was better buying a hat that fitted properly, than buying a hat that had a fantastic safety rating but didn't fit the shape of my head.
 
Thank you for this thread and link - didn't see you last post, but as I am just about to buy a new hat and was going to go for a Skull cap, I think I will waffle off and read the Mark Davies site first and see what is what.
 
Another little update on this today!
I contacted one of the large riding hat manufacturers on Monday and asked the question, which is safest a traditional velvet design or the skull caps?

I have just got off the phone from a very helpful and informed man who is the director of manufacturing for this particular brand. He said that having a hat that fits correctly is of the utmost importance therefore going to a saddler/tack shop with a trained fitter is best.

BUT

He also said that the Troxel hats are some of the safest around and have come up very highly in 'crash' tests etc. He said they are not normally used for competition where horses may be wearing studs as there's no data on studs penetrating the ventilation holes, but for general safety they rate extremely highly. He does NOT work for Troxel by the way and said that this was his own totally unbiased opinion! I said that my friend who had the accident and myself will both be getting new hats (so he wasn't trying to flog me his own brand!!). Interestingly he also said that the hat my friend had on probably saved her life, the peak was bent but he said they are designed to take the blow/impact. The fact that her hat was about 1 year old also was a good point, he also said that 20 years ago she would probably have been dead and that hat design and manufacture has come on so much in recent years.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY

No 1 always wear a hat!! My friend had been cantering on grass, not going particularly fast and not jumping!!

Just thought I would pass this on for your information!
 
I have a champion ventair which seems to be a safe hat looking at those results, its appauling that the charles owen kids hat is so low in safety ratings!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top