Talk to me about hats!

[Zoe67]

I currently have a lovely Gatehouse Chelsea fixed peak, which is my showjumping competition hat. It is a year or so old now but with very low mileage.

I also have a Gatehouse HS1 jockey skull which I use for hacking, which is a lot older and has a lot higher mileage (although I don't think I have fallen off and landed on my head with it on... it has probably been dropped a few times though), I have also sweated off the kite mark.

These two hats have suited me perfectly fine for what I have been wanting to do for the last year or so. However the time has now come where I am venturing into the eventing world with my lovely boy. Obviously, neither or my hats are suitable for this. I have been borrowing various hats at the yard whenever I have XC schooled but I am now looking for my own.

Having had two previous head injuries (I have been knocked out twice, but I don't think the second one would have knocked me out had I not had the first), I want to protect my noggin as best I can.

Therefore, please recommend me the safest skull caps you know of. I have borrowed a Gatehouse RXC1 which I liked, but have heard whisperings of a Charles Owen 4* that conforms to every safety standard??

No budget limitations as you can't put a price on your brain


Thanks in advance!

 

[Roxylola]

Charles owen do a jockey skull that fulfils the MIPS standard which seems to be the way forward, and it's not badly priced. If I were looking with money no object, SNELL is the highest level of safety testing these days

 

[C1airey]

The safest hat is the one that fits you best. Find a shop with a good selection and an experienced fitter. It is worth travelling if there’s nothing local to you.

MIPS is the latest technology and worth having if you can find a hat that fits. Both Charles Owen and Champion have MIPS hats out now. You do need to try them though as the sizing can come up a bit different.

 

[Squeak]

Charles owen do a jockey skull that fulfils the MIPS standard which seems to be the way forward, and it's not badly priced. If I were looking with money no object, SNELL is the highest level of safety testing these days

I was told by Charles Owen that MIPS was most useful if you fall at speed rather than for crush injuries or more 'direct' falls. I was recommended to get a SNELL rated one for eventing. I know they were planning on bringing out a hat with SNELL and MIPS but don't think they have yet...

Personally if you've had an HS1 and know it fits I'd just go for the same again as it's the highest safety rating you can get and the 4* is a different shape.

 

[HeyMich]

I ride in the Gatehouse Chelsea too which is nice and comfy, and I also find that none of the Charles Owen skull caps really fit me that well. Obviously something to do with the shape of my noggin.

If I were looking for a replacement, I'd go to a local tack shop and have a proper fitting. It's definitely worth it for your comfort and safety, and to avoid the hassle of having to send back loads of hats that you order online that don't fit!

 

[AFB]

I bought the CO 4* just before the MIPS hats were out - I'd probably have gone for a MIPS version had they been an option as I think it's really good technology.

That being said, I LOVE my 4*, it is incredibly comfortable and I could wear it all day, plus it has fantastic ventilation (which wasn't a key thing for me as I don't tend to get a sweaty head) and the magnetic clasp is so much easier than a clasp.

 

[Skib]

I am an ordinary hacker. But I thought the HS1 Gatehouse was OK for eventing and that that was what it was designed for. I have worn one of these since I started to ride and have worn it in all weathers, including mid day in Texas sun.
Hats have a shelf life of 4 years. If yours is very ancient you may find the new version fits differently. I was told to check after regulations stipulated additional padding round the edge at the back.

 

[oldie48]

Definitely get one properly fitted. I ended up with a very badly bruised nose some years ago because my hat was a little too big and the fixed peak wacked me!

 

[Wheels]

I am surprised that the HS1 and the RXC1 both fit as they are very different shapes but maybe I have a weird shaped head that doesn't suit many hats.

Charles Owen are the only ones that seem to fit me so I would say CO - as others have said you need to try on to get the best and most suitable one

 

[Shay]

The highest accredited safety rating at the moment is the SNELL. MIPS is definitely the standard of the future but it isn;t yet recognised as safety tested for competition purposes. The ideal - if you can get one that fits - is SNELL with MIPS but as squeak says I don't think there is one made yet. Personally I would go with a SNELL standard as preference. But they do not come in all head shapes so you do need to go and get properly fitted. In the "old days" (as in 6 months ago!) it would have been a great excuse to visit a major show....

 

[Zoe67]

Thanks all will definitely get one fitted, and I'll go for one with a SNELL!

 

[Barlow]

I have to say that I bought a CO MIPS last year, having liked the idea behind the new technology. Despite having it fitted by a CO trained fitter, it now no longer fits me - to the point where you can completely lift it off my head. The glue for the Velcro dots to hold the liner to the helmet also gave up after six months. I’ve always been a CO fan but I was deeply disappointed in the helmet, so much so that as much as I would like another MIPS one I’m not going to bother until they make different designs.