Choose the features I want, try on a selection with those features to find which ones fit, pointlessly read reviews that randomly claim it is whisper quiet/deafeningly loud, buy the one that fits best/is made of shiny carbon fibre.
Primary consideration is overall fit & whether I can still manage to take it off whilst the strap is properly done up. So far only Shuberths & the Caberg Duke have passed the latter test.... PatDo you have no chin Pat?
Sounds like it, but I’ve just checked in the mirror & it’s still there… 
It’s a check i started doing when a friend’s brother in law died in a motorcycle accident after his lid came off even though the inquest found it was done up.
Schuberths have an additional strap that keeps it in place, sort of like a multipoint seat belt:
Dunno why the Caberg works, but i only use that for commuting & riding in town. The chin guard seems a bit flimsy, & I’m not convinced it’d handle a high speed crash very well.
That’s quite a clever system actually. I’ll check out the Schubert helmets in future!
[quote]Sounds like it, but I’ve just checked in the mirror & it’s still there…
Pat
It’s a check i started doing when a friend’s brother in law died in a motorcycle accident after his lid came off even though the inquest found it was done up.
If you can, look at the case of Finnis v Cauldfield 2001.
This is a case where I was the expert and the rider (Kevin Finnis) was seriously brain injured as a result of a Taxi turning right across his path and the bike (ZX7R) T boned the Taxi.
As the bike hit the Taxi, the rider was catapulted over the roof and his helmet came off as he flew through the air. The rider hit the Taxi on the passenger side and came to rest on the drivers side. The bike followed him over the car and then landed on the riders unprotected head.
His helmet was found 50+ yards from the point of impact
The crash was treated as a fatality and the rider was given his last rights, but remarkably he survived although he did sustain the brain injury.
I won’t bore you with all the gore, suffice to say that the defendants (taxi driver) adnitted causation for the crash but claimed that the injuries sustained was self inflicted because the rider had
An incorrect fitting helmet
It was insecure/unfastened
It was poor condition
A combination of all 3.
The defendants initially offered (If I remember correctly £50,000) which the original law firm was prepared to accept but it was turned down by Kevin’s wife who then came to us for assistance and I was asked to investigate.
Unfortunately, I got involved 2 years post crash so the helmet had been destroyed, but I did have photos of the Policeman holding the helmet which showed that it was done up. The strap securing mounts were undamaged and it looked to be in good condition. I interviewed the investigating Policeman who confirmed that there was no reason to suspect that the helmet was in anyway to blame as the phot was taken exactly as it had been found.
I was able to find the shop who had sold hm the helmet onlt a couple of weeks earlier along with all his kit and we were able to prove that not only was the helmet in good condition, but it was a good fit, and in fact at that time, he was probably one of the few riders who did have a good fitting helmet.
Anyway, you must be bored rigid by now, but suffice to say, I then came into contact with a neuro surgeon at the JR Hospital in Oxford who also happened to be the chief medical officer to the FIM at Grand Prix level.
He had done a study of head injuries and there had been a few crashes at GP level where factory riders with bespoke tailor made crash helmets had crashed and their helmets had come off despite being superb fits and properly secured. 2 crashes happened at Silverstone 1 being a fatality.
Several crashes also occured on road where the helmets had come off for no apparent reason as well.
Anyway, the offshot was In that case, and along with other several studies where it has happened in certain impacts the head can shrink by several sizes momentarily but just enough to allow the helmet to rotate and come off the riders head. This is what happened to Simoncelli crash a few years ago.
It does not happen often, but it does happen, and people find it strange that to all intents and purposes a good fitting helmet came off a riders head leading to assumptions that it was undone or poor fitting.
So, because a helmet came off a riders head in the first instance means nothing unless of course there is clear evidence of damage causing it to come off.
Once I had the evidence, the offer of £50,000 full and final settlement was rejected and it eventually settled for £1.5 million with a full admittance of liability on the part of the defendants.
Downside was that Kevin Finnis was no longer able to run his new but flourishing business.
So the long winded point I am making is that straps have to perform a function in line with current regulations and have had to do so for since regulations begun. So even checking that the strap does not move when trying it on, I regret to say means absolutely diddly squat.
Sorry to bore you. I will shut up now 
1 Like
Tony
You never bore me
as always it was an interesting read & very educational
Very Interesting and informative read TC. Back to the question of how I choose a crash helmet. First and foremost is safety and that means a good comfortable snug fit and light as possible to reduce the inertia in an accident.
First and foremost is safety and that means a good comfortable snug fit and light as possible to reduce the inertia in an accident.Rather than a comfortable fit when new, it should be a tight fit (maybe that is what you meant?). A helmet will give by up to half a size. If it is a comfortable fit, then the chances are better than average that it will very quickly become a sloppy fit whilst still feeling comfortable.
B
Studies have shown that weight has no bearing on the inertia issue in a crash, just comfort.
I should have been more clear, yes a tight fit for sure. It’s certainly more comfortable with a lighter lid for me and less of a distraction, just trying to reduce any potential liabilities in the event of a freak accident.
By “freak accident” I assume you mean crashing into a bearded lady?
Interesting read T.C
TC - I concur, a very interesting read. Thank you.
Sorry to bore youNot in the least, that is very interesting to learn, thanks.
Only just read this. All credit to you TC. You’re going to be my first call in an event. No doubt you have company for your consultancy work and reasonable rates 