How often do you upgrade/replace your helmets?

[gkamer]

I was just wondering how often folks upgrade or replace their helmets? Do you do it for cosmetic reasons or just want to treat yourselves to a change.....

 

[FrogmanDave]

I replace mine for cosmetic reasons and because the foam breaks down over time. Plus the newer helmets have better features. About every 5 years for me. I typically use 3 different helmets depending on where I am riding. Half, open and full (currently modular).

 

[Saluda]

Anytime after a hit or drop. Once foam starts to break down, 4 - 5 years depending. Never for cosmetic which I consider to be looks .

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Helmet manufacturers recommend replacing your helmet every 5 years. I've heard, but not confirmed, that Canada requires they be replaced at 5 years, and will inspect your helmet date when they stop you and ticket you if your helmet is older than 5 years.

 

[ARtraveler]

Three to five years is recommended by most:

UNLESS: you drop the helmet and it takes a hard smack on the ground. That could be the start of a hair line crack.

An upgrade for a new color or new communicator happens about the same time. We currently have three sets hanging around. We use one of the three sets and the other two are past date. Hard to throw a $400 helmet/com package out. We did when we left Alaska though. I threw out about 8 helmets.

 

[gkamer]

Hard to throw a $400 helmet/com package out. We did when we left Alaska though. I threw out about 8 helmets.

Ouch.....

 

[PaladinLV]

10-12 years
BUT - I continually rotate wearing my 3 helmets. The spring/fall gets replaced the most. When the internals start to wear or degrade I replace, OR if dropped on a hard surface. IS that what you mean by cosmetic?

AJ

 

[Inge]

gkamer - maybe change the title a little bit and add helmet to it. Would make for a lot more responses I think.

Am following with interest, though.

 

[Piratezz]

5 yrs, is about the max of the lifespan of a helmet, I rotate with two, when riding one-up, I use a Bell helmet, this is a semimodular helmet, the chinpeace is easy to remove, when riding two-up we use a Scorpion fullface, with com system.

 

[troop]

I tend to buy (1) new helmet a year. Over this past winter I bought (2). I like helmets

 

[Raven]

Helmet manufacturers recommend replacing your helmet every 5 years. I've heard, but not confirmed, that Canada requires they be replaced at 5 years, and will inspect your helmet date when they stop you and ticket you if your helmet is older than 5 years.

Canada has no laws on helmet replacement that I know of.
I tend to replace mine every 4 or 5 years, though I do have a old Arai XD3 that I do throw on now and again.
Should toss it.

 

[Peter Aawen]

I've had a few (oldish - 3-5 years type old, which is old for a helmet... ) disintegrate over the years; another one just recently, only this time it was while I had it on!! :shocked:

So while I do usually have a few different types of helmets with different ages at any one time, I still tend to replace them at least every 5 years, more often/earlier if they start looking a bit battered &/or worn (the helmet that is - the lining I can & do replace more often! ) I do this cos every knock or bump that produces a mark on the outside of the helmet is an indicator that there's been some degree of damage/deterioration to the important bits inside that will be trying to keep my brain safe if ever called upon to do so - and since I've already had enough damage done to the grey matter inside my noggin, I tend to take that old adage "a $5 brain only deserves a $5 bucket" to heart, so I don't look for the cheapest brain bucket I can find - I look for the one that meets or exceeds the best standards I can find at the time! :thumbup:

 

[remus]

I replace my helmets about every 3-3.5 years. I write the buy date on the inside of the helmet with a sharpie so I know when to replace it. The old helmet gets rotated as a spare, in case I take a passenger or am on a longer ride. I also change out the visor every 8 months to 1 year depending on how scratched and dinged up it gets, when the sun starts glarring in the helmet.

 

[ferrasr]

I usually replace our helmets every 5 or 6 years mostly because of the improvements on the newer models.

 

[JKMSPYDER]

I bought my Shoei Neotec helmet in 2013. Still wear it. I replaced the liner and pads last year. It has never been dropped . I thought about replacing it with the Neotec II but my current SENA headset won’t fit in it. I hate to throw away a perfectly good $800 helmet.

 

[gkamer]

IS that what you mean by cosmetic?

AJ

No, by cosmetic I was thinking more like you see a helmet that has a nice color or design and think how cool that will look on you......

 

[mecsw500]

I only use them for no more than 5 years from the date of manufacture, so I tend to order them, usually from the dealer, rather than buy them off the shelf stock. This generally means they are much closer to their manufacture date when I get them. The interior breaks down and the bright Utah sun ages the shell with a lot of UV at our altitude.

I have noticed more and more helmets seem to be a matte finish than before, with fewer available in bright glossy colors and designs. I don't know if that is better for UV exposure or shell integrity or not? Perhaps it is just a style trend. I tend to buy designs based on a gloss white shell to reflect the heat and show up better at night.

I keep the helmet I just replaced for an emergency spare in case I drop the new one, and the one before that I cut the strap off and throw it out.

 

[Azbronco]

I also replace every 3-5 years. The Styrofoam, glues, and resins will lose their protective properties from exposure to heat, cold, sweat, and oils from your skin/hair. After about 5 years, there's no guarantee the helmet will do it's job in a crash. I've never changed a helmet for cosmetic reasons--I'm too cheap to run out and buy a new one because I think it looks cooler than the one I have.

 

[canamjhb]

I use modular helmets and replace every 5-7 years. That seems to be the longevity of the interior pads. Removable & washable liners don't work well for me. They never seem to fit correctly after cleaning. Probably just me..... Jim

 

[2dogs]

Do helmet manufacturers build an automatic degradation code into their helmet shells and liners? If their helmets are so darn good why are they so darn good for only 5 years? Kinda the same way some folks date code their spouses.
:yikes: :roflblack: