I dropped my Arai

[longdog]

As the title says, I dropped my, (relatively new), Arai helmet from a height of 3.5 feet onto concrete and now I have a not so nice chip about 4-5mm diameter and certainly through the gel coat and paint work on a standard Arai. So, my question is, do you think this will compromise the integrity of the helmet?

 

[GS2022]

You need the Helmet Inspection Company:

Lifting the lid: A new £40 scan claims to reveal hidden helmet damage after an accidental drop | MCN

 

[longdog]

Ah! OK, I have never heard of this Company, thanks for the heads-up

 

[Lord Snooty]

I doubt whether the shell has been compromised, they are incredibly tough, the damage occurs with the double impact of the helmet hitting the tarmac at speed and the head causing the impact from the inside.

 

[rovert57]

I think that ryanr9 on YouTube did a report on weather you need to replace your lid if you drop it from a low night ..
it’s not the shell that does most of the protection it’s the foam shell on the inside .

 

[JJH]

It’s when the helmet hits the ground with your head inside it that the foam gets compressed. It stays compressed so if there’s another impact in the same area there’s no protection.

 

[JJH]

JJH

 

[Engineer]

If there is any sign that the shell has dented (moved inwards and then sprung back out) it may have compressed the expanded polystyrene - if it is only a scratch then the helmet is almost certainly fine.

 

[Myke Rocks]

Always take 3 or 4 helmets with you on a ride. If you fall off and start hiting your head on the ground, you can swap them between bounces so that you will always be safe.

 

[longdog]

Always take 3 or 4 helmets with you on a ride. If you fall off and start hiting your head on the ground, you can swap them between bounces so that you will always be safe.

 

[Snaf]

The Arai website has some advice on this, if I replaced my trail riding helmet every time it got dropped or knocked it would be every other ride.

 

[SuperTed]

Some time ago Ride did a report on this. They had three identical helmets, dropped one from around the same height as the OP dropped theirs, one from the first floor, and one from the fourth floor. All in the internal stairwell onto a brick floor. Then they gave the helmets to the BSI testing people. All three passed with a good margin from the minimum required. So just a chip from dropping it off a table or the seat of your bike? It’ll be fine.

 

[longdog]

Thanks SuperTed