The styrofoam that is in these helmets should not stay compressed. It should bounce back, as its not actually getting really compressed. The main thing is that the looseness of the particles in the styrofoam (the reason its so light also)dissipate the energy from the blow. Kinda absorb alot of the energy from the impact. If you bite it hard enough to permanently damage the helmet you would be messed up pretty bad. I wouldn't worry about replacing it unless it had visible damage (cracks, etc).

 

most helmet brands, pro-tec i know forsure, and probably giro and red,
have multi-impact absorbers, which is what it sounds like. supposedly,
regular helmets are single impact, and should be replaced because of the
"invisible damage" done after the first impact. these helmet brands
design their helmets so that the stuff inside bounces back and returns
to its normal shape after impact, so you can hit it multiple times.

 

i disagree entirely.

smack your melon hard, and the foam as rightly said cushions the impact of your skull against the helmet's hard outer shell.

few things if anything are perfectly elastic and so the capacity for this absorption is reduced following a single hit.

of course it is up to you to quatify the severity of an impact, and thus the compression of the foam, and thus the need to replace yer lid.

my train of thought is just personal opinion and perhaps biased from riding motorbikes... but if i were to whack my head, i would buy a new helmet. and a good enuff whack to the head would not necessitate a concusion or anything remotely as severe.

but as said, this is just my opinion, so take it for what it is worth.

 

I agree with Paolo, you don't need a concussing inducing helmet to replace your lid.

 

i disagree entirely.

smack your melon hard, and the foam as rightly said cushions the impact of your skull against the helmet's hard outer shell.

few things if anything are perfectly elastic and so the capacity for this absorption is reduced following a single hit.

of course it is up to you to quatify the severity of an impact, and thus the compression of the foam, and thus the need to replace yer lid.

my train of thought is just personal opinion and perhaps biased from riding motorbikes... but if i were to whack my head, i would buy a new helmet. and a good enuff whack to the head would not necessitate a concusion or anything remotely as severe.

but as said, this is just my opinion, so take it for what it is worth.

Paolo, correct me if I'm wrong, but when it comes to motor-bike helmets, even due something as slight as just dropping your helmet accidentally it is recommended to replace your helmet.
That may be just something I've heard though, I don't ride bikes, so I can't speak from personal experience.

I agree with Paolo and boarderholic though.

 

yep, just a drop of your melon case and its time to buy a new one.

whilst that does (even to me) sound extreme, when considering the potential energetic factors resulting from a bike crash, it is worth heading.

afterall, buttered toast always lands buttered side down!

murphy's law (aka sod's law) makes it better to err on the side of caution

 

Damn, I think I hit pretty hard. I might end up buying a new one. Sad part is, that was the first time I rode with it and I already have to replace it. Oh well, I can't replace my skull, so I'll dish out another 100

 

they say the same thing about car bumpers...if you have any kind of impact to it you're supposed to change out the entire bumper because the damage to the foam. at least on the new cars.


i don't know...could just be another consumerism trick.

maybe send the question in to myth busters...?

 

Some helmets are rated for multiple impacts and some are not. Generally if the foam of your helmet looks like styrofoam, it's probably a "crush" design. The foam crushes on the impact to absorb energy. That is a one and done helmet. If the foam is crushed it's done. One and done helmets tend to be a lot lighter.
Others like many protec models are multiple impact rated. So you bounce your head off of a groomer and it's probably fine to do again. Opposite of the crush helmets a multiple impact helmet tends to be a heavier design. Noticably heavier.

No matter what helmet you use, if it takes a major impact that helmet should be retired. The multiple use ones can only take so much. If you take a hard impact and wake up down at ski patrol, it's probably time to get a new helmet.

So what helmet were you sporting?

 

they say the same thing about car bumpers...if you have any kind of impact to it you're supposed to change out the entire bumper because the damage to the foam. at least on the new cars.


i don't know...could just be another consumerism trick.

maybe send the question in to myth busters...?

I think this is fairly true. A lot of new japanese cars(not sure about domestics, but I'm sure it applies to the newer models) have crumple points, and like you describe, if the foam behind the plastic goes, you're better off replacing the whole bumper. Not sure how much I would heed that though, as it is bloody expensive. Nor am I sure what kind of effect a minor fender bender would have on the whole bumper.

 

So what helmet were you sporting?

Giro G10. No visible damage on the outershell, though I'm concerned about the invisible damage.

 

if it's invisible does it really even exist???

 

if it's invisible does it really even exist???

It exists, but you may not be able to see it because its underneath the shell, like if the styrofoam flattens out a little bit

 

yeah, i get it. i was making a joke...just not a very good one.

 

really? u have to replace your helmet after fall? I suppose it have to be a major crash? no?

How often do you replace your helmets then?

 

i was making a joke...just not a very good one.

sounds like you could use a new helmet!

 

really? u have to replace your helmet after fall? I suppose it have to be a major crash? no?

How often do you replace your helmets then?

I read the warning label on my brand new Giro G10 and it says "After impact, the helmet should be destroyed" or words to that effect. Problem is, the word impact can be interpreted in a bazillion different ways varying in severity. I mean, if I drop it on the pavement, does that mean I have to replace it because its considered an impact? Bottom-line is, the individual has to decide whether or not the impact they experienced was enough to decrease the helmet's effectiveness for the next crash. In my case, I'm not sure if I want to replace it simply because it was only used once

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The helmet's mostly designed to protect you from having your head cracked open, not make each impact feel like you fell on a pillow. You'll be a hell of a lot better, crushed foam or not, if you hit your head on hard ice or a rock than you would otherwise.

I'd keep the helmet even if you bonked it once or twice....

 

you do not necessarily have to replace a helmet, just coz you dropped it (not unless you dented or cracked the outer shell)... the issue of a compressed foam lining of a helmet, only applies when there was a moving mass inside the helmet in the form of your head.

there is no definitive rule.... which is why manufacturers err on the side of caution.

however, if you do a certain thing, a certain way, that causes you to wallop your head a certain way, you are likely to use the helmet's foam in the same place more than once.

for obvious reasons, its capacity to absorb impact will be less on subsequent occasions than the first and so, with pun intended...just use your head!