Equestrian Goods

4 Comments für “Why are horse riding helmets and bicycle helmets so different when they are supposed to be doing the same job?”

1. 203 sagt:
   17.February, 2009 um 7:15 pm

   My cycling helmet cost £90 and you can pay more than that for other top of the range helmets. Childrens helmets are not the most sophisticated of cycling helmets which is why they are cheap.

   A cycling helmet potentially has to deal with an impact from a lower height than that of a horse rider and therefore is constructed accordingly.
   References :

2. Hamish A sagt:
   17.February, 2009 um 8:00 pm

   No. it's not a rip off at all. The two helmets serve very different purposes and have to meet different design & safety criteria.

   Childrens helmets don't incur VAT which could explain part of the difference but one of my cycle helmets cost £260 and my most expensive horse riding helmet was 'only' £120. You have a choice as with most purchase decisions, I'm sure there are cheaper horse riding helemts than you purchased, but would it still be suitable for the job?
   References :

3. support worker sagt:
   17.February, 2009 um 8:33 pm

   Well tishg interesting question.
   Basically there is really no difference other than perhaps in styling.
   Bicycle helmets, motor cycle helmets, racing car helmets and horse riding helmets are all designed for one thing and that is the sole purpose of reducing severe damage to the head in the event of full head on impact with the ground.
   All of these helmets will undergo a different test process depending on what the helmet is being used for.
   There are world wide standards for these which include the Snell foundation, British Standards Kite mark as well as the german DIN standards to name a few.
   All of these standards are exceptionally high and accepted world wide.

   Various test are carried out with the helmet mounted on a metal head shaped form which is quite heavy ( Ican't remember the exact weight)
   Whilst on these "heads" they are subjected to a drop test of a defined height onto a solid surface.
   They then go onto another test where a metal "spike" roughly three inches in diameter and eight inches long is projected from a set distance to hit the side of the helmet.
   This is to check the depth of penetration of the spike.
   It is then placed on another test rig where a defined weight is dropped from a minimum height onto the top centre part of the helmet.

   Unless the tests have changed recently, the helmets to be tested from any batch are left to soak in water for a defined period before the tests are carried out.

   The impacted area must not exceed a defined measurement of depth in order for the batch to be released for sale. Of course it goes without saying that the helmets used for the tests are destroyed.
   They are then issued with a stamp showing the level of test carried out for example British standard kite mark, Snell foundation or DIN or very often depending on where they will be marketed they will sometimes have to conform to all.
   Hope this has helped rather than bored you.
   You can look up the website for Headway which is the head injury association who are very proactive in researching these protective items.
   References :
   I helped design a test rig for the purpose of these tests many many years ago and the test rigs now are far more elaborate.

4. Sensei Splinta sagt:
   17.February, 2009 um 9:09 pm

   Hey Tish!

   How valuable is your head?

   Buy the best you can afford, for the sport/hobby you wish to enjoy. As a rough guide, more expense = more protection.

   I don't ride horses, but my cycle helmet cost about £50, BUT my motorcycle helmet cost over £400!

   As neither my of my bikes can stand on my foot, maybe you should consider steel-toed boots as well
   References :

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