Helmet Fitting and Replacement

Here are some guidelines you can use to decide whether or not your helmet fits properly:

  • When you wiggle your helmet it should move your eyebrows - this is one way to know that it fits tight enough. Only you can tell if the helmet feels too tight.
  • The helmet should stay comfortably on your head when harnessed without moving around on your head no matter what you're doing. When trying on a helmet in the store, bend over at the waist and shake your head. A correctly fitted helmet will not move.
  • After wearing the helmet for about 5 minutes, remove it and check for marks on your forehead. Indentations in your forehead left from the helmet may indicate you should try one size larger.
  • Be sure to use the foam spacers that come with your helmet. These will help you get the best fit out of your helmet.
  • Long hair should be secured below your helmet so as not to interfere with fitting.
  • A helmet should fit equally all the way around the head without exposing the forehead or obscuring vision.
  • When you open your mouth wide with the harness fastened, you should be able to feel pressure on your throat --not the tip of your chin. This will ensure stability of the helmet.
Signs That May Indicate Your Helmet is Too Big:
  • Helmet wiggles when you move your head from side to side or back and forth.
  • Your eyebrows do not move when you wiggle the helmet with your hand.
  • The helmet obscures your vision.

Signs That May Indicate Your Helmet is Too Small:

  • The helmet leaves a line on your forehead when you take it off.
  • Wearing the helmet for more than a few minutes gives you a headache.
  • The helmet is sitting up too high on the top of your head, leaving most of your forehead exposed.
ALWAYS send your helmet to the manufacturer for inspection after it has been in a crash, even if there appears to be no physical damage.

Here are some signs that your helmet needs to be replaced:

  • THE HELMET HAS BEEN IN A CRASH
  • Surface cracks
  • White helmet is turning yellow
  • Black helmet is turning beige
  • Squeeze clips have broken teeth
  • Shell or liner is cracked
  • The helmet is over 5 years old
Most helmet companies recommend that you replace your helmet about every five years. Although there is no evidence that a helmets integrity will deteriorate over time, the various bumps and minor impacts will almost certainly withstand with general use will compromise its performance even if no significant blow is received.

Warranty and Replacement by the Helmet Manufacturer

It is recommended that anytime a helmet has been in a collision it be replaced. Many manufacturers of ASTM/SEI helmets offer discounted replacement in this instance. Be sure to read any warranty information that comes with your helmet. Troxel helmets has an Accident Replacement Policy in which helmets that have been involved in an accident in the first five years may be returned to them and replaced at low cost. Returning your helmet to Troxel not only allows you to replace your damaged helmet quickly and inexpensively, but it also provides Troxel with valuable information concerning what types of accidents their products are facing. This allows the company to make improvements in future helmets by tailoring them to more specific types of accidents. The price of the replacement helmet varies from $15 to $50 depending on which helmet you have. Consult your owners manual or visit Troxel's website at www.troxelhelmets.com for details on this policy.
Home