East Tennessee Region SCCA

I used a borrowed helmet for the Autocross at Smokies Stadium on the 19th. A young lady approached and tried to give me information on a new style of helmet that was for sale. The timing was a bit bad as I was trying to get into the car for the next run and so I didn't get to pay as much attention to her as I would like to have. I gathered she had spotted the ETR on the borrowed helmet, and I suspect she's part of a business that sales this particular newly marketed helmet. The example one she was carrying was very light and had stamps showing a new CE Rating or something like that.

1. I had believed helmets required SNELL ratings: Is the CE rating now allowed? If so what is the required designation?
2. The price she quoted seemed more than reasonable given the little shopping I have done so far. What is reasonable for Autocross in a stock Audi A5 "D Street"? (Please avoid all the "How much is your head worth" type comments. I do understand that type of thing.)
3. My car has airbags. Should I avoid any helmet that is not open-faced?
4. Does anyone know how I can get more information on and/or purchase this helmet?
5. Is there a place local to Knoxville where I can try on and get advice about helmets before buying?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
Keith

I would go to a place like Cycle gear and get ideas for fitments and sizing. All helmet companies vary a little as far as what a large is and so on.

As far as open/close... get what you want. It really doesn't matter.

If you're NOT planning on moving on to track days, you can get a Snell rated M helmet for autocross. Again - Cycle gear has tons of them to choose from and you can likely find them cheaper online

www.saferacer.com
www.soloperformance.com

You can get a perfectly good open faced helmet for $130 or so that is 100% safe for solo and or track days. W2W racing might require closed face.
You don't need the fancy CF helmets and ones with the AC venting and so on either.

You want it to be snug, but not TIGHT on your head, and you don't want it to be sliding around when you have to turn your head fast either.

Again - if it was ME... I'd go to Cycle gear and try some on and see what you like, whether you decide to order from them or online is up to you.

Hey Keith. I'm not familiar with a "CE" rating on helmets. The attached file has all the helmet certifications that are ok for SCCA autocross for 2020. As far as I know, this is still the case for 2021.

Anything more than that is really a matter of personal preference. I like a closed face helmet myself but I occasionally will drive a kart and you need a shield for that. I run with the shield open most of the time when I'm in the car.

She may have meant the ECE22.05 rating. Verify any helmet has the appropriate label in the helmet. I have some ECE22.05 rated motorcycle helmets but the label is not on it where it is supposed to be. They were purchased directly from the manufacture at a bike rally so a very slim chance of counterfeit. It's believed the North American helmets got the DOT sticker where the same helmets in Europe got the ECE sticker. They all come off the same production line.

Thanks for the responses. I am sure you're correct on the ECE designation...I was a bit preoccupied when she came by. The chart was very helpful.