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I have contacted a helmet manufacturer about the possibility of making a full face BASE specific helmet...either a single custom one or more if anyone else is interested.

The points I feel are important:

Full Face yet Low profile
Unobstructed vision on all axis
Ear openings for easy communications
Light weight
No visor

Anyone else have any more ideas or suggestions or input of any kind???

paragliding helmets fit all of those criteria.

besides that, they are light weight, aerodynamic, and readily available.

just get one of those.

Some are pretty flimsy though!

flimsy?

how so?

easily, and literaly 5 times stronger than the full faced helmets used by most RW skydive teams.
and even lighter i think.

http://www.parasoftparagliding.com/.../products.php?cat=17

I have the insider, its really comfortable, and very reliable.

i'd be interested.. I've noticed that the jaw gaurd on paragliding helmets sticks out pretty far, don't like it.

thats a good point, the face protection is rather large. but this could be good for the protection part of the helmet, but bad for akwardness, orsnag possibility maybe. I have been wanting to add a chin cup to this helmet along with a Camera mount.

I don't recall the paragliding helmets I checked out at Torrey Pines as having ear openings for easy communication...which I consider a neccessity...but I will look into them further.

And most of them had what I consider to be excessivley protruding mouthpieces...I want something lower profile. Not sure if lower profile would offet the same protection though.

This is merely the "brainstorming" phase.

But I have thought about it for a while...ever since I met one of the Tahoe crew who busted their jaw. Spoke about this at length with Seth Gray as well.

Figured I'd put a post on here and attempt to get a broader perspective.

Bonhead rat hat

How about a liner material that actually addresses energy management and provides some real protection?

THIS helmet meets most of your needs and offers impact protection. The ear holes and visor could be modified with a simple Dremel tool.

The GRAVITY helmet already has ear holes in it and you only have to remove the visor.

Look at the BELL Bellistic. I really like mine. Just take the visor off.

http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/productDetail.asp?prodID=6

My first link went sideways somehow. The Ace of Spades by Pro-tec is the helmet I was referring to.

I have a regular protech with ears, but I'm not too fond of that Ace of Spades one. They do make it in OD though.

I agree get the BELL Bellistic, I have one and it works great.

i have always used an open faced helmet so far but im also keen on finding a full face which is tracking/wingsuit friendly. i was thinking a full face without a smooth profile visor is not aerodynamic at all for chin on sternum tracking.

base rig manufacturers seem to be going for the tracking aerodynamics, surely the helmet is a very important part of this?

thoughts anyone?

i hope you persue your line of enquiry with the helmet manufacturer but add a flip up visor (removable)for the aerodynamics.

this may be a good question for the wingsuit forum.

Didn't Phoenix Fly have a helmet as one of their products a while back? I can't seem to find it now, but I do recall some discussion of it.

the insider has very good ear opeings. as good as you can get on a helmet. 1.3mm hole wire mesh for about 8^2 cm right over the ear.

The Stinger, I've used one for my last 100 odd skydives. Good helmet at a good price, don't know why they discontinued it.

i found it!
http://www.phoenix-fly.com/...s/helmet_stinger.htm

BoneHead RatHat. I have one if anyone's interested. Love the helmet, just not jumping. It's a size XS (21.75).
K763