Helmet Hunting

I'm going to be down around Orlando next week (missed the Rolex unfortunately)and was hoping to find someplace that might have a couple of different Snell 2015 helmets to try on. I'm looking more to the lower end of the spectrum though, any suggestions on places? Thanks.

I asked racerfink the same thing. His notes to me were find a tracj day at daytona, sebring, etc. Often times theres manufacturer trucks littering the place where you can try on lids. Im new to the area, so i dont know a ton.

What's lower level in your mind?

I was hoping to spend a maximum of around $400 for a helmet.

I was looking on Bell's site yesterday and just about everything was listed as backordered. The same helmets are showing as available from places like Jegs, but I suspect that when you order from a place like that, they just ship them straight from the factory, so you'd probably end up waiting anyway. I'm with you though, I'd really like to try one on before I drop $400.

Not sure if its still true or not but I bought a bell (at a trade show but tried on only the one size they had at the show) some 8-10 years back when I was shipped the new helmet it was to tight. I e-mailed them and even knowing it was a discontinued helmet for that year they had the next size up and did a exchange and I only paid for shipping the small helmet back.

There isn't much inventory available on the 2015s yet.

GForce makes a carbon fiber helmet in the sub $400 range. I've got an older SA2010 model that I bought a couple years back that I'm very happy with, but I only use it occasionally, so the lack of a removable liner isn't such a big deal to me, but it might be for some.

I managed to drop into Racecar Engineering in Lakeland, Fl to take a look at some helmets. They had a good selection of RaceQuip stuff and some Simpsons that were out of the budget, unfortunately no new Zamp. Nice guys, big shop. Their catalog is huge so it looks like they have access to a ton of safety gear and race car parts. Well worth the 45 min drive.

$200 will get you one of the new Racequip helmets. I love mine. Super comfortable, and its the perfect helmet for your simple track day or drift event. Probably not what you want if your doing any kind of endurance stuff because its pretty bare bones, but thats why the price is lower.