Simple question, how long can a helmet be safely used. We have several helmets that are more than 10 years old and I was wondering if the plastic becomes too brittle for the helmet to be safely used?
How long can a helmet be used?
- Thread starter Coach Al
- Start date
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eventually all things break down. Care and storage i'm guessing attribute a lot as well as tempature fluxuations. After 10yrs you definately got your moneys worth!
At this stage why wait till you find out? For $25-30 get the girls a new lightweight, comfortable form fitting shiney new one with ponytail ports and air vents. Im sure the inner cushions on yours have got to be painful to wear plus who knows the slew of bacteria growing in there--please dump em
At this stage why wait till you find out? For $25-30 get the girls a new lightweight, comfortable form fitting shiney new one with ponytail ports and air vents. Im sure the inner cushions on yours have got to be painful to wear plus who knows the slew of bacteria growing in there--please dump em
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
- 0
That's such a great question. I have no idea what the answer is. I know that when I used to race cars we had to throw our helmets away after one incident, even if we accidentally dropped them on the ground. Obviously batting helmets aren't filled with the one time use foam that crash helmets are made of, but I would imagine that after years of being out in the heat, they break down a bit.
My suggestion is that if you just have the one helmet, throw it away and get another. If you're a league and have a bunch, take one out and hit it with a bat, see how it holds up and make your own judgement call.
-W
My suggestion is that if you just have the one helmet, throw it away and get another. If you're a league and have a bunch, take one out and hit it with a bat, see how it holds up and make your own judgement call.
-W
- Jan 25, 2011
- 2,278
- 38
hey starsnuffer,can we put the helmet on the head of the parents that just can't seem to keep their 2 cents to themselfs.I bet the coach will get it to break then.
IDK, if a helmet is not cracked it should be OK.
Even if it is brittle, the ball will hit it and distribute the force of the collision even if it blows the helmet up. If durability was not an Issue you might actually want this to be the desired performance.
Even if it is brittle, the ball will hit it and distribute the force of the collision even if it blows the helmet up. If durability was not an Issue you might actually want this to be the desired performance.
We usually get new helmets every year, or at least every other year. Not so much because the shell breaks down, but because the pads start to compress making the helmet loose and able to move around on the girls head, especially with a face mask attatched to the front.
Starsnuffer, I used to race cars too, and we had to have a helmet less than 5 yrs old, with no obvious sign of abrasions. Those helmets were a lot more expensive than DD's batting helmet. 30-35 dollars every year or two is nothing.
Starsnuffer, I used to race cars too, and we had to have a helmet less than 5 yrs old, with no obvious sign of abrasions. Those helmets were a lot more expensive than DD's batting helmet. 30-35 dollars every year or two is nothing.
I would be more concerned with the condition of the foam inside. If its getting stiffer with age, I would toss them. The foam acts as a shock absorber. If its getting hard and brittle, then more of the shock of am impact is going to be passed right through to the skull inside.
Schutt makes a helmet that has removeable pads. My DD has a tiny head (no pea brain jokes) and has a special order helmet that's going on it's 4th year. We replace the pads every 1 1/2 years or so to keep the fit.
I 2nd that the pads get worn out. Women's hair products are awful on the foam.
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