New here!! What is a good helmet for kid karting?

[Stacey McLaughlin]

Hello all! I am new here, our daughter is 7 and will be starting in the kid kart division next year. We are wanting to know what is a good helmet for her? The track requires a SNELL helmet. She has borrowed a ZAMP helmet for now and she seems to like it. But what others are their? What does your child wear if they kart race? Thanks so much for the help and happy to be on here!!! Stacey

[Ron Gordon]

Stacey,

You can not beat the quality, weight or price of the Childs Vega Trak Helmet out on the market this year. It is CMR2007 rated, which is the Snell rating for Childrens Motorsport Helmets and is WKA Legal.

Check it out here: http://www.vegahelmet.com/track_jr.html

I personally know and witnessed the fact that these helmets are of good quality and hold up very well, offering great protection for the wearer if needed.

My child wears one and so do I (the adult verson for me of course) and over half the kid karters I have seen this year are wearing them as well.

Ron
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Just another one of the Many OVKA Karter's
and OVKA Kid Kart Director

[TJ Koyen]

As Ron said, there are specially made helmets for children that are lighter and have a smaller shell size so they fit the kids better. These carry the CMR rating.

Bell makes a nice CMR helmet:

http://www.bellracing.com/helmets/pro-series/gp-2-cmr

Arai (another high quality brand) makes the CK-6:

http://www.poletechspeed.com/Arai_CK_6_p/ari11084.htm
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T.J. Koyen
OKTANE VISUAL - Custom Helmet Paint & Graphic Design
www.oktanevisual.com
www.facebook.com/oktanevisual
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DB Motorsports
Exprit/Leopard

[Brian Degulis]

my youngest is 7 and small for his age. Getting a good helmet is important but IMO getting a good neck brace is more important. No matter what helmet and how light it is it's still a lot of mass for a kids neck to handle.



Brian

[Larry Easton]

Bell GP2 youth. They only come in silver but are very nice. $299 Cant put a price on your kids melon!!!

[Dan Schlosser]

We have put quite a few kids in the new Vega Youth helmet with good results. The new smaller shell and light weight really are a huge improvement over the previous generation helmets. The Bell is very nice as well.

[Matt Overbeck]

My son has been using an Impact Mini Vapor, it's a super nice helmet. However we will be looking at a Vega for my daughter. It appears that the Vega gives the kids a better view thru the visor. We have lots of the Vegas at our club. I think it is easy to think that the more a helmet costs, the safer it is. This is not true, they all have to meet specs for certification, the more expensive helmets typically have more features and more exotic materials. As a parent I am honestly more worried about neck and collar bone injuries from an accident than head injury from a helmet failue.

Whatever helmet you buy, watch the chin strap. My son has a habit of wanting to wear the chin strap of his helmet ON his chin instead of under it, because it bothers his neck. One time this past season, while sitting on the grid, I could see he had the strap on his chin. I grabbed the helmet and ripped it right off his head. It scared him, but I was trying to prove the point that in a bad crash the helmet could get knocked clean off if not worn correctly.

Ron, next year, you should pick a random heat race and after the kids are all suited up ready to go, have them all get out of their karts and line up for a safety gear audit. Just check to make sure helmets are buckeled correctly and tight enough.

[Joe Ricard]

My son wore a Bell star junior. SFI 24.1 rated which is required in several series. Itty bitty shell that was very light and had 3 different size inserts to fit the crown of his head.

Now he has an XS shell and it still makes him look like a mushroom head.
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Arrow AX-8/ Rotax Sr.

[Peter Zambos]

Regardless of what brand you purchase, the most important thing is that the helmet fits properly. I see too many young drivers wearing helmets that are obviously too large for them. A helmet only does you any good if it stays on.
Something to keep in mind is that different brands are shaped differently, so don't just go through brand X until she finds the one that fits the best, but actually try on a few different brands. She might like the one that has the nicest graphics, but don't let that sway you.

There's a couple of articles on good fitment.
http://www.racinghelmetguide.com/auto-helmet-sizing.html
http://www.circletrack.com/safety/ctrp_1001_auto_racing_helmet/viewall.html

[Stacey McLaughlin]

Thanks so much everyone!!! One of the local parts guy up here sales Impact and Vega, I see if I can have her try them on. I really appreciate the input!! It really means a lot on such a serious topic!! : ) We are also going to invest in a armadillo vest, I feel they give the most protection also, I like how they go over the shoulders.

[Joe Ricard]

+1 on the Armadillo, I also like the cool pad feature that can be bought as an option. Racing in New Orleans in the summer is HOT!
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Arrow AX-8/ Rotax Sr.

[Jason Miller]

Not sure which Zamp your using. We just picked up the RZ 31 KY. Awesome helmet.
I am with you on the armadillo. My son where's that and an EVS RC evoltion neck brace. Unfortunately it all got tested in a crash where he flipped. Destroyed his helmet but not a scratch or bruise on him.

[Curt Smock]

+1 on the Vega. My son's Arai 5 timed out, we used a Vega to tie us over to the next Arai. They fight over the Vega, they love it.

your track requiring SNELL is a good thing for you. Our first did not and we got an ACME or something. As we went to other tracks we found, they all do. Including RMAX, WKA, etc...