I just received my Charles Owen JR8 helmet in a size up thinking I would put my hair up under it—wrong! After a few minutes of wear, I get a bright red line on my forehead, but after wearing it around the house for awhile I didn’t get a headache. it passed the eyebrow test, but still, a size up?! If I can’t put my hair into it(with an undercut) what am I going to do for shows?! Or when I grow my hair back out?! Do they stretch? I’ve yet to take the tags off because some people say they stretch out… I only look like a mushroom when my hair is up in a bun, but if I braid it down, it is just slightly tighter, but my head looks normal… any help would be great!
They definitely stretch - I’ve learned to buy 6 7/8 instead of my usual 7 1/8 or else after about a month I’d have to put a bunch of padding inside, which I don’t like to do for fear it affects the safe fit. So it will stretch, more than you think.
Yep, they stretch. I wore mine around the house/barn nonstop for almost three weeks before it fit perfectly, but it was worth it. They mold to your head and are very comfy.
Yes, they stretch. The CO rep who fitted my first CO helmet told me I should wear my hair down for the first week or two. The helmet would stretch a bit, and then I’d be able to put my hair up.
I own an AYR8, it stretched a lot, wiggles on my head. Bought an AYR8 Leather Look Custom Piping helmet, same size as my original AYR8, have been wearing it since September and it has yet to stretch, so much tighter on my head. So I’m not sure if the new one stretches as much as the older one, my original AYR8 was probably about 4 or 5 years old though.
I’ll be the voice of dissent. My AYR8 did not stretch…at least not significantly enough to effect fit. I wear a 7 5/8 and the current one I have has been with me for 5 years (getting ready to retire it) and it still fits perfectly.
The “will it, won’t it stretch” question is why I like to buy helmets from Dover. I bought a GPA years ago and the was tole to by a size down. After a month it was still far too tight and Dover took it back, no questions and replaced it for the next size up. I want that option if somethings ends up not fitting…
They don’t so much “stretch” as the padding squishes down a bit. . . I got my AyrBrush a few months ago and I wore it for the first 10-15 rides with my hair in a ponytail, my hair now goes up comfortably. Depending on how much hair you have, you may be fine, but you may need to go larger. I hate to fit a helmet to hair, and not to the actual head, but it can be difficult to get hunter hair into a very snug helmet.
One more tip, when you put your hair up, don’t twist it up the back of your head, try to fan it out so it lays evenly over the top of your head, this will make you more even all the way around and avoid pressure points.
thank y’all!! I really appreciate the help(:
The padding compresses… The helmet does not “stretch.”
[QUOTE=TheJenners;8526658]
The padding compresses… The helmet does not “stretch.”[/QUOTE]
Yes…that is what people mean, at least I hope so. People who think the helmet is actually stretching, well I don’t know about them.
Perhaps I’m the exception? Mine has not compressed in any significant way that effects fit.
[QUOTE=TheJenners;8526658]
The padding compresses… The helmet does not “stretch.”[/QUOTE]
Yes, yes, that’s what we all mean.
I have owned 4 Charles Owen helmets. My first one, a GR8, stretched a lot and eventually didn’t fit. The next one an AYR8 didn’t stretch much, but the padding did compress a bit. The SP8 I had was a bad fit from the beginning. It was tight side to side versus front to back and it never ended up being comfortable. My most recent helmet, an AYR8 leather look, the padding compressed some, but it always fit well. Bit of Britain did tell me that every Charles Owen helmet was designed to fit a slightly different shape of head, so that’s something to keep in mind also.
[QUOTE=TheJenners;8526658]
The padding compresses… The helmet does not “stretch.”[/QUOTE]
this is what I was referring to(: I know that the physical exterior doesn’t stretch??
