Glad to hear it wasn’t even worse and that you’re on the mend.
You’ve also convinced me to do a little shopping. Off to investigate the differences between the two Trauma Void styles and the CO one.
1 Like
I’m glad to hear you’re OK. What a horrible, freak accident. I’m glad you were wearing a good helmet.
I just tossed some old helmets yesterday, in fact. I had a bad accident and resulting concussion 30 years ago - the last of many, Thankfully, I was wearing the latest in helmet tech at that time and it probably saved my life. I still can’t remember courses without writing them down and struggle with dressage tests and peoples’ names.
Looks like I, too will be shopping for a new Charles Owen.
1 Like
Here’s another who was prodded (I was already convinced it was a good idea but needed a nudge) into buying a trauma void by you - ironically before your accident, but bc of your posting about it. Hubby ran into a tree fox hunting and got a mild concussion. I told him he had to get a new helmet (like many newish riders, he didn’t realize that the fact that his helmet looked fine after an impact didn’t mean it was fine), and that I wanted him to try a Trauma Void. He bought one while Dover was giving away a 100$ coupon for 200$+ purchases, so I bought one for 150. I have a perfectly good fairly new Tipp that I love but it really is crazy not to wear the safest thing you can on your head.
Thanks for spreading the word and so glad you are healing well!
2 Likes
I am so thrilled that so many folks are looking at new helmet purchases.
Just a couple tips for the folks looking at Trauma Voids.
If you are looking at an EQ3 I need you to know the following. The helmet comes with 2 liners. They look identical, THEY ARE NOT. One is thinner and one is thicker. You need to try the helmet in your size with BOTH liners, one at a time. They’re easy to Velcro in, but only one will fit. If you only try the helmet on with 1 liner and it doesn’t fit right, you might walk away saying “Oh it didn’t fit me” So please do try both. Your salesperson should know this. Ask and make sure that they do. I was actually at a tack trailer in Wellington in December 2018 and the owner of that shop thought the liners were an extra to have so she had cut them off the helmets and had them in a separate display so people could buy an extra. Needless to say she was embarrassed and was trying to think of a way to rectify the situation after we spoke.
I own 4 Trauma Voids now. NONE of them fit me with the thicker liner. All fit me with the thinner liner. My newest helmet’s thinner liner is a touch thick so I swapped an existing liner that fits and put the liner that needs more rides into my daily helmet.
NOW part 2. The Lynx.
The lynx is a dial fit helmet. Before you try it on you should turn the dial back and forth both ways and ensure that the dial fit is tightening and loosening the mechanism. It will be easy to see. Then try it on. The dial is pretty close to the occipital lobe. Some people, depending on their skull conformation, may find this uncomfortable. So please try it on.
The Lynx only has one liner so no need to look for a second for that. (The dial makes the fit adjustments)
Part 3: You can’t please all of the people all of the time…
Not everyone will fit in a Trauma Void. Not every helmet will fit everyone. I really want to emphasize this. I am lucky that I fit in the Trauma Voids, but if you don’t, all is not lost. The Charles Owen helmets are out there. The Tipperary one is coming in February. And I am pretty sure that we will likely see others come out in the future as well.
Though not ASTM approved (Because the company doesn’t submit to the ASTM for approvals) Champion helmets in the UK also have a MIPS helmet. We are early in the use of this technology and I am hopeful that more companies will adopt it or even better improve on the technology as we progress in our uses of it.
Good luck shopping and if you’re in my area or Albany remember that Dover Hockessin and Latham have Tent Sales this weekend!!!
Em
5 Likes
I have always had the best fit with Tipperary, so I am waiting to see what they come out with. But assuming they fit me as well as their existing helmets, I’ll be at the front of the line to buy one thanks to you drawing my attention to them.
4 Likes
The above is all correct. Just wanted to add that the thicker liner is meant for folks whose heads need an “oval fit” & the thinner liner is for a “round fit”. When you first open the box, the thinner liner is the one that’s already velcroed into the helmet. The thicker liner is in a ziploc bag that is attached to the harness. They do look almost the same but the thicker liner has the padding on the side of your head quilted into 3 “pillows” on each side, so that’s how to tell them apart if you get them mixed up. It would be helpful if TraumaVoid labeled them, but they don’t.
If you do want extra liners, you can purchase them separately. I don’t think they’re on the website, but I’ve ordered them for myself & other people, so you should be able to get them from other TraumaVoid sellers too. I believe they are $12.95. I like having extras so I can take 1 home to wash & have another to use.
4 Likes
First of all , I am glad you are safe and sound!
the Samshield comment does not surprise me in the least. Back when they were first getting really popular someone asked on an Instagram post if they were participating in International Helmet Day sales. There was a curt “we do not discount our products” reply. Which I think they had a change of heart after seeing everyone else do massive discounts and gave a generous 10% off. :rolleyes: They could probably put out a MIPS helmet at the same price point and not have to much cut into the profit of each one. No way in hell do those cost anywhere near $400-$600 to manufacture.
They may be popular right now, but they should look into what happened with GPA. They were THE helmet to have and had stupid high pricing, until the Charles Owen came into fashion and now they have discounted helmets at almost every retailer. You don’t see very much of them anymore in any ring. I’m starting to see more and more upper level riders in the Kask helmets…
3 Likes
Has Tipperary released the NAME of the forthcoming helmet? Does anyone know?
1 Like
Was Ovation one of the companies you contacted? They’re a lower end brand but their helmets have always worked very well for me. In the mean time I’m going to go and try the Trauma Voids, and see how they fit. I’ve been meaning to do that anyway, and you’ve given me a nudge! Very glad you’re ok by the way, sounds horrific.
It really surprised me how many kids at my barn assumed that Samshields were better/safer due to the higher price. As far as I can see you’re basically paying for sparkles…
4 Likes
I am so glad that you are ok!!! I have no experience with Samshield, but they seem so worthless. I would rather spend my money at that price for a helmet with better protection without the sparkles and glitter. I mean, come on! And the fact that they are refusing to put in MIPS tech in their helmets turns me off even more.
3 Likes
Nope. Not yet but we’re still 5 months out.
Hey give my dad credit, I made him watch the linked MIPS videos then he’s playing with his phone. Wouldn’t you know he’s got a graphic up of the innards of the new NFL helmet and is showing me the inner liner to that that we think is very similar to MIPS.
Em
2 Likes
Helmet purchased. I went to Dover so I could take advantage of a wider size and selection range. Plopped the 58-cm eQ3 on my head while I was waiting for the sales person to bring the smaller one I thought I’d take given that I have a medium (55-56 cm) OneK and it felt great.
I managed to escape the store with only the helmet and a new dressage whip, though I was sorely tempted by the new navy Ariat shirts with the white horses on them. #selfcontrol #kinda
5 Likes
Realized recently that my current helmet is of an age where I should replace it…glad that I didn’t buy something on international helmet day, as I would have just replaced with what I have. This is very good information to have, and thank you very much for sharing it with us all.
Sending good thoughts for an uncomplicated, and speedy, recovery your way. xx.
4 Likes
I’m a bit late to this but I too would like to say I’m glad you (and horse) are ok and also thanks for the helmet into. I’m due to replace and will certainly go with a MIPS helmet.
3 Likes
I’m happy to hear that about the horse!
And no, I meant it was time to replace the Samshield with a Trauma Void or similar helmet. Like this week. You’re an inspiration!
2 Likes
Aurgh. Torn. I do want one of these helmets now, but every year I go try ALL the helmets and EVERY year I conclude that the Tipperary shape fits me best. Like a glove. Right out of the box. Every year. So I think… I’m really going to prefer the Tipperary and I should wait. Boo.
2 Likes
I don’t blame you but would it hurt to go try the ones out now? Just to see?
The Trauma Void helmets fit me SOOO much better than the Charles Owens. It’s been a huge uptick in my quality of life. I can’t even describe. I was a devoted CO owner but had issues along the way. Headaches, helmets would only fit well for 7 months or so and then they’d stretch.
These helmets are here now and it wouldn’t hurt to try them on. You can still wait until February.
Em
I will if I am ever near a tack store (which is never). I buy everything online. Which is one thing that’s so nice about the predictable shape of the Tip. But I will try these on if I happen to see them.
Me too! Every time I’ve bought a helmet other than a Tip, I’ve kicked myself later. Until I got the Trauma Void this summer. I started off using the TV as my show helmet, but I like it too much. I do sometimes still wear the Tip because it is only a year or so old, but mostly I wear the TV.
I have always struggled to find a helmet that fits well. I usually end up with whatever fits the least poorly. But agree with XctryGrl that if the MIPS is out there, it seems worthwhile to try to get it!
Here are the details of my recent helmet journey:
I have two issues—I definitely have a very oval-shaped head, AND I am always exactly on the in-between size for every dial-fit helmet I have tried. Like the medium is too small at the most-dialed out, and the large has to be dialed in too much to fit (as it creates a rounder fit once you dial it in super-far, making it gappy/wobbly side-to-side, and presses uncomfortably on the base of my skull.)
I tried both of the Trauma Void helmets in multiple sizes and couldn’t get a decent fit with either.
The EQ3 sits too high on my head and the Lynx has the dial-fit issue I mentioned above.
I ended up with the Charles Owen My PS.
I think for me, the sized helmet is always going to be the best option, and CO is traditionally more of an oval shape.
(*Note though: Charles Owen does make a round version of this helmet! But not everyone offers it online. If you don’t see the option to order regular vs round when you select the size, you will be getting the “regular” (oval). I noticed that SmartPak offers both.)
I am ALSO sort of halfway in between a 7 1/8 and 7 1/4 in all helmets. (Again - I fit nothing well!)
I usually opt for the smaller, in case of any compression of the liner and I also feel like it’s safer to be a bit snug rather than a bit too loose.
It’s well-made, fairly flattering (on me), and I think would be very comfortable for most people that more properly fit a size.
For me, I still get a bit of pressing on my forehead but slightly less than my previous helmets (which include a OneK oval. Which at least for me, is not that oval??), and it doesn’t gap on the sides. It’s as least as well ventilated as my OneK was.
As an aside, I have also tried some of the other of the newer non-MIPS helmets that came out recently:
The OneK Avance with the wider brim. Nice helmet but too much side-to-side movement on my head, even with the long oval.
And the Tipperary Royal with gloss trim and the wide brim, which was pretty nice looking and a much cheaper substitute for the Samshield, looks-wise if you like that look.
This was the one I held onto longest as a “maybe” during my lengthy helmet purchase-and-return episode, but I still had the dial-fit issue, though not as extreme as I experienced with the Lynx.
And I ultimately really wanted the MIPS technology. Especially if I didn’t find anything that fit perfectly without it.
So I’ll be interested to see if Tipperary comes out with a sized version of MIPS.
1 Like
