Hi- I am looking for a helmet to fit my big ol’ head, and of course, none of the local shops has one that fits. I have heard the IRH Elite Xtreme in long oval works well, but before I purchase one, I am wanting input from other riders. I will be showing sometime in the future, but that is not super important right now. I want as low a profile as I can. I am looking at the CO Hampton and the GPA Easy, although I would rather keep it $200 or less. All the posts I have read on various forums were from a few years back, so I am thinking there might be other options not mentioned in those forums. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!
The best thing you can do is try them all on. If you’re not local to a tack store, Smartpak does free shipping and returns on sized items.
I buy CO helmets in the oval shape, but I’ve also found that some of the IRH helmets also fit. They tend to be less expensive, if you are on a budget.
IMHO people don’t have to spend $300-600 to get a good helmet.
That description fits my head too. I wear a 7 5/8" (60) in my GPA and Samshield helmets. I bought my daughter an adjustable Ovation helmet (the deluxe schooler) when she was little that I decided I liked so much that I got myself one too. I got this one:
http://www.victorycanter.com/Ovation-Z-6-Elite.html
I absolutely love it! I ride in it daily and I’ve shown in it at big and little shows as well. Best of all, when it starts to feel a little worn (or I’ve had a fall), I don’t mind replacing it.
With that being said, I bought a slightly different model in the same size (M/L) (this one: http://www.ovationriding.com/helmets/ovation-z-10-soul-helmet-469359) and it fits differently than my Z-6 Elite helmet. The Z-6 fits just right at the very upper end of the dial range. The Z-10 is snug even at the tightest. So next time around I’m going to go back to my Z-6.
I have a large head with an oval shape and I have had good luck with both CO and Samshield. I prefer the Samshield because of the removable liner and the ability to change the liner to wash or to change out the size. I think part of my problem with helmet fit is a high forehead, so none of the GPA helmets fit me, they are designed for a rounder head with a more sloped back forehead. Helmet fit is tough, I find my best bet is to try on helmets in person at tack shops or at vendor booths at shows. For example, there are certain CO helmets that fit me but really look enormous, and others that look much better. Also, I find that sizing is not necessarily consistent among brands or even among styles. Going with Smartpak would be the next best option because of their great shipping deal.
I have the IRH Elite Xtreme for my I have a super oval head that is not particularly small (I wear a 7 1/8). It’s the best fit and least bubble look I’ve ever had with a helmet. And, it’s very well ventilated and makes it easy to put my hair under the harness in the back.
Other data points:
I haven’t tried the GPA Easy specifically, but I did try the Speed-Air a while back and it was too round.
COs in general have been pretty good for me, but still just a tad too round. The AYR8 would probably be my second choice of fit after the IRH.
I’ve heard Samshields are also good for ovals, but I haven’t tried one yet.
I did try OneK’s long oval and there was nothing oval about it. I could have put corn cobs behind my ears, or done up Princess Leah buns instead of hunter hair.
Big, oval head here too. In a non “long oval” helmet I need a 7 1/2 to get the front to back, but then it is too wide. I’m wearing a 7 1/4 Long Oval IRH Extreme Elite now and it fits very well and is the least obstrusive of those I tried on. I found COs to be too “shallow” for my tall forehead and they made me look like a mushroom.
You probably are not going to be able to try on helmets in stores as most won’t stock anything bigger than 7 1/2 and I’ve never seen a long oval in a retail store. I agree with the suggestion to use Smartpak’s good return policy to find one that fits. That’s what I did, it required some patience, I purchased and sent back three before arriving at the right one. I spoke to them on the phone about what I was up to and they were very willing to help.
I also fit the criteria and love my IRH Elite Extreme. Good luck with your choice. Try some on.
The CO helmets all seem to vary in how they fit; going someplace you can try them all on is really useful. (For me, for instance, the AYR8 and GR8 both feel fine, but somehow the GR8 sticks up quite a bit more.) As another big-oval-headed person, the only two places I’ve ever had really good luck with big sizes being in stock were the SmartPak retail store (Mass.) and Adams Horse Supplies (Maine).
The Charles Owen J3 7 5/8 fits me well. Adams Horse Supply and Bit of Britain are willing to order the Charles Owens in the bigger sizes for all of us with big heads. Just be sure no one sends you a helmet that has sat around for years in the shop.
Smart Pak usually does not carry the bigger sizes and won’t order them. I have decided to decrease my ordering from Smart Pak to supplements only because of the helmet issue and their discontinuation of prescription horse meds.
It is nice to see there are others of us out there. It is discouraging to walk into a huge place like Dover and have them tell me they don’t have a helmet that fits me.
A Charles Owen sounds like your best bet, and you can get a fantastic bargain by ordering from a UK-based tack store. I got my last helmet, an AYR8 in the leather-look finish, for $225, shipping included, by buying from overseas.
I ended up ordering the One K Defneder in long oval. We will see when it gets here if it fits. Thanks for all your input!!
