Helmet help and suggestions for the Hunter/Jumper Ring

[anyanicholson]

Currently I am showing in both equitation classes and hunters. I purchased a GPA Speed Air Helmet a couple months ago and am starting to have some second thoughts about my purchase.
I’m thinking of exchanging it for the First Lady.

(My Speed Air doesn’t quite fit me right either, the sides of the helmet are a little wide, and the helmet can move from side to side if I wiggle my head but the helmet fits snugly against my forehead and back of my head.)

Does the First Lady fit differently? Anybody know?

My problem is I have a more narrow face and my Speed Air looks a little funny on me so I thought maybe the First Lady would look better since it has the wide brim/visor?

I’d also be considering a Charles Owen since all the girls at the barn I just transferred to have them, so I feel a little bit out of place even though I really like my GPA.
Leaning toward a First Lady so anybody who owns one I’d love to hear your opinion, does it look good on all head shapes?

Any advise or suggestions that’d be great!

[goodlife]

I have a Speed Air and a First Lady, after riding in a CO GR8 for a short while. Both the GPA models fit me similarly, with the FL maybe being a tiny bit more round than the Speed Air. The GR8 never fit me quite right - they tend to work for people with more oval shaped heads. Mine is very round and (unfortunately for my wallet) the GPA line fits way better.

If you like the look of the First Lady, maybe try a CO SP8.

[HunterRider992]

It sounds like you have a more oval head. GPA helmets have a more round fit so I’d suggest going with a CO as they tend to fit oval heads better.

[SlamDunk]

I find GPA’s don’t ever fit me quite right. Same with the Samshield unfortunately.
I found the Charles Owen fit me best and just got a SP8 at the Master’s. I really really like the helmet, I think they look very nice and they are definitely cooler then the older Charles Owens. Probably have similar airflow to a Samshield, although maybe not quite as much as a Speed Air.

[iEquitate]

Yep, I’d go for the CO as it sounds like you have an oval head. Will the tack shop let you exchange after a few months? I’d be surprised if so… but either way, I’d recommend a CO, as the First Lady will fit quite similarly to the speed air.

[GoneAway]

I would try the CO AYR8. I was a die hard GPA girl, still would love to be, but the AYR8 does fit be better on the sides and front/back than the GPAs do. The GR8 is way too long for my head through, so that doesn’t sound like it’d work for you.

[klmck63]

I tried a First Lady after I fell and needed to replace my Speed Air. Sadly, the First Lady gave me a big headache and a dented forehead. So in my experience the First Lady is rounder than Speed Air, enough so that I couldn’t wear it. Instead a wound up with a Samshield which I do really like and I think is the same shape as the Speed Air.

ETA Charles Owens for whatever reason don’t fit me unless
I get them in a really large size, and then I look funny.

[anyanicholson]

See, I’d go with a Charles Owen, but I really like the GPA style, and I like the GPA I hade I just want to try the First Lady but I wouldn’t try the Charles Owen with the visor like the First Lady since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s copying and that it’s more flattering as a GPA and whatnot.
I’m really caught between the First Lady and since I basically have an oval head, if the FL is even more round, that makes me a little nervous since the Speed Air already is the incorrect fit…

[anyanicholson]

[QUOTE=anyanicholson;7189183]
See, I’d go with a Charles Owen, but I really like the GPA style, and I like the GPA I hade I just want to try the First Lady but I wouldn’t try the Charles Owen with the visor like the First Lady since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s copying and that it’s more flattering as a GPA and whatnot.
I’m really caught between the First Lady and since I basically have an oval head, if the FL is even more round, that makes me a little nervous since the Speed Air already is the incorrect fit…[/QUOTE]

See, I’d go with a Charles Owen, but I really like the GPA style, and I like the GPA I hade I just want to try the First Lady but I wouldn’t try the Charles Owen with the visor like the First Lady since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s copying and that it’s more flattering as a GPA and whatnot.
I’m really caught between the First Lady and since I basically have an oval head, if the FL is even more round, that makes me a little nervous since the Speed Air already is the incorrect fit…

[anyanicholson]

[QUOTE=klmck63;7188995]
I tried a First Lady after I fell and needed to replace my Speed Air. Sadly, the First Lady gave me a big headache and a dented forehead. So in my experience the First Lady is rounder than Speed Air, enough so that I couldn’t wear it. Instead a wound up with a Samshield which I do really like and I think is the same shape as the Speed Air.

ETA Charles Owens for whatever reason don’t fit me unless
I get them in a really large size, and then I look funny.[/QUOTE]

See, I’d go with a Charles Owen, but I really like the GPA style, and I like the GPA I hade I just want to try the First Lady but I wouldn’t try the Charles Owen with the visor like the First Lady since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s copying and that it’s more flattering as a GPA and whatnot.
I’m really caught between the First Lady and since I basically have an oval head, if the FL is even more round, that makes me a little nervous since the Speed Air already is the incorrect fit…

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

So first off: a helmet should never wiggle, front to back OR side to side. Your current helmet is not safe to ride in, I would return it.

I would then go to a tack store with a certified helmet fitter (yes there is such a thing, charles owen goes around to tack stores that carry their products and teach the employees how to fit the helmets properly so that they are safe) and have them fit you properly.

Also, if you have an oval head, don’t even bother looking at round helmets. That doesn’t make sense.

If you go to a tack store you can stuff your head in as many different shaped helmets as you want until you find the one that fits the best and is signed off on by the helmet fitter.

You can live without some of your organs but your brain is not one of those, make sure your helmet fits.

[Rel6]

Fit and appearance are definitely two separate issues. CO looks the best on me, GPA fits me the best. I find the Samshield to look more like a CO and fit more like a GPA, so after 10 years of GPAs I finally made the switch to the Samshield. I LOVE it and haven’t looked back!

The bottom line is that you really need to go for the helmet that fits best and then what looks the best. Appearance isn’t going to help you when you take a header in to an oxer!

[hoofbeats]

When I bought my AYR8 last year, I tried on a few different helmets and this is what I’ve found:
The GR8 fits people that have very oval heads. It also seemed to fit a bit more “shallow” than the AYR8. The AYR8 has a “deeper” bowl, and is a bit rounder, but not as round as the GPA’s. Neither of the GPAs really fit my head… unfortunately. Although I love my AYR8, I have found that my head get very hot in the summer, and my friend with a GPA said her head also got much hotter in the AYR8… Just something to consider if you ride in a hot climate.