Hello Coth hive mind,
I recently ordered a new helmet as mine has now been going for 5 years. It’s never been in a fall, but I tend to follow the 5 year replacement school of thought. I live in the Northeast so the helmet is exposed to cold and heat. I’ve noticed over the last few months that it seems to be fitting a little looser and I need to adjust my hair to keep it fitting snugly. The new helmet just arrived today, but the date stamped inside says 2018. The one I’ve been using is from 2017 (but I also purchased it in 2017). Should I be concerned that this new helmet has potentially been sitting in a warehouse for over 3 years? Does a helmet start breaking down from the time it’s made, or the time that it starts being used?
I have been told the 5 year life begins with use. That said, I would NOT be happy to receive a helmet that was mfr’d 5 years ago and would send it back, requesting a new one (within 1 year from mfr date).
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Yup, 5 years of use. If you use it less frequently (not a pro, show helmet, seasonal use, store indoors etc.) you can get a bit more time out of it. This was per a Charles Owen rep on a Facebook thread, so I would consider the source valid.
That said, I’m with Lusoluv…I would 100% send it back for a newer one. Even if it’s still good to use, a helmet manufactured in 2018 isn’t one I’d pay “new” dollars for.
I’ve always heard that regardless of whether the helmet spends its life sitting on a shelf in a box, the materials inside still disintegrate over time, hence the 5 year rule. I’d send it back if it were me.
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I wonder if you ordered it from the same place as the OP of this post a year ago? I don’t think she ever outed the company, unfortunately.
Return that one and get a new one. I use the stamped date as a guideline. The material in a helmet will have started breaking down already (just existing does that), though substantially less than a helmet being exposed to extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, and all the little falls/bangs that happen from carrying a helmet around. I’d assume the helmet is fine to use, but I wouldn’t trust it to last five years from now.
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I agree. Helmets can be expensive (not everyone’s head fits the cheapest ones on the market, before people jump on me). You should expect a relatively new helmet so you can wear it for the maximum number of years before replacing it.
Regarding the fit, though–that might be a size issue. I wear a Charles Owen JR8 (I’ve owned three or four, probably since they started making them.) I find the padding breaks down and molds to the head significantly after the first month or two, so I’d consider ordering a quarter size smaller than feels comfortable at first with some brands. I don’t mean it should be painful, but I think some new helmets should be bought slightly tighter to allow for the inevitable compressing.
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Follow the recommendations provided by manufacture. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a newly purchased KASK helmet came with a 10 year replacement guideline. Certainly this information will sway purchasing decisions for some. Below is copied from the KASK Faq Support site.
AFTER HOW LONG MUST THE HELMET BE REPLACED?
The helmet’s life depends on various factors, which cause deterioration, including sudden temperature changes, the degree to which it is exposed to sunlight, and the intensity of use. Inspect the helmet regularly to check for any damage! Cracks, detached parts, warping, flaking, and changes in color are significant elements for verifying the helmet’s state of deterioration; in any case, we advise replacing it after approximately 10 years, because over time its capacity for protection decreases due to the aging of the materials. The manufacturing date is shown inside of the helmet.
OneK recommends that helmets are replaced every 3-5 years "Finally, it is recommended you replace your helmet every three to five years (sometimes more frequently is required depending on hours of use). "
