I honestly haven’t noticed a difference. I typically ride only one horse, so I am not wearing it for 4 or 5 hours at a time.
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I hate my Samshield lol
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I have a friend who says “that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla”.
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totally lol Once it came out the safety rating is garbage, it just solidified my hatred haha
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I just don’t understand how / why Samshield justifies charging some of the highest prices on the market for one of the most inferior products, safety-wise.
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I gotta say, reading all of this is warming my heart. I started the Facebook group for info on MIPS helmets a few years ago and as a part of that process I emailed all the helmet brands to ask when or if they were going to make a MIPS helmet. I got some great replies, some middle of the road replies and then I got the Samshield reply.
I have shown the words they have sent (twice now) to my closest riding friends. All of us agree they do not ever need a penny of our funds again after the way they responded and what they’re prioritizing.
All this said, I know I cannot sway every person. But I hope that the Va Tech study results and tests from this point forward will in some way influence the helmet brands to step up the safety level of a helmet many notches. I was at the August Symposium for the Helmet brands involved in the study at Va Tech and the things they’re doing and the levels they’re going to test at should help push our helmets to be much safer in the next 5 years.
It’s my hope that this will cause a cultural shift to once again value performance (Safety) over popularity.
Em
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Thank you for all your work on this. I’m going to try a couple mentioned on here.
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One reason I’m so jazzed about the Ovation is that they tend to be starter helmets that parents choose for their kids just starting out. At that price, I hope more parents will choose them.
Of course, it would also help if they make children’s sizes with a little glitter on them.
Do many (any?) of the MIPS helmets fit smaller heads?
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Indeed!!!
The OneK MIPS has a Junior line that sizes very far down. I just bought one of the smallest for my 2.5 yr old nephew and it’s brilliant.
The CO and Champion’s both go down a ways as well.
The Ovations are also able to go quite small. So too are the Uvex with also a very agreeable price point.
If I can tell folks anything about MIPS it’s that more and more brands are making some and with that comes more options.
We have 1, count them, ONE tack shop in the country*(see below) that is committed to selling every brand of MIPS helmet sold. That’s Fair Hill Saddlery in Fair Hill, MD. Kimberly and Frank Chick own it. Kim is an EXCELLENT helmet fitter and she offers Zoom fittings online. (EVEN if you didn’t buy the helmet from her!!!)
USE the resources we have and try more helmets on. If it means a road trip or buying a bunch to try then do it!!!
Also some brands (OneK and Charles Owen offhand) are using systems where there are removable liners that change up the sizing of the helmet between sizes. The shells are ONLY made in a few sizes and the liners are what adjust the helmet to fit the rider. So… you don’t just buy a size 7 CO Halo and if it doesn’t fit return it. NO NO. You get the CO Halo Headband in the next size up or down and swap out the liner and try it. (Don’t ask me why they called them that but CO Headband = interchangeable liners) This is crucially important to explain to people. It is something that comes up OFTEN.
Em
*= That I know of.
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The Tipperary Windsor size small would easily fit most children. I wear a 6 7/8 in traditional sizing and the small is too small for me. Tipperary also has a second MIPS model now, I think it’s called the Devon. Not sure if fit / shape is different from the Windsor
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This is similar to the Samshield…which encourages me to think I’ll find one that fits.
Devon and the Windsor are different shapes.
I will very quickly caution that it’s a dangerous thing to say resolutely “Oh I AM A ROUND HEAD, so therefore I will not try anything not described as such!!!” (or oval or whatever… you get the idea)
The helmet manufacturers vary, in some cases very widely, on what is “round” and what is “oval.”
Also with the way new helmets are made the fit can be adjusted FAR more than the helmets of old thanks to liners, fit tape and supplemental foam pieces.
So PLEASE, try as many helmets as you can. The key to being safest is to find the one that fits YOUR head the best. I of course hope it has MIPS, but a poor fitting MIPS helmet will likely not out perform a well fitting non-MIPS helmet.
Em
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Which one???
Em
Samshield’s response- I can only guess- is only a reflection of every thing that is wrong with the current hunter world
I would go a bit further. Since I did also get a response from a rep on the other side of the Atlantic that was much in line with the first obscene response.
It’s not so much a Hunter thing as an entitlement thing. And a very very extreme inhibition with a wider world view. Cannot see beyond the end of your wallet type moment.
Em
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So basically, why should we spend money on that when people are more than willing to buy our product already with out it?
@Xctrygirl, I just want you to know that your facebook group has helped two people I know find a MIPS helmet that fits them. Your group is amazing.
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The OneK with liners sounds similar to the Samshield w liners. I had a One K, but it was heavier (weight is a complicating factor for my neck) and never quite fit. The Samshield was lighter and fit better. If I can get a good fit w OneK, the weight might not matter.
I think we’ll stick with what they said, both times, horrified me, my friends and my immediate family enough that we’re all never going to buy anything from them. Ever.
Em
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Thank you. We have some fun stuff coming and I am about to start trying to get a well known celebrity of the horse world for a winter chat about helmet safety. Not sure if it’s doable, but we’ll try and see.
Em
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