What do you wear on your head when hunting?

[Romany]

I just read the post about wearing body armour while hunting, and it got me thinking about the assortment of headgear I see on the hunting field.

So - do you wear a crash helmet (like the type that jockeys and event riders wear)? Or an approved velvet-covered helmet? Or an approved plastic vented helmet (like the Tipperary ones)? Chin-strap removed? Or a topper, bowler, or some other traditional-looking piece of headgear that isn’t certified to protect your head in the unlikely event that your head will contact the ground at speed some day, but looks good?

For the record, I’m one of the “every time, every ride” crash helmet wearers (Charles Owen J3), waiting for my velvet cover for it! I like the fit and the lack of restricted visibility that often comes with traditional helmet peaks (for me, anyway).

Just curious, not judgemental: I firmly believe that, as an adult, one should be able to choose whether or not one’s brains are worth spending a little money protecting - I do, but many others don’t.

[SteeleRdr]

For hunting, I have navy, brown, and black hunt caps (CO Ascot) and wear without the harness. When I wear my shadbelly, I have a tophat. Also have a derby/bowler (have yet to wear though).

When I school at home, I mostly ride in my crash helmet (Champion, which actually is not approved in the US). And for showing I have a velvet GPA Titium because the hunters don’t really like the crash helmet with the black nylon cover!

[bird4416]

I wear a velvet GPA. I want to protect my noggin.

[Hunter_s_Rest]

Champion lover here, too. Euro deluxe jockey skull cap. With black silk cover, with rubber band to hold it on. Champion fits me oohhhhh so nicely. Love how it fits. Love how it looks. Was wearing one in 1989 when I did not die in a fiery steeplechasing crash, so I am a lifetime supporter (hit my head at 35 mph - was lucky to survive.) Champion rocks. No other helmet fits.
I have a Champion hunt cap (with harness) that I got at hte same time I ordered my last skull cap from England. It fits similar but still prefer the skull cap.

[JSwan]

I wear a Charles Owen helmet at home.

Hunting I wear a traditional styled safety helmet. I can’t remember the brand name - but it looks like a velveteen hunt cap (as close as possible anyway).

[gkittredge]

Live Free and Hunt

I wear a non-ASTM approved hunt cap without a harness that probably would not survive a drop out of the dressing room from the trailer.

Ironically, I religiously wear my seatbelt.

[Painted_Wings]

I wear a Charles Owens approved helmet for hunting. It’s velvet covered and looks somewhat traditional. At home I school in a vented Tipperary.

[Beverley]

Mostly I wear the black velvet ASTM w/ harness- Troxel maybe, Grand Prix maybe. I do still have my old brown-with-age and tattered hunt cap floating around somewhere, but haven’t worn it in a while. Also still have my bowler, a bit battered but still serviceable, but haven’t worn it for hunting for several years. Though a colleague at work really wants me to ‘dude up’ in hunt attire w/bowler for his Dad’s annual cattle drive, I just might accommodate him if he remembers to tell me when it’s happening!

[Weatherford]

Funny thread - last time I wore a hunt cap or derby (switched after 18) out hunting was about 1977… Since then, I have always worn a safety helmet (with cover before the days of the nice velvet ones). Here, it is better to wear a cover helmet than and expensive CO or something, as the weather tends to be bad…

Now, if I could only figure out how not to run into things when on the ground…

[wateryglen]

but we wear helmets!!

From my observations; 99.5% of the foxhunters in our area wear black ASTM velvet safety helmets with harness. Personally I HATE those skunk helmet things…solid black ok. What I really hate is that I keep my hunting helmets just for that so they last forever and inevitably the technology improves and just what do we do with still servicable and decent looking helmets when we wanna new one! ?? My current one isn’t vented and I wanna vented one to keep a cool head!!
So now the secret’s out - Wateryglen is a hot head!!! :winkgrin:

But....There was just a bit of preachiness in your post perhaps!?  We're all mostly grownups here and not sure we needed this.  We all know the issues well....foxhunters especially know!!!  I applaud your passion and caring.  But our forum wears helmets out foxhunting - they are required gear!

[Mudroom]

A few years ago our hunt adopted a formal policy that while hunting, certified helmets are required for juniors and “strongly encouraged” for adults. It is rare that you will see a field member in our group without one.

Sure you’ll see top hats or something in the Corinthian Class at our Hunter Trials.

You see a few GPA’s but not too many. Some velvet covers over schooling helmets or skull caps, but those are usually guests from the eventing world or show world etc.

[flash1]

I have several different helmets…but all are ASTM certified. I value my head…never know when I could land on it!!!

[JSwan]

You know - I didn’t start to hit my head in a fall until I started wearing a certified helmet.

Ergo - certified safety helmets make you fall off your horse.

[SidesaddleRider]

I either wear a brown CO Ascot or a black hunt cap (don’t remember the make). For formal occasions I wear a top hat. I also have a bowler, but have not worn it yet.

I do have a GPA for astride showing, and CO Hampton for sidesaddle showing (since we’re required to have approved helmets, sigh). I had to get 2 different ones, the GPA to fit when my hair is up, and the CO for when my hair is in a bun.

[CarrieK]

You know - I didn’t start to hit my head in a fall until I started wearing a certified helmet.

Ergo - certified safety helmets make you fall off your horse.

Back a million years ago when I got my first helmet–can’t remember the brand–it was big and seriously mushroomy and weighed a ton, and I swear it effected my balance. It was so heavy, and apparently I have a wet noodle for a neck, that my head’d tip and then I’d be sitting all skewed.

When I blamed the helmet I was teased, of course, but I’m certain the darned thing put me back a few years riding-skills-wise.

[bovon]

I always wear a helmet every time every ride…I want to hold on to the limited amount of braincells that I do have… Ride in a velvet troxel for hunting…tried the GPA’s to see what the fuss was all about and found out that an IRH works just as well and fit me better and cost about $125.00 less so I wear that at one day horse trials and at home my white schooling helmet fits the bill. I am a bit of a helmet fanatic and everytime I think about not wearing one juit for “this ride” something happens to reaffirm my belief in helmets…case in point…yesterday while opening gate from one pasture to another pasture on horseback w/ other horses running like crazed hiennas…my very high spirited thoroughbred decided to abruptly lift his head up just as i was lowering mine to open said gate…bang he whacked me a good one and it hurt with the helmet ON…glad again that I wear one everytime for everyride because you just never know…plus I’ve been dumped enough times and gotten whacked by overhanging branches while riding through dense woods…like I said I need every single brian cell I’ve got…so far I’m up to five!!:winkgrin: I have noticed hunt staff and masters tooling around in their bowlers…guess they never fall off…certainly ride better tthan I do!!:winkgrin:

[stroll]

I wear the CO Ascot for our formal season, and a bowler during the cubbing season. At home I have another CO Ascot I wear. In our hunt field, it is about 50 - 50 with who wears an approved helmet, and who doesn’t.

[Weatherford]

I have noticed hunt staff and masters tooling around in their bowlers…guess they never fall off…certainly ride better tthan I do!!:winkgrin:

Wow! EVEN when I was a kid in the 60’s our hunt staff and masters NEVER wore bowlers!! Always hard hats! From what I see here, most of them STILL wear hard hats - though, I do see some CO’s out there, too…

Stroll - why would you wear the Ascot for formal and bowler for informal season? I would think it would be the other way around ? Just curious!

I admit I love the look/feel of my bowler - but never wear it anymore - too many head injuries!

[SidesaddleRider]

@bovon;2453806

I have noticed hunt staff and masters tooling around in their bowlers…guess they never fall off…certainly ride better tthan I do!!:winkgrin:

That’s odd…actually improper, if you follow the strict attire rules. Technically, staff should always have a hunt cap on, and the field should always be in either a bowler or top hat. Obviously, the field’s hat attire has changed, but I’ve still yet to see staff, or master, in anything other than a hunt cap or helmet.

[Tantivy1]

Stroll:

Read where you stated you wore a CO helmet, specifically, the Ascot model, and an alarm bell went off…I checked online and I had remembered correctly…while it is a beautiful helmet it is NOT an ASTM certified helmet, it is an item of apparel ONLY. I think this applies to the CO Hampton model as well.

I am unsure of any difference between “approved” and “certified” but would guess they are maybe the same thing?

The CO Showjumper model IS approved/certified as is the GR8 (sp?). I think most of the CO models are approved but 2-3 of them are not and it is always stated somewhere - “not ASTM approved”. (The SJ model has been revised and now has a much lower profile than the older ones).

There is a HUGE difference between “apparel” v. “approved” for those that are interested.

Here is the info I easily found:

Questions? Call us at 800-450-1559, or email info@legacytack.com

Charles Owen Ascot Hunt Cap

Quantity in Basket: None Code: 10588Price: $132.95 Shipping Weight: 3.00 pounds

The Ascot by Charles Owen is the most elegant show hat on the market. Features a removable, sweat-resistant, open-back leather harness with a unique fastening system designed for comfort and a slim appearance. Classic profile is covered in Italian cotton velvet. Available in black in sizes 6 1/2-7 3/4.
Hunt Cap Warning & Notice: These caps are items of apparel only. They are NOT approved safety helmets. They are not in any sense protective headgear. They have not been designed, manufacured or tested by us, and will afford no significant protection to the wearer against injury to the head resulting from a fall from or a horse or other source of impact.