I cut off my hair last fall and my current helmet is just not quite right without a ponytail stuffed in the back. Looking at buying something else, and am wondering about the wider brimmed. I have a lot of eye issues (have an eye muscle disorder) so am extremely sensitive to light of all kinds, even with sunglasses - do the wide brim helmets differ significantly in the light they filter out? I know the brim can’t be that wide for safety reasons, obviously, but would like input from those of you who have them. I have a Dover near me, but trying them on in the store isn’t quite the same as riding in them.
I’ve tried on a helmet with the built-in larger visor (ordered one on-line, but returned it) and I considered the slight additional brim not worth it.
I’m also pretty light-sensitive – always wear sunglasses outdoors – so I’ve worn a few aftermarket visors. For instance, this one: https://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/CHSV.htm. Nice and soft, easy to put on the helmet, but a little too prone to flying off. Never actually spooked a horse with it, but I did have to catch it in mid-air on a windy day a time or two, so I decided not to chance it any longer.
Also used one of these on a helmet for quite a while: https://www.riversports.com/rs/product_detail/3046/Revisor-Helmet-Visor-kayak-helmet-visor. Would only work on a smooth helmet, IMO (not a suede one), and didn’t give a lot of peripheral protection, but I never had it come off in wind. It velcros to a helmet; the helmet portion of the velcro sticks on to the helmet, so be prepared that the surface might be marred if that part is removed.
For the last several years, we’ve been wearing these:http://dabrim.com/html/products/equestrian.htm. They block a whole lot of sun, including on the back of the neck, and do not mar the helmet (can be removed and put on another helmet). They’ve aged very well, basically look new, and we’ve not had one fly off in a high wind (we bought the slightly smaller style that can take higher wind, because we live in a place where gusts are not uncommon). On the other hand, they’re relatively bulky (although not particularly heavy) and a little funky-looking, if one cares about that.
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If you’re worried about light sensitivity then maybe sports goggles would be a better idea? If you Google “prescription sports goggles” you’ll see a number of alternatives.
G.
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I got the black DaBrim visor last year and love it on my helmet. I went with the wider brim, which I think they said Endurance riders like. I grew up with cowboy hats, so I want LOTS of shade when riding! I do wear a helmet, have for over 30 years. Was being the good example for my kids who HAD to wear helmets, family rule. Practice what I preach! I really missed the shade of a wide brim hat. A friend recommended the DaBrim, as well as folks here on CoTH. I really like my brim, it stays put well, does not get in my way at all by bending around in wind. Visor pocket keeps the front down nicely. Wider at the back than front to shade my neck too. Have not worn it in the rain, but no issues with flopping while driving the carriage behind galloping horses!! I actually never notice it while I have it on, like my old cowboy hats were just part of my daily attire!
I still wear sunscreen and sunglasses, that is just sensible. But putting my helmet on feels like stepping into the shade of a large tree! Eyes relax under the dark fabric, no sun leaks.
You might want to check out new helmets at Ridingwarehouse.com. I found a huge selection in various styles, from fun to show styles, all meeting Approved ratings. Consider getting an adjustable fit helmet, I really like that option myself. Hair up or down, it fits as needed with a twist of the knob I thought they were good prices, not all high $$ items unless you want that type.
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Yeah, I was wondering about brims. I should get one if I’m going to finally get it together to go horse camping in range country this summer!
In the city or on the beach a brimmed sunhat absolutely gives you more protection than a baseball cap, and a helmet is basically an armored baseball cap in construction 
I wear prescription glasses and have the variable lens ones for outdoor activities which has been great. They take a minute or two to clear when you go into the barn or indoor arena or shopping mall. But they darken fast and well.
Also heavy duty sunscreen because in a helmet the sun absolutely hits your cheeks. I am at the age where tanning creates blotching, which is not an attractive look.
We, too, would have gone with this model that offers a bit more shade - instead of the Petite - if we didn’t need the extra 10 mph of wind tolerance. The smaller one still gives a lot of protection, and we feel better about wearing a visor that can handle up to 35 mph, given our conditions, after my experience catching the Cashel visor in mid-air.
You can ask for recently made helmets at Riding Warehouse. I bought 3, 2 of the same model which were under 6 months from manufacture date. The third helmet was back ordered for a bit, only a month old when it arrived! So with those recent dates, we should get the full 5 years of use (barring damage) before they ‘time out’ and need replacing. I sure hate buying a helmet that is already 2 years old when I ordered it. Makes helmet cost more for 3 years use instead of 5 years. I did return that one.
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My eyes are sensitive to bright sun and I am concerned with sun exposure on my skin. I love the Equivisor (https://www.ridingwarehouse.com/EquiVisor_Cotton_Riding_Helmet_Visor/descpage-EV.html) It looks like the Soless visors have come down in price. When I bought my Equivisor, it was roughly half the cost of the Soless, with a similar design, but opaque fabric instead of smokey plastic.
I have not had an issue with it coming off, except when my horse was bucking around and acting like a fool. It provides good sun coverage for your face and eyes, and all but the most sunny days I ride in just the visor without sunglasses. It does cut down on your peripheral vision a little bit - if you are in a busy ring, just something to be aware of.
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Living in the land of perpetual wind, my findings are:
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The Equivisor has the best protection, but adds weight and flies away easily.
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The Soless has a better clip system in the back, but is a bit too transparent for my liking and the clip only keeps the brim from flying completely away - it still won’t stay on in heavy wind.
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I have a GPA First Lady and I love it. I am convert from the Speed Air, and while it doesn’t offer as much protection as the third-party visors, it adds enough to make my light-sensitive eyes more comfortable with and without sunglasses.
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My eyes are crazy sensitive to light, and I have found that the extremely hideous oakley jawbreaker glasses really do block out all light. They are expensive, but they do stay clear and never fog up even when I am playing polo and sweating a ton. They have vents inbetween the lens and frame. Another model that Oakely makes that would work for you is the M frame. They aren’t quite as ugly, and I have used them in the past with no fogging, but I had to switch to the Jawbreaker because they don’t have a lower frame and could cause a cut on impact. I have never been able to get the add-on helmet brims to stay on at any speed.
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