X-Post NYTimes Article: Black Equestrians Want to Be Safe. But They Can’t Find Helmets

[Night_Flight]

While reading the article, I googled the custom football helmets that were mentioned. If I remember correctly, it was a cost of $1000+ for the initial liner and fitting process, and then something like $400 for each subsequent liner using the same template. I imagine that if your hairstyle were to change, you would need to pay another $1000+ to be fitted again.

While it’s great that such an option is available for that sport, it certainly doesn’t address the barrier to entry aspect, given the cost required to make a custom mold (or whatever it is that they are creating).

[vxf111]

How much was a custom Patey back in the day? Accounting for inflation etc. it’s probably close to $1000ish… so that tracks. Very much an economic barrier for a lot of people even if it’s technically do-able.

[Xanthoria]

I was thinking about manufacturers commenting that it’s not cost effective to create helmets that fit all hairstyles. Here is some extremely rough math.

Regarding the cost to bring new helmets to market, the last time I recall hearing about the cost was perhaps 10 years ago, and IIRC each size had to be separately tested and approved. The SEI page says you have to “Remit payment of all SEI fees (one-time application fee, annual participation and model fee, product testing fee, initial quality audit fee).” to get your certification upfront. You also need to “Submit a copy of product liability insurance to demonstrate adequate coverage. Include endorsement form to add SEI as additional insured for products/completed operations.”

I seem to recall a cost of $40k for ASTM-SEI alone - could be very different now. But if we guesstimate the baseline at say 70k for inflation (WAG!), for helmets in the USA only, certified to one standard only, and coming in let’s say 15 sizes (Charles Owen helmets regularly have more sizes than that) that’s $1,050,000 for the testing alone.

If every single one of the 0.5% of self described African American members of USEF (2235 people) bought a specially designed helmet for $250 (?) each, that’d be $558,750 retail, or maybe $279,375 gross to the manufacturer.

Would those 15 sizes fit every single hairstyle out there? No idea. Would they pass the testing, accounting for the hairstyle? Not guaranteed.

Can anyone comment with more accurate numbers? If they’re in the ballpark, it makes sense that a smaller company like BOT would not be able to do this. Not defending their marketing fail at all of course…

[MHM]

@Xanthoria

let’s say 15 sizes (Charles Owen helmets regularly have more sizes than that)

15 sizes?!? Really?

[Xanthoria]

This one has 17: https://www.charlesowen.com/products/halo

A lot of CO helmets have over a dozen sizes - accounting for various head shapes too. And the BOT ones are about 9 sizes but they don’t cover the smallest and largest helmets, probably due to cost.

[vxf111]

I am not sure it’s correct to assume that only existing African American equestrians would be the market for a helmet that could accommodate varying hair types more effectively. I suspect there are lots of other people who, for one reason or another, would be interested in a helmet like that. And, of course, ideally making helmets more inclusive would grow the pool of equestrians to include people who right now aren’t in the market for any helmet but might be if there was one that worked.

I hear your point about economics being a factor. It’s just that sometimes “if you build it, they will come” can also be true (at least to some degree).

[Xanthoria]

Oh I agree! I’m just trying to get a sense of the reality of cost for smaller manufacturers. Certainly we’ve seen a lot of smaller manufacturers of other under-serviced markets like makeup for darker skin tones for example that have led the way for bigger manufacturers in creating inclusive shade ranges. Perhaps that’s what will happen here too.

[Xctrygirl]

Fyi ASTM doesn’t/won’t test models over 63 cm. So there’s a challenge there to simply go a bit bigger.

Em

[Rel6]

I also wonder how this is impacted by brands that change size based on liner. If the actual helmet itself is the same across three or four sizes and the only difference is the liner, do they all have to be tested? They may, I just don’t know.

[Xanthoria]

Yeah I mean CO doesn’t make helmets in 17 sizes just for fun, surely? Perhaps it has something to do with testing regulations for different countries. Wish we knew more from a helmet manufacturer themselves.

[LMcCauley]

I ran into a similar issue when I used to teach skiing. We had school groups come, often the young boys had patkas, which management or teachers would have them remove. I always felt so bad for them, but helmets were a must in order to participate.
My daughter has long thick curly hair. I’m relieved that she has stopped showing hunters, only shows jumpers and wears her hair down.

[Bogie]

@LMcCauley

I’m relieved that she has stopped showing hunters, only shows jumpers and wears her hair down.

I’ve been surprised in a good way to see how many upper level jumper riders now wear their hair down.

[Bogie]

@Xctrygirl

Fyi ASTM doesn’t/won’t test models over 63 cm. So there’s a challenge there to simply go a bit bigger.

I read a few years ago that larger helmets tend to test more poorly than smaller ones. This was one of the findings, I believe in the Swedish study that was done. Do you know if this is why they won’t test models over 63 cm?

[Xctrygirl]

Nope. No clue. But I have an email in to Stephanie (Bonin) to ask.

Em

[glenburn]

Aside from the poor PR response and ethnicity issues, it would seem as though there is also a liability issue here since the helmet is supposed to fit the head primarily, not the hair.

[Mardi1]

Outrageously tone deaf, and ignorant, …looking through this at a lens of whiteness.
Now that you got that out of the way, can we continue the conversation ?
I was color blind when I read the response from Back on Track.
That’s how I was brought up, and educated.

I’m not disagreeing with you about black athletes having conversations about helmet fit.
However, I cannot, for an instant, imagine a reporter from Dressage-News asking Anna Buffini if she’s had trouble finding a helmet that fits. I cringe at the thought of it. If a reporter singled out a black NFL player and asked the question, I’d feel the same way, and the panel on ESPN’s early morning show (the commentators are black and white) would surely ridicule that reporter to no end. Maybe in your view, that’s not a strange question to ask a black athlete; I don’t think you’re outrageous, or ignorant because of it.

In my view, the topic -helmet fit - becomes universal, and inclusive, when the reporter asks athletes of different backgrounds the same question. The focus is then on the topic, and not on race.

[coffeehag]

I was color blind when I read the response from Back on Track.
That’s how I was brought up, and educated.

The term color blind when applied to conversations that center around race is indicative of your ignorance. Thinking/saying you are color blind is largely viewed as an avenue to worsen racism, be counterproductive, and even be a racist microaggression.

Time and time again your comments show that you are incredibly naive about racism in this country and the ripple effect it has. I would encourage you to educate yourself before spouting off about inclusivity that you clearly fail to understand.

.

[Halternatively]

What ever happened to open dialogue? Why do comments have to be identified as being “racist micro aggression”? (Bolded, even.)

It seems to me that someone is attempting to fall on their sword and admit to having a less-than-perfect perspective. And it seems the response is to slam them down further.

Why is it that the (global) response more and more these days is to degrade people for their views rather than to help to enrich their perspective? Isn’t enriching each other’s perspectives how we, as a society, learn?

[coffeehag]

It isn’t bolded, it’s a hyperlink. To an article.

This person isn’t falling on their sword, they’re saying they don’t see race. It’s a cop out.

Why is it that the (global) response more and more these days is to degrade people for their views rather than to help to enrich their perspective? Isn’t enriching each other’s perspectives how we, as a society, learn?

Please see above hyperlinked keywords to several different articles. In order for a perspective to be enriched or a view to be changed, one’s mind must be open. Saying you’re “color blind” isn’t an open-minded perspective. To see why, please see hyperlinked articles.

Education is key, and the only person responsible for said education is you

[Halternatively]

Ah, got the hyperlink, thank you! I appreciate that, but not so much your condescending tone.

I don’t agree that educating ourselves is a solo endeavor. I think it comes by way of interaction and collaboration. I won’t understand another’s views until I hear them, see them, see the facial expressions and gestures accompanying the explanations and stories that helped to form them. I think we can read all we like and fill our minds with clickbait and catchphrases but to truly understand and empathize we need to interact. Just my opinion.