Your 2 Cents On Helmets: Wedge vs. Icaro?

[Pete Sumner]

Just got done reading Krylon Ninjas post about how hard it is getting a hold of a wedge helmet and it got me thinking. These helmets were designed 20ish years ago, so I understand why they would be hard to find. So my question is, after 20 years, are they really the pinnacle of brain bucket technology that's available to street luging today? I chatted with Dave Dean about it a while back and he swore up and down that the Icaro Skyrunner was, without a doubt, the better helmet. He even attributed a few extra mph to his top speed to it.

http://www.icaro2000.com/products/helme ... tegral.htm

The stand-up crowd has been using these forever. As I understand, it's not DOT approved, but it's lighter and (unlike the wedge) is still being manufactured.

So what do you think? Wedge or Icaro?

[skateluger]

Pete, you flatlander you...

I would be careful buying any helmet that may have been manufactured over 10 years ago... The materials don't hold their properties (i.e. - strength) over time, especially if they are exposed to sunlight. Icaro even warns against using a helmet that gets too old (marketing ploy?). I imagine the foam inside changes as well. What we really need in a helmet is currently in production. Does anybody else have a wedge style helmet in production. Since I can only find the Icaro, I bought one.WAY over-priced and it may not even be adequate protection. But its light, cool looking and you can get new visors for it easy enough.

Saw lots of Icaro on the DH guys at this weekends' Pennsylvania outing.

[ChrisMcB]

The wedge helmet isn't even close to being the pinnacle. It does offer slightly better visibility. Some people don't like it as it is heavy (it is about 6 lbs) and as you mentioned it is hard to find.

You can only find it on Ebay. I don't know about the durability of old helmets, but I am guessing they last a lot longer than a few years. Straps may get old, and the padding might get squished, but the padding is made out of plastics, so...

I would personally like to see a better helmet that is currently being made. And there are tons of people riding Icaro or similar helmet. They aren't DOT approved, although that really isn't the point. They weren't designed for the impact that we would tend to give to them.
Of course some argue that the wedge helmets weren't either (as they were designed for snow mobiling) but i suspect they were better designed for our sort of impacts than an Icaro.
I've heard the Charly No Limit is a better helmet than the Icaro. But I don't know what its visibility is.

Basically it comes down to what you want to protect your brain with.

[Pete Sumner]

Thanks guys. I figure since the wedge is drifting into obscurity, I'd try to figure out the next best thing.

Yeah, flatlander is right. The other day I propped a piece of plywood on a cinder block just to luge down it. Not that I don't love riding with the Florida guys, but I definitely miss riding every Sunday morning, hopped up on Red Bull and Tylenol with Novak.

[krylon_ninja]

Hmmmm...the L/XL(no tag)wedge Bell polaris wedge helmet I got from Joe B weighs in at just under 3 and a half pounds. With the visor I made for it(double layer and fits perfect!) That is a lot different than "six pounds" regarding something on your head.
I would very much doubt the issue of the shells of these helmets becoming weaker in any way that matters over the time of their 'vintage'. I AM a hang glider pilot and I can damn sure tell you that Icaro's and Charly's were NOT made for or rated for DH skateboarding. And how many people 'care'!?

Yep, you will LOOK cooler if you are doing stand up...but I do not think there is a better shape(once visor replaced)for street luging than the good ol Polaris. I LOVE mine already and it makes a HUGE difference from the MX helmet i used before.

So...I have been watching ebay and have found two others which I bought as back ups. One looks nearly brand new.( The visors are almost perfect! Too bad they are useless for luging! That is okay though, once I got the pattern down I cut a stack of PC visors.) One helmet is a bit smaller(med) in case my lady or? decides to do this again. I have already gotten her to give it a try once(how many of you have gotten your lady on a luge...PERIOD?!?) Ha! I bet Skateluger has. he probably won't even talk to a girl unless she rides a street luge(am I right SL????) Which makes sense to me, if it is true!

As far as the DOT rating? A helmet has it or it does not. It does mean something. I would rather roll in a DOT MX helmet or a 'vintage' polaris wedge DOT hyelmet than sacrifice the DOT for nearly $300 of helmet made for HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING. And Bell Polaris is not less of a helmet for being used in the snow...DOT ratings are arrived at by a helmet surviving a certain impact test. And anybody who has spent much time in snow KNOWS that it hides rocks...big rocks and one can have your name on it . At least on dry streets you can SEE what you are going to hit often. Last time I wiped out the KNEE tweak had me not able to ride for about a week(leg to stiff to bend). So you never know what will happen? Helmets are not 'all there is' but it is very nice to have a helmet that lets you see when you are laying down! the bell Polaris, as far as i know, is IT.
Anything on your head is better than nothing on your head I guess. If you look long enough you will find a decent wedge helmet. I have three now (two on the way from ebay actually)when just about a month ago I had none and wondered if I ever would find one. Thanks to Joe B. that changed. I'm never going to get rid of that helmet even if 'just' because of the cool way I got it and the cool guy who made it happen when I needed one. Thanks again Joe.

This last week I have been concentrating alot more on my DH board skills. I like doing that too just not as much as street luge. I don't wear the Polaris for that. But the Polaris is perfect(and looks very racy too, if you ask me!)for SL.

[ronnie.iverson]

Rick Wilson has a good lid if I remember right its used for Nascars pit crew.

[DAVE M]

This new bell helmet looks OK. Not sure how to put a link in but if you search Bell helmets for the Bell Crew Pro Moto