When we were in Finale in October the guide fully told me off for the kids (11/13) no having full face helmets. He showed me his favourite video of a client chinplanting to back it up.
All being well we'll be returning to Tignes this year and I'm trying to decide whether I ought to get them some better protection.
Nearly all the rides were lift served, but we generally preferred ones with a bit of pedalling instead of just plumeting downhill. And therein lies the problem. At what point do you decide whether to use the XC lid or the FF? I don't want to spend huge amounts of cash and I'm guessing that the cheap ones are really heavy. When we hired a bike last time, when he broke his, they insisted he wore a big heavy FF and he hated it.
So I'm thinking maybe there's no point.
But then if he's doing stuff like this and it goes wrong, it's gonna hurt
So do we buy them and then carry them around for the step bits or do we shell our hundreds for some posh lightweight ones.
Or just stick with the ornamental lids they currently have.....
I’m watching with interest but can offer no answers! Similar situation to us, next time we head to the Alps the kids will be 12 and 14 and will be traveling much faster.
Local kids in Morzine mostly wear full face, I wonder if it’s a culture thing and ours just aren’t as used to the idea?
Edit: I should say we also like to ‘pedal around’ rather than just DHing on some days but then we’ll ride DH (at a kids level) stuff in the middle of that...it’s a minefield!
Where you heading?
Fancy meeting up if we're in the same area?
</stealthbump>
Bell super 3 in small? Then you have a choice. My son likes his.
@thegeneralist: sorry, no Alps fun for us this year ☹️
We’ll be back in Morzine next year though. I tried suggesting that we headed somewhere else, like Tignes, but my whole family just looked at me like I was mad! It is lush though.
Thanks gkeefe. That looks like it deals very well with the 'which helmet today' question.
Still leave the finance challenge, but I'm sure that's surmountable.
Anyone want to buy an Islabike? 20" Beinn for less that the cost of a Bell 3S. No really, it is.
Or if I manage to sell the Creig then I could buy one for each of us...
Bell sanctions are first rate. Both our kids have them and use them doing uplifted stuff. Remarkably light but proper full faces. Still rubbish to ride up big hills in. Not sure how big they go as ours are 5 and 8 and both now in mediums.
Personally I would be buying a full face for the kids.
Our near 4 year old will be getting one soon as I would rather he didn't smash his face in, and he only rides at chicksands not in the mountains.
I personally would be carrying my own ff if doing big stuff in the alps while wearing an xc lid to pedal up
Cheers all. I guess what I'm after is something like the Sanction but with a stack more vents.
Does such a thing exist?
Have a look at the Lazer Phoenix Plus. I don't know how small they go, but they're ASTM certified, under 1000g and relatively well ventilated. Can be had for under £60.
JP
My lad has a xxs 661 somethingorother.....
Nice and light but not great vetilation. Was cheap though, I paid 35 quid from crc, although thst was about 3 years ago.
IXS one on crc for £45, reckons its pretty well vented, bills itself as s cross ove enduro helmet.....
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ixs-xact-helmet-2018/rp-prod150202
Update.
In the end we got s bell super threefir bighead and a giro switchblade for the nutter. Both around 145 quid.
In brief, thank ****.
The littlun stacked on a gap jump and put a significant dent and crack in his helmet. Not huge, but would have been horrible in his old pot. This was an hour later. Dent above left eye.
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He was doing stuff like this. Lots.
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They were both happy to ride in them. Took the chin pieces off a bit. Not too hot or too heavy, even the switchblade.
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Comfy enough to leave on for berry picking....
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Many thanks for the suggestions.
I’d be replacing the dented one ASAP, as in before riding again. Pretty sure Giro have a crash replacement policy
To anyone with kids, the Bell Super 2R is all over ebay and the sizing goes down pretty small. I picked up a small 2R for my 10yo and it's too small, so my 8yo has it. My 10yo is now riding in my medium 2R, we're at opposite extremes of the size chart but it fits us both.
