[robz71lm7]

After sunday's autocross a novice asked on our region's message board about getting a cheap helmet. He got replies ranging from links where you could get an M2000 helmet for $60 and one even $49!

The site we raced at sunday was a military air strip with tall grass off the sides. The dirt wasn't always flat and smooth. In fact, yesterday and S2000 went off into the grass sideways-he wasn't the only one to go off into the grass. Now is it just me or this the kind of place where a good possibility of rolling over exists?

It just kind of disturbs me that people will recommend and use such cheap helmets. Am I being a little excessive here?

What's everyone's opinion on helmets in autocross?

[sgarnett]

I personally would like to see more dual-certified helmets.

The impact testing between SA and M helmets is mostly identical (same number of impacts, same energy, same flat, edge, and hemispherical anvils). The SA test does add a cylindrical rollbar anvil test, but this is not cumulative. In other words, it does not add any additional impacts to one site, it just uses a different type of anvil for an additional test on a different site.

The value of the SA flame-retardant requirement should be self evident.

I suppose the wider periphral vision requirements for M helmets might not be applicable to some forms of auto racing, but in general I think unobstructed vision reduces the likelyhood of an accident and is therefore safer.

I want a helmet that meets BOTH standards (and still fits).