[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]

Well, I must admit that I've got a 5-pt harness, and no roll cage.

I will qualify that, however. One, it is attached to the "baby seat" holders on the rear deck. Those things are rated to hold about 60lbs, so I daresay that they'll rip out in the event of a bad crash. Plus, they're about 2 inches below my shoulders,and 5 feet back. I really don't think that I'm in danger of spine compression. I also wear my seat belt below my harness, just in case.

The role of the harness is to keep you firmly upright and in your seat (including your head). The role of the rollcage is to prevent the roof from meeting your head. Using the harness without the cage means your body can't move when the roof reaches your head (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Ignoring that, though, you'd be better off with the belts anchored 2" ABOVE your shoulders. Even anchoring them at the same level causes compression as your body is thrown forward and increases the tension.

You might be better off making some kind of adaptor (from steel) that mounts temporarily to the childseat anchors, but raises the belt anchors. Another approach is the harness bar, but I'm not sure it's high enough either.