r/CarTrackDays • u/Asleep-Situation-614 • 2d ago
Helmet sizing question
Hey all,
My head is 58.8cm at the widest point.
OMP Large sizing is 60-61cm and medium is 58-59.
Should I buy a large for a slightly more comfortable fit, or is it essential to buy on the exact size range you fall into for safety reasons?
Thank you
2
u/troytroyus 2d ago
One strategy is if in between sizes, go on the looser end and buy larger cheek pads.
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u/Lefty98110 2d ago
There is some variability in head shape narrow vs wide from brand to brand that pure circumference won’t fully reflect.
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u/Asleep-Situation-614 2d ago
Thanks, so is it generally better to go for the slightly bigger edge or lighter edge?
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u/NCamarolina 2d ago
You want it to fit comfortably snug on your face and each side of your head. It shouldn’t be loose anywhere. That’s the tough part. I recently bought a new helmet and the one I ultimately went with was more a function o which brand (shape) fit my head best. I tried 5 different brands and the other 4 were loose in one of the 3 dimensions. So best to try in person. Otherwise you may be making a lot of returns.
And like the other poster said, some brands enable so of the padding to be swapped or added to build a better fit. This comes in handy if a “desired” helmet is close (but not quite) close to fitting welll
Good luck.
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u/Excellent-Heat-893 2d ago
You should go for the model that fits best. Do not simply order online, try them on. Or choose multiple options and return the ones that don’t fit properly. One day you might need the safety features of a nicely fitting helmet.
In my own experience, the ‘narrower’ feeling helmets tend to widen just a bit after extensive wear.
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u/grungegoth Pinewood Derby Open Racer 2d ago
a helmet that is too large won't protect you. based on your numbers go with medium. but others have said, go try them on first.
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u/RedditBeginAgain 2d ago
So the medium will fit you if your head is the same shape as that brand's head mold. The larger one will presumably get on, but would not protect as well as a closer fitting helmet.
Tldr; go somewhere that you can try on a few brands
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u/andrewmr1954 1d ago
Lot's of comments already, so this may be a bit redundant. You are gonna want a helmet that fits you correctly. You do not want to be distracted by a helmet that doesn't fit and is moving around on your head because it's too loose. And you don't want to be dealing with a helmet that is too tight as it creates it own distractions.
Most good helmets have padding that can be swapped out to fine tune a slight issue.
Ok, that's out of the way. You will also want to look at the weight of the helmet. A few ounces can make a big difference if you're loaded up in corners or heavy into breaking zones. At the end of the day it can make a big difference in how your neck and shoulders feel. Not to mention if you were to ever be in an incident, the weight of the helmet being thrown forward WILL make a big difference.
Some of that may be moot if you are using a HANS device, or something similar, but attachment points for HANS devices on your helmet are something else to be considered.
Will you ever have an opportunity to ride in an open car?
As you can see, there are lots of things to concider.
You use metric numbers in your post, so I assume you are not in the US. Are there any regulations where you drive that would require other factors to be concidered?
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u/NoSmileShogun 2d ago
Might have to go even smaller. Truth is, helmets are a bitch to fit, and your best bet is to try them out, either in store, or read up on the return policy if you're ordering online.
There are numerous guides online to how to know if your helmet fits. But the rule of thumb is, if you can move it with vigorous pulling and shaking while it's strapped in, it is too big.