Brief Introduction to Karting and Racing Helmets
There exist a wide variety of racing helmets and it's easy for you to get confused with varied alternatives.
Well, the very first thing to keep in mind while selecting a new helmet is to see for which type of event is the helmet required! As in motorsport, there are numerous regulations to be followed, and adherence to those guidelines in helmets is essential.
You must know, rallying, saloon, circuit racing, karting or track days, they all have different helmet requirements. Let’s look at each discipline individually and then highlight the key points to look out for when selecting your helmet.
Choosing a Karting Helmet
The regulations for go kart helmets are typically dependent on the age of the driver.
If you’re under 15 years of age, you must ensure to wear helmets which are approved by CMR. The reason behind this is that CMR homologated helmets are more lightweight than others and will exert less force on the neck. These requirements are also necessary to follow because younger driver’s necks are not as stiff as an adult’s neck.
So, if you’re 15 or under it, there are non-CMR approved karting helmets that are more suitable for use in all Motosport UK karting. It’s also possible to wear a Snell, or FIA approved motorsport helmet.
Choosing a Rally Helmet
It’s utmost important to have an intercom in the rallying helmets. But before you finalise a helmet, you must check for the type of intercom present in your car, as the different intercom manufacturers tend to use a specific kind of connecting plug.
- You’ll find stilo plugs in the stilo intercom systems
- Most of the top end Sparco, OMP and Peltor intercoms use Nexus style plus, and
- Terratrip or Henry level Sparco systems will have Terratrip style plugs.
Choosing a Helmet for Circuit Racing
Circuit Racing is done with saloon cars or single-seater cars. The helmets required for this type of racing are more straightforward. Every other driver who plans to take part in such races must wear a full-face helmet. Further, the helmet must follow all the guidelines and policies of the race. It’s better to clarify the guidelines with the series organiser before you purchase a helmet for circuit racing.
You can find these types of helmets in any Melbourne kart centre.
We hope this blog was effective in introducing you to different types of helmets for different racings and karting.