Does anyone still use a full face helmet?

[SaberKitty]

My family of Arctic Cat helmets

TXi - Hardy use - Great for subzero, horrible for high altitude air sucking
Crosstech - Most used and is fully open a majority of the time when boondocking and closed for riding the trail back for the night. It sucks as a trail sled helmet, pretty darn good as a boondocker.
Snocross+Googles - For those really nice early winter or spring days when frost bite isn't an issue.

 

[crazycat2]

used to ride w/full face elec. sheild for year's now have only riden w/MX style helmet and goggle's only to find it easyer to breathe and not sweat as bad . it get's cold as heck in low temps though. jmo.

 

[Flakey]

I only wear Mx style now. The only climate control needed is a thin bacalava. I just wear it on the cold trail ride in, take it off to play all day, then put it ack on for the trail ride out. No problem.

 

[Ex-Member]

Yeap, 'clava helps a ton. I have one that's thin on top but kinda wooly on the bottom; keeps my neck nice and warm.

 

[poorider]

took me a long time to open my eyes and leave the full face behind for a mx. You can breathe better and it's way lighter. Cold trail rides just use a lightwieght fleece balaclava. It's even warmer than using a full face. I will NEVER go back to a full face.

 

[wrtmani]

makin' the switch

I'm switching to a MX style with goggles for this year. I have an older Coldwave full face, but it feels heavy and fogs up easy. The periphrial vision is kinda limited, too.

Bought a new Z1R Rail MX helmet on closeout from Dennis Kirk for $31.50 plus freight (10% off of closeout price of $35.00). Bought a $200 Arctiva jacket last year from DK for $44.95 plus freight. Got an Ortovox Patroller beacon new online for $165, down from $275 with free shipping. If you spend some time looking, you can find some great deals and be able to get into some quality gear for not a lot of coin.

Use what you've got until you can afford to upgrade. This goes for clothes, sleds, trucks, (wives?), etc....!

 

[longtrack156]

Full face, I would like to use a open face helmet but the goggles are an issue, I have never seen any that will keep glasses from fogging, also willows are a real issue, nothing like full face through the willows.

 

[T-Bone]

I'm going to a mx style this year. Been wearing full faces since I learned to ride. My cat full face is warm on cold days, but does have some fogging issues, and is heavy as hell. I'm going to get a nice light mx helmet and good googles with quick release straps, and call it good.

 

[jlmatty x]

Use what you've got. I ride MX in the summer so I ride with an MX helmet with goggles. Yeah I've had to dry out the goggles under the hood, but that is just the sign of a good powder day. And I don't mind taking a break every now and again anyway. In my opinion MX with quick strap goggles is the way to go.

 

[DaveB]

I wear a full face. I'm sure people laugh at me. Really, I don't care much. Never fog, always warm. If it's hot I flip up the shield or take it off. I realize sledding is becoming a fashion show...who has the nicest bad-a@@ sled, the $500 Klim helmet and $1000 plus worth of snow gear (some of it pointless). Who pulls the biggest most expensive trailer with the biggest baddest truck. Even after sledding, everyone is sporting their brand... Advertising it on their clothing at the night spots. Dumb to me. I haven't been a sledder for very long, but I say screw that. I've made it for four years with $40 snow boots and pants from Wally-World (pants get wet..boots stay dry), a $50 Mossi jacket and helmet and a purple '97 Polaris 700 RMK. Laughed at...yeah. $30,000 plus richer...yeah. That being said...I am upgrading! I'm buying a newer sled (still 9 years old) and might buy some new(used) HMK gear. Point is, whatever you ride, drive or wear is irrelevant. You're there doing it. So next time you see somebody like me, don't judge.... or laugh. I'm just like you...only not as concerned with what people think... or maybe not as in debt ...or cash heavy.

Well said.

I still wear a full face with heated visor. In the spring I'll bring out the muddy quad helmet and sunglasses though....

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

the MX helmet with the clava under it for the rides in, we ride 15 miles into our play areas, and averaging over 60mph the whole way, well, you get chilly.

i never have a problem with googles foging, and mine were some 4 year old $20 scotts they worked great, the quick straps really are a nice setup to keep em away from your face.... learning to breathe out of your helmet is key to no fog. budy used to ride with a full face one, always fogging, cuz it was way to warm for the area we ride, rarely gets below 0*F

 

[tbeaton]

used a full face for 2-3 years, had to get rid of it, to much fogging, icing and generally just hated having another cord coming from my sled. went to th eopen this past winter, there were some bitter cold nights and days in the -30 range, i was never cold. invest in a nice balaclava and good goggles, make sure the helmet and goggles fit well together.

 

[skidoo_03]

anyone using the AFX electric goggles? I had a heck of a time last year with fogging up issues and water in between the lenses freezing up. My goggles were probably crap also tho. what is a good pair of goggles that will last longer than a season but aren't $100?

 

[Adrenaline Revolution]

anyone using the AFX electric goggles? I had a heck of a time last year with fogging up issues and water in between the lenses freezing up. My goggles were probably crap also tho. what is a good pair of goggles that will last longer than a season but aren't $100?

I love my 509 goggles and their sold by a forum member too !

Personally, I would always use my NMFH if it wasn't so dang heavy.
I get excellent peripheral vision, it has NEVER fogged up and is warmer than any MX style out there. It does, however weigh a ton and since I have a partially fused neck it gets really sore after a good days ride.
That's the only reason I ever wear one of my MX helmets.
Otherwise, I only use an MX in the spring with sunglasses.

Am I the only person who thinks goggles cut way too much of your peripheral vision out? I have to turn my head all the way around to see what's right next to me and....Again, the neck issue.

I think way too many riders want to look the part of the kids in the Slednecks movies so they wear the MX style helmets even though they are more comfortable and warm in the full face type.

I guess I don't care what I look like. It's riding, not modeling.

 

[Ex-Member]

what is a good pair of goggles that will last longer than a season but aren't $100?

509's

 

[TurboMatt]

Am I the only person who thinks goggles cut way too much of your peripheral vision out? I have to turn my head all the way around to see what's right next to me and....Again, the neck issue.
.

This is actually one of my biggest concerns.

Also, I use a polaris full face right now. I have never really noticed the weigh problem

 

[AKRMK]

I have the best of both worlds. A Polaris switchback helmet. Its an MX style helmet with a removible visor and a full shield. I have a heated shield for cold/ deep powder days. I pull off the shield, install the visor for warm spring riding. I love it. its a few years old, I'm not even sure they sell it anymore.

 

[Adrenaline Revolution]

I have the best of both worlds. A Polaris switchback helmet. Its an MX style helmet with a removible visor and a full shield. I have a heated shield for cold/ deep powder days. I pull off the shield, install the visor for warm spring riding. I love it. its a few years old, I'm not even sure they sell it anymore.

I have a similar type made by GMAX (I think) with the removable shield and interchangable visor.
It was pretty cheap, and I mean price wise! But I'm sure I got what I paid for.

It would be nice if they had heated visors for it because that one does fog if you close it all the way.
The big benefit is it's so much lighter than my DOO Modular.

 

[mac900rmk]

anyone using the AFX electric goggles? I had a heck of a time last year with fogging up issues and water in between the lenses freezing up. My goggles were probably crap also tho. what is a good pair of goggles that will last longer than a season but aren't $100?

I used to have a pair of heated goggles. Can't remember the brand. ZL's or something. They seemed to work ok but I went over the handlebars once and the wire broke at the goggle. There were times when I thought they were too warm since they're so close to your face. I switched to the 509's.
When I started riding, I wore a full face because everyone I rode with did. Then one guy switched and slowly everyone has switched. Much easier to breath. Better peripheral. The trail in is the only time I have a problem and that's from riding behind sleds and the snowdust. Usually stop for a few minutes at the play area, set the goggles under the hood and take the balaclava off.

 

[Ex-Member]

like a supermoto-type helmet?