Exactly as Neil said: Fullface when there is a lift or I try something outside of my comfort zone. Normal helmet for anything else. Can you please kick your sponsor POC in the a..? They don‘t even answer to their contact form. I just want to know where I can buy new pads for my Tectal.
I have one of those with a replaceable chin piece. I’m so comfortable with it because when I ride something new, I alway have the choice of the level of protection 👌🏼 But I think this will never be safe enough for a pike park etc. so therefore I have a rampage. But I would never climb with this on 😄
I wore a full face helmet on my first race which was June 27th, i crashed on practice and i must say, you dont need a full face until you crash and realize you actually need one.
Yup, recently had a bad crash and got a concussion ( due to the poor division to ware a Walmart helmet on jumps). Decided it might be a good time to invest in a full face.
This literally happened to me 6 weeks ago, first time wearing a full face and it saved my face, can’t say the same about 4 of my ribs though haha Full face on gnarly trails for me from now on
Stayed 2 nights in hospital and 2 weeks on the couch after having a big crash in the bike park. My Fox ProFrame needs replacement as it did a perfect job. I ordered an IXS Trigger FF now which fits even better. Really love this helmet already. Never will drive without a ff again, Even on my hometrails. Because this is where I drive faster then on unknown terrain.
Full face whenever I ride trails where I can climb on gravel roads. I hang the helmet on my bars while climbing. My girlfriend had a nasty crash which caused her to be hospitalised and lose 70% of her vision in one eye (for life). She definitely would have just walked away with a full face. So yeah, that's why, broken cheekbones suck.
I always get a funny look or two on my local trails for wearing my Bell Super Air R full face. While the trails aren't more than blue rated there are some parts full of rocks. Just this past weekend I was very happy to have had a full face on as I had a sudden stop of my front wheel and went OTB at a relatively decent speed. My chin guard saved my face as I landed on the left side of my head but facing down a bit. Dirt and rocks came flying into the helmet and even deep scratched my goggles on the left side. Had I not been wearing a full face those deep scratches would have been my face. I'm 53 years old and have been mountain biking since I was 18. Haven't ridden anything besides full face since I got my Super 2R when it first came out. The Super Air R has been a great helmet for me and I probably won't ever ride a regular helmet again.
I just started thinking about this in the last few days. I crashed recently on my gravel bike, OTB and fractured my hand, but going back to the crash site my face got perilously close to a rock! Most of my MTB riding is New England single track, lots of ups and down, but all on roots and rocks and you really can't control where you land if you do have an off, someone in my riding group got hung up at the top of a technical climb recently and ended backwards rolling down the climb, bike and all. I have a Super 3R, but only use the chin bar at the downhill park although I'm wondering if I shouldn't use it more often, especially as my confidence increases and speed goes up!?!?!
@@chiefsilverback I'm out for a few weeks as well as I did my wrist in on the crash. For me the decision to wear it has nothing to do with the speed and more to do with the terrain. For the crash I described I wasn't moving very fast. My front tire took a bad hop crossing a tiny wood feature. Dropped the front wheel into a spot between the rocks and over I went leaving the bike behind. If I'm riding strictly paved paths or crushed rock fire road ill take the chin off otherwise it stays on.
@@JayBirdPhotos I was just looking at the Kali Invader, looks like a well ventilated one piece full face, with the added bonus of free crash replacement. On a related topic I'm assuming you ride with pads, which do you like?
@@chiefsilverback yes I normally ride with pads. I use gform shorts, knee and shirt. Would you believe though that the one time I didn't wear the knee and top was the one time I should have been. Scraped my left shoulder and bruised my arm. That will teach me .....
Almost lost some teeth at age 14 when I crashed on asphalt with a half shell. Recently got a lot better at biking and with the speeds I go at now, even on a flat trails, I will always choose to wear a full-face. It only takes one rock or even piece of wood in the wrong place at the wrong time, even when going slow.
I like this answer. When I'm at a park and at the edge of my ability level or going fast or getting tired, it's on. On tamer stuff that I'm confident on I go back and forth. I also rarely land on my head riding, my crashes generally land me sideways or arms first. If it's wet/muddy/slick I'm more likely to keep the FF on all day, especially if it's not hot out.
I wear braces and have an overbite that I'm going to have surgery for so I always use full face for anything that is not a gravel ride or an old train track trail. I'm also really beginner and scared and it gives me an extra boost of confidence
Hospital worker from bentonville, AR (massive mountain bike area). People come in needing facial reconstruction after crashing IN full faces on not that insane stuff. Really underrated! I cant imagine if they didnt have that extra protection!!!
I always felt kinda silly wearing my full face for regular riding as well as jumps because it's the only one I have, though recently I had a crash and was very thankful I was wearing it...
If I'm on a trail, I'm wearing a full face. The only exception to this rule is if it's super hot out (95F+) and the danger of heat exhaustion is higher than a crash. On those hot days, I'm taking it easy and skipping the dangerous features so I really don't need the full face.
Budget limitations force me to only have one helmet at the moment and I immediately went for a full face. Protection is most important, comfort and breathability are factors for rich people.
Reporting live from Schladming, Austria. I can confirm its full face and downhill bikes as far as the eyes can see and nobody looks overbiked or over protected 😜
Think about the likelihood of your face meeting the ground or another immovable obstacle. If this is higher than your accepted threshold for risk, full face. I don’t wear one but I don’t really do jumping, I don’t ride DH, and I actually (knock on wood) crash pretty rarely. If I was sending it or primarily riding lift-served terrain or racing… yeah I’d very much reassess.
With the caveat that wearing a helmet changes the wearers unconscious risk analysis profile. The more protection you wear, the more risks you feel safe to take.
Penguin dove into the bushes a few years ago, when I was just starting to ride. Got a scar on my upper lip which splits my mustache in half. My face will look funny forever. Never riding any risky terrain in an open face helmet again. I do wear a detachable helmet most of the time (Bell super) and I love it to death. Being able to remove the chin bar for the climb makes a world of difference.
I just turned 59. I rode cross country for many years but gave it up 10 yrs ago due to arthritis in ankles, knees and hips/lower back. This spring the gf and I purchased ebikes and I haven't looked back. As my gf is new to riding (she can ride but it's been 45 yrs since her last ride) I wanted her to feel comfortable about riding the local trails. After trying on her Bell Super 3R I caved and purchased one for myself. It's comfortable enough that I've not bothered to remove the chin-bar and it does feel confidence inspiring. The gf passed me on a downhill gravel road this past weekend and told me it was the fastest she's ever been on a bicycle and we must have been doing 30kmph. Didn't have the heart to tell her we were closer to 50kmph but what didn't kill her makes her stronger.
Full Face ist a must. A friend of mine broke his nose while riding dirtjump with me. It wasnt Even a big crash, he just hittet some roots in a Bad angle with his Face.
For me it's a double win, I also use my MTB gear (helmets,goggles, knee pads) for downhill inline skating/rollerblading. Perfect for climbing in the radiating heat of asphalt and rolling down in relative safety.
my IXS Trigger FF weight 595grams! And it is super breathable. I rarely wear half shells now, because the added protection comes with virtually no penalities. I've seen half shells that weight just as much as this full face. I highly recommend it.
2:10 Recco is actually a passive reflector, so it doesn't send out a signal so much as it reflects back if someone goes over you with a Recco detector (handheld or it looks like they now have helicopter-mounted units). To send out a signal you need cellular or satellite service and have to activate that yourself or have a smart accelerometer that thinks you just crashed (like my stupid garmin does occasionally when I stop on a ride).
Got my warning. Day of tackling Black Trails took the homeward Blue back to the trail centre, ended up hitting a tree with my jaw. Got away with a fractured cheek. Teeth were checked by dentist and all good. So from now I wear a full face. I'll take jaw off for climbs but goes back on for any sort of decent, no matter the level.
As a biker and reconstructive surgeon and who has had to reconstruct facial fractures of other fellow cyclists, I can say that the use of a fullface helmet is never enough.
I mean, fullface helmet is a must. I have had to repair facial fractures in 3 fellow cyclists. When they had their accident none of them wore a fullface helmet
I've got a convertible full face, but honestly the half shell is more practical fot 80% of my rides, but for that last 20% i wouldn't ride it without a full face
When I was still riding DH, and doing freeride stuff in the early 2000s, I was always wearing full face helmets. These days, due to age and previous injuries, I ride flowy trails, and have compromised with a Giro Tyrant.
Ripped my cheek open on a metal grated wall ride last summer. Plastic surgery and a gnarly face scar later, I always wear a full-face on singletrack. You can always go OTB on your bike on any obstacle and your head is the first thing to propel towards the rocks, trees, roots, dirt, ect.
Fox Pro Frame full face is the best vented helmet of any sort (road or MTB) I personally have ever worn. Light, comfortable and breathable. I live in a hot climate and absolutely love it
Yup, there is no perfect helmet, and I asked myself the "what if" if I crash and a piece of stick goes right through one of the massive vents in my RS, but reminded myself that you just insure against the most likely and use the most functional equipment you can get, and again, know that nothing is perfect.
Another factor to add into you decision is time on the bike. A couple years ago I rode "the whole enchilada" in Moab. I'm not a fast climber, so my time was around 3.5 hrs. I chose to wear my Giro Switchblade for that ride, which is lighter then most FF helmets. Near the end of the ride the helmet was getting quite heavy and began to get annoying. Now I didn't know the trail so I was playing it safe by wearing it, but next time definitely going half she'll. Side note it was about hour 2 where I started to notice it wearing on me. As always the choice and decision process is yours and only you can decide what's best for you.
Luckily, I’ve never had a bad crash or head injury, but seeing others get ragdolled on even the most simple features tells me I need one. I have a full face for dirt bike riding, but I’d like to have a lighter version for mountain biking. I’ve just now started to get serious about mountain biking, and am looking to get into enduro racing.
As a novelist Rider (EMB) and someone who ploughs through the trials, with no finesse. I use a full face helmet! Over a month ago, I come un-stuck on my Greaser (EB) on the road. Open face helmet, I was lucky. 6 stitches under my jaw and 3 internal.
I have a bell super3 with detachable chin bar. Best of both worlds and I always use the full face option at trail centres etc. Better to “have it and not need it than need it and not have it” is my thought on it.
I run a Fox Proframe fullface and it's ventilated enough that it feels like an open face helmet. I wear it on every ride no matter how mellow and don't even take it off when stopping for a breather. I believe the TLD Stage is a very similar design and there might be a few others.
I had a brain bleed 3.5 years ago. Two brain surgeries and a titanium plate later my balance is still off. So when I ride trails I opt for the extra protection of a full face helmet. It gives me more confidence, plus I want the extra coverage in case of a fall. I use a Bell with the removable chin piece. I use the full face configuration for about 95% of my riding. It offers good ventilation and I can still have a trail helmet for riding around the neighborhood with the family. If I ride lift assisted downhill, I rent a heavier full face helmet.
I have both full face and open face helmets. I definitely wear the full face on the more aggressive rides. The open face is for more day to day riding and leisure rides.
Gone for the best of both with a Super Air R. half lid for most rides and long climbs.. chin bar to strap on when im throwing myself down something more extreme.
3 года назад+1
Currently i have an XC bike so i ride open face, but as soon as I build a bike for more trail-oriented riding and i go on steeper more technical trails, i'll go enduro fullface. Just a dumb mistake or a front wheel wash off can make you eat liquids for a year, if you're lucky.
It's always full face helmet for me. An open face provides protection to one half of your head only, and nothing at all on the other, which is left completely exposed. And nowadays there are very lightweight and very ventilated full face helmet options, they are not only downhill style. Take the Met parachute for example, it's only 700 grams! That's crazy for a full face and it's very well ventilated as well. Sure not the ideal one for a crazy speed downhill race, a more protective one would be better for that, but pretty much perfect for most scenario except the extreme one.
Love the channel guys! Last May I had a huge crash and my Troy Lee Design Stage helmet (full face) save my life. So much so that the helmet cracked at point of impact. If I would have had my open face helmet I would be in bad shape. I would say that if you hesitate between the two, wear the full face. It's better to be hot than have a cracked skull! Cheers !
Got my first full-face for my first trip to a bike park. It was during the PNW heatwave, and despite that heat I never really noticed a problem inside the helmet until I stopped. I felt safe and that gave me confidence to try harder trails than I’ve ever ridden, and allow my bike to leave the ground frequently.
"I don't know if I'm going to fall on the side of my head, but I definitely know I won't fall ony face". Because, nobody *ever* falls on their face, unless they plan to do so, "of course". Everyone that smashes their face wanted to, since they didn't wear a ff?
Had a chain break and wrap up my rear hub which resulted in me going over the bars and sliding down gravelly asphalt on my face when I was 12 Full face always since,
I have both. Trail helmet for the fire roads. Full face for anything else. I am not usually wearing any pads, either on the fire roads. So I have learned to discipline myself not to leave the roads without all the safety gear. All the gear, all the time. always.
I got a convertible Bell after going to the hospital, face planting downhill. I have googles and glasses. I mix up what I wear between full and open, glasses and goggles, depending on conditions.
@@tobyehillier i like it yes. Use it for 2 years already. But the helmet without chinbars stays quite "hot" in warmer weather. Thats is something to concider...
I always ride my fox proframe on any trail because it’s just so breathable. I only ever take it off on really hot days (32 degrees Celsius) and its only when climbing
Do i need full face helmet in my speed and trails? Probably not. Still i allways wear my Fox Proframe on trails. Lots of rocks and roots and narrow trails so i don't really want to crash face first. Also i have ridden MX and Enduro so i am used to a full face helmets.
I use a detachable chinbar one. So i just put it on when I get into some gnarly stuff or when I want to push. But i still get a lot of air on the climbs. And you can just put the chinbar on your handkebar on the climbs. With the cables on the front it doesn't move too much even on small downhill sections
Great advice. I think this was a hard video to make. After all you don't want to be the one who said "don't worry it'll be fine"...... we're talking about protecting your head and in my opinion you should get the absolute best helmet you can afford and if you're anywhere where a crash could end up nasty then get a full face every time!
IXS makes a really nice lightweight full face helmet. I have gone through 2 fox proframes I think the IXS one is slightly better protection. It Will probably be my next endro helmet
I have the Kali Invader (trail, not a DH helmet) and it breathes so well, there really isn’t any reason to not wear one on the trails I ride most often. Those are super rocky Canadian Shield type trails with a big rock every ten feet and plenty of larger rock features. The trails can be tight with branches etc and I like googles because I just don’t have to worry about stuff hitting my eyes. Honestly, not having my acid sweat in my eyes is worth it alone. Of course both are great for cold winter riding. On mellower XC type trails, I ride an open face with glasses.
I rode motocross where you don't get as up close and personal with rocks and trees. We ditched open face helmets in the 80s. I wear full face when riding mtb. 2:53
Yes. Yes you do. IXS Trigger is super light and DH rated. I wear it trail riding in 90F 30C weather, and in the bike park. Just get one. I have broken one. Amongst other serious injuries, at least I could still eat.
Hey, I am not familiar with RECCO system, but you've messed something up in the video about it - "nfc tag that sends your signal to the system, that can track you"... what ? NFC stands for "near field communication", it can not send anything to any remote system. If there is such functionality built in, then it's not the NFC part of it, as video suggest.
Yeah they messed up a little bit that part. Noticed it as well. Those helmets have the NFC Tag so that medics can just scan it and get information about you. The POC helmets have this piece of metal at the back that reflects radar signals sent by some search and rescue equipment (initially used to search for people after avalanches). But this is certainly something that not every search and rescue squads have so you need luck as well.
I use a Troy Lee A2 for easier trails and summer. Recently got a Smith mainline, and after seeing my buddy’s pictures of his helmet dented on top, side, and jaw, I may start wearing it all the time.
depending on the terrain. i ride a home built hardtail enduro and i ride it everyday as a commuter/trail/freeride bike. i use an open face helmet. if i ride trail and it is fast and heavy i would use a full face. it is really about environment. if you ride stairs there aren't any trees use an open face. if you ride trail and parks use a fullface.
I wear an open face mtb helmet, which is appropriate for most of my riding, but I have been considering a full face for more technical trails… I wish you could’ve presented more info about the convertible helmets
I currently have a broken nose from a low speed off....I've now brought a vented trail full face...just as light and breathable as my old half face and visibility isn't affected. Won't ride without it.
Only got sight in one eye and a need to not be off work for weeks, or fully blind 😬 personal choice but I go with full face and goggles on anything off road these days. Just not worth the risk to me
I've just purchased a Bell Super 3R convertible, having never used a fullface my entire life, and now in my mid-40s. On trying it on, I can sense the fullface mode will feel limiting, but I've just moved back to SPDs, which I know I stack harder in, and I'm starting to do a bit more bike park stuff, albeit it only reds and tame compared to most people probably considering one. I think most of the riding I feel comfortable in I'll use the open face but bike parks, and some more epic rides into the peak district/york moors I think it makes sense to drag the chinbar with me for those rocky descents.
Just last week face planted on a grade 3 trail that I ride frequently. Knocked myself out and knocked my front two teeth out. I own a full face but I only ever wear on bike parks etc where I have uplift. On this particular day I was wearing an open face helmet and wouldn’t have even considered wearing a full face on this track. Now though I’ve bought a pedal friendly full face and will probably wear it for all future trail/enduro riding.
my advice, are your riding XC trails up to blue teck trails meant for trail bikes? have an half shell. do you ride black and meybe even double black trails meant for trail bikes? you should at least consider a full face, one which you can take of the jaw with is preferable, but a enduro lid will also be just fine, but steer away from the full on DH lids, those are heavy and just too much (the poc full face shown in the video is one of them, the fox proframe is a good example of a enduro lid and the MET parachute mcr is a perfect example of a helmet with a removeble jaw). ride any kind of enduro, DH, or park? get a full face, but if you tend to stay on the lighter side, one with a removable jaw or a enduro lid will also do, so if you already have one and dont ride the real sketchy and heavy kind of terain too often, just use that one unless you feel you need for that extra protection. but if you ride dificult/more risky terain more often, a full on full face will be worth it.
speaking of smashing full face helmets up reminds me of my crash where i misjudged speed off a drop and went OTB and i essentially flipped and rolled down the hill and took a massive gouge out of the back bottom portion of my full face. if i wasn't wearing that it likely would have been a gash in the spinal area of my lower neck if not a broken neck or something but in the end i got out with just a broken collarbone.
I use the MET parachute removal chin guard which suits me I take it off for the climbs and pop it back on for the dissents Never had any issues and it feels solid
As a 46 year old dude who has been on the ground a bunch, and rides moto as my main hobby. I only wear a full face helmet. And not even a mountain bike helmet. I wear a Leatt GPX when I’m single tracking and riding these rocky climbs around me. Yes it can be hot, yes it’s heavy, but I feel way safer with it. Not a spring chicken anymore and way safer.
I think we are going to see more trail riders wearing the new light weight breathable full face helmet offerings. Your face is sooo exposed when wearing a half shell. Learned this lesson a few days ago
Just as mentioned in the video, it's personal preference. People in the comments (and pretty much in life in general) always talk like they have to make an absolute decision of one or the other. It's personal preference and common sense. Better to just have both the open face and full face and wear one or the other when needed.
Depends on what are you doing, I rather not to take the risk of losing my teeth on a technical trail, I always take my full face helmet when I go Enduro.
I got a Giro turtle shell style, probably more of a roadie helmet. Well I wiped out a week ago and got a concussion, skinned up my face and there was about a 30 minute span where I don’t really remember anything. When I get back on the bike in about 3-4 weeks it’ll be with a full face. I’d rather be safe than sorry and it’s definitely cheaper than a hospital bill, etc.
I just took a bad crash as a result of my boa lace snapping in the middle of a technical section of the trail. It was the one day in 6mo I did not wear my full face on that trail and got 15 stitches on my chin. I don't fall often so this crash was extremely frustrating. my face took 100% of the impact, not a scratch on my lid. I still wear the lid of calmer trails but 100% full face on technical downhill. Never getting boa lace shoes ever again.
Ask Fabio Jakobsen if he needs a full face on his road bike..? Modern helmets ( i have a bell air) are just as light and ventilated. So your choice what part of your head you would like to protect..
Probably half of my riding is climbing but the descents are high consequence and being a new rider, I’ve already had a couple of crashes and got lucky but I quickly picked up a full face. Too much important stuff goin on in that noggin
What sort of helmet do you wear?
bell super air r! but one question about modular helmets, are they worth it in your opinion?
Exactly as Neil said: Fullface when there is a lift or I try something outside of my comfort zone. Normal helmet for anything else. Can you please kick your sponsor POC in the a..? They don‘t even answer to their contact form. I just want to know where I can buy new pads for my Tectal.
@@arcadepiano Sounds boring, but I'm probably a dumb inferior person.
I have one of those with a replaceable chin piece. I’m so comfortable with it because when I ride something new, I alway have the choice of the level of protection 👌🏼
But I think this will never be safe enough for a pike park etc. so therefore I have a rampage. But I would never climb with this on 😄
@@arcadepiano If you're going to be trolling, at least make it convincing.
The price of a full face helmet is way less than dental reconstruction or facial reconstruction
good point
Depend of the inssurance couverage
I don't need to pay for that. We have the nhs for that
My cheek plastic surgery from my crash was $6k. It would've been $50k for the plastic surgery without insurance.
@@keaton4054 the NHS doesn't cover cosmetic surgery
I wore a full face helmet on my first race which was June 27th, i crashed on practice and i must say, you dont need a full face until you crash and realize you actually need one.
genuine question. what was the situation where it came into use? did you actually hit the chin strap of the helmet into the ground?
Yup, recently had a bad crash and got a concussion ( due to the poor division to ware a Walmart helmet on jumps). Decided it might be a good time to invest in a full face.
I crashed today on normal road. Cut my jaw and now looking for full face to wear :D
Broke my ribs in a crash a couple days ago riding hard trail, but my full face saved my head! Absolutely worth having a full face
Get well soon mate! Your bike prolly wants a revenge on that trail
Same here bro. Still at hospital. Crashed and tore my kidney. Fullface saved my pretty head 😂
🙋♂️… colarbone and a rib here
This literally happened to me 6 weeks ago, first time wearing a full face and it saved my face, can’t say the same about 4 of my ribs though haha
Full face on gnarly trails for me from now on
Stayed 2 nights in hospital and 2 weeks on the couch after having a big crash in the bike park. My Fox ProFrame needs replacement as it did a perfect job. I ordered an IXS Trigger FF now which fits even better. Really love this helmet already.
Never will drive without a ff again, Even on my hometrails. Because this is where I drive faster then on unknown terrain.
Full face whenever I ride trails where I can climb on gravel roads. I hang the helmet on my bars while climbing. My girlfriend had a nasty crash which caused her to be hospitalised and lose 70% of her vision in one eye (for life). She definitely would have just walked away with a full face. So yeah, that's why, broken cheekbones suck.
I need one of them which have the detachable cheek protector thingy
I always get a funny look or two on my local trails for wearing my Bell Super Air R full face. While the trails aren't more than blue rated there are some parts full of rocks. Just this past weekend I was very happy to have had a full face on as I had a sudden stop of my front wheel and went OTB at a relatively decent speed. My chin guard saved my face as I landed on the left side of my head but facing down a bit. Dirt and rocks came flying into the helmet and even deep scratched my goggles on the left side. Had I not been wearing a full face those deep scratches would have been my face. I'm 53 years old and have been mountain biking since I was 18. Haven't ridden anything besides full face since I got my Super 2R when it first came out. The Super Air R has been a great helmet for me and I probably won't ever ride a regular helmet again.
Good to see you're not influenced by the funny looks. Do what makes you comfortable, particularly when it comes to safety.
I just started thinking about this in the last few days. I crashed recently on my gravel bike, OTB and fractured my hand, but going back to the crash site my face got perilously close to a rock! Most of my MTB riding is New England single track, lots of ups and down, but all on roots and rocks and you really can't control where you land if you do have an off, someone in my riding group got hung up at the top of a technical climb recently and ended backwards rolling down the climb, bike and all.
I have a Super 3R, but only use the chin bar at the downhill park although I'm wondering if I shouldn't use it more often, especially as my confidence increases and speed goes up!?!?!
@@chiefsilverback I'm out for a few weeks as well as I did my wrist in on the crash. For me the decision to wear it has nothing to do with the speed and more to do with the terrain. For the crash I described I wasn't moving very fast. My front tire took a bad hop crossing a tiny wood feature. Dropped the front wheel into a spot between the rocks and over I went leaving the bike behind. If I'm riding strictly paved paths or crushed rock fire road ill take the chin off otherwise it stays on.
@@JayBirdPhotos I was just looking at the Kali Invader, looks like a well ventilated one piece full face, with the added bonus of free crash replacement.
On a related topic I'm assuming you ride with pads, which do you like?
@@chiefsilverback yes I normally ride with pads. I use gform shorts, knee and shirt. Would you believe though that the one time I didn't wear the knee and top was the one time I should have been. Scraped my left shoulder and bruised my arm. That will teach me .....
Almost lost some teeth at age 14 when I crashed on asphalt with a half shell. Recently got a lot better at biking and with the speeds I go at now, even on a flat trails, I will always choose to wear a full-face. It only takes one rock or even piece of wood in the wrong place at the wrong time, even when going slow.
I wear a full face when I’m riding free ride, and a half shell when I’m riding calmer trails
This. Same goes for pads. I just kit up for what I ride.
I freeride everything so 😂
@Calvin Dachs 🦡 why wouldn't you?
@Calvin Dachs 🦡 um I have downhill bike and I ride easy trails on it too. It's about your preference 🙂
I like this answer. When I'm at a park and at the edge of my ability level or going fast or getting tired, it's on. On tamer stuff that I'm confident on I go back and forth. I also rarely land on my head riding, my crashes generally land me sideways or arms first.
If it's wet/muddy/slick I'm more likely to keep the FF on all day, especially if it's not hot out.
I wear braces and have an overbite that I'm going to have surgery for so I always use full face for anything that is not a gravel ride or an old train track trail.
I'm also really beginner and scared and it gives me an extra boost of confidence
Hospital worker from bentonville, AR (massive mountain bike area). People come in needing facial reconstruction after crashing IN full faces on not that insane stuff. Really underrated! I cant imagine if they didnt have that extra protection!!!
I always felt kinda silly wearing my full face for regular riding as well as jumps because it's the only one I have, though recently I had a crash and was very thankful I was wearing it...
full face also looks cooler than an open face
If I'm on a trail, I'm wearing a full face. The only exception to this rule is if it's super hot out (95F+) and the danger of heat exhaustion is higher than a crash. On those hot days, I'm taking it easy and skipping the dangerous features so I really don't need the full face.
Anywhere the trail points down more than up, I wear a full face. Half shell for more pedaly calmer trails.
Budget limitations force me to only have one helmet at the moment and I immediately went for a full face. Protection is most important, comfort and breathability are factors for rich people.
good choice
For rich people??? As if half-shells are more expensive than full face?
I got a half shell cuz I'm broke not because I wanna breathe more lmao wtf.
Reporting live from Schladming, Austria. I can confirm its full face and downhill bikes as far as the eyes can see and nobody looks overbiked or over protected 😜
Think about the likelihood of your face meeting the ground or another immovable obstacle. If this is higher than your accepted threshold for risk, full face. I don’t wear one but I don’t really do jumping, I don’t ride DH, and I actually (knock on wood) crash pretty rarely. If I was sending it or primarily riding lift-served terrain or racing… yeah I’d very much reassess.
With the caveat that wearing a helmet changes the wearers unconscious risk analysis profile.
The more protection you wear, the more risks you feel safe to take.
Penguin dove into the bushes a few years ago, when I was just starting to ride.
Got a scar on my upper lip which splits my mustache in half. My face will look funny forever.
Never riding any risky terrain in an open face helmet again.
I do wear a detachable helmet most of the time (Bell super) and I love it to death. Being able to remove the chin bar for the climb makes a world of difference.
I never felt the need for a full face until I smashed my orbital bone & ripped off my eyeleid. Now obviouslly I won't ride without one.
Always full face, either city commuting or trails. I only have an enduro bike so the looks fit anyway. 😂
Full face ALWAYS. Mellow XC , Fast downhill - all of it. Play adult games and win adult prizes.
I just turned 59. I rode cross country for many years but gave it up 10 yrs ago due to arthritis in ankles, knees and hips/lower back.
This spring the gf and I purchased ebikes and I haven't looked back. As my gf is new to riding (she can ride but it's been 45 yrs since her last ride) I wanted her to feel comfortable about riding the local trails. After trying on her Bell Super 3R I caved and purchased one for myself. It's comfortable enough that I've not bothered to remove the chin-bar and it does feel confidence inspiring. The gf passed me on a downhill gravel road this past weekend and told me it was the fastest she's ever been on a bicycle and we must have been doing 30kmph. Didn't have the heart to tell her we were closer to 50kmph but what didn't kill her makes her stronger.
Full time full face here, my first ever trip to the mountain ended with a broken collarbone and a smashed half shell.
Full Face ist a must. A friend of mine broke his nose while riding dirtjump with me. It wasnt Even a big crash, he just hittet some roots in a Bad angle with his Face.
Dudes! Its like you've read my mind! Just arrived at home and on the way was thinking about this. Matrix
For me it's a double win, I also use my MTB gear (helmets,goggles, knee pads) for downhill inline skating/rollerblading.
Perfect for climbing in the radiating heat of asphalt and rolling down in relative safety.
my IXS Trigger FF weight 595grams! And it is super breathable. I rarely wear half shells now, because the added protection comes with virtually no penalities. I've seen half shells that weight just as much as this full face. I highly recommend it.
2:10 Recco is actually a passive reflector, so it doesn't send out a signal so much as it reflects back if someone goes over you with a Recco detector (handheld or it looks like they now have helicopter-mounted units). To send out a signal you need cellular or satellite service and have to activate that yourself or have a smart accelerometer that thinks you just crashed (like my stupid garmin does occasionally when I stop on a ride).
Got my warning. Day of tackling Black Trails took the homeward Blue back to the trail centre, ended up hitting a tree with my jaw. Got away with a fractured cheek. Teeth were checked by dentist and all good. So from now I wear a full face. I'll take jaw off for climbs but goes back on for any sort of decent, no matter the level.
As a biker and reconstructive surgeon and who has had to reconstruct facial fractures of other fellow cyclists, I can say that the use of a fullface helmet is never enough.
I mean, fullface helmet is a must. I have had to repair facial fractures in 3 fellow cyclists. When they had their accident none of them wore a fullface helmet
I've got a convertible full face, but honestly the half shell is more practical fot 80% of my rides, but for that last 20% i wouldn't ride it without a full face
When I was still riding DH, and doing freeride stuff in the early 2000s, I was always wearing full face helmets. These days, due to age and previous injuries, I ride flowy trails, and have compromised with a Giro Tyrant.
Ripped my cheek open on a metal grated wall ride last summer. Plastic surgery and a gnarly face scar later, I always wear a full-face on singletrack. You can always go OTB on your bike on any obstacle and your head is the first thing to propel towards the rocks, trees, roots, dirt, ect.
Fox Pro Frame full face is the best vented helmet of any sort (road or MTB) I personally have ever worn. Light, comfortable and breathable. I live in a hot climate and absolutely love it
Yup, there is no perfect helmet, and I asked myself the "what if" if I crash and a piece of stick goes right through one of the massive vents in my RS, but reminded myself that you just insure against the most likely and use the most functional equipment you can get, and again, know that nothing is perfect.
Another factor to add into you decision is time on the bike. A couple years ago I rode "the whole enchilada" in Moab. I'm not a fast climber, so my time was around 3.5 hrs. I chose to wear my Giro Switchblade for that ride, which is lighter then most FF helmets. Near the end of the ride the helmet was getting quite heavy and began to get annoying.
Now I didn't know the trail so I was playing it safe by wearing it, but next time definitely going half she'll. Side note it was about hour 2 where I started to notice it wearing on me.
As always the choice and decision process is yours and only you can decide what's best for you.
Luckily, I’ve never had a bad crash or head injury, but seeing others get ragdolled on even the most simple features tells me I need one. I have a full face for dirt bike riding, but I’d like to have a lighter version for mountain biking. I’ve just now started to get serious about mountain biking, and am looking to get into enduro racing.
No crash equals Not riding hard enough.
why do these videos come out exactly when I need them xD
I literally just searched this for curiosity and there it was, a gmbn video about helmets xD
They always do
As a novelist Rider (EMB) and someone who ploughs through the trials, with no finesse. I use a full face helmet! Over a month ago, I come un-stuck on my Greaser (EB) on the road. Open face helmet, I was lucky. 6 stitches under my jaw and 3 internal.
I have a bell super3 with detachable chin bar. Best of both worlds and I always use the full face option at trail centres etc.
Better to “have it and not need it than need it and not have it” is my thought on it.
I run a Fox Proframe fullface and it's ventilated enough that it feels like an open face helmet. I wear it on every ride no matter how mellow and don't even take it off when stopping for a breather. I believe the TLD Stage is a very similar design and there might be a few others.
Same. Why buy less when you can have all the protection and it takes nothing away?
I had a brain bleed 3.5 years ago. Two brain surgeries and a titanium plate later my balance is still off. So when I ride trails I opt for the extra protection of a full face helmet. It gives me more confidence, plus I want the extra coverage in case of a fall. I use a Bell with the removable chin piece. I use the full face configuration for about 95% of my riding. It offers good ventilation and I can still have a trail helmet for riding around the neighborhood with the family. If I ride lift assisted downhill, I rent a heavier full face helmet.
I have both full face and open face helmets. I definitely wear the full face on the more aggressive rides. The open face is for more day to day riding and leisure rides.
Gone for the best of both with a Super Air R. half lid for most rides and long climbs.. chin bar to strap on when im throwing myself down something more extreme.
Currently i have an XC bike so i ride open face, but as soon as I build a bike for more trail-oriented riding and i go on steeper more technical trails, i'll go enduro fullface. Just a dumb mistake or a front wheel wash off can make you eat liquids for a year, if you're lucky.
It's always full face helmet for me. An open face provides protection to one half of your head only, and nothing at all on the other, which is left completely exposed. And nowadays there are very lightweight and very ventilated full face helmet options, they are not only downhill style. Take the Met parachute for example, it's only 700 grams! That's crazy for a full face and it's very well ventilated as well. Sure not the ideal one for a crazy speed downhill race, a more protective one would be better for that, but pretty much perfect for most scenario except the extreme one.
Love the channel guys! Last May I had a huge crash and my Troy Lee Design Stage helmet (full face) save my life. So much so that the helmet cracked at point of impact. If I would have had my open face helmet I would be in bad shape.
I would say that if you hesitate between the two, wear the full face. It's better to be hot than have a cracked skull!
Cheers !
I love my D4 composite
Got my first full-face for my first trip to a bike park. It was during the PNW heatwave, and despite that heat I never really noticed a problem inside the helmet until I stopped.
I felt safe and that gave me confidence to try harder trails than I’ve ever ridden, and allow my bike to leave the ground frequently.
Agree; there’s stuff at the bike park and black/double black trails I wouldn’t ride without a full face helmet.
"I don't know if I'm going to fall on the side of my head, but I definitely know I won't fall ony face". Because, nobody *ever* falls on their face, unless they plan to do so, "of course". Everyone that smashes their face wanted to, since they didn't wear a ff?
Had a chain break and wrap up my rear hub which resulted in me going over the bars and sliding down gravelly asphalt on my face when I was 12 Full face always since,
Full face no matter what, I would rather sweat a little bit then getting my face pushed in
On the positive side, I love the music in this video
I have both. Trail helmet for the fire roads. Full face for anything else. I am not usually wearing any pads, either on the fire roads. So I have learned to discipline myself not to leave the roads without all the safety gear. All the gear, all the time. always.
I got a convertible Bell after going to the hospital, face planting downhill.
I have googles and glasses.
I mix up what I wear between full and open, glasses and goggles, depending on conditions.
I have a Giro switchblade.. its both an open and full face helmet. Its astm 1952 dh certified with or without chinbar...
Is it any good? I bought the Bell one they show in the video but I didn't get on with it at all and passed it on....
@@tobyehillier i like it yes. Use it for 2 years already. But the helmet without chinbars stays quite "hot" in warmer weather. Thats is something to concider...
The best helmet I have had and saved me a few times.
I just keep the chin bar on, it's not that hot
I always ride my fox proframe on any trail because it’s just so breathable. I only ever take it off on really hot days (32 degrees Celsius) and its only when climbing
Do i need full face helmet in my speed and trails? Probably not. Still i allways wear my Fox Proframe on trails. Lots of rocks and roots and narrow trails so i don't really want to crash face first. Also i have ridden MX and Enduro so i am used to a full face helmets.
Have had to many to wrecks and every time I had a full face and so happy I did.
I ride with a Fox Pro Frame as my only helmet. It works very well in all conditions I don't think I could go back to an open face helmet .
I use a detachable chinbar one. So i just put it on when I get into some gnarly stuff or when I want to push. But i still get a lot of air on the climbs. And you can just put the chinbar on your handkebar on the climbs. With the cables on the front it doesn't move too much even on small downhill sections
Good tip!
Great advice. I think this was a hard video to make. After all you don't want to be the one who said "don't worry it'll be fine"...... we're talking about protecting your head and in my opinion you should get the absolute best helmet you can afford and if you're anywhere where a crash could end up nasty then get a full face every time!
Fox proframe, never too hot. Max protection. I like my teeth in my mouth.
I'm buying me one
I have one, too and agree with all your points.
Love my Pro Frame too!
Bought one for a trip last week. It is amazing dont even notice its a full face
IXS makes a really nice lightweight full face helmet. I have gone through 2 fox proframes I think the IXS one is slightly better protection. It Will probably be my next endro helmet
Blake’s monologue was nice advert for POC, other manufacturers of certified safety helmets are available.
I have the Kali Invader (trail, not a DH helmet) and it breathes so well, there really isn’t any reason to not wear one on the trails I ride most often. Those are super rocky Canadian Shield type trails with a big rock every ten feet and plenty of larger rock features. The trails can be tight with branches etc and I like googles because I just don’t have to worry about stuff hitting my eyes. Honestly, not having my acid sweat in my eyes is worth it alone. Of course both are great for cold winter riding. On mellower XC type trails, I ride an open face with glasses.
So, I feel more comfortable with "normal" helmet going uphill, but hoping on trails, fullface makes me more confident.
I think full faces can also be a mental game help, when you're stepping it up the extra safety of a full face is comforting
I rode motocross where you don't get as up close and personal with rocks and trees. We ditched open face helmets in the 80s. I wear full face when riding mtb. 2:53
Yes. Yes you do.
IXS Trigger is super light and DH rated. I wear it trail riding in 90F 30C weather, and in the bike park. Just get one.
I have broken one. Amongst other serious injuries, at least I could still eat.
I'm now bricking myself and want to wear a full face helmet for my next commute.......
IXS Trigger is Full Face but it is so well ventilated that it doesn't feel like one, love mine
i went thru a plethora of research and ended up on that too!
Yes! I do. Since getting a hole in my top lip and broken nose after otb.
Hey, I am not familiar with RECCO system, but you've messed something up in the video about it - "nfc tag that sends your signal to the system, that can track you"... what ? NFC stands for "near field communication", it can not send anything to any remote system. If there is such functionality built in, then it's not the NFC part of it, as video suggest.
They are two separate things they did not explain it right in the video
Yeah they messed up a little bit that part. Noticed it as well. Those helmets have the NFC Tag so that medics can just scan it and get information about you. The POC helmets have this piece of metal at the back that reflects radar signals sent by some search and rescue equipment (initially used to search for people after avalanches). But this is certainly something that not every search and rescue squads have so you need luck as well.
Eduardo Núñez You need luck and a huge massive helicopter with the nfc detector. BTW any phone or gpstracker works as good as a nfc chip...
Eduardo Núñez You need luck and a huge massive helicopter with the nfc detector. BTW any phone or gpstracker works as good as a nfc chip...
I use a Troy Lee A2 for easier trails and summer. Recently got a Smith mainline, and after seeing my buddy’s pictures of his helmet dented on top, side, and jaw, I may start wearing it all the time.
depending on the terrain. i ride a home built hardtail enduro and i ride it everyday as a commuter/trail/freeride bike. i use an open face helmet. if i ride trail and it is fast and heavy i would use a full face. it is really about environment. if you ride stairs there aren't any trees use an open face. if you ride trail and parks use a fullface.
I always wear a fullface, it gives me more confidence and therefore I ride better & faster
I hear ya, brother.
kinda weird. but i ride better & faster and safer without a fullface.
@@joaquino812 that’s weird, but everyone has their own opinion I guess 😊🤷♂️
Very informative and straightforward (regarding sponsorship) explanation by Don - the Blake's infomercial part felt really odd though.
I wear an open face mtb helmet, which is appropriate for most of my riding, but I have been considering a full face for more technical trails… I wish you could’ve presented more info about the convertible helmets
Having recently falling and hitting my face and chipping my tooth… yeahhhh def wearing full face for almost any mtb ride
I wear full face when every winter or if its cold outside and on trails. I'll only wear half if ill just ride my way to a nearby destination.
I currently have a broken nose from a low speed off....I've now brought a vented trail full face...just as light and breathable as my old half face and visibility isn't affected.
Won't ride without it.
What did you go for? I’m torn between the fox proframe and the met parachute
I went for the Kali invader 2.0 SLD
Depending on the case.. the better thing to do is to buy both of them.
Thanks Lads for another great video,, I'm in Aust,and the removeable jaw works a treat in our hot weather 🙏🙏
Only got sight in one eye and a need to not be off work for weeks, or fully blind 😬 personal choice but I go with full face and goggles on anything off road these days. Just not worth the risk to me
The full face with removable chin guards are great in my opinion
I've just purchased a Bell Super 3R convertible, having never used a fullface my entire life, and now in my mid-40s. On trying it on, I can sense the fullface mode will feel limiting, but I've just moved back to SPDs, which I know I stack harder in, and I'm starting to do a bit more bike park stuff, albeit it only reds and tame compared to most people probably considering one. I think most of the riding I feel comfortable in I'll use the open face but bike parks, and some more epic rides into the peak district/york moors I think it makes sense to drag the chinbar with me for those rocky descents.
Just last week face planted on a grade 3 trail that I ride frequently. Knocked myself out and knocked my front two teeth out. I own a full face but I only ever wear on bike parks etc where I have uplift. On this particular day I was wearing an open face helmet and wouldn’t have even considered wearing a full face on this track. Now though I’ve bought a pedal friendly full face and will probably wear it for all future trail/enduro riding.
my advice, are your riding XC trails up to blue teck trails meant for trail bikes? have an half shell.
do you ride black and meybe even double black trails meant for trail bikes? you should at least consider a full face, one which you can take of the jaw with is preferable, but a enduro lid will also be just fine, but steer away from the full on DH lids, those are heavy and just too much (the poc full face shown in the video is one of them, the fox proframe is a good example of a enduro lid and the MET parachute mcr is a perfect example of a helmet with a removeble jaw).
ride any kind of enduro, DH, or park? get a full face, but if you tend to stay on the lighter side, one with a removable jaw or a enduro lid will also do, so if you already have one and dont ride the real sketchy and heavy kind of terain too often, just use that one unless you feel you need for that extra protection. but if you ride dificult/more risky terain more often, a full on full face will be worth it.
speaking of smashing full face helmets up reminds me of my crash where i misjudged speed off a drop and went OTB and i essentially flipped and rolled down the hill and took a massive gouge out of the back bottom portion of my full face. if i wasn't wearing that it likely would have been a gash in the spinal area of my lower neck if not a broken neck or something but in the end i got out with just a broken collarbone.
Coming from Karting in FL. I dont think I'll mind the heat from a full face living in CO now :)
I use the MET parachute removal chin guard which suits me I take it off for the climbs and pop it back on for the dissents
Never had any issues and it feels solid
As a 46 year old dude who has been on the ground a bunch, and rides moto as my main hobby. I only wear a full face helmet. And not even a mountain bike helmet. I wear a Leatt GPX when I’m single tracking and riding these rocky climbs around me. Yes it can be hot, yes it’s heavy, but I feel way safer with it. Not a spring chicken anymore and way safer.
I think we are going to see more trail riders wearing the new light weight breathable full face helmet offerings. Your face is sooo exposed when wearing a half shell. Learned this lesson a few days ago
Just as mentioned in the video, it's personal preference. People in the comments (and pretty much in life in general) always talk like they have to make an absolute decision of one or the other. It's personal preference and common sense. Better to just have both the open face and full face and wear one or the other when needed.
Depends on what are you doing, I rather not to take the risk of losing my teeth on a technical trail, I always take my full face helmet when I go Enduro.
Full face is an absolute need for downhill or bike parks!
I got a Giro turtle shell style, probably more of a roadie helmet. Well I wiped out a week ago and got a concussion, skinned up my face and there was about a 30 minute span where I don’t really remember anything. When I get back on the bike in about 3-4 weeks it’ll be with a full face. I’d rather be safe than sorry and it’s definitely cheaper than a hospital bill, etc.
I just took a bad crash as a result of my boa lace snapping in the middle of a technical section of the trail. It was the one day in 6mo I did not wear my full face on that trail and got 15 stitches on my chin. I don't fall often so this crash was extremely frustrating. my face took 100% of the impact, not a scratch on my lid. I still wear the lid of calmer trails but 100% full face on technical downhill. Never getting boa lace shoes ever again.
Love full face
First time I wore my full face major OTB landed on my face KO ,would have smashed my face in thanks full face😎
Ask Fabio Jakobsen if he needs a full face on his road bike..? Modern helmets ( i have a bell air) are just as light and ventilated. So your choice what part of your head you would like to protect..
I lost it when you said "people do have different shaped helmets" Hahaha! I'm guessing you'd meant to say "different shaped heads".
Probably half of my riding is climbing but the descents are high consequence and being a new rider, I’ve already had a couple of crashes and got lucky but I quickly picked up a full face. Too much important stuff goin on in that noggin