Replacing ageing helmets

Equipment
23

I wonder if Snopes has an article? I’d say plausible. :slight_smile:

Honestly, I think manufacturers make a big deal out of a lot of things that might make a 1% difference.

Think of this - your scalp acts like it’s own slip plane MIPS liner. Your hair, if you have it, also acts like a MIPS liner. It’s not like helmets are locked solidly on the head. They will naturally move and provide a slip plane.

You also wonder whether helmets are designed to provide the best possible protection or to score the best on a certain test. MIPS helmets score well on the Virginia Tech test because they prioritize the slip plane but there are still lots of 5 star helmets on their list that aren’t MIPS or Wavecell.

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24

My latest helmet is MIPS (I don’t intend to crash test that) I have crash tested a few KASKs in the past though which do not MIPS and touchwood its they’ve performed well. On my limited experience you don’t need MIP (no harm in it though) :upside_down_face:

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25

So what’s the consensus in 2024? Every 3, 5 years?

26

If you read the topic, the answer is still the same. There’s no reason to replace a helmet on a schedule. The materials don’t degrade in such a short time frame. If it’s in bad condition or been crashed, then replace it.

3 Likes
27

I’ve had some insiders tell me that MiPS may not be all it’s cracked up to be as a testing standard.

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28

I replace my helmet every day.

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29

Why?

30

I replace my helmets before they get five years old.

Edit: I have several helmets that I use. If I had just one helmet, I would most likely replace it earlier.

31

I think I had the Oakley since 2018. I replaced it last year which was coincidentally 5years but because I fancied a new one Id saw with a magnetic buckle. Which has turned out to be a great choice for me. I got a plain white Ekoi AR14 for a good price a coloured or team branded one was 2-3 times the price.