SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/572278
IMPROVING SAFETY face helmets also use a helmet skirt that prevents dust from entering in from underneath the neck and chin area. But one thing that all racers share is having a helmet that can be wired for communication. It's imperative to communicate with co-riders, chase crews, and officials during the race. Most racing helmets have built-in areas to connect communication devices, but some require disassembling the access ports and re-wiring to accommodate the team's specific communication devices. According to Steve Russell at Pyrotect, some of their new helmets, will have communication ports that can be easily removed, wired, and replaced without having to re- bond them to the helmet. Improving Helmet Technologies While the SA2015 ratings for helmets provide racers with the highest level of protection available, manufacturers are always looking towards the future and have some ideas what the next evolution will include. Most believe that the use of lighter weight composite materials is key to making helmets safer and lighter. "As innovative and lightweight materials become more affordable, the most likely trend in helmet technology will be realized through weight-savings," says Willmore. "Helmets that offer the same level of protection but weigh less will benefit drivers through reduced instances of fatigue." One of the most popular light- weight helmets are those made from carbon fiber. While these helmets look more menacing and provide a "cool" factor with drivers, carbon fiber will likely be more predominant as helmet technology increases towards making them lighter in weight. "Lightweight carbon fiber construction continues to dominate in the top of the line helmets," says Bishop. Other manufacturers like HJC are also looking into combining a mixture of composite materials that can also be strong, yet lightweight. In addition to making helmets lighter, the use of composite materials will also allow manufacturers to design helmets with more room to incorporate better air circulation that can provide the wearer with more air and improved cooling. Among other improvements, helmet manufacturers are also looking at greater shield clarity and more comfortable interior designs. "The future of helmet safety is to help absorb more energy on impact to minimize injuries using high tech foam energy absorption liners and stronger shell technologies," says Russell. Comfort is a major factor in which helmets drivers select, so helmet manufacturers are focused on this for the future and are experimenting with different foam materials and methods to keep their helmets cool and comfortable. "Mitigating a broad range of impacts is a balancing act as it often requires the use of variable density inner liners as well as additional millimeters of material added to the outer shell," says Willmore. "The challenge is offering an affordable helmet that can control both high and low- MOST MOTORCYCLE AND ATV RACERS CAN'T UTILIZE FRESH-AIR PUMPS. SO MOTORCYCLE HELMETS MUST HAVE EXCELLENT VENTILATION, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS BUILT-IN. GETSOMEPHOTO 071 SCORE JOURNAL