Most Polo Helmets Offer Little Protection

[Rhoda Ochoa]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/competitionnews/392/257283.html

I was wondering about this, since I recently bought a "regular" riding helmet which meets rigorous safety standards for under $50. And then, I thought, I wonder what my polo helmet says... Most polo helmets (in fact, nearly all) aren't certified to any standard, and not surprisingly, perform poorly. Kind of interesting. There is at least one model available that is "safe" but frankly, it's ridiculously pricey. Why would I pay that kind of money when I can get something as good or better for 1/4 the price? By the way, riding helmets should be replaced every two years, and sooner if they take a good crash (whether on your noggin at the time or not).

[bruce cowley]

Hi Rhoda
As with most things - I believe actions speak loader than certifications.

I've had 2 high-speed falls where I hit my head - and although i sustained a neck injury, in 1 - my Falcon Pro helmet kept what little brains I have right where they belong.

I've had the same helmet for years and it retained it's integrity enough after the first fall (where I landed literally head-first, when the horse shied from a challenge, while playing a nearside shot, at a gallop) to protect me in the second.

With regard replacing your helmet - well, I work in the ad industry and that really smacks of a brilliant sales strategy to me.

Cheers
Bruce

[Rhoda Ochoa]

That does sound like a good field testing. I haven't paid a lot of attention to helmets because I tend not to wear them unless I am playing. I have this fear of having a neck injury and being "saved". I took a fall off one of my horses last year when I was stick and balling him (the little turkey decided to buck hard just as I was leaning for a ball) and "stretched" my neck. Of course, I didn't have a helmet on... but I didn't hurt my head!

As for the 2 year thing, I don't know... my friend is pretty laid back about most things, but she instructs as well, so she's pretty exacting about the helmets I guess. She even makes sure her old ones get destroyed so that no one will use them. I kind of raised an eyebrow when she said that, but she isn't usually overly fussy unless it matters. Maybe I'll do some more checking around. Is yours one of the certified ones? Some of the falcone brand are certified, but I can't find "falcone pro" to check if they are or aren't. If they aren't... maybe it's just a good helmet that -would- do well if it had been tested.

[Rhoda Ochoa]

Hmm, I see brands listed as both Falcon and Falcone...

[bruce cowley]

It's Falcon www.falconhelmets.com (and sorry it's 'high handicap' not 'pro') - they have/had 1 that is approved/certified - the difference being the the strap (mine is the old fashioned single strap - which I prefer).

Bloody good helmet, and as I said, it's served me well. But it is heavy - which brings me to an interesting point that a friend of mine (who was 5-goals in his younger days) raised - he reckons that the weight of the helmet makes you more inclined to land on your head. So, because you're wearing a helmet - you need to wear a helmet.

At the end of the day - there's lots of other things one's more likely to break than a head.

[Sandra Funk]

You're talking about helmets, but let's start another discussion about faceguards!
I've seen so many bad faceguards to big, to heavy and to open to really protect.
I've seen zigarrs in the faceguard and the owner of the mallet pulling to get it out and free and at the same time wiping the head of the owner of the helmet with the faceguard. This player got a heavy neck injury because of the pullings.
I've seen balls under the faceguard, zigarrs between.....
And I also belive the rule that more heavier your helmet more danger to fall on your head and not on your ass (it's much more soft).
And what about body protections?
Here more and more people use the motorcyclist-bodyprotections. I don't feel comfortable with it and so I personally think, not feeling me good on the horse I'm unsure and more likely in danger to have an accident.

Polo is a dangerous sport!

[Pierre Greiveldinger]

Pace tested some Polo helmets in their latest issue ...

[Sandra Funk]

Dear Pierre,
that's right, but it is a german polo magazine and not very easy to read for everybody here.
Why don't you spend your time in translating the article? ha, ha, ha..
Best wishes to you!

[Lizzie]

I have a Charles Owen Polo helmet - the only one in the UK that was recognised as offering a good level of protection. It was pricey but I only have one head and having seen too many polo players fall over the years I think its a price worth paying. It's also very light, has good venting for your hot head and can have a face guard attached easily but that will pull off if a mallet gets caught up in the face guard (I wouldn't dream of playing without a face guard)

My brother uses a motorbike helmet - far cheaper and has a much better safety record - the only problem is the swear degrades the inside of the helmet but becuase it cost him a fraction of the cost he can afford to replace more frequently.

[bruce cowley]

your brother has bigger balls than most.

[Sandra Funk]

So when we are talking about safty and saying the names of the products I wonder why nobody still named the really most safty polo helmet I know
GPA
It fullfills the 3 most important standards:
EUROPE EN 1384: required by all the European countries and recognized in many countries in the world (China, Japan, Australia, South America.)
The USA
ASTM: obligatory official standard
SEI: optional standard with the higher requirements
The UNITED KINGDOM
KITEMARK: additional standard required in competition, by the pony clubs and certain insurances

So - maybe after the motorbike helmet - it's the best and most safty equestrian helmets on earth at the moment.

[Lizzie]

I hadn't heard of GPA - would be useful to know where it is produced - it certainly did not come up in a search before i bought my Charles Owen. However need to bear in mind that having a kitemark in the UK does not mean it is recognised as the safest - just that it meets the minimum required of a riding helmet. Can you put in a link?

[Sandra Funk]

here in Germany you can buy the GPA riding helmet in most good tack shops and some equestrian catalogue shops. It's a suisse company.

GPA SPORT
HEAUME ACTIVITIES S.A
Chemin du Verger, 26
CH-1752 VILLARS SUR GLANE
SUISSE
Fax : [phone]
Courriel : [e-mail]


http://www.gpa-sport.com/casques/catalogue.php