Helmets- Do you get what you pay for

[Jacqueslemac]

From my (limited) experience it seems more expensive ones are a bit longer-lasting (except they all need to be changed after four years anyway, apparently), quieter and better-fitting.

[Whealie]

With your sort of riding you should replace it on a weekly basis.

With his sort of riding there's nothing inside that needs protecting.

[samben]

With his sort of riding there's nothing inside that needs protecting.

[Whealie]

The issue, as with other kit, is not just the impact resistance, but the comfort, noise, heat, cold, dryness factors.
I reckon the standards are pretty close so,provided your helmet meets the minimum standards and fits properly (an ill-fitting helmet may actually be worse in certain circumstances) you should be equally protected in the event of an off.
But the more expensive helmets tend to be more comfortable (different helmets fit different heads though so no rules). They tend to be better at moving water, have less misting, have vents too open to keep cool or close to keep warm etc. And they tend to reduce the noise of the wind rushing past. All these things, particularly on long trips, become increasingly important. An uncomfortable helmet will take your mind off riding safely and may contribute to an accident.
Health and safety legislation in the UK means that people riding for work have to be supplied with kit that not only protects them from the bangs and scrapes but keep them cool when it is hot, warm when it is freezing and dry when it is wet. realistically, that means the most expensive gore-tex XCR and CE approved items.
But there is a limit, especially with helmets, in that the logos and paint jobs on them add nothing to their safety. In fact, if you think your helmet makes you look "so cool" you may well end up riding like a plonker while showing off, causing you to come off.
The Highway Code also recommend a plain white or yellow helmet for increased visibility.

[Ralphie]

But there is a limit, especially with helmets, in that the logos and paint jobs on them add nothing to their safety. In fact, if you think your helmet makes you look "so cool" you may well end up riding like a plonker while showing off, causing you to come off.

OOoooooooooooooh
In that case I'm off to buy a soooper shiny helmet and ride like a **** in that case, coz I've been gagging for a while now ........
lol

[fatowl]

There was a test of helmets in Ride magazine about 18 months back. The results were very interesting, showing great variation in protection levels. Some cheap ones were crap, some good. HJC for example, about £50 came out very well indeed, I think about 2nd or 3rd for protection.
My own helmet is very old now and needs replacing, but I'm having trouble finding one that fits properly. Still looking.

[z-weiser]

My better half has a HJC one - on the strength of quite a few good reviews - it's a good lid fits well and is nice and quiet!

plus apparently they are pretty strong!


Z

[Raven]

Let me put it this way...I'd rather be wearing an £80 helmet that fit's me properly than a £300 one that doesn't

[Dee Duble Yuh]

A high price doesn't always guarantee superior protection, though there is likely to be a loose correlation (most cheaper ones are worse, most pricier ones are better). However buyers also look for other things, such as comfort, quietness, style, ventilation, a well fitting anti-fog insert and so on. In general pricier helmets are likely to outperform cheaper ones.

[sproggy]

In general, a cheap helmet will be heavier than an expensive one (plastic versus composites, among other reasons). The less your head weighs (including helmet) the less tiring it is to keep it straight on your shoulders and the more alert you will stay for longer periods. If my Arai is wet (from washing) I wear an old FM lid (composite, and fairly decent but not in the same leage as the Arai) but it weighs a ton in comparison! Well, about 300g more than the Arai - it makes a huge difference.

Someone else said that expensive helmets tend to last longer - this is because of improved materials (shell, linings, padding etc) and also the fact that many have linings that can be removed for washing.

So I don't think it's just about a head/helmet value comparison - it's affected by how long (per day, per year, whatever) your head tends to stay in that helmet. A 300g difference on a trip to the shops once a week on your C50 won't make much difference to comfort, but if you do several hundred miles a day it certainly will. As will decent ventilation, low noise, the ability to wash the lining afterwards etc.

You definitely get what you pay for. Any improvement in protection between a £50 lid and a £500 is a bonus on top of the above - the type approval stickers don't tell the whole story.