open face vs. closed face

[pro116]

Yep srxsrule is right if you ride extreme offtrail you will rip the cord right off.

 

[craze1cars]

all im gonna say is.... with a closed helmet and electric sheild you will never have a fogged mask.. and never have to worry about having your goggles or mask on correctly or having facial windburn!

Thats a perfect statement from a guy that rides trails 100% of the time. Bring that helemt set-up out west when the powder is 3-4 feet deep and you wont be able to see a damn thing in a about 30 seconds! Eric

I didn't vote because I have both. I agree with above quote 100%. For trail riding, I run a full face. But for deep powder boondocking in the mountains or most anywhere, the full face is utterly useless...electric shield or not. I have an MX style with goggles for that type of riding.

 

[tcona-AGT]

I use the BV2S helmet--Full coverage on cold days & when it gets warm enough, I just put the mouth piece in my pack.(2 in 1)..

 

[Mongo 1]

I ride with both depending on the conditions. Full face with electric shield in cold, misty conditions, open with goggles on nice days. I have found that if you ware glasses the open face is more cumbersome if you stop and remove your helmet a lot, and my shield cord has not broken when I have come off, but I think I have been lucky. My vote is for the full face.

 

[Spyderman]

I used to ride with a full faced helmet, but I got a HJC open faced last year, and I loved it. I rode with it on every trip, including a 3 day bagger trip from Eagle River to Hurley to Houghton (LOTS of high speed trail riding). You have to adjust to the pull of the visor at high speeds, but overall it is much more comfortable. The only place you have to protect is the forehead - the vents there can get real cold. Get the No-Fog face mask (we call it a bird beak since you look so goofy wearing it, but it works wonders. Also use the Scott 89x with Trbo Flow lenses...

 

[Mongo 1]

I forgot about the visor pull.

 

[Yamahammer485]

Owned both.

Definately prefer open face, much lighter, no fogging issues at all. Only advatage to a full face I could see was the few times I was riding at night and it was record cold temps out, had to arrange the neckwarmer over my chin and nose.

Helmets were both same age, HJC cz-x2 and CL-14, and used both Scott cheapo goggles and now high end Smith blue chrome ones, which are very awsome!

When comparing them, the biggest deciding factor is what type of riding the helmet will be subjected to, like either trail riding or aggressive/offtrail riding.

 

[FXR81]

Definatly go with the open face! I have rode with both and I like the open face way better. I've rode with a few brands, HJC, Bell, CKX, and FXR. The FXR Adrenaline is the way go!! It offers the most insulation around the face and neck to keep out the wind, and is very quite to ride with. For goggles you can go with the FXR brand, they work awsome, or Scott Voltage series work really well also. You can pick the helmet up off there web site www.fxrracing.com or at a FXR dealer (listed on FXR site)

 

[NJNYTRO]

any frostbite action? My biggest concern is that I'd be out on the trail and the goggles fogging and ruining the ride.I like the full face w/ the electric shield but it gives me a real closed in feeling during a 3 day ride

 

[AKrider]

If you like having teeth you won't wear an open face helmet.

A lot of guys who race the IronDog use open face helmets so they can easily eat and drink when gassing up. They feel this advantage that outweighs the greater chances of being injured in a wreck.

I like my face and teeth and would not consider wearing an open face helmet for my style of riding. I've looped out a dirt bike in 4th gear and face planted into a gravel road at 40 mph. My helmet chin guard was stress cracked in many places but I sustained no injuries to my jaw or face. Can't say the same for my kneecap that would have been fractured had I not been wearing kneeguards.

 

[craze1cars]

If you like having teeth you won't wear an open face helmet.

.

You interpreted this wrong at first just like I did myself...the poll is misleading.

In my mind there are really four types of helmets nowadays:

1. Open face (aka 1970's style with bubble face shield, very rare)
2. Motocross style (actually a full face, but better ventilation with goggles instead of a sheild)
3. Full face
4. Modular (really just an open face but with a much fancier and warmer face shield)

For some reason the author of the poll lumped "open face" and "motorcross style" in the same answer, thus your confusion. And modulars fit nowhere despite their growing popularity.

Most of us that voted "open face" were actually talking about a full face MX helmet with goggles (I think!). These are often snell rated and usually as safe as if not safer than a conventional full face with shield helmet.

Anywho...I'm sure the poll is sort of skewed, but I agree with everything you said regarding face protection regardless of how we interpreted the original question. Good post!

 

[NJNYTRO]

my bad- you were correct when I meant motox style. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Black 1000]

What do you Moto style guys think of the FLY Racing 606 siries helmet? I will be looknig at the Oakley goggles.
Thanks

 

[RSVECTORFREAK]

Your gonna need both if you are going north. The open faces are nice but everytime we ride to Copper Harbor after January in the UP all the guys with the open face goggle combo are really complaining at 2 am when it's -10 below outside,check out the windchill there's no open face/goggle combo thats going to help you on long cold nights.

 

[hypertxer]

im looking aT the skidoo snowcross helmet anyheard anything about it.