Silly Gear Question

[stilghar]

How long does a helmet usually last if not involved in a serious impact?

I still have the first helmet I ever bought, from back in the spring of '12 when I first got my bike. It's still in good condition, but the outer layer is peeling off some of the padding.

How often should a helmet be replaced?

Comments

[makovette]

I've not seen anything definite/authoritative on this topic. Provided the helmet hasn't been damaged, a 5 years service life at least would be reasonable, more for a high end Shoei or Arai or similar.

Replacing the headliner to restore a tighter fit and a new chin strap would likely "roll back" the clock a few years too, but once again, I've not seen authoritative data on this either.

CYa!
Mako

[tugrik]

Most helmet manufacturers state a 5 year limit, but that's their defense in our overly litigious society. It's also considering normal wear-and-tear. If you take very good care of your helmet (store it properly, etc) there's no reason it can't last a few years longer than that. "YMMV", quite literally.

[crankycoyote]

For a high-end street helmet, I usually figure on 8-10 years being the outside maximum, but it depends hugely on wear. I bought my Arai Signet GT in 2006, and just now replaced it with a new Shoei, and other than some interior funk the Arai is still in pretty good shape. If you store your helmet somewhere hot, ride an epic number of miles per year, or have a tendency to knock it off your bike every once in a while, I'd replace it sooner.

[anonymous]

I know it's an old comment, but I've always been told 5 years for a helmet you wear regularly (that's never touched the ground), more frequently if you regularly ride in wet conditions or have oily skin, etc... And I think 8-10 shelf life. I'd say that also largely depends on the build quality as well; I wouldn't expect a Scorpion to last as long as a Shoei (and have had a helmet from each to test that hypothesis on :)), for example.

The reason for the life is due to the padding materials breaking down over time. And each time you put on and remove the helmet you're working the padding and material, so it's going to wear out, compress and break down. Lower quality material will likely break down faster.

A lot of padding inside of helmets you can replace. What kind of helmet is it?

[stilghar]

http://www.leatherup.com/p/Hawk-Helmets/Hawk-GLD-902-Series-Glossy-Black-Slim-Lightweight-Profile-Helmet/269898.html

Purchased in March of 2012.