EQUESTRIAN HELMET EDUCATION GUIDE:

EQUESTRIAN HELMET EDUCATION GUIDE
EQUESTRIAN HELMET EDUCATION GUIDE:
Ride with confidence-A certified equestrian helmet
is the smartest way to protect yourself while riding.
While no helmet will prevent all injuries, you’re far less
likely to suffer a serious head injury if you’re wearing
a helmet with ASTM / SEI certification. Every helmet
Troxel sells meets that standard.
For more information visit: www.troxelhelmets.com & www.troxelhelmets.com/safety
EQUESTRIAN HELMET EDUCATION GUIDE
FACTS:
How often horse-related injuries happen?
• About 70,000 people go to the emergency room each year for equestrian-related injuries. About 12,000
of those people have suffered head injuries.
• Among lifetime riders (people who ride 6 or more times a year), 13% have been hospitalized with a riding
injury.
• Horseback riders have the same number of injury accidents per riding hour as motorcycle riders.
Who gets injured?
•
All riding disciplines have a significant rate of head injuries.
•
Unpredictable riding events — a horse spooking, bucking, or bolting — account for most head injuries,
but 20% happen during non-riding activities or as a bystander. Wear your helmet when around horses
even if you are not mounted.
•
Your level of expertise doesn’t protect you: The risk of injury is tied to cumulative
riding time, not level of expertise.
•
Taking it slow isn’t the answer, either: Severity of injury is most
closely influenced by your distance above the ground. And a
fall from above only 2 feet high can cause permanent brain
damage.
How helmets protect you?
•
When you take a fall, a certified helmet absorbs energy
by crushing and extending your heads stopping time to
reduce the peak impact on the brain significantly.
•
Head injuries are the most common reason for
equestrian-related hospitalization and fatal injuries.
The helmets are built to compress and fracture
on serious impact. A broken helmet is not a sign
of a faulty one — in fact, they may crush or crack as they absorb the energy
that could otherwise cause you serious injury.
For more information visit: www.troxelhelmets.com & www.troxelhelmets.com/safety
EQUESTRIAN HELMET EDUCATION GUIDE
FREQUENT QUESTIONS:
What is SEI / ASTM certification?
SEI is the Safety Equipment Institute, an organization that certifies protective equipment for a variety of
industries. ASTM is one of the world’s most respected standards organizations, setting standards for everything
from curing of concrete to hotness of red peppers to protective headgear.
For equestrian helmets, SEI has selected the ASTM standard F1163 to evaluate helmet performance. All Troxel
helmets are SEI / ASTM certified.Visit www.troxelhelmets.com/safety/educational for more information.
SEI requires testing at an independent lab to the F1163 ASTM standard.
Do more expensive helmets have a better safety record?
No. The important thing is to wear a helmet that is SEI / ASTM certified and fits you properly.You may pay more
for a stylish or comfortable helmet, but it does not affect the safety.
How often should helmets be replaced?
You should replace your helmet any time you’re in an accident, whether the
impact is severe or minor. Even if you don’t see any damage, the area of
the helmet where impact occurred could have been compromised.
In addition, experts recommend replacing your helmet every five
years or sooner. Time takes its toll on the material properties
of a helmet mainly because of small dings and bumps as well
as the effects of temperature variations that occur over time,
expanding and compressing the materials over and over again.
Another reason to regularly exchange your helmet is the
ongoing improvement in helmet technology, which sometimes
is not obvious to the public. Although there is a range of
issues that might make an earlier replacement necessary,
five years is the maximum time recommended until
replacing a helmet.
I’ve heard that wearing a helmet can create hazards of
its own. Is there any downside to wearing a helmet?
It’s a common myth that wearing a helmet can increase the likelihood of
sustaining a neck injury because of the fixed brim. This is not true. A task force
from ASTM tested helmet brims and concluded there was no hazard.
For more visit: www.troxelhelmets.com/safety
For more information visit: www.troxelhelmets.com & www.troxelhelmets.com/safety
EQUESTRIAN HELMET EDUCATION GUIDE
PROPER FITTING:
T ROX E L H E L M E T F IT T I N G G U I D E
IV. Customize the Fit Using the GPS.
I. Determine the Size Needed.
Measure the head using a cloth measuring tape, or a piece of string
you can measure with a ruler afterward, approximately one inch
above the eyebrows around the full circumference of the head.
Once measured, you should have a measurement in either inches
or centimeters.
Use this measurement, along with the Troxel Sizing Chart, to identify the appropriate size as Small, Medium, or Large.
Head size (inches) 20
Head size (cm)
51
Hat size
6 1/2
20 1/2
52
6 5/8
21
53.5
6 3/4
21 1/2
54/55
6 7/8
22
56
7
22 1/2
57
7 1/8
23
58.5
7 1/4
23 1/2
60
7 3/8
24
61
7 1/2
24 1/2
62
7 5/8
25
63.5
7 3/4
II. Prepare the Helmet for Fitting.
After the headliner is adjusted, further fit the helmet by adjusting the
GPS stabilization system in the following ways:
Adjust the GPS I by sliding the GPS snuggly to cup the back of the
head.
Adjust the GPS II by turning the dial to tighten the GPS. (Figure A)
Adjust the GPS III by pinching together the micro adjustable slides to
snug the GPS system to the head. (Figure B)
Keep in mind, when adjusting the GPS there may be increased
pressure on the forehead. If this occurs, simply let out the GPS a
little or readjust the Flip-Fold pads.
V. Evaluating Helmet Fit.
Make sure all the Flip-Fold pads are flat and not flipped under. Most
Troxel helmets incorporate a stabilization system, a GPS (Gripper
Positioning System). Identify which GPS system the helmet has:
• GPS I – This system uses a ‘Y’ shaped piece of equipment in the
back of the helmet to reduce bobbing of the helmet.
1. Fit – The helmet should feel snug around the entire head without
pressure points.
2. Position –The helmet should sit level on the head and the forehead
is covered within two fingers width of the eyebrows. (Figure D)
D
• GPS II – This system uses a soft-touch dial to customize the fit.
(Figure A)
• GPS III – This system uses a mechanism the rider ‘pinches’
together to adjust the fit. (Figure B)
Verify one of the following:
• The GPS I is pulled all the way down and back; or
• The GPS II dial is let out all of the way; or
• The GPS III is completely opened to the widest point.
A
B
VI. Positioning Straps and Buckles.
1. Side Straps – Adjust the triangle shaped slider on both sides of
the helmet to form a ‘V’ shape under and slightly in front of the
ears. (Figure E)
III. Prepare the Headliner for Fitting.
1. Try the helmet on to ensure it fits the head comfortably without
causing any pressure points, such as squeezing the sides of the
head or pressing on the forehead.
2. Chin Strap – Roll the rubber band keeper towards the triangle
shaped slider on the side strap. Put the helmet on and buckle the
chin strap. Starting with the straps loose, hold onto the buckle with
one hand and tighten the straps by pulling the ends straight out
with the other hand. No more than one or two fingers should fit
under the tightened chin strap. Roll the rubber band down towards
the buckle while folding the straps under the rubber band to secure
them. (Figure F)
E
F
2. If the helmet feels too tight, move up to the next size.
3. If the helmet is loose, engage the Flip-Fold pads by folding them
under to create a snugger fit. If the helmet still feels too loose once
all the Flip-Fold pads are folded under, remove the existing THIN
Flip-Fold liner, and replace with the THICK Flip-Fold liner provided
in the box, and adjust accordingly. (Figure C)
4. If the helmet is still too loose with the THICK Flip-Fold pad folded under to the thickest adjustment, then go down a size and begin
the fit process from Step 2.
C
Helmet Fit Tests
• Open your mouth in a big yawn. The helmet should pull down on the
head. If not, tighten the chin strap.
• Does your helmet rock back more then two fingers above the eyebrows? If so, unbuckle and shorten the front strap and then retighten the chin strap and test again.
• Does your helmet rock forward into your eyes? Is so, unbuckle and
tighten the back strap and then retighten the chin strap and test again
For more information visit: www.troxelhelmets.com & www.troxelhelmets.com/safety