Hey all!
Just completed my first Karting practice- Arrive and drive.
I probably should have tried on the “one size fits all” helmet/neck support- mz3 but it’s too tight. I could barely secure it around my neck as I’m a bigger guy, with a thick neck and shoulders and it was quite uncomfortable to wear.
I have track experience in cars and know what 2g+ feals like with a helmet on. But with this particular helmet/neck support, I felt like I couldn’t lean my head into the turn. It actually felt like it was leaning the opposite way and It was putting extra strain on my neck.
The questions I have is how much clearance should be between the support and the helmet?
How much should I be able to tilt my head side to side?
Should the support rest more on the shoulders as apposed to the traps muscle?
Looking at getting the alpinestars bns tech 2, but would love some advice before dropping big moola on it.
At my club, I wear the thinnest one possible so I can move my head, while others wear stuff damn near as confining as a HANS device. But to answer your question, at my club, I’m not sure if there is a required specific distance or gap from helmet to neck brace thing, maybe there isn’t anything official at your club, either.
If it’s mandatory, I’d go with a foam donut with the foam removed, or an evs r4. All depends on what you believe/want. Both are good options that allow great mobility
Having had both, the evs is much better. It’s light and doesn’t affect rotating your head. It might not actually do anything but it conforms to the rules. I think it’s a motocross thing but widely used by karters.
It’s just as effective with foam as it is without foam. Probably.
If you care about protection than get a solid neck brace. Even than, there isn’t conclusive evidence that they are effective.
But yes just a piece of cloth
In October of 2021 I had a major flip and started a thread entitled “The Flip and the Leatt Neck Brace” under the Category: Maintenance, Repair, Equipment and Tools – with a last post in December. What I thought would be a no-brainer blew up into a major debate about the safety of neck braces themselves. There is enough information in that thread for you to make up your mind as to where you fall on the topic but I think it is worth reviewing. None of my friends race without a hard (fiber glass, carbon fiber, etc.) neck brace. They are not as comfortable as going without, but, like a Hans device, they are a discipline that becomes second nature.
I just received my Leatt Brace yesterday. It was on sale vs the alpinestars.
So far impressed with it, and can see how it would be more effective dissipating energy vs the foam ring and most importantly I can actually move my head around with my helmet on lol.
Heading to the track this weekend to give it a real trial.
reminds me of Lancia’s weight saving cardboard tube ‘roll cage’ 
