My grandson 12 years old wears a large helmet. He drives K1 Speed Electric Karts. And going to do a test ride on a KA100 and also a 206. Whats a good quality helmet that wont brake the bank. And still be good to use if he starts racing . 206 or KA. Its going to be at a FIA track.
My son, also 12, has been using Zamp helmets the last 3 seasons. Affordably priced, and fully snell certified for racing. Also come in some cool colours.
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For something reasonably priced and good quality Bell would be my go-to. I’m an Arai guy all day but they are a little pricier.
Source: helmet painter who has dissected hundreds of helmets
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At 12yo you might consider/require a CMR helmet. CMR is a certification for lighter helmets which reduce the forces on young necks.
In some regions (Europe, etc.) they might be required for kids. All the major brands make them.
I did a lot of research on the difference as my racer just turned 16 and used a CMR helmet. The CMR reduces neck load but gives up a little in absorbing impact energy. So it comes down to which is a more likely injury for a kid.
P.S.
Since a properly fitting helmet is pretty tight you really need to try different brands on as they all fit different. Unfortunatly, this sometimes drives the price
This is most likely the case, however if he’s already wearing a L you might struggle to find one that fits. My daughter has this problem - at 13 the largest CMR kid helmet is too small for her which means she’s not able to enter races until she’s I think 15, other than SWS which don’t require cmr.
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My go to choice is arai ck6.
This is a good point. Double check the rules. If you’ll be doing racing according to FIA rules, you’ll probably need a CMR helmet.
We have a similar situation, my son is a big 12 year old and his CMR helmet was too tight and uncomfortable. I contacted our club president and explained the situation, and he said as long as he’s wearing a current spec Snell helmet that fits him, there’s no problem.
We might not be that lucky at a regional or national event though. I truly dont understand this one, doesnt it make more sense to have the kid wear a helmet that fits appropriately, even if its an “adult” helmet?
Try 90racing.com I bought my helmet from them and got a great deal. It is a Zamp M rated helmet however they have many other brands to choose from. Free returns if it doesn’t fit, and they visit most tracks.
It’ll depend on your series rules. If they follow the CIK/FIA rules to a T, then they may require a CMR helmet for under 13. Here in the States, most orgs don’t require it, as long as the helmet meets the necessary Snell standards.
To me this needs to be a “common sense must prevail” situation. ASN Canada actually requires a CMR helmet for anyone under 15. My boy is 5’6", 140 pounds with size 12 feet at 12 years old. There’s not a chance in hell he’d fit a CMR helmet in another 2 years.
It shouldn’t be an age based deal, unless they have height/weight exemptions. If a kid is so big he cant fit a CMR helmet, then he’s strong enough to be able to handle the extra 100 grams on his head.
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Don’t skip on a helmet.
IMO, one of the best products for the youth karting market - Bell GP2
Not cheap, but not outlandish. Top OEM, good fitmet, good quality. How much is his head worth? Good luck!