Hi. I need a new helmet and have been looking for a carbon fiber helmet under 1000 euro. Is this something good to have or should i look futhure.
It’s a bit overkill in that it has hans mounts, is fireproof etc. This would come in handy if you start doing car stuff.
The most widely used karting specific helmets are the arai-sk6 and the bell rs7k (I think), neither of which are carbon fibre.
Sparco makes a good helmet.
I recommend to go somewhere to try on whatever you’re looking at first. Don’t want to buy and not be able to wear!
There’s helmets I can’t wear even though they’re the correct size.
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I have a KC7-CMR, but in carbon, and it is super light. Be aware that the CMR helmets are a smaller shell and even in the largest size, 59, it is smaller than the equivalent size RS7-K.
The same size across brands fits quite differently too. I don’t particularly like the fit of Sparco helmets, for my head, so it’s always good if you can try one on first.
around my head on the biggest points on the bell sizing chart is 54 so i would say a 55 size. they dont have the helmets close to me in sweden so its almost impossible to just try it on. i dont know but i should probybly fit me
It’s super important to try on a helmet. The helmet bell said would fit me gave me a headache in minutes, but the helmet arai said would fit me feels amazing. It’s not that Arai is better than bell, just that they make different shaped helmets.
Maybe get 2 helmets and return the one you don’t like.
If you can’t try it on, figure out what shape head you have. Looking from above, bell is a bit rounded, and stilo and arai are a bit more oval shaped.
@tjkoyen is this correct btw?
I’ve also heard from a couple people that carbon helmets aren’t good for karting. The reasoning was they are made for faster and harder impacts, so they won’t cushion as much at low speed impacts like a kart crash. No idea if there’s any evidence, that’s just what I heard.
Another note, fireproof helmets tend to be a touch heavier, and the lining tends to be rougher, than a karting helmet. Inside of an sk6 is like velvet, inside of a gp6 is like cheap t shirt.
@tjkoyen will know a lot more than me about this so trust him before me
Elias is 100% correct on the sizing thing. Some helmets do indeed fit different shapes heads better, so if you can try before you buy that’s ideal.
The carbon shell being less protective for karting is incorrect. Carbon and fiberglass shells both do the job. I think you’re thinking off interior foam material. Softer interior foam protects better against soft impacts but doesn’t dissipate enough energy in hard impacts, and hard interior foam doesn’t give enough in soft impacts but is better for absorbing energy in hard impacts.
Not likely something that’s going to make a huge difference in a karting situation, but the big manufacturers have well-engineered interiors to handle a variety of impacts.
is it some difference if i try the kc 7 not the kc7 cmr. beacuse that the only one thay have at my track
They’ll be the exact same shape. They use the same molds. So if one fits, than the other will too
All KC7s are CMR rated. There is no adult sized KC7, they’re all kid-sized, so they’re all the same. The adult version of the KC7 is the RS7.
I found that the Arai and the HFC fit me the best, the Bell was a no-go. I have a huge Asian head, like a bobble doll 
. I think the shape of the head in plan view is a big factor on which helmet to buy. Some heads are round, others are oval with the long axis forward and the others are oval with the long axis sideways.
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