Looking into getting 13 year old grandson into L206 or Tillotson T4 Racing . Do I have to have a Snell helmet or will a DOT do ??? And what helmets wont break the bank and easy to get parts for ?? He has a large head adult size…
Check with the rulebook for where you plan to kart. However, your grandson has 1 brain, get a good Snell rated helmet that fits properly. Safety is the one place in karting you can’t go cheap!
Good luck and enjoy the karting!
You’ll have to read the regulations regarding safety equipment for wherever you’ll be racing (LOK). But generally a Snell rating, either SA (fireproof) or K (karting) is required. The current Snell standard is the 2020 rating, with 2025 rated helmets coming out next year in the Fall. Snell ratings are typically good for 10 years, so a 2020-rated helmet is still good until 2030.
The typical recommended brands are going to be Arai, Bell, or Stilo for nice stuff. You can get away with a more budget helmet as long as it meets the correct rating, but the build quality, materials, weight and overall fit and finish are typically going to be lower than you get with the above brands.
Bell makes a lot of good stuff in a wide budget range. Stilo has a pretty wide range as well. Arai’s range is more focused. I am an Arai and Stilo guy personally because I find the build quality and fit to be a hair better than other brands for me, but Bell offers great stuff too and they have done a great job to have a wide selection of options across a lot of price ranges.
You’ll get 1000 different opinions on what brand is best, but fitment is the most important factor. Generally people have a “Bell”-shaped head or an “Arai”-shaped head, so it is very important to go try a few brands on and see which fits your grandson’s head best.
With younger kids, weight is also a big consideration. A lighter helmet obviously will be easier to wear for an extend period of time and isn’t going to wobble around on their head as much. Snell CMR-rated helmets are specifically designed for kids in this respect, but if he has an adult-sized head, you may not be able to get the proper size for him in a CMR helmet, as they make them only in kids sizing.
I’m biased as a helmet dealer, but the helmet is one area of safety I wouldn’t skimp on. It should be one of the most valuable assets in your karting trailer.
SNELL > DOT
Snell is independently tested and certified by the Anell Foundation.
DOT is self certified by the manufacturer. Basically, we said it melts the requirements, so it’s fine…
Definitely get a Snell approved helmet. If you are on a budget there are more affordable brands. We have been happy with the helmets from Zamp. My son had a bad flip a few years ago and they gave us 50% off the replacement helmet and shield. It was nice to find they offered this. It certainly helped us get geared up and back for the next season.
Snell is the go to rating system here in the US. Most tracks and sanctioning bodies will accept ANY current (2020) Snell approved helmet. So that means SA, M, or K. SA is for auto racing, M is motorcycle, and K is Karting. Most places will accept SA, M, or K. Snell has a new approval spec coming out in 2025, but the 2020 helmets will be good through 2030.
Too bad Euro std isn’t accepted. It is (was?) superior to the Snell protocol. Harder is not necessarily better.