Heated Helmet?

Audiomaker

Audiomaker

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Ok so it's starting to get a bit cold around here and I'm wearing more and more layers...

Because of gas prices I'm going to attempt something that I've never done before (at least not in the Pacific Northwest), which is to ride through the winter.

As I'm riding tonight, I'm pretty toasty with my layered gear. My hands are a bit cold, but I'm about to install heated grips as my Held Rain Star gloves are about as thick as I'd like to go.

The other part of me that is cooling off is my head and of course being the over-thinker that I've been accused of here (well...and elsewhere), I"m wondering why they make almost everything heated except helmets?

It doesn't seem like it would be that hard to retrofit a helmet with some heating elements... but I'm trying to figure out why that isn't something we're already seeing?

Pants, Jackets, socks, gloves... they make everything heated except this?

Anyway, I was searching Google and found a video about a guy who made a heated helmet here.

I also tried to find a matching outfit and acc's like the inventor has, but obviously he's cornered the market on that look :)


Soooo....

Heated helmets anyone?

Sean
 
We snowmobile when it's -30C with just a regular helmet and face mask. You really don't need a heated helmet.
 
so how much are you going to spend on all that heated gear?$$$$$$$$ how much are you going to save on gas? does it even come close to paying for the gear? now factor in freezing your nads off every day. Back in 81 when I got married I had a 72 toyota and a 400 yamaha, she didnt have a car, guess what i rode to work for two years rain or shine every day. screw dat:laugh:
 
Get heated liners that go under your regular gear. Much less money. I wear a balaclava under my helmet when it drops below freezing.
 
BusaWhipped said:
Get heated liners that go under your regular gear. Much less money. I wear a balaclava under my helmet when it drops below freezing.
Click to expand...


+100. heated vest/jacket liner, gloves/liner and socks will get the job done. Someday, I will invest in heated gloves...personally the "weak link" in my cold weather ensemble.
 
I've never known about a heated helmet, when it's cold around here, I use a simple balaclava, but for lower temperatures, you could use a balaclava like this I guess...

Balaclava.jpg
 
Not a lawyer, engineer or doctor but here are my guesses why:
* SAFETY: when a heated helmet craps out while rider is in motion (e.g. sparks, short, etc.), RISKS ARE SO MUCH GREATER vs. malfunction to hands/feet/chest
* SAFETY: HEAT will probably degrade the integrity of the helmet over time (foam/EPS does not like heat)
* LIABILITY: see above
* PHYSIOLOGY: heating your core (chest/abdomen) does the MOST benefit. A cap on the head works wonders to abate heat loss (price ain't bad either)
* COST TO MAKE-PROFIT-DEMAND-LIABILITY: obviously, Arai, Shoei, Schubert et al have already figured out the answer, hence they do NOT make em

But you did find a guy who made one so.....you're gonna buy one? :whistle:
 
kromdom said:
Not a lawyer, engineer or doctor but here are my guesses why:
* SAFETY: when a heated helmet craps out while rider is in motion (e.g. sparks, short, etc.), RISKS ARE SO MUCH GREATER vs. malfunction to hands/feet/chest
* SAFETY: HEAT will probably degrade the integrity of the helmet over time (foam/EPS does not like heat)
* LIABILITY: see above
* PHYSIOLOGY: heating your core (chest/abdomen) does the MOST benefit. A cap on the head works wonders to abate heat loss (price ain't bad either)
* COST TO MAKE-PROFIT-DEMAND-LIABILITY: obviously, Arai, Shoei, Schubert et al have already figured out the answer, hence they do NOT make em

But you did find a guy who made one so.....you're gonna buy one? :whistle:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think you must be right... legal issues and risk.

I can't imagine getting electrocuted anywhere when riding a bike would be fun, but I guess the head would be the most shocking.

They do make chemically heated balaclavas by the way. I have some extra hand warmer packs laying around that I might be tempted to try on a cold night...hmmm.

Makes me think one could run a small plastic tube with some help from a fish tank bubbler sized air pump from radiator to the helmet to supply warm air up there?

Imagine:

Copper tube inserted through radiator fins or tied to exhaust manifold... (Heck, I could mill up a tiny heat exchanger)
Tube goes to air pump (or simply uses atmospheric pressure when underway)
Plastic tube from there to QD fitting.
QD fitting to plastic tube that you stick up into your hemet with velcro.

???
 
...more...

Ok...

Imagine:

Straight sided 1" OD aluminum funnel
12v micro fan installed inside funnel.
Hi-temp plastic tubing



1. Mount open side (inlet) of funnel to back of radiator. This might work better if the funnel was attached to a "plate"

2. Wire 12v micro fan to switch.

3. Install tubing to outlet of funnel and route to helmet

4. (optional) Insert adjustable air valve in line.

5. (optional) Have QD fitting at hemet


???
 
I ride year round here in CO. I just have a Gerbings liner and gloves. Keeping your core warm will keep your extremities warmer. On they head I wear a helemt liner, or a compression shirt I have with a stretch hood built in. The compression shirt goes over the heated liner, so the heat goes up into the hood :thumbsup:.
 
I vote we change "Audiomaker" to "rube goldberg" :laugh:

Seriously speaking the heated helmet hasn't happened for a number of pretty solid reasons. Not that it couldn't or shouldn't work, just that it probably wouldn't profitably..since that's the name of the game when making/selling a product it hasn't made it to market.
 
If I ever had a reason to heat anything in the helmet area it would be a defroster for the faceshield. My head has never really gotten cold, even riding in 15 deg temps (yes Fahrenheit) in Indiana but here in the Pacific Northwest my faceshield fogs up ALL the time. :banghead:
 
I dont see the point???? my head doesnt get cold when wearing a full face helmet and ive ridden snowmobiles in temps id never ride a bike in and head nvr gets cold. its my upper body that gets cold. even my legs dont really get cold.
 
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