Helmet Breaking In Strategies

-Maverick-

-Maverick-

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Rather than going through the pain of breaking in a new lid, anyone come up with any strategies to avoid it...the pain? I've got two brand new Icon Armadas that I never wore..the size is correct (XL), I'm just used to my Akuma which needs to be retired. I'm thinking maybe an oversized mannequin head? Reaching, I know. I find Icon the hardest helmets to break in for some reason.

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
 
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The option may not be on the table for everyone, but I find a haircut helps
 
Wingboy said:
Don't buy it. Any discomfort at all means it doesn't fit and/or its cheap.
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Since he says he has two I suspect he already has them. I just use my head. I dont buy helmets that hurt. I dont trust a mannequin head unless you cast your head and make one from that. A generic mannequin may make the helmet worse than out of the box if it pushes on the wrong areas for your head.
 
I've always wanted to do this experiment,
Reading online that human sweat is a 6.3 on the pH scale, maybe something non toxic and mildly acidic can be sprayed into the helmet to help break it in instead?
 
do those helmets come with replaceable liners? my bell helmet has different thickness of oem liners. i generally replace the default one with a thinner liner (and in doing so, i avoid having to jump up to an XL helmet shell).
 
Wingboy said:
Don't buy it. Any discomfort at all means it doesn't fit and/or its cheap.
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I have three of them. I wore one for two years and it broke in nicely...but trying on the new ones brought back the month of pain I was in to break in the one I wore for two years. It seems like Icon uses padding that has less "give" than other brands if you know what I mean. I'm thinking heat and mannequin head might do the job. As in insert oversized mannequin head, bake in hot sun for a few days.

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
 
I had a lid years ago that felt perfect in the store, and gave me grief at the very front of my forehead. I removed the liner and VERY GENTLY compressed the edge of the eps with the back of a spoon.(eps has no memory) Worked great. Just remember that you are compromising the safety of it.
 
bigpoppa said:
I've always wanted to do this experiment,
Reading online that human sweat is a 6.3 on the pH scale, maybe something non toxic and mildly acidic can be sprayed into the helmet to help break it in instead?
Click to expand...
Might be worth trying on an old lid, but I'd hate to experiment with a new one. Slightly acidic...like vinegar? You'd either a) eat the liner / foam layer or b) crave fish and chips on every ride or both :)

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
 
I have worn an Arai large forever. When I bought the first Corsair X in a large I could hardly get it on my head. I stuck a football in the cheek area (not all the way in) and left it for a couple days. It still took a bit to get it on, but now it fits me perfectly.
 
Klaatu said:
I have worn an Arai large forever. When I bought the first Corsair X in a large I could hardly get it on my head. I stuck a football in the cheek area (not all the way in) and left it for a couple days. It still took a bit to get it on, but now it fits me perfectly.
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Football. Great idea!

I notice my face went red when I tried the two new Icons on. An indication of pressure, blood flow increase...pain. The broken in one, no red face.

There's an opportunity here for an invention of some sort of blow up insert thar you leave for a few days. It would have to be pretty strong material...like one of those airbags that could lift a car but not so extreme. The Helmet Breaker Inner.

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
 
-Maverick- said:
Football. Great idea!

I notice my face went red when I tried the two new Icons on. An indication of pressure, blood flow increase...pain. The broken in one, no red face.

There's an opportunity here for an invention of some sort of blow up insert thar you leave for a few days. It would have to be pretty strong material...like one of those airbags that could lift a car but not so extreme. The Helmet Breaker Inner.

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
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Inner tube?
 
-Maverick- said:
Football. Great idea!

I notice my face went red when I tried the two new Icons on. An indication of pressure, blood flow increase...pain. The broken in one, no red face.

There's an opportunity here for an invention of some sort of blow up insert thar you leave for a few days. It would have to be pretty strong material...like one of those airbags that could lift a car but not so extreme. The Helmet Breaker Inner.

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
Click to expand...

When was the last time you checked your weight? That could explain squeezed red face and pain


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cruiserider said:
When was the last time you checked your weight? That could explain squeezed red face and pain


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
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Lost 22 lbs over the summer. 6'1 200 lbs on the dot now. So weight is not an issue.

I've been through this before with Icon helmets...I'm going to stick a football in it over the weekend.

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
 
I find that the newer helmets are designed to fit too tight. My Schuberth C$ modular feels okay until you close the front, then it pushes in the sides of the helmet and clamps your head in tight. It has loosened up a bit over the past two years, but I still think my favorite fitting FF was my old Shoei that I bought for $60 in 1983.

Looking at a Sena noise cancelling helmet next time *if* it fits well. Otherwise I'll go back to Shoei.
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