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[JK Lewis]

I got hit on the head the other day, for the first time in my batting career, which was interesting. Excellent delivery, quick, got up from short of a length and came into me. No way to avoid it really, so fair play to the bowler and good job I had the lid. I have a Masuri which did its job well.

Couple things I was wondering. Firstly, having been hit, should I now buy a new helmet? I've not been hit before and I wonder if the structure of the helmet will be maintained or if I should invest in a replacement for next season.

Secondly, I've long wondered why they can't make cricket helmets out of the same stuff as cycling helmets. Coming off a bike at high speed can deliver a massive impact, so I can't see that the material they use wouldn't protect against a cricket ball. As above, I appreciate that after such a hit one would then need a new lid, but I don't intend to get hit often. The lightness of a cycling helmet, on the cricket field, would be great. Any thoughts from the forum on this?

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Your comparing 2 different impacts, if you fall off your bike you will be travelling at speed and transferring your body weight through the shell of the helmet into the impact.

Where as a cricket helmet is designed to protect from a projectile travrlling towards a more or less stationary person. Cricket helmet use EPS inside of them as a liner as it's a light and affordable material with excellent impact absorption properties. The force difference between the 2 is therefore quite different as the cricket ball has a smaller surface area meaning the thin skin on the cycle helmet wouldn't offer the level of protection needed to pass the BSI impact attenuation test....hence the need to use a thicker/heavier outer shell on the cricket helmet design. As a footnote our carbon fibre shell is only 1mm thick so is prob as close to a cycle helmet skin you can get whilst still offering the structural rigidity for protection.

Cycle helmets typically use a think skin over the top of the EPs to stop it getting dented when being used/stored and are also meant to be replaced after an impact the same as cricket helmets.

[JK Lewis]

Your comparing 2 different impacts, if you fall off your bike you will be travelling at speed and transferring your body weight through the shell of the helmet into the impact.

Where as a cricket helmet is designed to protect from a projectile travrlling towards a more or less stationary person. Cricket helmet use EPS inside of them as a liner as it's a light and affordable material with excellent impact absorption properties. The force difference between the 2 is therefore quite different as the cricket ball has a smaller surface area meaning the thin skin on the cycle helmet wouldn't offer the level of protection needed to pass the BSI impact attenuation test....hence the need to use a thicker/heavier outer shell on the cricket helmet design. As a footnote our carbon fibre shell is only 1mm thick so is prob as close to a cycle helmet skin you can get whilst still offering the structural rigidity for protection.

Cycle helmets typically use a think skin over the top of the EPs to stop it getting dented when being used/stored and are also meant to be replaced after an impact the same as cricket helmets.

Thanks, that's really interesting detail. You obviously put a lot of effort into researching this subject. Cheers, Justin

[alexhilly1492]

When I got hit the first thing I did was replace my helmet and carried on my innings, I though the helmet was fine used it again the following week and got hit again, at which point the inner part of the lid (a gm purist) was cracked as was the outer under the cloth, I can't say when the damage was done but I'd recommend changing helmet just in case as the shell could be weakened meaning a layer strike could really damage the helmet/you! I know use a masuri rather than a mainstream bat/kit manufacturers helmet

[edge]

A note on cycling helmets - unfortunately they're mostly totally inadequate, the testing standard for them is pretty low and hasn't been updated since 1998 (much like cricket helmets until recently). The impact test that cycling helmets uses is a free fall drop from 2 metres onto a flat surface and from 1.2 metres onto an angled piece meant to represent a curb, both with a fake head weight in the helmet. Roughly equivalent to you falling off your bike at a standstill! If the impact deceleration of the head is less than 300g, it passes. To put this into perspective, the force required to give you a good solid concussion is somewhere around 90-100g! So if the standard doesn't require helmets to prevent concussion when you fall off onto your head while not going anywhere, imagine how useless it is when you get hit by a car at 30mph - hence why the standard for scooter/motorcycle helmets is far higher. Obviously a good cycling helmet isn't designed to just pass the test so you can improve things by shelling out for a good one, but it's still a pretty poor state of affairs.

TLDR - cycling helmets are a load of bobbins and you'd be in a world of pain if a quick bowler hit you in the head while wearing one.

[Number 11]

Can't go wrong with a Ayrtek Carbon Fibre with titanium grill. Extremely lightweight.
Had a couple of hits wearing it but it still seems fine, I think one more season then might send it in for a check over/refurb.

[WalkingWicket37]

My thoughts after getting hit have been the following:

"F**k me that hurt! I wish I'd been wearing a helmet..."

"That would have hurt, thank god I was wearing my helmet"

[GoodLeave]

My thoughts after getting hit have been the following:

"F**k me that hurt! I wish I'd been wearing a helmet..."

"That would have hurt, thank god I was wearing my helmet"

In fairness. You're supposed to use the bat, not your noggin.

Just Sayin 

With regards to your question Justin, is it a new model Masuri? I'd be tempted to replace it if it was an older model, both for protection and the narrower peak/grill measurement. If it's a new shell... I'd be upset at forking out again and would probably stick with it.

[Percy]

Interesting topic. My son recently got hit on the side of his helmet by a bowling machine ball. He was momentarily unconscious, has a lump on his head and concussion; I must admit I was quite surprise the helmet didn't protect him more. I haven't seen the helmet but it is apparently undamaged. Is this normal or would you expect the helmet to protect you from lumps and concussion. It was obvious quite a fast ball, should the helmet be replaced even though it looks fine?

Cheers

[Ayrtek Cricket]

All helmets should be replaced after an impact as per user instructions....helmet manufacturers literally have to write this on them as part of the BsI standard.

Helmets are designed to reduce the severity of an injury, only so much can be done in a lab to try and replicate an impact but there are so many variables in a game/net situation it's impossible to cater for them all....e.g ball deformation from use in the game and if changing shape, location of the impact on the shell/grille etc.

[WalkingWicket37]

In fairness. You're supposed to use the bat, not your noggin.

Just Sayin 

I did, top edge right into the kisser!

[GoodLeave]

I did, top edge right into the kisser!

I'll let you off then. Just try over extra cover next time, instead of over longstop! 

Definitely get that replaced Percy. Very surprised it caused a concussion, must have been travelling at a fair lick.

[Percy]

Definitely get that replaced Percy. Very surprised it caused a concussion, must have been travelling at a fair lick.

That's what i thought, seems a shame though as I am told it looks fine. Is there a market for used Masuri Titanium grills - not sure how you get it off though.

Apparently the coach was getting the Bola to bowl random different length balls and this one was short and hit him on the side of the helmet just forward and above the ear. Before he told me the full details I told him he was an idiot and should have hit the ball - nothing like a bit of sympathy!

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Visually a helmet can look fine but due to cloth covering on the majority of helmets they could be covering a hairline fracture etc which would compromise the performance of the helmet if called upon again Or a weld could be weakened if hit on the grille etc.


This is why manufacturers specify to replace a helmet after an impact.

[GoodLeave]

That's what i thought, seems a shame though as I am told it looks fine. Is there a market for used Masuri Titanium grills - not sure how you get it off though.

Apparently the coach was getting the Bola to bowl random different length balls and this one was short and hit him on the side of the helmet just forward and above the ear. Before he told me the full details I told him he was an idiot and should have hit the ball - nothing like a bit of sympathy!

I see. Sounds like a hit on the temple? Doesn't take much to knock someone out if hit in that area.

As suggested, probably time for a new one. Is your lad growing? If so he might be in need of a bigger size anyway. Although I'm just clutching at straws to try and justify the expense... Might be worth a neck protector of some sort too if you find he has a tendency to turn his back on the ball. Easy to tell someone not to, difficult to do in practice!