So when I headed out to Colorado last season it was time for round two, and I purchased yet another Capix Skatecap. I've got to be honest, I think maybe the car thieves were doing me a favor when they did whatever they did with my first one.
Protection
A lot of people are into helmets for style and how low-profile they are, but very rarely is the issue of a helmets protection brought into question. After buying a Bern helmet, later to find out the "hard hat" style material was only suitable for one impact, I became much more aware of this fact.
The first question I had about the Capix Skatecap was its protection rating. **This is a certified helmet built for multiple impacts; not unlike the classic Pro-Tec skate helmets.** => I doubled back and checked this out: the Capix Skatecap only meets CPSC Standards for a bicycle helmet, which merely "ensures that bike helmets adequately protect the head and that chin straps will be strong enough to prevent the helmet from coming off in a crash, collision or fall." This helmet is NOT certified for multiple impacts. Thanks to Angry Snowboarder for pointing this out.
I did take a few to the dome wearing the helmet, and thankfully it was on right at the time and saved the day with only a mild jolt on impact: No headaches, no bumps, no split skulls, and after taking a moment to regroup I was back on my way.
Breathability
This is not really an issue with the Capix Skatecap since it isn't one of those bulky snow-specific helmets with toasty liners and all of that crap. This helmet is just the bare bones of helmets: some plastic, some padded, some straps and voila!
In fact, on a really cold day you might try to wear a beanie under this bad boy or you are going to freeze.
Goggle Compatability
Non-existent. The Capix Skatecap hated every single one of my goggles (Oakley, Electric, and Von Zipper). Every fucking trick I tried, every little ollie or slight movement, and I was back adjusting my damn helmet and goggles again.
It recently dawned on me that I have NEVER seen Pat Milbery wear goggles with his Capix Skatecap... and now I know why.
Capix Skatecap
2/5 Cacti
2/5 CactiI have to give the Capix Skatecap a pretty low score since it is almost completely non-compatible with snowboarding *and not built to sustain multiple impacts*. The helmet is great during those summer skate sessions where a hat-helmet proves incredibly useful. It has got an awesome aesthetic if you like wearing hats, and you can even go all out and custom paint it like your favorite baseball team cap.
I feel like Capix has only recently embraced snowboarding in its line with their recent addition of Pat Milbery to their team. Maybe with Pat there we can start to see some helmets made specifically for the snow, until then I'd stay take a look at Sandbox's Brainbucket. Same stylin' with snow-friendly features... plus it supports a down film crew!
I feel like Capix has only recently embraced snowboarding in its line with their recent addition of Pat Milbery to their team. Maybe with Pat there we can start to see some helmets made specifically for the snow, until then I'd stay take a look at Sandbox's Brainbucket. Same stylin' with snow-friendly features... plus it supports a down film crew!
I want to say that style doesn't adhere to helmet standards because it's rated as a hard hat. That's the big thing to watch for with any helmet is whether it has hard hat standards or helmet standards.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right... I just did some extra research because I swore I read somewhere that it met standards for something.
ReplyDeleteI found out the Capix Skatecap meets CPSC Standards for bicycle helmets, which, "ensures that bike helmets adequately protect the head and that chin straps will be strong enough to prevent the helmet from coming off in a crash, collision or fall."
That's what I read, and that doesn't seem to me like much of a standard to base your helmet's safety on.
Thanks for catching that, Avran!
Almost all helmets use shitty EPS foam (which is only good for one impact).
ReplyDeleteBern's "hard hats" use proprietary Brock foam (a form of EPP), which is an actual multi-impact foam (a few other types are also multi-impact). They also have EPS versions for people that think that those little CE stickers actually mean anything.
ive taken a crash this season twice and it hasent cracked and it protected my noggen. I just want to find out how i can better fit the dang thing!!!
ReplyDeletei like people heads
ReplyDeleteYeah, Anonymous has got it right. The berns are multi-impact hardhats and not real helmets. And it seems you favor multi-impact. But there are pros and cons to both types. EPS is suppose to be safer for a single large impact, but once the impact happens, and the helmet is damaged, it becomes useless. A hardhat however can take a few blows without losing integrity but can not take collisions of the same magnitude as EPS helmets can.
ReplyDelete