Helmet recommendation?

[SINGLE-JACK]

I've worn out my third Stihl helmet with screen & muffs - ready for a new one. The screen & muffs are nice in the winter but hot in summer and get in the way topside - knocked it off once. Thought about a chin strap but Stihl doesn't offer one. Sherrill's got half-dozen to choose from.

Any recommdations? ... things to avoid? ... is a chin strap an asset or a risk?

 

[matt9923]

I've worn out my third Stihl helmet with screen & muffs - ready for a new one. The screen & muffs are nice in the winter but hot in summer and get in the way topside - knocked it off once. Thought about a chin strap but Stihl doesn't offer one. Sherrill's got half-dozen to choose from.

Any recommdations? ... things to avoid? ... is a chin strap an asset or a risk?

Their are alot of good ones. The stihl muffs on mine kinda piss me off sometimes. Id try another Brand next time.
Theirs alot of discussion on this.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Throw the plastic bucket to your groundie and go for a petzl vertex vent with a peltor earmuff combi, Light, safe, cool, easy to wear and very secure. Me and my guys are hooked on them.

 

[lego1970]

I have a Pacific hardhat. The Pacific hardhat fits nice with a twist knob on the back to adjust the headband and chinstrap so it doesn't fall off. It's a little heavier then the Petzl helmets, but not as heavy as some plastic hardhats I've had to wear. I like the styling better and that it's made out of Kevlar. I use that hardhat for a lot of other jobs. I do a lot of trucking as well and many places require you to have a hardhat on when loading or unloading. I have a Petzl headlamp that fits perfectly on the helmet and never slides off. The headlamp is great for when I deliver explosives in the mines, working on the truck at night, emergency tree work at night, etc, etc. The hardhat also has earmuff attachment points and also has a brim that I think would accept some face screen attachments.

 

[bigredd]

Throw the plastic bucket to your groundie and go for a petzl vertex vent with a peltor earmuff combi, Light, safe, cool, easy to wear and very secure. Me and my guys are hooked on them.

Great helmet. From your OP it sounded like you are not using a climbing helmet (w/chin strap) for working at heights. That's not safe and does not comply with ISA/OSHA regulations. Get the Petzl Vertex never look back.

Sponsor TreeStuff.com has the Husqvarna version on sale for $79, and get $25 discount/free shipping when spending $100 on Petzl products. Also don't forget the 5% Arboristsite discount offered at treestuff.com.

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=122&item=1017

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've worn out my third Stihl helmet with screen & muffs - ready for a new one. The screen & muffs are nice in the winter but hot in summer and get in the way topside - knocked it off once. Thought about a chin strap but Stihl doesn't offer one. Sherrill's got half-dozen to choose from.

Any recommdations? ... things to avoid? ... is a chin strap an asset or a risk?

There has been a joke going around for a number of years; a helmet without a chinstrap is only half a helmet.

If all you do is upright-stance removal work, then maybe you don't need a chinstrap, but for me the Petzl stays on my head where the cheap orange pots always fell off. Yeah, muffs help keeping them on, but I'm not running a chainsaw all day on trim work, so I like muffs off to keep cool.

Both the Petzl and Pacific are very good helmets.

 

[alinicoll]

been using petzl lids for many years, i think they`re great. Stein are also good , do know if you guys get them.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

And the winner is ...

Thanks for all the great advice!

I guess I'll go with the Petzl Vertex Vent, screen & muffs.

Could there possibly be any reason to pick one color over another?

 

[treemandan]

Thanks for all the great advice!

I guess I'll go with the Petzl Vertex Vent, screen & muffs.

Could there possibly be any reason to pick one color over another?

20 bucks buys an X-games helmet at wal-mart, it has a chin strap AND a picture of Tony Hawk on it.

I would not use a dark helmet unless you want to bake yer brain.

 

[treemandan]

I don't know how you guys keep them orange hats on yer heads

I do have one but the muffs broke the first day and I had to ratchet it so tight to keep in on my that head went numb.

For ear protection I just hitch a set of those ear plugs that are tethered together to the strap of my BUGZ which also never fall off.

 

[arborist]

haha.
hey stop monkeying around and get back to work lol.

 

[squad143]

Petzl Vertex Vent in Orange.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

How do you like the radio? I got one several years ago for small aircraft and modified it. Works OK if I do not need to talk into it too often, keys are too small and VOX is turned on by every little noise.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Petzl Vertex Vent in Orange.

Yeah! That's what I was thinking.
I like that shirt!!! With my orange chaps, an orange helmet, and that shirt - I could look like a popcicle, lol.

But first, I got to check WalMart to see how cool treemandan's X-games helmet is.

20 bucks buys an X-games helmet at wal-mart, it has a chin strap AND a picture of Tony Hawk on it.

I would not use a dark helmet unless you want to bake yer brain.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Yeah! That's what I was thinking.
I like that shirt!!! With my orange chaps, an orange helmet, and that shirt - I could look like a popcicle, lol.

Or an inmate getting goodtime outdoor work.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Or an inmate getting goodtime outdoor work.

True enough, but what are the chances of an inmate getting a saw like that?

 

[squad143]

Could there possibly be any reason to pick one color over another?

Yes, Safety.

High vis orange stands out better in the woods. Makes it easier for me to see the guys on the ground and for them to see me in the tree.

 

[squad143]

I like that shirt!!! With my orange chaps, an orange helmet, and that shirt - I could look like a popcicle, lol.QUOTE]

More like a creamsicle.

Here is a picture of my raingear.

 

[squad143]

How do you like the radio?QUOTE]

Love it. They are made by Peltor (Same company that makes the muffs). They add a real safety factor to working in a noisy environment. Volume, channels, vox, etc. are all adjustable. You can set the mic. for voice activation or push to talk. I can be gunning a saw and just speak into the mic. in a normal voice and the guy running the chipper can hear me. I cannot say enough about them.

They are expensive, but you do find them on ebay from time to time.

Only problem I've encountered is that on really hot days when sweat (moisture) builds up in the muffs, you can end up with a "open mic" situation. I've pretty much eliminated the sweat issue by going with a "Halo" bandana (Sherrill sells them). They do an excellent job of keeping the sweat out of your eyes (and ears) plus they protect the back of your neck from the sun.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I like the audio picups on mine I can hear people on the ground when talking to me 60 ft up. The VOX on mine just was not made for our work environment.

It is a peltor too BTW.