UKC

Hi! I'm in the USA and have an HB dyneema helmet (size medium) which I love dearly, but unfortunately some squirrels decided they also loved it and chewed up the webbing. Unfortunately, all helmets now-a-days are made from styrofoam and I don't like them. Also, unfortunately, HB no longer exists and nobody saw fit to take over their helmet design (or to make any non-styrofoam helmets for that matter). I contacted DMM and they tried to sell me their helmets but I'm not keen.

They do show up once a blue moon used for $30 or so but they're exceedingly rare in the US so I haven't been able to snap one up. How rare are these in the UK?

Thanks!

In reply to Ball:

I don't think I have seen one in the 6 years I have been climbing.

Helmet design has moved on in the intervening years since HB disappeared from the market, if you want a similar level of protection try the Petzl Ecrin Roc. Foam helmets do however provide significantly more protection, designs have shifted they way because people generally see value in their noggin remaining intact!

In reply to Ball:

"Unfortunately, all helmets now-a-days are made from styrofoam and I don't like them"

There's are reasons that they are nearly all made from foam these days - better protection and light. So, what's not to like? I have a Petzl Meteor and it's super comfortable and it saved my head in a recent very bad fall.

 

In reply to Ball:

I used to sell HB dyneema helmets some twenty or so years ago when I worked in outdoor retail. HB ceased trading around then iirc. That means that any lids you see for sale or about that old and well past the recommended replacement date. Now that obsolescence date is always a contentious issue but do you really want to risk it? 

As has been said, design and materials have moved on: my Petzl Elios is lighter and better designed than my lid from back then.

In reply to Ball:

I have one. It's my second one. I sometimes climb with a friend who also has one. I met a bloke on top of Dow Crag last year - we both had turquoise ones on. I've a friend who lives in  Kathmandu these days who has one.

Thus in my experience they're still fairly thick on the ground, at least in the UK. And Nepal!

I have to admit though that it now takes second place to my Black Diamond Vapour.

Keep up the search.

The reason I prefer the webbing helmets is because they're way more comfortable (for me anyway). They're probably no longer made because of expense. Styrofoam can be made by machine while webbing has to be bar tacked by hand. You can't even buy webbing construction helmets; instead the 'webbing' is made from a plastic mould.

In reply to Ball: A possible alternative is the Petzl Ecrin see https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=petzl+ecrin+helmet&source=lnms&tb...: I've had one for about 10 years and have just bought a replacement from Rob - https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/for_sale+wanted/petzl_ecrin_rock_helmet_r... When I spoke to him yesterday he still had one left. Great helmets.

 

In reply to Ball:

Are you you didn't accidentally type 'helmets' instead of 'takeaway boxes'?

 

In reply to Ball:

There are reasons for that, they are much lighter and pass the same tests. Also not all 'styrofoam' is styrofoam, some is polypropylene as in the Petzl Sirocco, and is much more robust. It weighs 1/3 what the HB helmet did. 

Is there some reason why you don't like them?