UKC

Does anyone on here know about marking climbing helmets? I understand that using a permament marker or tape can degrade the integrity of the helmet, and void the manufacturers warranty. I have been told about special non alcohol based markers which are good for marking helmets, but I have not been able to find any. Does anyone on know anything about them or can recommend another way to mark a helmet? Thanks

In reply to gchoward: It does depend on the make of helmet as you need to follow the manufactures guidelines. If you have bought Petzl helmets then Lyon Equipment can make you specific stickers which can be used on Petzl helmets but they will tell you that they can only be used on Petzl helmets as they haven't tested other makes.
The other option is to find a part of the helmet that plays no part in giving it strength like the headlamp retainers on a Petzl helmet and put your marking on that part of the helmet.
Hope this helps, if not it's worth speaking to the manufacture of the helmet direct.

In reply to gchoward:

I've never really been too stressed about using a strip of my standard gear marking tape along the brim of my helmets - its not a solvent glue and its not a high stress area of the helmet.

In reply to gchoward:

I've always found it a bit odd how in a sport where you choose to take on a level of risk, where you may hurt or even kill yourself, climbers give stuff like this a moments thought.

Marker pen or sticker. can't honestly see how it's going to make the slightest bit of difference.

In reply to gchoward: i have loads of stickers on my helmet, they have prob made it last longer given that the stickers get most of the abuse protecting the outer from small scratches. also the petzl kids helmet is sold with stickers.

In reply to itsThere: dont know about a pen though

In reply to Max factor:

Small beer, but I'm always a little suspicious of lids covered in stickers because they might obscure damage. I think the solvent thing is a red herring myself

In reply to Max factor:


I couldn't agree more. Cotton-wool wrapped, risk-assessment box-ticking...pah!

In reply to Fraser:

In a previous life I used to work with plastics quite a bit, and it was surprising how easy it was to damage certain plastics with certain other innocuous things. Not knowing much about sticker glue or what materials the helmets are made of, I've always erred on the side of caution.

Having said that, I'd probably quite happily put stickers on a Petzl Meteor (where the plastic isn't really doing much) but would hesitate on an Elios, where the plastic is quite important.

In reply to gchoward: well, the grivel salamanders come covered in stickers already, so...

However, I came up with a brilliant (well I think so) idea a few years ago. black reflective tape. the stuff cyclists say you should cover your frame in, etc. On the back of my (and the mrs's) helmet, I stick the tape on in the outline of the first letter of my name (A for me, J for her). This is especially brilliant for alpine starts as you can keep track of each other easily, with the tape reflecting your head torch

In reply to TheIrv:

and they come with a whole bunch of different stickers as well. Or was that just mine?

In reply to gchoward: tie some coloured string or put tape round a bit of the cradle, rather than the shell?

In reply to gchoward:
I see plenty of centers with their names written on helmets along with numbers, also my grivel helmet came with a load of stickers.

I'm starting to worry about the effects of sweat, sunlight and rain water have on helmets now!

In reply to Removed User: yep, all kinds of mental eyes, salamanders, etc! its almost as if they want you to cover your helmet in them!

In reply to danrock101:


I left my helmet out in the sun and now it's covered in blisters.