Howdy,
How do you pad an SCA helmet (Sugarloaf) for safe playing? I'm not talking about SCA minimums -- how do you do it for both safety and comfort? I like my brains where they are, and even a minor concussion is more than enough.
I've tried Army "camping" mattress pad for the layer near the helm (1 inch), and then the foam in beds (the mattress, not the box spring) (1 inch). And then sheepskin to cover it all up and make it look "period".
Suggestions?
-Aaron
How do you pad an SCA helmet for safety
Did you pad it that way and have problems? If so, what exactly? To my experience, it sounds like you have plenty of cusioning between your head and the helmet; in fact you might have too much. If it's a very tight fit, the cusioning might be compressed to the point where it simply transfers the force of an incoming blow into your cranium, rather than absorbing it. If the helmet is sufficiently heavy, you might be able to get away with as little as 1" of closed-cell (camping pad) foam. I prefer to cut the foam into 3" wide strips, and attach it to the helm with a 1/2" gap between strips. This leaves a channel for air movement.
- Kyle
- Kyle
Naw...I was just making the padding (while waiting for helm-tops from several people). My wife took some practice shots with her fist on the padding, and I felt it quite a bit (she's got some muscles on her) more than I wished too...and was concerned about what would happen with the helmet....hang on, this is one of those "the heavy helmet will help diffuse the blow" things, right? Duh. Sorry about this inane question.
-Aaron
-Aaron
-
Murdock
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I think they were still wering a little helm
Cerville (sp?) underneeth
Most people imo way over pad their helm and the wonder why it's so tight and so hot.
Get a padded cloth arming hood too, absorbs sweat keeps foam from sticking to your head, adds a little more pad (thats not inuslating plastic foam).
Cerville (sp?) underneeth
Most people imo way over pad their helm and the wonder why it's so tight and so hot.
Get a padded cloth arming hood too, absorbs sweat keeps foam from sticking to your head, adds a little more pad (thats not inuslating plastic foam).
-
Brandr hinn Rusli
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- Location: Ontario, Canada
Since no one has mentioned it. I like to use as my final layer (One closest to my head) half-rounds of pipe insulation. Its made from close cell foam. and when cut in half you end up with closed cell foam that allows ventilation, and also contours fairly well to the head. I put the half rounds facing into the helm, ending up with the endless speed bump look.
Find it comfy and fairly cool.
Brandr hinn Rusli
Find it comfy and fairly cool.
Brandr hinn Rusli
Granted, I'm new at this stuff, but having borrowed a few helms and been hit uncomfortably hard in the head, I've come to love the configuration I've got in my own, brand-spanking-new helm. It goes like this:
A half inch of closed-cell foam from a dance-floor supply place -- this foam is made especially for high-impact resistence. The stuff never gets compressed, even after years inside an oft-used helm. I've _got_ to find out where they get their supplies from... if I can get a direct line on it, I'll post it here.
Back to the helm padding:
In places, I've added more of the closed-cell to close large air gaps that will make impact louder -- half the nuisance of a head shot seems to be the noise -- at least to my sensitive ears. These places are the point of the bascinet and a horizontal ring just below the level of my ears.
I left everything slightly loose so I could wear a linen and cotton padded coif underneath. The fit is snug but not tight, and it's the most comfort I've had by far. The added bonus of a padded coif is that after sweating into it and you can wash it. Some people have the stinkiest helms. I'm trying to not be one of them
As for taping down your padding, I have mine untaped. It can be pulled right out, but it's cut and molded to fit the contour of the helm so well, it's not going to come out. However, I'm willing to bet that taping it down will also greatly dampen the noise factor.
If you have need for more than an inch of padding all around, you may have a helm that's way too big for your head.
Good luck,
Marcele
A half inch of closed-cell foam from a dance-floor supply place -- this foam is made especially for high-impact resistence. The stuff never gets compressed, even after years inside an oft-used helm. I've _got_ to find out where they get their supplies from... if I can get a direct line on it, I'll post it here.
Back to the helm padding:
In places, I've added more of the closed-cell to close large air gaps that will make impact louder -- half the nuisance of a head shot seems to be the noise -- at least to my sensitive ears. These places are the point of the bascinet and a horizontal ring just below the level of my ears.
I left everything slightly loose so I could wear a linen and cotton padded coif underneath. The fit is snug but not tight, and it's the most comfort I've had by far. The added bonus of a padded coif is that after sweating into it and you can wash it. Some people have the stinkiest helms. I'm trying to not be one of them
As for taping down your padding, I have mine untaped. It can be pulled right out, but it's cut and molded to fit the contour of the helm so well, it's not going to come out. However, I'm willing to bet that taping it down will also greatly dampen the noise factor.
If you have need for more than an inch of padding all around, you may have a helm that's way too big for your head.
Good luck,
Marcele