I have an HLC CL-X5 helmet and after about 1 or 1.5 hours it was making my head feel weird.
The best way to describe it is that it felt tingly… Like a band above my eyebrows and around my head "went to sleep".

Any guesses?

I saw some helmets online (and in stores) for $400 to $600, wow.
Mine was ~$100. Is it a poor quality helmet?

What are some really comfortable helmet choices?
Is it possible to have really good comfort and only spend ~$150-200.

 

I think its' more of a fit issue than a price issue, helmets are all a little differernt, and everyones head is a different shape too. I think
the solutinon is gettng a helmet that matches your head.
I've got a $100 HJC helmet and it's always been comfortable.

 

Sounds to small.

 

+1. If you've got a round shaped head, most anything on the market will be comfortable.

It sounds like your head shape is more of an long oval or round-oval. The only manufacturer I know of that makes helmets for all the different head shapes and actually specifies the shape is Arai, but they are not cheap. I have a Shark RSI which is a long oval and very comfortable for me. You won't find the shape of the helmet specified in any of Shark's literature though. Web Bike World reports the shape of all the helmets they review, so I found it there.

It was about $150.00 to $200.00 cheaper than a comparable Arai, so I pulled the trigger.

 

Think the HJC might have interchangable cheek pads, which means you could get a looser helmet to fit your head without worrying so much about a loose fit to the face...just buy bigger cheek pads.

 

+1. I have a HJC CL-X5N I purchased from the local Kawi dealer for about $100. According to the stickers it's Snell and DOT approved (from what I understand the Snell rating is tougher to come by) so you can't do any better from a safety standpoint. Assuming you can trust the rating agencies. DOT is a federal standard, while Snell is a private enterprise. You make the call.

My lid fits me fine, but that's not to say that another brand wouldn't be even better. I think most of the price differential as you move up is based on materials used - kevlar and composites are lighter than cheaper materials - and features. Bottom line is you don't have to spend big bucks to get safety, but fitment is a different issue. If I were you I'd see I could find a few buds with different brand helmets and see how they fit.

Hey, at least you're smart enough to wear a brain bucket, unlike the bandana/sunglass crowd you see on so many road bikes. I like to think that most DS riders want to live to ride another day instead of having the wind - and dragonflies, beetles, etc - in their faces.

 

how long have you had the helmet? maybe you need to break it in still. when you buy a helmet first its supposed to fit tighter cause after wearing it will loosen up

 

I have had it for several months. Rode 20 times with it.
Today was the first time it bugged me.
Maybe my head is getting bigger

I'll try washing the pads. Maybe they are so dirt filled they are not puffy anymore.
Kinda gross maybe, but hey...

I'll try on a few helmets too...
Chris

 

maybe your head is getting bigger. have you been studying algebra? lol

 

Bad fit!

I can't wear HLC helmets either because they are shaped for a different head shape. However, your post suggests a completely different problem.

Fit the helmet to your head, not your cheeks!

A common helmet fit issue is getting a helmet that is too small because if fits your cheeks better. A helmet purchase should be a two step process:

1. Fit the helmet to your head
2. Buy the cheek pads that fit your face!

A $100 bill will buy a good helmet. Unfortunately I think the Asian manufacturers make these helmets for an Asian shaped head, not a classic European shaped head like I (and a lot of Americans) have.

I own and use a Shoei X-11 and RJ Platinum Air RJ. Both are at the upper end of the price scale and worth every penny IMHO. These are great street helmets and work very well for my rides on dirt unpaved roads. After bouncing my 3/4 RJ Platinum Air off various things at relatively low speed on true technical trails, I'm convinced the new Shoei off-road helmet is destined for my gear bag (along with better pads ). We get one brain per lifetime, so you better protect it well or the fun meter will expire prematurely.

The big thing you get with an expensive helmet is comfort. I get better air flow on hot days, a lot less weight and less fatigue, and they are more aerodynamic which really helps reduced fatigue when I encounter strong cross winds, trucks pass me, or I travel at high speed.

Buy your helmet at a good retail shop until you have enough knowledge to shop on-line effectively. This isn't like buying motorcycle parts that fit the same everytime and have no unknowns. Locally, I can buy a helmet at Cyclegear (www.cyclegear.com) and wear it around the house for 7 days and then return it if it doesn't fit properly with no penalty. That is really nice when you are buying a ~$550 helmet! I actually used this policy once so, that $20 insurance of retail markup was a true bargain.