I received mine.
A few points:
* It's
white ! My current helmet is black, my bike too...nice for a change
* It
folds ! Alright, it's not exactly small when folded, but it leaves more room inside my touring bag where I normally put my helmet.
* Do I trust that it will
protect me against brain
injuries ? Well, just like my current helmet, it doesn't follow the shape of the head tightly-enough to be efficient, in my opinion. These helmets just move around too much when knocked: sideways, but particularly towards the back. Yet my current helmet has got a "wheel dial" adjuster, which really does a good job at tightening the straps. The Stash has no such handy feature, so it's very hard to get the tension right, where it's needed. At any rate, the Stash is no better no worse than all the other helmets I've tried (once the strap tension is adjusted properly, that is).
* Could this helmet make things
worse in case of
accident ? Well, the same remark applies to my current helmet, in my humble opinion. I think that these kinds of helmets are flawed by design, and are probably more likely to make matters worse with regards to neck injuries (added head volume that increases twist angles, propensity to catch onto something, etc.). I'm also concerned about strangulation, due to how easily the helmet moves backwards when knocked, which results in pulling the strap around the throat.
*
Why do I wear a helmet if I don't think it protects me ?? Well, social / peer pressure I suppose. A helmet makes me look like a responsible cyclist when I'm on the road, and my family and friends don't worry so much. It's silly, but until there is a broadly acknowledged consensus about the actual efficiency of cycling helmets (or lack thereof), then I guess we're stuck with our own beliefs. On a more pragmatic basis, I bet that insurance companies would jump on the opportunity to nail someone down for not wearing a helmet.
* Is the Stash a
good buy ? Yes, at that price it's a bargain. I would have been disappointed had I paid the full original price (50-60 GBP).
* Any
better alternative ? I don't think that the Dahon Pango will represent better value for money, but it looks like it will fold smaller. I really want to try a
Casco helmet: they look like they have been designed to actually protect your head, and these ear warmers look so comfy !
