Helmet Protection

With the increase in two wheel traffic of bicycles and motorcycles lately...head protection com...  More »

With the increase in two wheel traffic of bicycles and motorcycles lately...head protection comes into discussion. Advances continue to be made in helmet technology... (Lee Hanson/ Asst. Mgr. Scheels)They're very lightweight, very comfortable once you have them on your head and adjust it properly you don't notice that it's there. Oftentimes people walk into the store, they have their helmets on and don't even remember that they have them on. But did you know that your helmet has an expiration date? Helmets become much less effective after 2-3 years. And...experts also say that after a fall where you hit your head...the impact can drastically change the capabilty of the helmet to protect you. Polymer Scientist Steve Benko says that helmets are made of a material called polystyrene that, absorbs the impact with the air between the particles. So when you impact it, the air is removed and the impact resistance is greatly decreased. You would feel a hit a lot more given the stresses were in the same place the second time. So if your helmet and head have hit the ground, you might want to think about getting a new one.  « Less