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As I was day-dreaming once again on my commute home, I wondered about the Snell rating on my current helmet. At our Proving Grounds, we have just recently updated all of our existing helmets that were pre-Snell 2000 with replacements that are. This got me thinking about how old my helmet was and in turn the Snell rating. I don’t really want to replace my current helmet (Arai RX7RR4 Phil Read replica) because the cost these days are getting silly. But then again, what’s my head worth. So I visited the Snell Memorial Foundation website to try and find out the difference in Snell ratings between M95, M2000, and M2005 (”M” designating a motorcycle standard).

I didn’t really know much about SMF except for the fact that they do some testing and back in my impressionable days, my dad insisted we ride with Snell rated dirt bike helmets (anyone interested in a pristine Bell Moto 4 from the mid-80’s?). Since then every helmet I have owned has been the latest available rating. I’ll save the whole discussion for my dilema of whether or not to replace my helmet or not for another article and stick to info found the Snell site.

My first question: What is the expected life of a helmet? (read: should I replace mine?)

Snell’s Answer - They recommend every five years…

The five year replacement recommendation is based on a consensus by both the helmet manufacturers and the Snell Foundation. Glues, resins and other materials used in helmet production over can affect liner materials. Hair oils, body fluids and cosmetics, as well as normal “wear and tear” all contribute to helmet degradation. Petroleum based products present in cleaners, paints, fuels and other commonly encountered materials may also degrade materials used in many helmets possibly degrading performance. Additionally, experience indicates there will be a noticeable improvement in the protective characteristic of helmets over a five year period due to advances in materials, designs, production methods and the standards. Thus, the recommendation for five year helmet replacement is a judgment call stemming from a prudent safety philosophy.

My analysis:
This particular helmet has never been down or even dropped. Yeah, it has a chip or two, but otherwise in excellent shape. I also understand that the materials do deteriate over time, but that stuff also appears to be in great shape. This is what caught my eye: Additionally, experience indicates there will be a noticeable improvement in the protective characteristic of helmets over a five year period due to advances in materials, designs, production methods and the standards. I hate being an engineer when someone uses ‘advancements in engineering’ as a carrot…I’m a sucker for those. I am always looking to improve the noise characteristics and ventilation as well as reduce the weight of my helmet, and my guess is that a lot has changed since 2000.

My second question: How does Snell make money?

Snell’s Answer - Test fees and label sales.

Once a helmet has been accepted into the Snell certification program, the Foundation charges the manufacturer for all testing, the acquisition of random samples and for each Snell Certification label that goes into each certified helmet. However, these costs along with every other production cost get passed along to you the consumer.

My analysis:
As an example, they charge $940 per motorcycle test which includes five helmets. In addition, the charge $0.60 per Snell label that is sewn into the inside of the helmet. That’s not a bad way to generate revenue - have a test that people want to certify to and require your own label that only you sell! Of course, as stated above, all of this cost is passed on to us the consumer.

My third question: What is the history with Snell?

Snell’s Answer - A mission to improve motivated by tragedy

William “Pete” Snell was an amateur auto racer. He died needlessly in a racing event in 1956 when his then state-of- the-art helmet utterly failed to protect him. In memory of Pete a number of his friends, colleagues and fellow racers including Dr. George Snively, formed the Snell Memorial Foundation to try to improve helmet design and capabilities, and to encourage the development and use of truly protective helmets.

My analysis:
Sweet. A little activism used in a positive way to assure that Pete Snell did not die in vain.

My fourth question: What kind of testing is involved?

Snell’s Answer - They test a lot of stuff

Before a helmet can be Snell-certified, it is tested in Snell’s state-of-the-art test facility. Snell technicians conduct a variety of tests to determine the helmet’s performance and ability to stay on the head in different environmental conditions — wet, heat, cold. Depending on the application and the standard, each helmet must pass all or some of the following tests: Impact Test, Positional Stability (Roll-Off) Test, Dynamic Retention Test, Chin Bar Test, Shell Penetration Test, Faceshield Penetration Test, & Flame Resistance Test.

You can read each test detail here.

Final Question: The difference between M95, M2000, & M2005 ratings?

Snell’s Answer - A 2000 versus 2005 comparison (M95 info not included)
Look, if you want the finite details click on each link, read them, create a summary comparison table, and email it to me. I promise I will post it! They did provide a Snell 2000 vs. Snell 2005 summary and the bottom line is that I could not tell a big difference between those two standards. Another possibly informative helmet standard comparison is between Snell 2000, DOT, BSI Type A (Europe), & EN 22/05(England)

So now I’m a little smarter about the Snell testing. From what I can gather, there was no major change from 2000 to 2005. For me now will be researching the performance degradation of the helmet materials over time and the noise, ventilation, and weight improvements. To justify the cash, “But honey, you always say SAFETY FIRST.”