New (sort of) parade helmets

[Micael]

So last year the health and safety regs put an end to the use of the 19th century era parade helmets when riding for the Swedish Lifeguard. Work started on trying to develop a riding helmet that fulfilled the current safety requirements but which also looked as similar as possible to the old shiny pickelhaubes that weren’t allowed anymore. Two prototype versions have now been unveiled, and the result isn’t quite as bad as I feared. It’s not stellar, but I’ll take it over what might have been. Both versions are about 15% larger than the original.

Any thoughts on the looks and such?

Here’s the two prototypes as well as one of the prototypes alongside the original for comparison.

[Johnnie Lyle]

Go back to this:

IMG_4428.jpeg

[Kunkmiester]

I'm guessing there was something besides the big spike on top that made it unsafe?

[kdahm]

I'm guessing there was something besides the big spike on top that made it unsafe?

I don't see a lot of external difference. The big one is probably the suspension system and adding a conventional crush equestrian helmet liner to the inside. Notice the extra black straps on the prototypes.

[Micael]

I'm guessing there was something besides the big spike on top that made it unsafe?

I don't see a lot of external difference. The big one is probably the suspension system and adding a conventional crush equestrian helmet liner to the inside. Notice the extra black straps on the prototypes.

Correct, it is a modern riding helmet with MIPS tech underneath the exterior shell.

[Micael]

I'm guessing there was something besides the big spike on top that made it unsafe?

It wasn’t very good if you happened to smash your head on the ground while wearing it.

[Johnnie Lyle]

I'm guessing there was something besides the big spike on top that made it unsafe?

It wasn’t very good if you happened to smash your head on the ground while wearing it.

But was that due to the spike or the lack of modern padding and protection features?

[Micael]

I'm guessing there was something besides the big spike on top that made it unsafe?

It wasn’t very good if you happened to smash your head on the ground while wearing it.

But was that due to the spike or the lack of modern padding and protection features?

The latter, I suspect that the shell including the spike are of the same material as in the predecessor.

[Micael]

Well it’s taken a while to develop this, but it’s now looking like the new helmets will be introduced in June of this year. As planned the helmet is on the inside a modern riding helmet with MIPS tech (yellow part in the photo below), and the exterior essentially looks like the original Prussian style helmets, main difference is it being slightly larger and visible black chin straps. The exterior trim such as the spike on top has been pin mounted and is designed to break off in case of impact, so as to not introduce unacceptable loads/pressures that would compromise the impact protection. It sounds like verifying that this works as intended accounts for part of the delay. As a result the trim is also removable and can be shifted to a new ”blank slate” helmet when one needs to be replaced. As communicated before the original helmets will continue to be used when parading and watch standing on foot.

[Johnnie Lyle]

It does look a reasonable design, and with a good deal of practicality in mind.

However, it still does look a bit squished, like it’s just a little smaller than the standard pickelhaube.

[Micael]

It does look a reasonable design, and with a good deal of practicality in mind.

However, it still does look a bit squished, like it’s just a little smaller than the standard pickelhaube.

As I understand it it’s a bit bigger than the original helmets, but with the proportions changed a bit so that the width has increased but the height hasn’t really. I agree that it does look a bit squished.

[Belushi TD]

I seem to have missed something...

Why is the helmet being redesigned? For a while I thought it was due to the guy who managed to stab himself with his bayonet, but that doesn't make any sense.

Belushi TD

[Johnnie Lyle]

I seem to have missed something...

Why is the helmet being redesigned? For a while I thought it was due to the guy who managed to stab himself with his bayonet, but that doesn't make any sense.

Belushi TD

Insufficient head protection should you fall off the horse.

[Craiglxviii]

Are the spikes replaceable?

[Micael]

Are the spikes replaceable?

Yeah, they’re mounted with some pins. Supposed to shear off if the helmet is smashed into the ground, but can also be disassembled by hand.

[Craiglxviii]

Are the spikes replaceable?

Yeah, they’re mounted with some pins. Supposed to shear off if the helmet is smashed into the ground, but can also be disassembled by hand.

I was just wondering how long before we see some video, shot late at night in barracks, of a parade helmet with the spike replaced by something more amusing… we had an incident some years back in the Household Cavalry of something similar.

[Micael]

Are the spikes replaceable?

Yeah, they’re mounted with some pins. Supposed to shear off if the helmet is smashed into the ground, but can also be disassembled by hand.

I was just wondering how long before we see some video, shot late at night in barracks, of a parade helmet with the spike replaced by something more amusing… we had an incident some years back in the Household Cavalry of something similar.

I believe that the old ones are removable too, they swap out the spikes for these things in the photo below when they do the full on parade stuff. So I suspect that there’s probably a photo or two out there already.