[yugen852]

I’m going to buy my first helmet soon and I want to know which is better, a full face helmet or a flip up one? They look almost the same, but my worry is that in a crash, the flip up could… uh, flip up or break and leave the shin and face in the open. So, I would really appreciate if someone could tell me the difference between the two and which is safer?

God Bless:
yugen852

[Munch]

Safer by comparison would be a true full face. Less parts to fail in a time of need. The modular (flip ups) claim to have the same safety offerings but from all the things I have read the jury is still out on that one. The biggest advantage to modular helmets is that at a stop light you can flip the whole front of the helmet for more air to keep from suffocating and talk with your buddy without having to hollar over the jaw piece.

[bigguybbr]

Flip ups are clasified as being 3/4 helmets.

To make it simple, I’ll put it like my riding coach put it:

” Do you like your face? Do you like it where it is? If so then where a full face helmet and protect it. If you only like some of it and would rather leave some behind on the pavement wear a 3/4 or 1/2 helmet…”

[A]

As long as the helmet fits properly, they all pass the same crash test.

Personally, I would buy the lightest helmet possible, less weight to carry on your head, more comfortable for the long rides.

It’s your head, how much is it worth to you?

[eon]

IIRC there was a recent review on webbikeworld of a flip up that passed the SNELL test. They made the comment that its not that flip ups could not pass the test, its just for some reason they were never submitted or selected for testing.

I think it comes down to personal choice. Flip ups cost more money and are typically heavier than the equivalent non-flip up. Is that convenience worth that extra cost to you? Only you can decide that.

[SantaCruzRider]

I have seen reviews of some flip up helmets that came open too easily and the testers questioned whether it was possible for them to open during a crash. But the helmets otherwise came through fine in whatever crash test they were able to provide — so it’s really a “what if.”
I’d probably be just as concerned about flipups having greater weight and more wind noise (depending on model).
Personally, I think simple is often best. It’s much easier to engineer strength into a FF helmet than a flip up. I don’t see a significant cooling benefit to a flip up vs ff. I also don’t think it’s particularly wise to think you’re getting the best of both worlds by using the flip up when you’re riding around town. You can destroy your face landing chin-first on a curb doing 30 on your way to the mall — so I still feel better protected with ff.
If I did a lot of 2-up riding, I could see the advantage of using the flip up to talk at gas/pit stops, but you might accomplish the same thing with a 2-way radio that works at speed.

[Author]

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