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      01-22-2018, 11:50 AM   #1
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Question Ears sore from new helmet -- will that break in?

My new Simpson Carbon Devil Ray is causing my ears some pain/soreness after 15-20 minutes of wear. They turn bright red and are really being smashed into the cheek pads. I do wear a headsock, FWIW.

When I put the thinner cheek pads in (25 vs 20mm), the pain is gone, but then the fit of the helmet gets sloppy: I can rotate the helmet too easily and the pads barely even touch my cheeks.


Should I expect the cheek pads to crush and break-in from wear, or is this a sign the helmet is too small? Everything else seems to fit well, especially the all-important crown area, and I even called Simpson to ask. They claim it will break in but by then it would be used/non-returnable if they're wrong. I asked if this is a sign the helmet is too small, and they said no.

For the record, my older Arai doesn't have this problem but it's obviously well-worn and probably broken in. I don't remember having sore ears from it but my memory from back then isn't that good.
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Last edited by dparm; 01-22-2018 at 11:56 AM..
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      01-22-2018, 12:40 PM   #2
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I forgot to mention that I had originally bought a larger size but the fit was sloppy, so I returned it and went down a size. I was kinda borderline to begin with (right at the small end of XL, or the large end of L).
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      01-22-2018, 02:22 PM   #3
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Are you wearing a balaclava?
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      01-22-2018, 02:26 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Estoril Blue View Post
Are you wearing a balaclava?
Yes.
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      01-22-2018, 02:32 PM   #5
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Hmm. There's no indentation for ear portion?
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      01-22-2018, 02:43 PM   #6
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The fitment of helmets vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.. It also varies from model to model. I had a helmet before that fit decently but it was tight on the top and would give me headaches if I wore it more than 15 minutes. Changing sizes up didn't help at all.

I went to the local track helmet store and tried many different helmets from many different brands/models before I found one that fit me. The variance was great. I'd fit a large in one brand but it was a XL in another. Each would apply pressure differently.

My suggestion would be to go try many different helmets and find the one that fits you. There's no way to know what works for you without trying it on.
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      01-22-2018, 02:52 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z K View Post
The fitment of helmets vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.. It also varies from model to model. I had a helmet before that fit decently but it was tight on the top and would give me headaches if I wore it more than 15 minutes. Changing sizes up didn't help at all.

I went to the local track helmet store and tried many different helmets from many different brands/models before I found one that fit me. The variance was great. I'd fit a large in one brand but it was a XL in another. Each would apply pressure differently.

My suggestion would be to go try many different helmets and find the one that fits you. There's no way to know what works for you without trying it on.
Yes, understood. As I said, the overall fitment of the helmet is good everywhere else. It passes all of the usual fitment tests, including the most critical one around the crown.

I was just asking how much break-in I can expect from the pads around the ears, if any.
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      01-22-2018, 03:20 PM   #8
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Ears too big?
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      01-22-2018, 03:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dparm View Post
Yes, understood. As I said, the overall fitment of the helmet is good everywhere else. It passes all of the usual fitment tests, including the most critical one around the crown.

I was just asking how much break-in I can expect from the pads around the ears, if any.
From my experience a helmet should fit, outa da box.
No way should you have to break it in.

I always buy from a local shop where I can try them on.
I know I could get a better deal on line, but feel like I should support the guy that carried the inventory for me to try on.
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      01-22-2018, 03:41 PM   #10
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Just from my experience with full face motorcycle helmets from Arai and Shoei, you want it to fit out of the box as there isnt any breakin as far as the material that modern pads are made from.
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      01-22-2018, 03:46 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inTgr8r View Post
From my experience a helmet should fit, outa da box.
No way should you have to break it in.

I always buy from a local shop where I can try them on.
I know I could get a better deal on line, but feel like I should support the guy that carried the inventory for me to try on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kamber View Post
Just from my experience with full face motorcycle helmets from Arai and Shoei, you want it to fit out of the box as there isnt any breakin as far as the material that modern pads are made from.


Yeah, I don't know if I really subscribe to the idea of break-in. It seems like an excuse for "you'll learn to live with a mediocre fit".

My Arai fits me perfectly. The biggest complaint is just that it fogs up constantly which is frustrating at the track. The Simpson doesn't seem to have that problem.
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      01-22-2018, 05:52 PM   #12
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...how long can you hold your breath?

Is it the visor, or the way the Arai directs air flow?
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      01-22-2018, 06:02 PM   #13
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I agree that I wouldnt expect the helmut to change with time.
Try to trim the fatter cheek inserts so they leave space for your ears.
The pain will kill you over a day......
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      01-22-2018, 06:11 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inTgr8r View Post
...how long can you hold your breath?

Is it the visor, or the way the Arai directs air flow?

Both. It's a GP-5W so the visor is large (therefore my nostrils are directed right at it), and I guess just poor ventilation. Not much moving air actually hitting the front of the helmet.

I put an anti-fog insert in it, but the glare it creates is really annoying. I tried the sprays but they did nothing.
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      01-22-2018, 11:04 PM   #15
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Can you add additional padding to the 20 mm pad, only where it touches your cheek?
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      01-23-2018, 07:42 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SQ13 View Post
Can you add additional padding to the 20 mm pad, only where it touches your cheek?
I don't think that would accomplish much. The cheek pads extend back to touch the ears, and so running a thinner pad back there to alleviate the pressure also provides too much of a gap -- leading to the sloppy fit.
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      01-23-2018, 05:57 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dparm View Post
Both. It's a GP-5W so the visor is large (therefore my nostrils are directed right at it), and I guess just poor ventilation. Not much moving air actually hitting the front of the helmet.

I put an anti-fog insert in it, but the glare it creates is really annoying. I tried the sprays but they did nothing.
I wear a GP5W. Just crack the visor <1/4".
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      01-23-2018, 06:15 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dparm View Post
Yes, understood. As I said, the overall fitment of the helmet is good everywhere else. It passes all of the usual fitment tests, including the most critical one around the crown.

I was just asking how much break-in I can expect from the pads around the ears, if any.
I think most helmets will "break in" a bit - soften and maybe loosen a bit. But you shouldn't expect it to change in fitment from break in. Everyone's head is different, time to find a better fitting helmet.
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      01-23-2018, 06:18 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Estoril Blue View Post
I wear a GP5W. Just crack the visor <1/4".
I just remove the visor completely when I use my helmet inside a car. There's a windscreen, no need for a visor.
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      01-24-2018, 04:25 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z K View Post
I just remove the visor completely when I use my helmet inside a car. There's a windscreen, no need for a visor.
Not so. I have taken small stones to my left eye twice with the visor installed and opened.

I don't do that anymore.
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      01-24-2018, 04:55 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Estoril Blue View Post
Not so. I have taken small stones to my left eye twice with the visor installed and opened.

I don't do that anymore.
Ouch! I've never had that happen before.

I know many friends who swear by open face helmets as well. It is supposed to be safer with airbags. If the airbag goes off, it can smash the front of the helmet into your chin and break your jaw.
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      01-24-2018, 07:35 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Z K View Post
Ouch! I've never had that happen before.

I know many friends who swear by open face helmets as well. It is supposed to be safer with airbags. If the airbag goes off, it can smash the front of the helmet into your chin and break your jaw.
There is a small study of airbags firing with helmets on. It was discussed at a BMWCCA instructor seminar. The injury mechanism mentioned in that study is having the visor open and the airbag catching the visor and rotating the helmet "up". No mention of chin injuries.

Where did you get the chin injury information?
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