I am going to buy a convertible helmet this year. I should have last year but I do not like going into stores.
I have a xc and a regular full face. I used to carry my FF on the handle bars when riding the Dh areas but I seem to ride from home a lot so a convertible is on the list.
I have had several crashes that a FF would have helped. Scars on my nose and chin. I have friends with broken teeth that should have had FF's on.
My wife's FF has scratches from the ear down through to the chin. If she wasn't wearing it, well it would have been a lot of stitches.
Just buy it and use it.

 

a new park is in development near me.

Yo… details please!

And yes, I’ve used the chin bar feature more than once riding DH. If you’re going to be hitting a park then you’ll definitely want a full face.

 

I bought a Bell Super 3r after a face plant that luckily caused minor injury. Decided I was lucky I didn't lose my teeth. Never ride bike parks or rocky downhill trails near me without it. Can barely tell the difference riding uphill with the face guard stashed in my pack.

 

I have ridden in a bike park with a half-shell, but I wouldn’t do it again (outside of a flow/jump area like JHMR’s lower trails). There’s no penalty for wearing a full face when you’re riding lifts, and you put in so many more miles of fast/technical riding in a day.

 

Snoqualmie pass has a bike park that is supposed to be opening this summer. Which is great because Steven pass gave up on bikes since right before Covid. I’m also hoping to check it out this summer, as I’ve never really “ridden park” : D.

I wear a Bell Super DH on literally every ride, and have taken the chin bar off for like… 2 rides maybe? So while a convertible helmet was what I originally wanted, I’d I had to replace the Super DH, I’d absolutely consider any of the lighter non-convertible full faces out there (IXS Trigger, etc). And while I haven’t ridden in Phoenix level heat with it, I’ve ridden in Utah at 105f and still felt fine with the chin bar on, as the rest of the helmet ventilated pretty well.

If you do one, I’d personally go for one with a DH rating, especially if you plan to ride park with it.

But, I also grew up riding dirt bikes, so a full face feels totally normal. AND I have two porcelain front teeth(boating accident as a kid), so a full face is way cheaper and easier than getting those replaced. So my preferences might be atypical.

 

For me, not much to think about. Protecting my face and teeth is worth it. Mostly teeth as I'm already married.

 

For climbing/trail riding these 2 in 1 helmets are okish, but if you plan hitting bike parks, get full dh helmet or at least one of the light enduro helmets.

 

I have had many crashes where the FF has saved me so to me it's worth it. I've noticed though that everyone seems to have their typical crash and mine seems to always target my head at the ground. You may not have that issue.

Except for pure XC rides (so basically anything there there's a descent where I can let loose) I wear an enduro FF. Currently the IXS Trigger FF, but I've used the 100%, Fox Proframe, and the TLD version. (Like I said, I crash) They've all been great. I don't have any issues breathing but I'm not sprinting up the climbs. I had the Leatt convertible and its nice but I never used the chin bar, which is what I hear a lot of people say about convertibles. It's certainly possible to take it off on a long climb but it's another thing to remember to stop and do at the top and bottom of a hill so just riding with a FF that breathes well is less mental overhead for me.

 

So far, I haven't found a huge reason for a full face (yet). I wore my full face when I rode Tiger Mountain 3-4 times many years ago. I never went on the double diamond lines but having them for the blue/single diamond trails gave me a little more peace of mind. I'm sure you know this, but those trails are wet year round and it's very rooty in some areas.

For daily rides, it's all up to the rider but I like my half shell. If I were to attempt those crazy jump lines at BDOS or possibly some at Duthie, I'd definitely wear full face.

 

For park riding 100% full face helmet. The speeds are high. I don't need to test it to know, other people already did for me.

 

I have a Bell Super DH, remove the chin bar for every ride. For park I have a carbon Bell Full 9.

For convertibles I think the Super DH is the best design and the extra weight isn't a big deal vs the non DH rated version.

 

I did group rides with a guy who clipped a tree with his face in a gentle turn. XC type riding. Still, he broke his skull from his eye socket down to his top molars and needed surgery. That changed my mind!

So I got a lighter full face Fox helmet. It's great at the bike park and helps me feel safer on technical New England rides.

But it's also hot, limits my view, I can't wipe my nose nor do snot rockets, and I can't drink with it on. So I retreated back to the regular helmet on more XC type rides.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

 

I'm also going with a convertible for the first time this year (a Bell also). I have an older FF, but it literally has like...one vent, so it's really only practical for the local session jump park (I might try Trestle this year too...so it would go there). But last year I really started to venture outside of only doing XC trails and convertibles are good now they've gone through a few iterations. Trails are also being built far differently than when I started riding MTB (in the 80's) and speeds are also far higher. I'm pretty psyched to have these choices nowadays!

 

I'm a chiropractor. I was on the fence about full face helmet for more intense enduro riding. As I was debating a $100 fly helmet, I had 2 new patients present with histories of TMJ due to mountain bike accidents years ago. That was enough of a sign from above for me. I wear full face unless I'm on a rail-trail. People may think I look like a wanna-be-squid, but TMJ pain is nothing to shake a stick at. If it saves you once, it will be cheaper than lifelong pain or $30 copays every 3 weeks.

 

FWIW most guys I’ve known who bought a convertible helmet ended up ditching it and buying a fixed chin bar full face before long.

 

Interesting. Do you know why?

I’m considering the Bell AirR, the TLD Stage, and maybe the Bell Super DH.

 

IXS Trigger MIPS. Best in its category. For park I’d honestly ride a dh helmet or something like the POC Coron that is rated for multiple impacts.

 

Your post asked if anyone had any direct experience, so here goes...

Short story long, I was going to buy my wife a Troy Lee Stage for Christmas back around when they came out. We were in the bike shop that November with them sitting there on the shelf in her size. I thought, "Man, I should just grab it for her here and now, call it an early present and not have to deal with finding it down the road." That lacked the holiday gift-y surprise-y vibe, so I decided to pass on buying it that day. That same I afternoon I was following her down Bob's at Galbraith (just a mellow, fun trail)...she miscalculated going into a berm, overshot it and got flung directly into a rock mouth first in the blink of an eye. Many badly cracked front teeth, tremendous pain and discomfort, many trips to the dentist for well over a year to put things back together.

Having bought that helmet for her that day would almost certainly have saved her a whole experience she could have done without. Not to mention the blow to her confidence on the bike after taking that hit. Things can happen fast out there as we all know...It sucks to have your face be a victim of that, and for sure it sucks to see it happen to someone else when you know it was preventable.

 

Okay, I’m sold.
My wife had a bad wreck in Squamish and it took her a long time to regain her confidence.

 

I despise the convertible helmets, and would recommend a dedicated full face. It's a must have if you're riding bike parks.

I had the TLD D3 Fiberlite and cracked it at Killington after a pretty rough accident. The shop had limited selection, so I ended up with the TLD Stage ... PHENOMENAL helmet and well worth the $300 I spend on it. It's unbelievable how light it is. Thought my D3 was light, but the Stage is on another level and well worth the $50 premium.

As far as if it's worth it to you, well, if it were me I'd rather not find out. I visit parks quite regularly, and it's not uncommon to see some dope coming down the lift with a half shield and blood gushing from his mouth. And if you got a new park coming to your area, and your son rides, you know you'll be visiting that park fairly regularly.

And I'd never rent a helmet. Grosses me out. But yeah, TLD Stage. Light, great protection and ventilation and looks pretty sick too.

 

I hope everyone in this thread gets a full face and uses it 100% of the time. Why? Simply to make it the norm sooner rather than later. I think they will be the norm eventually, but they still have some stigma today on multi-use trails. Non-riders (and even lots of riders) still consider them something only hoodlums that are bombing trails use. FF helmets are so light and breathable now there is very little reason not to wear them.

Maybe it’s the “big dentist” lobby keeping them down.

 

I think they will be the norm eventually, but they still have some stigma today on multi-use trails. Non-riders (and even lots of riders) still consider them something only hoodlums that are bombing trails use.

Do you guys all feel like there’s a stigma to wearing a full face on a trail ride? There’s enough people around here who use them that I don’t really take notice any more. I don’t know what’s going on in other peoples’ head though. I spend a lot of time park riding so maybe I’m just used to seeing it.

Speaking of which, I have a full-duty full face (TLD D4 Carbon) for DH use. The lightweight Stage feels less protective so I don’t use it in the park unless I’m just incorporating the park into a long ride from the resort to home.

 

I'd also consider the potential of the helmet to prevent concussion, part of the reason I like the Bell Super DH is the layered foam and slightly greater thickness of the helmet to reduce g forces vs the Bell Air and many other lightweight ff helmets w/ fixed chinbars... I also think the Super DH chinbar is more secure vs the Giro switchblade, another dh-rated model. I'd rather crash in a Super DH than any other helmet with the exception of a high end carbon dh helmet.

Convertible makes sense if you have long climbs, but it's a personal choice if you'll find it valuable.

 

Bell Super DH. I had a slow speed fall almost take out my teeth. I don’t touch dirt without it.

 

Does it get hot though?

 

I ride very technical free ride stuff in MA. Bought a Fox Pro Frame last year. And while I love the helmet, the chin bar is wicked short. My chin basically rubs against the chin bar while riding so now I find it annoying. Didn’t realize there were short and long chin bar options? Should have read the fine print. Gonna check out that IXS Trigger now

 

That's good to know. I'll have to wear my glasses when ordering and watch out for that.

Thanks!

 

I feel like there’s a bit of a stigma against full face helmets here in SLO, where most of our terrain is gnarly loose chunk with tons of exposure. Makes no sense.

 

Thanks guys. I ordered a pair of TLD Stages for my son and I.

 

Smart choice. You'll love it. The camo is my favorite one. That's what my son has. I have the blue/black. He didn't want the same color scheme as me, which is understandable for a teenager, and it wasn't a battle worth fighting!

 

I try not to land on my face … but just in case I change my mind, I started riding a convertible full face three years ago.

I went through a few Bell 2R/3R, tried a dedicated full face (hot!), picked up a Bell Super Air summer 2021 (in Hood River) and I’m satisfied.

Just a tip: leave the face mask on, once you take it off it doesn’t work as well 😆

When it’s hot and I’m climbing a ways, I strap the helmet to my pack and put on a boony cap 👍