Helmet wearing, Hot Weather riders- what kind of helmet?

[Tx Bohemian]

What kind of helmet do y'all wear during 100^o+ weather that helps you be "not so hot"? (if there is such a thing)
I got one that has the two little holes in the front to let air blow in but really can't tell much different if their open or not!

Or other gear like bandanas and the like?

I guess getting up in age either I'm affected by the hot weather more or noticing it more.  Gets unbearable during summer.

Been seeing these advertisements about a "cool wrap" thing that you wet it then "snap" it to activate it.  Supposedly is 30^o cooler!
Anybody use anything like that and does it work?

[old2soon]

Don't have a cool wrap-YET. I keep water with me on the bike year round. I wear a half shell Most of he time. When it's REALLY Hot out I soak my do rag. Most times it dries out in 20 miles give or take. Soaking down the T-shirt under the mesh jacket helps too. Been known to wet down the jeans also-do NOT give a flyin intercourse at a mobile pastry WHAT it looks like-I'M comfortable!  Hearing good reports on evaporitive vests. RIDE SAFE.

[hubcapsc]

No such thing. I've taken some long trips with 95+ each day. We
were all hot. I remember having my helmet off, getting gas in the
full sun. I remember putting my helmet back on - "Ahhh! Shade!..."
Plus my scalp didn't get sunburned like some of the other guys...

My neck was getting sunburned, though... until I put a soaked
bandana around my neck, covering the part exposed to the sun.
Resoaked as often as possible, this is great for a long hot ride.

-Mike

[Tundra]

 We like the cool wraps and originally purchased them for motorcycle riding, although we now use them for any outdoor yard work. Like you, we can no longer take the heat. Funny, I've worked outdoors for most of my life? Now I have an office job and have been pussified. Wet 'em, snap 'em they work.

[Mr Whiskey]

I wear a half shell Most of he time. When it's REALLY Hot out I soak my do rag.

 
Modified to single strap...

[Willow]

These days I wear a half shell most of the time, despite good advice otherwise, and in the heat tend to ride in a tee shirt.  They're not really the wisest choices and I can on occasion wear the fullface and armored jacket.

It's not just age that gets you.  The biggest factor is developing the very bad habit of depending upon air conditioning. I'm sixty-five and I have developed problems mowing my lawn with the push mower but I never have found the heat a reason to avoid riding.

[_Sheffjs_]

 A word from the hypocrite when it comes to gear:

 Florida, enuf said there.  But I wear a Schuberth E1 full face, I just can't, not have a full face helmet and it sucks. I have to take the liner out and toss in the wash all the time, but that and boots is all I do gear wise, that is where the hypocrite part comes in.  Sorry OP no help here, when you are hot you're hot!

[fudgie]

I wear a half shell Most of he time. When it's REALLY Hot out I soak my do rag.

 
Modified to single strap...

That what I wear "if" I have to wear one. If I wear none my head is cool.

[Mr Whiskey]

I wear a half shell Most of he time. When it's REALLY Hot out I soak my do rag.

 
Modified to single strap...

That what I wear "if" I have to wear one. If I wear none my head is cool.

Ditto, worn under protest!!

[Pete]

Open face full helmet year round.
Light weight clothing in the heat, no socks, shirt tail not tucked in.
Only three pieces of clothing shirt pants and shoes.

[sandy]

I wear a 3/4 helmet always. There are helmet liners that absorb sweat and prevent it from soaking into the helmet padding. I have the wet towel thingy around my neck. I always wear a mesh Tourmaster jacket. Keeping the sun off your skin with flow thru venting is the only way to go. No dark colors either. The jacket is dayglow yellow. For longer rides a 100 oz Camelback keeps the water going in every 10-20 miles.

[RDKLL]

I wear a Schuberth E1 full face

Lets see your E1, I got the E1 Hunter, Max BMW in New Hampshire. I am just a few miles from Sandy...I am so glad I didnt find a C3Pro, the E1 has better wicking and more ventilation. I have ridden it back and forth to work in up to 115 or 118 or however hot. I have promised my better half that I am ATGATT and if it is to hot for the gear it is too hot to ride...has not been too hot yet.
And my Valk bobber started out the same colors as yours LOL

[cookiedough]

I like a modular helmet since if it gets too hot too breath somewhat,  I lift it up in front and makes a big difference.  That and water readily available to drink while riding does help a ton, preferably with ice in a good insulated mug. 

I prefer riding in 45 degree temps though over 90 degrees anytime.   Those days are coming very shortly around here. 

[Oss]

I carry gallon zip lock bags with ice in a collapsable cooler in the interstate trunk.  Any truck stop or 7-11 will let you put a bit of fresh ice in that bag if you just ask the clerk

At a rest or gas stop I put the ice bag in the upside down helmet before pumping the gas. Only takes a minute or 2 to cool down the helmet.

I also have microfibre doorags that I soak in the cold water.

Makes a big difference over a hot day

If I am in the low humidity states I may wear an evaporative vest under my mesh jacket, getting it soaking wet at gas stops.


Usually I am wearing a modular helmet but sometimes I wear the shorty
There have been times I may have to stop every 40 minutes once it gets to say 2pm and well over 90 degrees.  Hydration is also key to not getting those heat headaches.

[Beardo]

Just a note to the guys who wear full helmets...my new Nolan N104 came with a clear shield. I bought a smoked one because the drop down sunshade wasn't dark enough for sunny days. I recently bought a mirrored one...what a big difference, heat wise. The mirrored one is much cooler, reflects the heat better.

[_Sheffjs_]

I wear a Schuberth E1 full face

Lets see your E1, I got the E1 Hunter, Max BMW in New Hampshire. I am just a few miles from Sandy...I am so glad I didnt find a C3Pro, the E1 has better wicking and more ventilation. I have ridden it back and forth to work in up to 115 or 118 or however hot. I have promised my better half that I am ATGATT and if it is to hot for the gear it is too hot to ride...has not been too hot yet.
And my Valk bobber started out the same colors as yours LOL

I don't run the black visor it flopped too much at high speeds.

[F-six]

Start with buying a white helmet! That will make a lot of difference in heat. I never understood why motorcycle riders want a black helmet, just because it looks cool? I trade the 'looks cool' for 'real cool' every day. And a quality helmet with a good ventilation system will cool better than the closed army surplus helmets. I have a couple of white Shoei RJ Platinum Air helmets and even in the Florida sun, this helmet is wearable. Which doesn't mean you are not sweating! When I was at the end of of my USA trip and entering north of Florida, heading south, I stopped by a postoffice to send my motorcycle gear to my brother, the boots, leather jacket and pants. Made the last part of my trip in a long sleeve T-shirt and pants suited for the tropics. But I kept my white Shoei helmet.

Oh, the army surplus helmet, got a funny story about that. Once I visited my brother in Key West and we decided to rent a Harley for a day. European as I am, I accepted the 'helmet' he gave me, a worn out beany. But somehow I couldn't strap that helmet tight enough so that it would stay on my head. While riding it moved to the back of my head. So at one point I was riding the Keys on a Harley, with one hand on the throttle and one hand on the top of my helmet to keep it in place! So much for cool!
 

[Hooter]

Can't do the heat anymore. Half shell and a "T" shirt plus a wrap. Not the smartest thing but I can't ride any other way in high heat, makes me sick. Sometimes I just stay off the bike when it's around 90 degrees.

[Firefighter]

I rode 360 miles Sunday, startes at 80 degrees and finished at 100 degrees. I use a black 3/4 helmet and that was ok, but about the last 80 miles I took off my Joe Rocket mesh jacket and felt like I was in air conditioning.

Tx Bohemian,  got closer to you, went through Alice and Rockport, Sinton, pretty hot.

[Gryphon Rider]

While I can't claim to be a regular hot weather rider, the full-face helmet I wear was chosen for maximum coolness.  I looked at the reviews at webbikeworld.com, and narrowed it down to the two or three with the best ventilation ratings, then purchased the one that fit the best in white.  I got a Bell Vortex, and have since purchased the Transitions face shield for it (which gets dark in bright light and clear in low light conditions).  I can particularly notice air circulation when I open the top vents.

[czuch]

Tucson Arizona. Two North of hell itself.
Full face, dark shade.
Long sleeve shirt, usually wet. (First 5 miles are really, really cold.)
Gloves always.
110 on the bike, 175 on the asphalt. 160 in the car.
According to the laser thermometer from H/F.

[Tx Bohemian]

Like you, we can no longer take the heat. Funny, I've worked outdoors for most of my life? Now I have an office job and have been pussified. 

Yeah, me too although I probably spend 1/3 of my day outside I try to plan it where I can do that in the morning.  Doesn't always work that way though.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. 
I’m a bit surprised at the number of responses from northern riders, you know, those north of the Texas border having “hot weather riding” issues!!
I’d like to return the favor and give advice on “cold weather riding” but that doesn’t happen here, sorry!

The wife and I are at a point in our lives we want to do more riding, and need to before the bike gets too heavy. (hopefully got a few years to go)
About a month ago we took off early on a day trip northward (ended up in Luchenbach) thinking the humidity will not be as bad (I’m about 30 miles away from the nearest Gulf coastline).   It wasn’t, but around 2-3pm it was still really hot. The wife got a bit over heated (and not on account of my driving)!
Unfortunately we had 40 miles to go to get back to the truck/trailer. We pulled over into a Taco Bell for about 1/2hr to cool down. The plan was to be done by then, but we ran across a couple of events we stayed a tad longer than expected.
But this is the kind of riding we like, take off and see what comes up!!

I googled the “wrap/snap” thing and it seems to work to a degree for about 30 minutes. But after about 45’ - hour on the bike I’m ready to get off and stretch my legs anyway which would be a good time to re-soak the wrap.  One guy said this thing holds ice longer than a regular towel and he wraps the ice a certain way and positions on his back at the base of his neck with the “tails” of the wrap down his chest as he’s mowing. Maybe could stick the tails down your shirt to keep it from blowing away on the bike…
And do like Oss said and keep ice with you.

I do have a white ¾ helmet (Nolan, I think) that cost every bit of $42 so, yeah, it’s not the best out there!  On occasion I pull up on the front to allow wind across the top of my head which helps for about a minute.  That’s why I’m wondering if there’s helmets with better ventilation. I need to check out the site Gryphon Rider provided, Thanks.

Firefighter, are you going to the Harvest Classic in Luchenbach in October?

[old2soon]

Heat indexes kinda like wind chill in reverse. When I went down a month ago we had HIGH heat indexes. I worked outside a good portion of my life BUT the heat and consequently the heat indexes appear to be more bothersome to me these days. For some reason I seem to handle the cold a lot better these days. Was NOT the case when I got home from South East Asia in 68. My Doctor splained to me that ANY breathing difficulty-emphysema in my case-adds to the problem in high heat and high heat indexes. You are breathing in already heated air and your body is TRYING Desperately to cool itself down. Soaking a doo rag-yer T-shirt-yer jeans-or those snap rags appear to be temporary measures at best. In my case gonna be more mindful of those heat indexes. From my own personal observations I'm thinkin my warranty ran out bout near on 30 years ago or so.    RIDE SAFE.

[Mr Whiskey]

Start with buying a white helmet! That will make a lot of difference in heat.

Yep, definitely cooler!
Saddle on the ol' cb750/4 was white too...

[scooperhsd]

I wear the same helmut all year round. A silver HJC open face with a clear windshield (I use sunglasses / Transitions for daytime riding). I add things in the cooler riding months - I prefer an Applewarmer I bought in college (making it 35+ years old ?). I have worn full face before, but they seem to give me a bit of claustrophobia.

[BradValk48237]

I have the Scorpion XO half helmet with the built in half face shield.... Best helmet I've owned.... fits great, works well....

I get good ventilation with it and don't sweat too much....

But I sweat peeling an orange....LOL

B

[Firefighter]

Tx B   Not sure at this point may have to baby sit two horses for a month, will let you know . Thanks

[robin]

fullface