To help you understand a bit more about what we do, we’ve collected some of the frequently asked questions and addressed them in this section.
If you can’t find an answer to your question here we encourage you to contact us. We always respond promptly.
We test the structural integrity of your helmet and provide certification accordingly. It’s either structurally sound, or it’s not.
We feel guarantees are insipid:
(a) Unless your helmet has been through our lab, it has never been tested. The manufacturer testing process, as dictated by ECE 22.06 / DOT etc, is destructive and based on batch testing. Even with the most respected brands in the market we know manufacturing quality fluctuates.
(b) How would you prove the helmet wasn’t fit for purpose, say after an accident, if you don’t have the baseline data for the helmet?
(c) We have identified structural defects in new helmets straight out of the box.
Our qualified engineers use a scientifically proven non-destructive technology to provide a definitive answer to the structural integrity of each helmet we test.
To answer the question. No, we don’t provide guarantees. We provide a science-based answer to the one question we all want to know.
Our service goes above and beyond anything the manufacturers can provide you with.
Yes, and here’s why …
Let’s start by explaining how composite materials fail.
Composite materials fail from the opposite side from where force is applied. For example, if you take a tree branch (also a composite material) and try to snap it with your knee, pulling both ends towards you, you’ll notice the branch fails on the opposite side from where the force is being applied. The same applies to a helmet. But a helmet usually has a gel coat applied to protect the aesthetics. This gel coat can pull the shell back to its normal shape, and essentially leave it looking undamaged – bar cosmetic scratches etc.
Let’s say you release the pressure on the branch when you first hear it beginning to crack. It will likely return to its normal form and not display any evidence of damage. However, if you were to repeat the exercise, the branch’s structural integrity has been compromised and it will not be capable of taking the same amount of force again before breaking.
Like a branch, the shell of your helmet may or may not have fractured during your accident. Additionally, with the exception of user misuse, there is no condition where the EPS liner can be damaged if the outer shell is not damaged. However, it is possible for the outer shell to be damaged and for the EPS liner to remain undamaged.
There’s also the strain that may have been applied to the rivet points where your chin straps are fixed to the helmet. These are naturally weak points at best, and we often find the area around the chin strap fixings have been damaged, where other parts of the helmet remain good.
Fractures in composite materials will very often remain invisible to the human eye, which is why we use Shearography to test helmet shells. Our instruments are capable of identifying a hairline fracture as small as 100 nano metres. Even the slightest fracture will compromise the structural integrity of your helmet, because with further use even a hairline crack will increase in size.
For context, the common flu virus measures 80-100 nano metres. It’s also worth noting that composite fractures are transparent to x-ray, so x-ray is not an effective method to test for structural damage.
In short, a visual inspection is wholly inadequate, and where the helmet has knowingly been involved in an accident or a minor drop, we would always recommend our test.
We don’t speculate on the structural integrity of a helmet. The only way we can provide a definitive answer is after we’ve conducted our test.
If a helmet has sustained a level of damage that’s clearly evident from a visual inspection, we strongly advise you to replace the helmet. However, we appreciate a visual inspection will always be subjective, even for the most experienced technician. If you’re in any doubt, email us photos of the helmet [email protected] and we’ll offer an initial assessment.
Should our initial visual assessment prove inconclusive, we’ll advise you to book a test for a conclusive result.
If it clearly looks like we’re not going to add any value from a test, we’ll let you know … we’d rather you put your money towards a replacement.
More often than not, we’re testing customer helmets that either have no visible signs of damage whatsoever, or at worst they may have some slight cosmetic damage on the shell.
So, if we detect damage in your helmet, how do we determine if the damage constitutes an unsafe helmet?
Our short explainer video shines a light on this question.
Our laboratory is based in an industrial unit at East Midlands Airport, Derbyshire.
Once you book a test you’ll receive an automated email from us, which contains login details for your account and clear instructions for accessing a pre-prepared address label.
If you don’t have a printer, please use the same details we supply on our address label.
These instructions are detailed in the email we send you when you book the test via the website.
Regrettably, we are no longer able to accept international bookings.
If you’re in the UK, yes!
Our laboratory is based in an industrial unit at East Midlands Airport, Derbyshire.
Please note, however, we operate a working lab and don’t have public reception or toilet facilities. And we definitely don’t sell bacon rolls or freshly ground coffee. Perhaps one day, but just not now.
If you wish to drop off your helmet, book your inspection in advance here. Then print the address label we supply you with, attach it to your helmet box and arrange to drop off Monday – Friday / 09:00 – 16:00. It’s always best to check in advance by giving us a call on 0330 912 2920.
Alternatively, if you don’t have access to a printer, please ensure you write you order number clearly on the box before dropping it off.
You’ll receive an email from us once your test has been completed. If you wish to have your helmet returned by our courier service, please ensure you package your helmet up suitably for the return journey. If you’re collecting in person, just let us know this when you’re making the booking.
Our What3Words location is ///duplicate.unlisted.monday
Sorry, no.
We know the images produced from our service look cool, but unless they are being interpreted by a qualified engineer there is a likelihood that the data could be misinterpreted. This is a risk our insurers are not prepared to underwrite, which means we are unable to supply technical test data to our customers.
If you’re mandated to wear protective headgear, whether it’s for road or track use, or indeed for any other sport (equestrian, snowsports etc), then you will definitely benefit from a periodic integrity test.
Whether you’re looking for peace of mind that your lid remains safe to use after regular / semi-regular use, or if you suspect there’s been some damage inflicted, one way or the other – we will provide a definitive answer.
If you’re looking for shipping options, Parcel2Go.com is a helpful service that provides a list of national couriers and prices all in one place.
Let us know if you know of any other similar services, so we can link to them here.
It’s a good idea to measure the dimensions and weight of your shipping box (with your lid inside the box). We typically use 3kg as the weight and dimensions of (l)43cm x (w)33cm x (h)33cm, but your weights and dimensions may differ so it’s always worth quickly checking these.
Again, whichever label you use, please ensure either our QR code or your Order Number (provided after checkout) are clearly visible on your label – even if the courier supplies their own label.
Yes. We provide £5,000 of insurance cover during shipping TO and FROM our facility, as long as you’re using a recognised courier service.
This means, once you have generated a booking on our system we automatically insure your helmet while it’s on its way to us … and for the return journey.
The key to reducing the risk of damage during transportation is effective packaging. We recommend you follow this guide:
Contact us if you have any questions.
Once we have tested your helmet, the data is reviewed by one of our NDT engineers. If there are any aspects of the data that may be ambiguous, we escalate the inspection data to our technical authority. If the data continues to be inconclusive, we will scan your helmet a second time – with an increased focus on any areas that have been inconclusive. When we are satisfied our inspection is conclusive, we generate the inspection certificate, stating a pass/fail.
You will receive an email from us at the point the certificate has been issued, which will be available to download from your account dashboard on our website.
We recommend having your helmet tested once a year, OR after any form of impact, such as dropping it.
We’re currently predicting a turnaround of no more than 4-5 working days from the time we receive your helmet at our inspection facility. This can occasionally vary with staff holidays etc.
Our standard return courier service is 48hrs. You can optionally select a 24hr return service at checkout when booking a test.
We service many different markets such as motorsport, equestrian, snowsports, watersports, emergency services, aviation, military etc.
Helmets save lives, and we believe it’s in the insurance companies interests to incentivise you to have your helmet inspected, and it is our hope that underwriters will look favourably on those who have a valid scan on their helmet. Sign up to our newsletter if you would like us to keep you informed of our progress.
Yes
Assuming the outer shell is made from composite materials, resins are used to bond the multiple layers of composites used in the manufacturing process.
These resins break down over time, which is one of the reasons helmet manufacturers state the lifespan of a helmet is typically 3-5 years.
However, the lifespan of your helmet depends greatly on the environmental conditions it’s been subjected to and how you have treated it.
When these resins break down, this will result in the deformation of the composites in the outer shell, which our inspection service will identify.
From the point your helmet left the manufacturing facility, it’s being subjected to a unique set of factors, all of which influence the ageing and degradation process.
We’ve tested helmets that are beyond the manufacturer’s warranty period. Some have passed, some have failed. Equally, we have tested newer helmets. Again, some pass and others fail.
The answer? We can’t speculate on the structural integrity of a helmet or whether or not it’s still safe to use. However, once we have tested your helmet, we will be in a position to provide a definitive answer to this question.
Yes