NEHA

Doing my due diligence before a purchase of a Head and Neck restraint. There are a bunch that meet the sfi 38.1 standard. Guess I'm looking for folks opinions that already have one, if they like the one they use, or wish they chose differently.

I have been using a Hans since the start of the 2009 season.

The first season it seemed like a huge pain. Couldnt turn my head at all, had trouble getting the shoulder harness straps to go on properly and it was uncomfortable when the straps were cinched down.

The second year I added the sliding tether (it was a $75 option). That improved the the head turning problem. Still cant turn my head enough to see the start line at Okemo and Ascutney unless my shoulder belts are not cinched down yet, but much better.

The third year I switched to a Cobra Sebring GT seat - a head containment seat with higher "Hans friendly" openings for the harness straps. At the same time I added a new harness strap bar to the main hoop at the height recommended by Hans to get the shoulder straps near horizontal. And I went with a Schroth 6 point FIA Hans harness. This features 2" waist and shoulder straps. These improved everything...a lot. The straps, being the width of the Hans, naturally slide right into place whereas the old 3" tended not to. The higher position of the shoulder straps mounting reduced the compression on my shoulders when the straps are pulled snug and I no longer find wearing the device uncomfortable. As a side... the 2" waist strap is both more comfortable and safer as it has been shown to ride lower on the wearers hips, and the double crotch strap is a little more "gentlemen bits" friendly since they hug my thighs rather than other things in the immediate area.

I just wish it hadnt taken me 3 seasons to get it right.

Sliding tether as Walter mentioned.

Also, think long and hard about why style clip you want (HANS to posts on side of helmet). I don't have an opinion on which is better (i.e. easier to use), but I selected the push in/rotate clip to remove. That would not be the technical name for the connection.

Hans has 2 connection options (plus a permanent system tying the helmet to the Hans - but I have not seen any of these in use). The standard item is called the post and catch and the optional one is the QuickClick. Once I learned to connect and disconnect the standard catch correctly by feel it became easy and fast.

Keep the opinions coming, I'm also interested.

Are there less expensive systems that are also up to par? Or are they a device that can easily be used by multiple drivers? Maybe sharing one, running different run groups? I know cost shouldn't be a factor in safety, but the reality is this is budget racing. Having to buy a head and neck restraint systems that cost as much as the entire race season's entry fees could end up limiting some of our number of entries next year I'm sure, so the more affordable the better.

Also, are there systems that help protect during a side impact? Doesn't seem like the Hans does much for that (seems like a collar would even be better) and in our sports it seems likely to go in sideways. Maybe I don't understand the Hans that well, but it really only appears to help with a head on collision.

I'm using the Simpson Hybrid Pro Rage. So far I like it. It pretty much disappears once I'm belted in. It works with any seat angle. It supposedly has superior side impact protection vs. HANS. Turning your head is a bit of an issue just as mentioned above with the HANS but it hasn't bothered me much. One thing I like is I can put it on before I get in the car. My cockpit is tight and I didn't want to try putting the HANS in place after I was in, nor did I want to have to put the helmet on before I got in. The Hybrid Pro Rage also has a low profile so sliding in and out of my window with it on isn't a problem.

I have the Hybrid also. My choice was sealed by the fact the there is staps for side to side along with forward. I figure if I'm going off, I'm gonna try to be spinning the car around-the odds of me going straight off are less. And since this has both planes covered...
And as was said in the Pikes Peak thread, it looked like the guys belts came off his shoulders- rendering his Hans usless. The Hybrid is strapped to me (and with mine-but not Kevins) the harness.
After getting used to hooking the latches, it is fine-don't notice it driving at all.

HANS's "QuickClick" is 100X easier to use. I only used the standard one a couple times, so I never got used to it, but the quickclick is definitely easier right off the bat

KevinGale wrote:I'm using the Simpson Hybrid Pro Rage. So far I like it. It pretty much disappears once I'm belted in. It works with any seat angle. It supposedly has superior side impact protection vs. HANS. Turning your head is a bit of an issue just as mentioned above with the HANS but it hasn't bothered me much. One thing I like is I can put it on before I get in the car. My cockpit is tight and I didn't want to try putting the HANS in place after I was in, nor did I want to have to put the helmet on before I got in. The Hybrid Pro Rage also has a low profile so sliding in and out of my window with it on isn't a problem.

Does the Simpson Hybrid Pro Rage work with 3" belts, I dont want to have to buy more belts if I can avoid it.

Yes--no problem. They're made for 3"