That was the first thing I noticed :^D That's an immediate rejection from me. I don't care if the helmet has 50kn active deflectors on it. Not worth wearing black for.
O.C.G.D. Thread, part two
- Thread starter Paul B
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Jonny
Treehouser
Kinda has a cool Darth Vader look though!
SkwerI
Treehouser
Welcome to the Power Rangers, Deva!
Bodean
Cali dreamer
. funny the color of the helmet was listed as White… edit.. listed as black and white.. as white is sold out. I’m stoked to try it… I will spray paint white the helmet if I need to. Haha.
Seriously though the Kask feels like a balancing act…. The protons has side protection and rides lower.
also I’ve found myself making some bigger cuts in tight quarters and I appreciate the little bit more protection.
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flushcut
TreeHouser
In the middle of winter.
) full time.There's a carpenter foreman from my client that almost always wears navy blue shirts. He's sweating and miserable, but still wears dark shirts. I haven't quite figured it out. I want to have a talk with him, but I feel it's like explaining water's wet. I just look and shake my head.
My Petzl's orange. I've work white helmets forever, and I don't even like white aside from it being cool. I figure it's a reasonable compromise. Not too hot, and I stand out from the other white hats on site. Based solely on looks and comfort, I'd like one in flat desert sand. It would work for climbing, but would be needlessly unsafe on the ground.
My Petzl's orange. I've work white helmets forever, and I don't even like white aside from it being cool. I figure it's a reasonable compromise. Not too hot, and I stand out from the other white hats on site. Based solely on looks and comfort, I'd like one in flat desert sand. It would work for climbing, but would be needlessly unsafe on the ground.
flushcut
TreeHouser
An easy test leave a black helmet and a hi-vis helmet in the sun for ten minutes. Which one is hotter?
I've heard some ridiculous theories that black helmets are cool due to some kind of thermodynamics going on with the heat. I don't believe that for a second. Might be interesting to see if a black border on vents like the Vertex has increases airflow through them. I suspect not due to the small surface area, and lack of piping, but it would still be interesting.
flushcut
TreeHouser
I used to use a large MSR Dromedary bag as a solar shower when camping out in the bush. It’s just a black waterproof bag with a spout. Fill with water lay it out in the sun for a day and enjoy a nice hot shower. Black is hotter.
Burnham
Woods walker
Years ago, I laid a sheet of black Visqueen that I'd taken off the garden (winter weed and rain cover) on the lawn in the sun to dry...just for about 15 minutes. Browned up the grass quite nicely.
Or walk beneath a working climber wearing each one and see when you're most likely to get flattened by a branch!
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Helmets have a limited life span.
I've only used plastic, but you can get a good idea on appearance. Inspect for crazing, and give it a good squeeze to see what it does. Five years seems like a reasonable, and somewhat conservative replacement schedule if you're using it for work. That's less than $100/year for even the best lids. If you're gonna wear a helmet, you might as well wear one that works. Otherwise, there's cheaper and more comfortable options. I keep my helmets bagged in the truck so sunlight(the worst enemy) isn't affecting it unless it's actually working.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
I'm due to replace mine.
I have a good story about that.
My erstwhile partner was looking at his logging hard hat and noticing it had started to crack.
So I checked mine and it was WAY over due for throwing out. Full of cracks.
So on the way home I went by my dealer and bought a new one.
Next day I felled a medium oak next to a freeway, bit of a tricky fall.
As I was following the tree with my eyes, the World suddenly got black.
Woke up later and realized that the oak had triggered a small, 4" thick , but forest story tall, elm that had been dead so long it had completely rotted through.
That hit me in the back of my head hard enough to dent the new hard hat and discolor the plastic.
With the old one I'd have been a goner.
Drove by the dealer on the way home and bought a new hard hat.
" But you just got one yesterday?".
I showed it to him and he asked if he could keep it.
It was on display in his shop for a while, with the story.
Just to remind people to get a new hardhat regularly.
Personally, I don't need reminding any more.
My erstwhile partner was looking at his logging hard hat and noticing it had started to crack.
So I checked mine and it was WAY over due for throwing out. Full of cracks.
So on the way home I went by my dealer and bought a new one.
Next day I felled a medium oak next to a freeway, bit of a tricky fall.
As I was following the tree with my eyes, the World suddenly got black.
Woke up later and realized that the oak had triggered a small, 4" thick , but forest story tall, elm that had been dead so long it had completely rotted through.
That hit me in the back of my head hard enough to dent the new hard hat and discolor the plastic.
With the old one I'd have been a goner.
Drove by the dealer on the way home and bought a new hard hat.
" But you just got one yesterday?".
I showed it to him and he asked if he could keep it.
It was on display in his shop for a while, with the story.
Just to remind people to get a new hardhat regularly.
Personally, I don't need reminding any more.
Marc-Antoine
TreeHouser
The main culprit is the light, but other ways are possible to wreck the plastics. The energy brought by the light cuts the polymeric molecules when the right wave length matches the energy activation level of a particular link betwenen two atomes. Polyethylene family is very sensitive, polyester far less (but still). It's the same phenomenon with the fading of the varnish and the paint.
The molecules become gradually shorter. The material looses its overall strength and suppleness/elasticity, finally becomes brittle or even falls apart in tiny bits/dust. It's annoying for the garden table or the beatifull paint job on the truck, but for a PPE, that really sucks.
With plenty of pigments in the polymer, the ligth is stopped very soon under the surface and converted to heat, loosing its capability to cut the links. Each particule of pigment acts as a shield and protects the polymer just under it. Black or aluminum powder are the best for longevity.
Try to press or fold the piece of plastic. Usually, nothing happens. But with a weakened polymer, you can hear a distinct sound when the exposed surface is wrecked by thousands of microscopic cracks. Eventually not so microscopic.
The molecules become gradually shorter. The material looses its overall strength and suppleness/elasticity, finally becomes brittle or even falls apart in tiny bits/dust. It's annoying for the garden table or the beatifull paint job on the truck, but for a PPE, that really sucks.
With plenty of pigments in the polymer, the ligth is stopped very soon under the surface and converted to heat, loosing its capability to cut the links. Each particule of pigment acts as a shield and protects the polymer just under it. Black or aluminum powder are the best for longevity.
Try to press or fold the piece of plastic. Usually, nothing happens. But with a weakened polymer, you can hear a distinct sound when the exposed surface is wrecked by thousands of microscopic cracks. Eventually not so microscopic.
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