Choosing the Right UTV Helmet

Whether you use your UTV for a fun afternoon or for heavy lifting tasks, you’ve probably found that your side-by-side is one of the most important investments you could have made for your family or for your work. Not only does it provide the power you need for the tough jobs and the power and speed you’ll want for the trails, but it also provides you with a certain amount of ease and stability. But don’t be fooled. Riding a UTV can be just as dangerous as riding any other motorized vehicle. Even if it comes with roll protection, as many UTVs do, it sometimes won’t be enough to protect you from debris or in the event of an accident.

Because of this, you’ll want to make sure you’re wearing all the right safety gear. Harold Implement Co. has provided you with some of the basics for understanding why you need a helmet and how to find the right one.

The Importance of Wearing a Helmet

Firstly, why bother with a UTV helmet? As we mentioned, many UTV riders feel fairly safe in their vehicle, especially when there’s roll protection. Your UTV can handle just about any terrain, but it won’t necessarily stay upright or that it will deflect any debris or dangers that come your way. This is where safety gear makes up the difference, and your most important piece of safety equipment is your helmet. Even if you get thrown from the vehicle, a helmet greatly increases your chances of avoiding injury, so make sure you’re wearing one at all times, no matter how gentle the terrain or how slow you’re traveling.

Different Types of Helmets

Finding a UTV helmet can be a little more difficult, mostly because UTV specific helmets aren’t that common. Instead you’ll probably take a helmet built for other purposes and adapt it to your needs. We recommend using a motocross helmet. Bicycle helmets don’t provide enough protection and motorcycle helmets can get a little heavy and stuffy. Motocross helmets are built for high speeds and high impact, but they’re also built to be light and comfortable so as not to distract the racers. This makes it the ideal helmet for UTV riders.

Fit and Comfort

When you spot a style you like, you’ll want to make sure you find a size that fits. A helmet that’s too big won’t provide you with the protection you need. You’ll know if you need a smaller size by trying to slip the helmet off your head once it’s secured. If you feel there’s too much wiggling and movement, or if it comes off altogether, you need a smaller size.

Figuring out if you need a bigger size, however, can be a little more difficult. The ideal helmet should be snug, but a helmet that’s too small might be noticeably uncomfortable or even painful. When you buy a helmet, don’t throw away the receipt. Sometimes you won’t know if a helmet is too small until you ride around with it for a little while and realize it gives you a headache. Or maybe it impedes with your line of sight or distracts you unnecessarily. Whatever the reason, if a helmet doesn’t work for you, take it back and look for a different size or a different model altogether.

Goggles Vs. Facemask

When you’re looking around for helmets, keep full-face protection in mind. Some helmets will come with a facemask or face-shield built into the helmet. This will provide you with the right amount of protection for your eyes and nose, but you should ask about aftermarket products that will help prevent your face-shield from fogging up or how you can get UV ray protection.

Many motocross helmets do not come with a face-shield as most riders use goggles instead. If this is the case, you’ll want to look into getting goggles that not only protect your eyes, but may provide you with other protections as well, like UV ray filtering, anti-fogging lenses, and ventilation.

Now that you have the right foundational knowledge, it’s time to start looking for the UTV helmet that you need. If you need a UTV to match your UTV helmet, then stop by Harold Implement Co. in Corning, Arkansas. We proudly serve the areas of Paragould, Jonesboro, Pocahontas, and Piggott, Arkansas, as well as Poplar Bluff and Kennett, Missouri.