Bought a "skull Cap" helmet

[burkbuilds]

Monday it was so hot driving to Marietta. I was on I-75 for about two hours just after noon and even with several stops to down some water my head was burning up. When I got to Marietta, I wheeled into a motorcycle dealership on Highway 41 and bought a skull cap helmet. I was wearing a 3/4 helmet before with a face shield, but my head was getting so hot I was starting to feel slightly dizzy. The skull cap helmet is really different feeling. I felt like it was going to blow off at first, but after a few miles I got used to that. The wind noise was significantly greater, so I got my ear plugs for swimming out of my saddle bags and popped them in, problem solved, hearing protected. I've now been back and forth to Atlanta on I-75 with the skull cap helmet and even though it hit 97 yesterday I was much cooler, and no problems overheating. I never thought I'd be wearing a skull cap helmet, but for this hot Summer weather here in the South, it has some great advantages. Fortunately, my glasses are wrap around and a fairly tight fit, so I didn't need goggles, I also have a large windshield which helps with that, otherwise I might have needed full goggles.

[Jablonsky]

...I wheeled into a motorcycle dealership on Highway 41 and bought a skull cap helmet....

Something like this one?



Are these legal in the US? I think they are not legal in Europe. And they do not look too safe to me either.

I use Shark Evoline. It's a good helmet with decent level of protection. Though you are right, when it's hot, it's hot under any helmet. The hottest ride I had was back in 2001 in Greece: abt 120°F. I was wearing a Nolan flip-up. Well ventilated, but I was still suffering.

[kawboyCAFE]

as long as it is DOT approved, then its okay. here in Arkansas we dont even have to wear helmets. i still do sometimes, but not all the time.

[burkbuilds]

It looks almost exactly like the one Jablonsky posted a picture of and yes it is DOT approved. Somewhere along the way I began to consider that I was facing a greater chance of brain damage from excessive heat than from wearing a skull cap helmet. For a short ride almost anything is endurable, but two hours on a super slab, each way, on the same day at 97+ degrees (in the shade) was just to much for me to take with a regular helmet. The skull cap lets the air blow by all the way to just above my ears, and was a big difference in comfort level. The ear plugs were essential to me, I couldn't believe how much wind noise I was getting at 70 mph. I think I would be completely deaf after less than 20 hours of riding if I didn't have the ear plugs. I've ridden in hot weather before, but not for four to five hours in the middle of the afternoon, and that probably made the difference for me. This schedule will last me for another five weeks, then the Fall semester of classes changes my riding times and of course, by September the temps should have peaked and hopefully will drop a little bit.

[Dustbuster]

OK, laugh if you want but... It's somewhere in the neighborhood of 105 to 110 F when I get off work. I wear a modular (flip up) helmet. I have found that wrapping one of those synthetic shammy things (kind of rubbery feel, Super Absorber is an example) around my neck helps alot. It feels like a "COOLER" breeze is flowing in from under the helmet. There's a place that sells them for like 15 bucks in fancy cuts and patterns, but I just picked up a rather thin one from the local W-mart for under 5 in the car wash section. I will tell you that the outside will dry and stiffen up like a board, but so far the part on my neck has stayed damp and soft for my ride home.
edit: let me add that I've tried the neck wraps with the bead stuff in them as well. while they work, I always got this "Slimey" feeling from them. I don't get that with this (I think it's called "PVA" material) thing. I carry water with me as well, so could resoak it if needed, but it doesn't need to be dripping wet to work.