This helmet drier had us scratching our collective head. Since I sweat so much that I can actually get drops of water to fall from my helmet and goggles after a moto, I brought it to the 24 Hours of Glen Helen to give it a try. A hot day and repeated stints on the bike would be a great way to see how this beauty worked.
The first stumbling block is it runs on 110-volt power, so you'll need a generator or power available, though a good inverter could run it off a truck battery for a while. So I docked it for installation, even though putting a plug in a wall isn't so hard. Second, the unit isn't small, so those with space issues might be a little put off. But once your sweaty helmet sits atop the tower, where a fan goes to work to dehumidify it, then the space, price and power snags all seem worth it. In about an hour it will completely dry out a heavily sweat-soaked lid (and I know about that!). The switch has a timer, so the drier will run for about 3 hours then shut off automatically. The design is such that no matter how wet the helmet, it doesn't affect the electronics. I've even begun using it to dry helmets after washing them with a hose!
Simpson: 888/872-7848
www.simpsonraceproducts.com |
| Hard Parts | Max. | Rated |
| Installation | 20 | 15 |
| Function | 50 | 45 |
| Durability | 10 | 10 |
| Design | 10 | 8 |
| Price | 10 | 8 |
| Total | 100 | 86 |
Do you really need a helmet drier? Not until you've used one. Then, every time you put on a sweaty lid, you'd remember it doesn't have to be like that, especially at night during a long endurance race or even between motos. Mostly designed for high-buck racecar teams and more of a luxury than a necessity, the $99.99 Helmet-Dri has found a place in my arsenal of trick items that make racing easier.
Jimmy Lewis