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Bern Hard Hat\Helmets?

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  • 08-02-2011 11:44pm
    #1
    JKC
    Registered Users Posts: 182 ✭✭


    Hi Guys,

    Has anybody got any views\experience with BERN hard hats\helmets?
    Are they any good, what is the sizing like, can they take much abuse?

    Thanks,

    JKC


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    #2
    hans aus dtschl
    Registered Users Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭hans aus dtschl


    I use a TSG skate helmet, but am looking to pick up a bern at some stage. To my mind, they're a nice shape and a nice fit, with good design.

    I can't comment on what they're like at impact, thank god. My TSG's lasted in or around 10 years now with a lot of riding, and the berns look to be a similar quality build, from the inspections I've done. Almost identical materials and design.

    SO: I can't vouch for bern exactly but I'd say you could do a lot worse.

    Hope that helps.


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    #3
    ^whitey^
    Registered Users Posts: 843 ✭✭✭^whitey^


    I bought a Bern Macon XXXL with audio knit liner as it was the only helmet that didn't feel like I was wearing a mushroom.

    It was the hard hat not the helmet but it was fine, I prefer the comfier fit from the hard hat. I didn't even notice it on.

    Thank Christ I did cause I smacked my head on the ice & fractured my wrist could have been alot worse if I didnt have a lid on. (Will be wearing wrist guards next time)

    If your near the upper bracket of the size buy one up. I bought mine from some German website took me weeks to find the right size.

    I would have bought a cheaper lid but the Bern was the only one that came in XXXL and looked decent.


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    #4
    aboveboard
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭aboveboard


    Aboveboard in Dun Laoghaire sell them with the winter wool liners.
    Great price and you get to make sure they fit also do SpyOptic


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    #5
    Dr Nic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    I got this one:
    Bern Watts EPS Snow Helmet-Matte Fatigue Medium/Large
    from surfdome.com for £63 last year. Lovely helmet. Looks nice, fits well. Very happy.
    Can get audio add-on but im not too bothered with that


    Def recommend it.
    I dont know if id go for the hard hat. Its not licensed for snow sports afaik


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    #6
    aboveboard
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭aboveboard


    They are available in Aboveboard in Dun Laoghaire for 60€


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    #7
    masseyno9
    Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭masseyno9


    Despite the advertising account that raised 3 year-old thread (and has been reported), I'll give my input on Bern. I got a Bern Watts hard-hat a few years ago and I still use it without problem. The foam is designed for multiple impacts and they say it doesn't need to be replaced after each one. Not recognised, licensed or whatever doesn't really bother me, it's taken a few decent bangs and is still in good shape. Also, a graffiti artist offered to airbrush it for me once so it's pretty unique now, without being ridiculous looking.

    The audio was pretty bad, and didn't last a season and there was pretty poor support from Bern when I contacted them through the shop for a replacement. It was obvious the hardware wasn't up to being exposed in freezing temperatures, maybe that's changed, I haven't checked. I managed to get it working again in 1 ear myself by putting a new jack in, which is actually better, I think. I can still have conversations and hear just about everything I need to.

    I did take a bad bang on ice once (bad enough to see 'the flash' you get when you hit your head, and had a headache for a few hours) but I know for a fact that without it, it would have been an out-cold job and probably some blood involved. Because of the design of the foam, I'm happy it's still effective. Hard to describe, but you'd have to feel it to understand. Most of my riding (I like riding park, but nothing upside-down or anything that crazy) results in repeated smaller falls, than the single massive event that (I believe) the standards test for.


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    #8
    aboveboard
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭aboveboard


    masseyno9 wrote: »
    Despite the advertising account that raised 3 year-old thread (and has been reported), I'll give my input on Bern. I got a Bern Watts hard-hat a few years ago and I still use it without problem. The foam is designed for multiple impacts and they say it doesn't need to be replaced after each one. Not recognised, licensed or whatever doesn't really bother me, it's taken a few decent bangs and is still in good shape. Also, a graffiti artist offered to airbrush it for me once so it's pretty unique now, without being ridiculous looking.

    The audio was pretty bad, and didn't last a season and there was pretty poor support from Bern when I contacted them through the shop for a replacement. It was obvious the hardware wasn't up to being exposed in freezing temperatures, maybe that's changed, I haven't checked. I managed to get it working again in 1 ear myself by putting a new jack in, which is actually better, I think. I can still have conversations and hear just about everything I need to.

    I did take a bad bang on ice once (bad enough to see 'the flash' you get when you hit your head, and had a headache for a few hours) but I know for a fact that without it, it would have been an out-cold job and probably some blood involved. Because of the design of the foam, I'm happy it's still effective. Hard to describe, but you'd have to feel it to understand. Most of my riding (I like riding park, but nothing upside-down or anything that crazy) results in repeated smaller falls, than the single massive event that (I believe) the standards test for.

    If you had got the helmet through Abovrboard we would have replaced anything that might have been defective throught the shop and I would have delt with Bern myself rather than the end user.


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    #9
    Fattes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭Fattes


    [QUOTE=masseyno9;93026577 Most of my riding (I like riding park, but nothing upside-down or anything that crazy) results in repeated smaller falls, than the single massive event that (I believe) the standards test for.[/QUOTE]

    Most helmet co today test there lids across a variety of scenarios including the repeated smaller impacts, there is an excellent POC video around that illustrates this!

    aboveboard If you had got the helmet through Abovrboard we would have replaced anything that might have been defective throught the shop and I would have delt with Bern myself rather than the end user.

    Big claim, considering warranty wouldn't cover a non defective fault caused by impact! Can you please contact the mods before continually using this thread as an advertising forum!


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    #10
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    Fattes wrote: »
    Can you please contact the mods before continually using this thread as an advertising forum!

    Definitely. Everyone wishes you well, but this is not the way to go about drumming up business. Provide some useful answers/discussion and add your business contact details to your sig, or something like that.


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    #11
    masseyno9
    Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭masseyno9


    Fattes wrote: »
    Most helmet co today test there lids across a variety of scenarios including the repeated smaller impacts, there is an excellent POC video around that illustrates this!




    Big claim, considering warranty wouldn't cover a non defective fault caused by impact! Can you please contact the mods before continually using this thread as an advertising forum!

    I'll have to concede to your greater knowledge on this one. I bought the lid in 2010 (not long before this thread was started), so maybe I need to refresh my knowledge (or not trust the Bern marketing-speak so much). Anyway, long story short, I have a Bern hard hat and think it's great - except for the audio thing, which kind of worked out in my favour in a roundabout way! I'll look for the POC video, although they'd be stretching my budget, I'm sure.


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    #12
    Fattes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭Fattes


    masseyno9 wrote: »
    I'll look for the POC video, although they'd be stretching my budget, I'm sure.

    Most of the companies now have a fairly big R&D budget in relation to helmets, Amer sport bought one of the testing machines, and ramped up the tolerances for their helmets to try and make theirs safer than anyone elses!

    Plenty of good value, high end stuff out there from many companies these days! Feel your pain about the audio, my sponsors changed their audio mount system for their helmets this year! I am currently reverse engineering the old pads to make it work!!! No replacment audio kits available yet


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    #13
    masseyno9
    Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭masseyno9


    Fattes wrote: »
    Most of the companies now have a fairly big R&D budget in relation to helmets, Amer sport bought one of the testing machines, and ramped up the tolerances for their helmets to try and make theirs safer than anyone elses!

    Plenty of good value, high end stuff out there from many companies these days! Feel your pain about the audio, my sponsors changed their audio mount system for their helmets this year! I am currently reverse engineering the old pads to make it work!!! No replacment audio kits available yet

    You can't claim to feel my pain then mention your sponsor!! That's an unfair comparison!
    It probably is time to look at replacing my lid, though. I get strangely sentimental about gear. I'll look for the POC video.


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