How do Samshield test their helmets? - equestrian head protection

Everybody knows that horseback riding is a high-risk sport. Every rider, either a recreational or a professional one should first and foremost take care of their protection during training. The most important matter here is to protect your head. Depending on the level of advancement of your training, producers offer a wide range of equestrian helmets and various protection systems applied.

The proper protection of the competitors' heads is regulated by the regularly updated safety norms for equestrian helmets made by The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). According to the regulations you can find in the General Rules of FEI, each helmet must meet at least one international testing standard. The current European safety norm applied to helmets and toques is VG1.

The expectations of both FEI, and amateur and professional riders will surely be met by the top producer of equestrian helmets in recent years - the French brand Samshield. The producer is closely cooperating with CRITT - a certified French laboratory that conducts one of the most strict and demanding tests in the world.

Every Samshield helmet that is launched on the market undergoes a series of tests. The first of them is the impact test, which matches the rider falling on his or her head. This test measures the ability of the so-called "blunt hit." What is interesting is that motorcycle helmets undergo an analogical test in the process of certification.

In the photo, you can see the impact test. The helmet was dropped along with burden on uneven ground with a speed of 5,94m/second. Additional protection is provided with a specially constructed lining.

The second test that Samshield's helmets undergo is a side deformation test, which simulates the crushing of the helmet by the horse and measures the helmet's resistance to deformation. This is a new test that the producer has lately introduced in order to improve the level of protection of the equestrian helmet protection, thus the protection of the rider's head while falling down.

In this photo, you can see the side deformation test. The helmet is subject to the pressure of 630,00 Newton. The helmet has bent of 22mm out of the allowed 30mm.

The third one is a penetration test that measures how much resistance does the helmet offers against a sharp object that could penetrate the ventilation area.

In the photo, you can see the penetration test. A 3 kg metal rod was dropped on the helmet's shield. The rod has did not touch the rider's head on the impact.

The results of the safety tests for Samshield equestrian helmets have exceeded the International Federation for Equestrian Sport's safety standards. In the impact test, Samshield helmets were dropped at the speed of 5,94 meters per second and the overload was 215G out of the permissible 250G, which consists 86% of the norm. In the side deformation test, the side pressure of 630 Newtons bent the helmet of 22 millimeters out of the allowed 30 millimeters, which equals 73% of the acceptable standard. The last test, namely the penetration one, that Samshield helmets undergo, proves that if an object weighing 3 kilograms enters the ventilation area of the product, it will not come into contact with the user's head.

Are you looking for an equestrian helmet meeting the most strict safety norms? Check our offer.

Do you want to stand out during competitions and training sessions? Check the unique configurations of Samshield helmets that are available at hand in Equishop. - Bestselling equestrian helmets available in 24h.

If you need help with choosing the proper size, contact us.

Equestrian shop: +48 784 039 784

Saddle department: +48 606 914 300

E-mail: kontakt@equishop.com

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