Snell 2020 Helmets Are Coming Soon! Here’s What You Need To Know

Snell SA2020 helmets will be here soon! Here are some important FAQs about the new rating, especially when they will become available. Check out our SA2020 helmets in our store, and keep an eye out in our newsletter for when the new 2020s will debut!

The 2020 model year cars and trucks are on dealer lots, so where are the 2020 helmets?

Unlike the auto industry, the Snell Memorial Foundation sets a strict calendar for the testing, manufacture, and rollout of helmets certified to each 5-year SA standard. Snell SA-rated helmets are NEVER available before the year of the SA standard. To ensure a level playing field, Snell typically does not allow sales of the new helmets until the fall of the year of the SA standard. SA2020 is no exception.

Is anyone making SA2020 helmets yet?

The final Snell SA2020 standard has been published, and manufacturers began submitting their 2020 helmets for testing in the summer of 2019. But Snell will not even release the SA2020 decals to manufacturers until April 2020. Anyone claiming to have Snell SA2020 helmets for sale prior to April 2020 is committing fraud!

SA2020 helmet release date

Snell will not allow manufacturers to advertise or sell their SA2020 approved helmets until October 1, 2020. If you need a new SA-rated helmet for the 2020 racing season, you will need to buy an SA2015 helmet.

Aren’t the SA2015 helmets outdated?

The SA2015 standard will still be current for most racing organizations. Snell recommends that SA15-approved helmets in good condition should still be accepted (at least until the end of their recommended 5-year lifespan). We should note that most club racing sanctioning bodies and track day companies allow for Snell ratings to last 10 years; SA2015 helmets will be good until at least 2025 (which we explain further down).

How long will an SA2015 helmet be good for?

Unfortunately, most racing organizations have not announced their changeover plans yet, so it is impossible to give a solid answer. Right now, we can only point to history and precedent.

In previous years, SCCA has accepted the current SA standard plus the previous standard (for 2019, that means SA15 and SA10). In the past, the rule has usually been updated to take effect after helmets with the newest standard have been available for one full year. For example, for the SA15

changeover, SA05 helmets were accepted until the beginning of 2017 (SA15 helmets went on sale in October 2015). If the SA20 and SA25 changeovers follow the same schedule, SA10 helmets would be accepted through 2021 and SA15 helmets should be accepted until the end of 2026.

Note that every racing organization is different. Please check your rulebook.

Update: SCCA has officially announced that SA2010 helmets will be accepted through the 2021 racing season. This further strengthens our belief that SA15 helmets may be accepted until the end of 2026.

Snell SA2020 vs. SA2015

SA2020 is very much an incremental change from SA2015. The primary aim was to bring the impact testing even more in line with FIA 8859-2015 requirements. All criteria will now be the same as or more stringent than FIA requirements. Note that Snell SA2020 certification does not automatically grant FIA homologation! A helmet which passes Snell SA2020 tests will theoretically pass FIA tests, but the helmet manufacturer must submit the helmet to the FIA in order to receive FIA homologation.

If I already have an SA2015 helmet, how long can I keep using it?

Even the best materials degrade over time, and the high-performance, lightweight materials in your helmet are no exception. Sunlight, ozone, perspiration, and even everyday bumps and knocks all take their toll on the shell and the inner liner. Snell recommends helmet replacement after 5 years of use, or immediately after any incident. Remember, the consequences of auto racing incidents can be violent and permanent. Only use safety equipment that is in top condition. When in doubt, replace it.