Gear Spotlight: Black Armor Helmets

Black Armor is a new Texas based helmet manufacture that is owned and operated by Texas Rallysport, a company that's been bringing rallycross events to the Austin, Dallas, and Houston areas for years. James Wilson, owner and operator of Black Armor, tell us his roots have always been in motorsport, but after a stint on the distribution side of racing safety equipment, he turned his sights back to direct involvement in racing, as well as the research and development of a new helmet design that might just become the next big thing in carbon fiber helmets.

 

Upon first glance, the most striking feature of Black Armor's carbon fiber helmet line is how inexpensive they are. While it would be easy to assume that affordability simply equates to a cheaply made product, these helmets are anything but. The trick here is that Black Armor uses a carbon fiber manufacturing process that has had FIA certification in helmets sold in Europe for some time, but until recently, lacked Snell's seal of approval. With that hurdle finally dispatched this year, Black Armor helmets can now offer a line of inexpensive full carbon fiber helmets that sport both Snell and FIA certifications and utilize what is ostensibly a wholly unique carbon fiber manufacturing process.

 

"We think it's the new industry standard", says Wilson, "and we wouldn't be surprised if the Snell 2015 helmet standard includes many of these manufacturing techniques." Let's take a closer look at the Black Armor line of carbon fiber racing helmets, all of which are available in the Winding Road Racing store. Also, be sure to consult this sizing chart to determine your helmet size and ensure a proper fitment.

 

 

Black Armor Carbon Fiber Open Face Auto Racing Helmet ($449) – Like all carbon fiber helmets sold by Black Armor, this open faced design features a full carbon fiber shell, not to be confused with a faux-carbon fiber design that sticks a carbon fiber "veneer" around a fiberglass composite shell. Certified to SAH2010 and FIA 8858-2010 homologation standards, it also features pre-drilled HANS posts, removable noise canceling ear cups with a pass-through for radio wiring, and a carbon fiber peak visor as standard.

 

 

Black Armor Carbon Fiber Rally Racing Helmet ($549) – Tailor made for the demands of rally driving, these lightweight helmets feature an integrated microphone boom, a molded radio jack opening, and are certified to SAH2010 and FIA 8858-2010 homologation standards. A carbon fiber peak visor is included, and the helmet comes with pre-Mounted M6 head-and-neck restraint anchors. This helmet style is also available in a fiberglass and kevlar composite shell construction, if preferred.

 

Black Armor Carbon Fiber Auto Racing Helmet ($595) – Available with either a duckbill chin spoiler for additional stability in open-cockpit cars or without, these SA2010 and FIA 8858-2010 approved carbon fiber helmets provide outstanding performance in terms of lightness, protection, and durability. The large eyeport also offers excellent visibility. This helmet includes a clear visor, while tinted, amber, and iridium shields are also available separately.