When it comes to riding a motorcycle in summer, most riders are perplexed about wearing helmets between full-face and half-face. This is mostly because of their design and the coverage area. If you are also in this confusion, a question may arise in your mind: Are full-face motorcycle helmets hot? Generally, full-face helmets cover almost the entire face and head of a rider to ensure maximum protection.
For that, these helmets get less airflow inside than half-face helmets. But a well-ventilated full-face helmet allows better airflow inside than any other helmet. This helps to keep the rider’s head cool even when riding on a sunny day. To explore more about full-face and half-face helmets, keep reading this context.
Key Note:
- Wearing the right helmet is essential to get the highest protection when riding a motorcycle.
- Full-face helmets cover the entire head and neck, whereas half-face helmets cover only the head top and side.
- Due to the protection coverage, full-face helmets tend to be hot in the summer.
- A well-ventilated full-face helmet will ensure adequate airflow inside the helmet that keeps your head cool even in summer.
- Compared to half-face helmets, full-face helmets are better for protection.
Should You Wear A Full Face Motorcycle Helmet In Summer?
Full-face helmets are designed to cover the entire head of a rider to provide maximum protection. In contrast, half-face and open-face helmets leave a large part of the head uncovered. Due to the protection coverage, full-face helmets prevent head injuries when experiencing any crash.
But most riders get bewildered about wearing a full-face helmet in summer due to their coverage area. Typically, the coolness of full-face helmets depends on the ventilation system instead of the coverage area.
Having a well-ventilated motorcycle helmet for hot weather, you can ensure a comfortable ride in the summer. Apart from being comfortable, a full-face helmet will offer different protective benefits. Some significant benefits of wearing full-face helmets are described below. This will assist you in understanding whether you should wear this helmet.
Eye Protection
Full-face helmets are typically designed with a visor. It will protect you from debris, dust, dirt, and other small particles getting into the eyes. As a result, you don’t need to wear additional sunglasses or goggles.
Chin Protection
Studies found that riders get injuries in the chin and cheek area when experiencing an accident. In that case, wearing a full-face helmet helps to prevent such injuries. This is because this helmet covers you from the top of your head to your chin and neck.
Noise Reduction
Riding a motorcycle can be noisy due to the sound of the engine and the wind. But you can reduce the noise by wearing a full-face helmet. These helmets are designed to cover your ears that protect your hearing during a ride.
Protection From Bad Weather
Full-face helmets ensure total enclosure of the head. So, during the rainy season, this helmet will keep you warmer in the cold. Besides, the visor of this helmet helps protect your face against UV and sun-burning.
Are Full-Face Motorcycle Helmets Hot?
The design of the full-face helmets offers maximum protection for your head when you encounter a crash. Due to full head coverage, a question always perplexed the rider’s mind: Are full-face motorcycle helmets hot?
Typically, the hotness inside the full-face helmet in summer depends on several factors, including helmet color, ventilation system, visor style, and type of padding. Among these aspects, ventilation is a crucial one of the heat transfer processes in a helmet, related to the physics cooling laws.
If a helmet has proper ventilation, whether a full-face helmet, it will remain cooler than any other helmet. Typically, a well-ventilated helmet is designed with several vent holes on the top and front of the helmet, allowing air to enter the shell.
The air then directly hits the protective polystyrene lining that makes the rider’s head cool. This helps to prevent sweat formation from the rider’s head. Besides, a full-face helmet with proper color, padding, and visor style will keep your head cool, even if you ride a motorcycle on a hot sunny day.
How Do I Keep My Full Face Helmet Cool?
Riding a motorcycle wearing a full-face helmet is very challenging, especially in summer. But following some simple tricks, you can keep your helmet cool. The tricks are as follows:
- Use Cooling Skull Caps: Skull caps are designed to keep the rider’s head cool inside a helmet. This cap is usually made with materials like spandex, polyester, and nylon that keep the head cool and provide protection in case of a crash.
- Wear Cooling Neck Wrap: Evaporated neck wrappers are usually made of 100% cotton and can hold 350-400 times water in their weight. When you wear it, the held water is slowly released, which keeps your head and helmet cool.
- Make Some Vent Holes: If your helmet doesn’t have sufficient holes, you can drill some new holes. The drilled vent holes will increase the airflow inside the helmet for excellent ventilation.
- Use Helmet Cooling System: Using a cooling system in your helmet is another excellent way to keep the helmet cool. Different cooling systems you will find can be attached to any full-face helmet to filter the air inside the helmet.
- Avoid Riding During Hottest Day: Riding a motorcycle on a sunny day raises the temperature inside the helmet. So, plan to ride a motorcycle during the cooler morning and early evening time.
Full Face Helmets Vs Half Face Helmets: Which One Is Better For Summer?
Most motorcyclists are perplexed to wear a helmet between full-face and half-face, especially in the summer. Half-face helmets are typically good for hot weather but provide less protection. These helmets leave a large portion of the head uncovered, leading the riders to serious risk.
On the other hand, full-face helmets provide a complete shield for the rider’s head to prevent injuries from unexpected accidents. Although this helmet doesn’t expose any portion of your head like half-face helmets, proper ventilation systems will help to keep your head cool inside the helmet.
Wearing a well-ventilated full-face helmet, you can ensure both maximum protection and comfort. However, below we have made a comparison chart between full-face and half-face helmets. This will help you to know which one is better for summer.
| Type | Full-Face Helmet | Half-Face Helmet |
| Design | Has a large or broader surface and allows customization. | The circumference is small, and the front is open. |
| Protection & Safety | Provides maximum protection with a full head shield and a chin bar. Suitable for riding in any harsh weather. | Offer less protection on full-face, head, and brain. Not ideal for riding in harsh weather. |
| Comfort | Doesn’t offer much comfort. You may feel uncomfortable riding for a longer period. | Gives more comfort and allows you to turn around, talk, and eat freely. |
| Ventilation | Some helmets have adequate vent holes to ensure proper air flows inside the helmet. | As the face area opens, get better air flows that keep your head cool. |
| Fitness | Due to the coverage, it doesn’t snug fit the head unless measured well. | Fit properly as it exposes the head and gives a smarter look. |
| Weight | Build materials are heavy materials that make the helmet stronger. | Made of lightweight materials and handy to wear. |
Conclusion
Excessive warmth on the helmet can make you feel uncomfortable, sometimes leading to accidents. So, it is crucial to wear the right helmet, especially when riding a motorcycle in the summertime. However, most motorcycle riders, especially beginners, are puzzled: Are full-face motorcycle helmets hot?
Hopefully, after going through this context all confusion may be clear about full-face helmets. Typically, you should go for a full-face helmet, if safety and comfort are your prime considerations during a ride. In contrast, half-face helmets are good for only getting comfort.
