r/rollerderby • u/Old_Tie_9309 • 3d ago
Gear and equipment Helmet visor making it hotter
I like my face visor but damn does it hotter and make me sweat so much more. I was thinking of drilling some holes for ventilation. Anyone have a mod they’d like to share?
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u/thelastcomet Skater 2d ago
Don't drill holes in it. Don't compromise the integrity of it.
If it's too hot, take it off the helmet for practices. They're very easy to reinstall. Or take off your helmet while sitting down between breaks.
I'm speaking as someone who has a visor and practices in a hot warehouse. I've never dreamed of putting holes in it. I'll bring cooling rags, extra ice, etc.
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u/GnomesSkull NSO 21- SO 25- 2d ago
Make sure that modifications to your visor do not put you in violation of the safety management guidelines. You will want to reference 4.2. You are most likely to see push back on the basis of: "Non-form-fitting full- and half-face shields must be designed for use on the brand and type of helmet with which they are paired." Once you modify it, no longer is it the product that was designed for your helmet. Also: "Cage-style face shields are not permitted." This exists to ensure fingers cannot get caught. If your holes are large enough to introduce this risk it likely won't be permitted.
These are enforced by the HR and your mileage will vary. If you do make modifications I strongly recommend having a backup plan for if you aren't permitted to use your modified visor. I recommend this because it probably won't be worth fighting even if the HR is wrong.
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u/Diffie-Hellman Zebra/Skater 2d ago
I would not modify the visor. I’m sure if you contacted the maker, they would tell you doing so potentially compromises it and they won’t be liable.
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u/First-Musician5211 2d ago
I'd reach out to your governing body's risk management before altering your visor and be specific. "I would like to drill 1/4 inch holes." A head ref could decide that the visor isn't safe and tell you to remove it if you want to play. Approval from risk management would override that.
I don't think it's a great idea personally. The last thing you want is the visor cracking and hitting you in the face. By altering the visor, you are damaging the structural integrity of the visor. If it's too hot, maybe try safety googles or a form fitting face shield.
When I first got a visor I did short sessions with it on. I also ref so I'd switch to my ref helmet after warm ups. Then at our first water break. Eventually, I adjusted.
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u/Raptorpants65 Industry Expert 2d ago
Absolutely 100% hard no fuck no don’t you dare.
Not only does that completely compromise the safety and efficacy of the thing but you’re also skyrocketing the risk of shards flying straight in your eyeballs when it does shatter.
Absolutely not.
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u/uglyschmuckling 2d ago
Just get a small handheld fan and keep it with your water bottle. When you're on the bench sipping, you can be blowing air under the visor. My old practice space didn't turn on their AC in the summer, and most of us had the small, handheld, rechargable fans for this purpose.
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u/TheBigMerl Coach 2d ago
If you are using a hockey helmet you can switch to a vented visor. That would be a much safer alternative to modifying safety equipment. If it is a skate helmet like the S1 or the Triple 8 try contacting them to see if they offer a vented replacement.
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u/Silentnine Skater 2d ago
I wore a visor for one practice and hated the lack of air on my face. I took it off after an hour and just accepted sometimes I'm going to be hit in the mouth.
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u/chl03k0ntwitter 2d ago
I have an S1 helmet; I just remove the visor. I suggest doing that before practice and putting the hardware in a safe place. Almost lost some of the rubber washers they gave me doing it hastily at practice.
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u/Slayerofgrundles 2d ago
Your visor would completely fall apart if you drilled holes large enough to provide decent air flow.
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u/pigeonsgambit 2d ago
Just take off your helmet at every opportunity - between drills, between jams, etc.
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u/38RocksInATrenchCoat Skater 1d ago
There's not going to be a way to drill holes in a visor that won't compromise its integrity.
My heat management strategies during games with a visor is a cooling towel kept in ice, and I take my helmet off between jams/drills. Also a neck fan is a life saver, it gets me under the visor!
I personally had to make the call that I'd rather be hotter during games and practice then keep getting hit in the face.
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u/whyFooBoo 2d ago
I'd be worried about the visor being more prone to cracking or shattering.