View Single Post
  #49  
Old 03-21-2005
John Greist's Avatar
John Greist John Greist is offline
Testing Mid-Corner Speed / Advanced Member (500+ Posts)
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Age: 84
Posts: 608
Re: An Open Letter to Skip Barber Regarding HANS devices - Please Vote & Give Feedback

Revere (5'9") and I (5'11") have been using the HANS for 5 years. After getting both devices with the wider yoke - the numbering system has changed as ours are 6s or 7s - have had no trouble with shoulder harness slipping off, even before the shoulder harness anchors were moved about an inch toward car center. Far more comfortable with HANS than without (ran one enduro without) and Sebring no longer abrades shoulders.

On strap length, make your decision based on HANS advice, but from my understanding of college physics, shorter straps means shorter travel and shorter distance for the helmet and head to accelerate before the device stops forward motion. Our straps are 4" long. The only limitation is side rotation and we can see plenty with 4" straps - and more sudden rotation is also a twist I'd rather avoid.

Getting bolted in, try tightening shoulder harness, then pulling head forward to rotate HANS forward, then tightening again, then repeat. Bobo's right about retightening on straights as harness with our without HANS sure get loose.

My approach when actually using the HANS: before crashing head on, I get my head forward to the length of the straps so there's no snap when the hit happens. Problem with my approach - having also to remember what to do with my hands and saying "Shit" all at the same time. Rationale: head more important than hands. Revere, being younger, has managed head and hands well when he's used his HANS.
Reply With Quote