When you think of a hard hat, chances are you picture a hard hat with a full brim. That’s because full brim hard hats have been around for a long time and are the most traditional type of head protection.
But how do you choose the best full brim hard hat for you?
Based on our years of manufacturing and selling safety helmets, we’ve asked our sales team what customers are looking for most – and here’s what they had to say.
Here are the top three things to pay attention to when looking for a new full brim helmet:
1. Site requirements
Site requirements are the number one factor to help you choose the type and style of head protection that is needed.
Hopefully you already have a safety helmet program that details the types of head protection needed per your specific occupation and applications, but if not – no sweat. We have a complementary guide to building a safety helmet program that can help.
Plus, periodic evaluations of your head safety program help keep your safety parameters and practices up to date with current demand and compliance requirements – and now might be a good time to reassess.
Site requirements can look like:
Safety helmet type: Do you need a Type I or Type II?
- Type I head protection is the most commonly used and offers protection from blows to the top of the head.
- Type II head protection offers protection from blows to the top and sides of the head.
Safety helmet class: Do you need protection against electrical hazards?
There are two main classes used, E and C, but three classes overall:
- Class G – General helmet: Designed to reduce exposure to low voltage conductors, proof tested at 2200V.
- Class E – Electrical helmet: Designed to reduce exposure to high voltage conductors, proof tested at 20,000V.
- Class C – Conductive helmet: Not intended to provide protection against contact with electrical conductors.
Tip: Please note that non-vented helmets are not guaranteed to be Class E; in fact, they can be Class E, G, or C.
Chin strap: Does your worksite require chin straps to be worn?
Overall, it’s best to use hard hats with a chin strap if your helmet is at risk of falling off on the worksite. This keeps the protective gear firmly in place, for example, during a slip, trip, or working at height, thus reducing the chance of a severe head injury.
If a chin strap is desired/required, here are some follow-up questions:
- Is your current helmet compatible with the manufacturer's chin strap?
- Can you purchase a chin strap that is “sold separately”?
- Do you need to find a new helmet that comes with a compatible chin strap?
Tip: Please note that for an appropriate helmet to be selected for workers, safety professionals must make the best-informed decision possible in accordance with safety helmet standards.
2. Comfort and fit
Comfort and fit are two huge motivators when accepting a new type of head protection into a workers’ PPE lineup. Because proper comfort and fit are often subjective to each wearer, there are several factors a safety helmet can offer to achieve this.
At the end of the day, it’s important to trial the helmet that meets your site requirements and has the additional comfort and fit features you think will work best for you.
Factors that affect comfort + fit:
Sitting height
This is a big one—different helmet brands and styles offer different sitting heights. By this, we mean the height from your head to the top of the inner helmet. A higher sitting height can feel wobbly and unstable, whereas a lower sitting height typically feels more balanced.
Hex tip: Some helmets, like our Ceros® safety helmet line, have a lower sitting height/center of gravity and adjustable straps to deliver a more custom fit and feel.
Head strap material
Something not often thought about that makes a big difference is strap material. The two most used materials used are nylon and polyester.
Both are known for their strength but have slight differences. Nylon is a synthetic polymer commonly used in strap suspension systems due to its durability and ability to withstand repeated use, whereas polyester is more widely known to provide flexibility and comfort for the wearer.
Hex tip: HexArmor® uses soft polyester straps that are ultrasonically welded to eliminate the discomfort and weakness resulting from stitching the fabric together.
Sweatband material
Sweatbands can be made from several tyles of materials like cotton, polyester, and nylon. Overall, you want something comfortable against the skin and effective at absorbing moisture. Opting for a sweatband made with softer material could be the difference between all-day comfort and frustration.
Hex tip: HexArmor’s sweatbands are made from synthetic leather for optimal comfort and sweat-wicking capability.
Types of helmet vents
When wearing a hard hat with ventilation, pay attention to where the air vents are located on the shell. Most often, you will see ventilation on the sides.
Additionally, ventilation typically found in a Class C helmet is often wanted due to working in higher temperature environments – especially in the summer months. For more information on heat stress, read this blog.
Hex tip: HexArmor’s Ceros® Class C safety helmets have vents at the front and back, leaving the wearer with a logical front-to-back airflow that offers more cooling comfort. Plus, they’re adjustable.
3. Accessory compatibility
We’ve found that finding and using the right helmet accessories has become a huge need over the last couple of years, especially if you like a full brim hard hat style.
If you don’t need accessories on your jobsite or in your application, keep this in your back pocket in case that ever changes. But if you do, finding the right safety helmet that aligns with your accessory use is imperative, so we’ve compiled some questions to help you narrow down your options.
As always, check site requirements to see what you need (or conduct a job site analysis).
Popular accessories you may need on the job:
Hearing protection
Questions to think about:
- What NRR level and type of hearing protection is needed? If you’ve ever gotten confused about how your hearing protection is rated, you’re not alone.
- Are earplugs or earmuffs preferred? Or another type?
- There are several types of hearing protection – read more about these options here.
- Does the hearing protection device used need to be compatible with a safety helmet? If so, having the right earmuff makes a big difference in comfort and protection.
- HexArmor’s K-Series® Ceros® earmuffs are available in magnetic or mechanical options.
- Have workers been fit-tested? This is an excellent way to ensure that each person’s hearing is adequately protected on the job site. Read more about that here.
Hex tip: Choose comfortable hearing protection with proper fit, function, and features. See what sets ours apart.
Face protection
Questions to think about:
- What type of face protection is needed or preferred, i.e., safety eyewear or a face shield?
- Does the face shield need to be compatible with a safety helmet? If so, depending on the brand of safety helmet, a face shield should be available within that same brand.
- If another option is needed, HexArmor’s TruSpan® universal face shield is compatible with most full-brim/cap-style safety helmets.
- If you need just a face shield, HexArmor’s Ultrex®1 standalone face shield is a great option.
- Does the quality of the face shield and/or tight-nesting capabilities matter? Depending on the nature of your application or industry, this one is subjective.
- If a robust visor and/or more compact nesting capabilities are needed (such as when stronger impact protection is necessary or work is conducted in a confined space), HexArmor’s face shield options are an excellent match.
Hex tip: Finding the perfect amount of anti-fog and scratch-resistant coverage is imperative for safety—and unlike the competition, our coating is permanent. Learn more about our TruShield® coating technology.
Chin strap
These are becoming more and more mandatory on the job. If needed, questions to think about:
- Is your helmet compatible with a chin strap?
- Is a two-point or a four-point chin strap preferred? This all comes down to quality and comfort. At HexArmor®, we recommend a four-point chin strap for added stability and comfort.
- Is the chin strap secure and comfortable for all-day wear? Much like the above, a chin strap shouldn’t cause irritation to the wearer, which is why we recommend a four-point chin strap.
Hex tip: All Ceros® XP safety helmets are compatible with a premium four-point chin strap that’s padded, adjustable, and metal-free.
Lighting
Questions to think about:
- What kind of lighting do you need for your job? This may depend on your industry or application.
- Do you prefer/need your light to be compatible with your safety helmet?
- Do you need a side slot, front slot, or headband option?
Hex tip: HexArmor’s full brim safety helmets are compatible with several lighting options to make your head protection customizable and convenient.
Introducing Ceros® full brim safety helmets from HexArmor®
The current head protection PPE category has a depth to it that simply didn’t exist ten years ago. And it’s constantly evolving. These days, there are options from basic to super-premium and everything in between. With so many styles and innovations, it can be challenging to choose the hard hat or safety helmet that’s right for you.
That’s why designing a full-brim style has always been a priority for us at HexArmor® - we wanted to bring quality innovation to the commodity-style hard hat/helmet category.
We knew workers deserved more than a “me-too” solution, which is why we were adamant our new design not only live up to our customers’ standards but be made in the same country where it would serve the workers we made it for.
Introducing the Ceros® full-brim safety helmet, proudly made in the USA. Our full brim safety helmet delivers the traditional look and feel workers love, all while being a premium product without the price tag.
We focused on premium, reliable safety performance and worker-approved comfort, fit, and style. Find a completely pre-assembled four-point suspension system for a low profile, balanced center of gravity fit, a large customization area in the front that’s perfect for your company logo, and so much more.
Let us know if you need help or are ready to start a trial—our Solution Specialists are ready to help. Call 1.877.MY ARMOR or send us a message.
Don’t forget to share this post!