Curious- Full Face Vs Open

I'm curious,

Who rides open face and who rides full face? Obviously your style of riding (DH vs XC) will dictate this choice for sure, however I'm noticing more and more Open Face helmets for the All Mtn/Freeride category.
I'm moving away from Full Face as I'm enjoying the pedals up more and more so Open Face it is.

However I'm still choosing the knar on the way down and have been haunted (causing slight hesitation at times) when charging into a bombed out rooty chute section. I'm now getting more accustom to the open face and barley taking that last second gulp before charging gaps or knar.

However, my recent cheat has been to throw on googles with the open face as it mimiks more protection, and they quiet things down quite a bit. The googles also offer a great view as oppossed to my Oakley Jawbone bouncing around quite a bit. I guess what I'm saying is that the googles are my crutch and they seem to inspire some much needed confidence that the full Face used to offer me.

Anyone else rocking the "Cool Guy Enduro" look or am I gonna be the only Poser …..ha
(Perhaps I need to move to Oregon)

There was a time when most people on the Shore rode FF. Now a lot ride with Ednuro lids. I ride road/cyclocross/XC open-face and FR/DH full-face (along with Leatt neck brace). I'm pushing 50 and recovery from injuries is not what it used be. I also now ride with a 14-year old and developing bones need more protection, so I try to set a good example at all times. He has some buddies who like the cool "look ma, no protection" look of BMX/slopestlye and they always seem to be not able to ride because of some kind of injury.

One note: I notice that a lot of the FR/Slopestyle pros seem to ride with a minimum of protection, but from what I see, that's usually for film shoots and big events. They normally ride with more protection (eg knee/leg armour) in practices and dress-rehersals, (just my observation - plus you'd be a goof if you injured yourself practicing and missed your big chance because of it), so I guess the lack of protection is for the "cool" effect. You can't tell me that well-designed, good-quality knee armour is really that more restrictive than super-slim skinny jeans.

When I ride with an xc helmet opposed to a full-face, I find that still ride all the same stuff, but at a noticeably slower speed. Since I ride mostly dh/fr, 90% of the time I wear a full face.
However, if you ride a bike with less than 7" of travel, you look like novice if you wear a full face

I ride with an open face helmet. I am likely to get a full face this year to use on Fromme since I can pedal up the FSR with the helmet off. I think Seymour will always be open face for me since I don't shuttle (if I did it would be a full face excercise). I have also tended to not put on my knee pads lately even when they are in my pack (on Fromme) which is completely lazy/stupid. I am probably more cautious than I used to be as a result. I used to bounce well, not so sure these days, I seem to avoid it more!

Cheers Ben

Unless you are riding with a group, or at extreme dh speeds not capable on local trails goggles are not needed.

full face vs half cut is an opinion. At slow shore speeds you can get away with a half cut and some good tuck an roll. I think more people need to be taught how to crash rather than how to ride:lol:

I ride more cautiously with the half cut and get injured less, I find the full face gives me false protection and ego causing me to push it more. I enjoy both but ride a full face now.

Bike tech advanced pretty quickly to a point where you have bikes that can pedal up easily, but can shred down almost as well as a DH rig. Helmet options were limited for a while, but it seems they've caught up now, with an onslaught of "Enduro" style lids from pretty much every big helmet manufacture. I think you're going to see more and more open face lids as that segment grows.

I've been riding more pedally bikes in the last year or two, and always reach for the open face. As my riding improves on the smaller bike, I find myself in situations where I would prefer something with more coverage. I'll be picking up one of the new school enduro lids this year for sure, and I'm def in favour of bringing back the goggles with an open face look!

All 3

FF for gnar - Cypes laps, bike park etc
Giro Feature for pedally semi gnar - Ladies, Expresso etc
XC lid for pedal rides - SSC, Bridal, severed etc

but how many colors of each does one need?

FF for shuttles and lift riding. Open face for everything else.

I like the idea of new "enduro" style helmets with increased coverage, want one of the new Bell ones.

For some Endro races you need to wear a FF. I specifically bought a POC as it has what feels like a massive goggle/front opening and less constricting when pedalling hard and breathing heavy.

FF for shuttles and lift riding. Open face for everything else.

I like the idea of new "enduro" style helmets with increased coverage, want one of the new Bell ones.

For some Endro races you need to wear a FF. I specifically bought a POC as it has what feels like a massive goggle/front opening and less constricting when pedalling hard and breathing heavy.

if I'm pedalling for a couple hours def open face, but being in downhilly Nelson has me rethinking that…I may get a POC FF lid too, something airy and protective….I still go pretty quick on a little bike, and ride some pretty burly trails on said little bike, technology has caused quite a bit of line blurring in my opinion, and I do notice myself toning it down when I'm wearing the open face lid

I wear an open face almost all the time now,But my last ride up Fromme I was wiching I had my full face,I like my front teeth

if I'm pedalling for a couple hours def open face, but being in downhilly Nelson has me rethinking that…I may get a POC FF lid too, something airy and protective….I still go pretty quick on a little bike, and ride some pretty burly trails on said little bike, technology has caused quite a bit of line blurring in my opinion, and I do notice myself toning it down when I'm wearing the open face lid

Riding in the Kootenays will do that… I ride more or less the same trails on my AM/DH bikes, but speed and commitment vary accordingly… when pinning one should always use the FF…

Similar to shirk, it depends on what I'm riding. Open face for everything but shuttle/park days. I'm in an open face 90% of the time.

I've got my eye on the new Bell Super to try out, but the Giro Feature has grown on me. I sill think it looks like a bit of a hockey helmet though…

Riding in the Kootenays will do that… I ride more or less the same trails on my AM/DH bikes, but speed and commitment vary accordingly… when pinning one should always use the FF…

yeah, I already donated half a tooth to the trail gods my first weekend here in the fall, pushing the front wheel into what I thought was a loose berm, I pushed right through it and facedfirst into a rotting stump….at least it was rotting and I didn't come out as badly as I could've…

I'm curious,

Who rides open face and who rides full face? Obviously your style of riding (DH vs XC) will dictate this choice for sure, however I'm noticing more and more Open Face helmets for the All Mtn/Freeride category.
I'm moving away from Full Face as I'm enjoying the pedals up more and more so Open Face it is.

However I'm still choosing the knar on the way down and have been haunted (causing slight hesitation at times) when charging into a bombed out rooty chute section. I'm now getting more accustom to the open face and barley taking that last second gulp before charging gaps or knar.

However, my recent cheat has been to throw on googles with the open face as it mimiks more protection, and they quiet things down quite a bit. The googles also offer a great view as oppossed to my Oakley Jawbone bouncing around quite a bit. I guess what I'm saying is that the googles are my crutch and they seem to inspire some much needed confidence that the full Face used to offer me.

Anyone else rocking the "Cool Guy Enduro" look or am I gonna be the only Poser …..ha
(Perhaps I need to move to Oregon)

Get a carbon open face;)