Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

so it's time for an upgrade and I really like the look (and visor) of sweet strutter or the predator lee (or lee8), does anyone have either of these?

pros/cons?
sizing issues?

I like the price on one of the predators a hell of a lot better.

Get something with ear protection.

My opinion,
Max

I'm no 'spert on helmets, but I would say:

Sweet helmets seem to be top of the line; I think having more than one size should help on getting the right fit. My recommendation would be to go with a helmet you can try and buy, vs. ordering on the internet and hoping for a good fit. This may also be impacted by your willingness (or lack of willingness) to spend a lot of time working on the foam and final fitting.

Pros - I like the "big bill" stye of these helmets; nice in the rain, a bit of extra protection for your forehead. I don't think I've ever met an unhappy "strutter" owner.

Cons - Over the years, I've seen more than one person get some level of injury to their ear when wearing helmets that don't protect that area. If you're going to do more and more creeking in the future, this should be a consideration in looking at a few more models besides the two you mentioned.

Matt Taylor talked me out of the Predator last May. I ended up getting a Shred Ready.

http://www.shopatron.com/products/produ ... 7.0.0.0.0?

Unicorn,

I have had a couple of helmets over the years and must say I like my Sweet Trooper the very best. Although they make their own integral visor that's superior, I use a softer Salamander version that I have had over the years, and liked. None the less, The helmet is one of the few offering such protection that it's also universally accepted as a favorite among Europeans for it's qualities. OOO has a selection of Sweet Helmets if you should care to try one on.


Best Regards
Jim

Love my Shred Ready. Hog Lock fit system lets you snug it down so there's NO movement. Mine has snap-on ear flaps for the mank. or remove for park/play.

Predators are hard as cheese, love my strutter, some people don't

I had a Predator Lee for about 3-4 months and just never felt comfortable or very protected in it. They make some decent helmets (imo) especially their full-face, so not to knock the company, but the Lee just seems like a very cheap knock off of the Strutter. The Lee doesn't have the pads at the back of the helmet like the Strutter, so it has a way higher tendency to move around when you flip or water catches your bill (this as an owner of both). Granted the price is right for the Lee, it is priced so much cheaper for a reason.

There are a lot of good helmet makers out there (WRSI, Sweet, Shred Ready, Grateful Heads, etc...) and if you are going for a bill style helmet then it is well worth the money to get the Sweet.

May be in your interest to try a Strutter on to see if a S/M or M/L fits you better. You may also want to check out the Sweet Rocker Half-Cut since it has a visor, and offers more protection.

- Matt

Thank you all for your advice, it sounds like the predator is definitely out of the running.

Ryan & Randy, how do you like your respective shred readys? does that little bill actually do anything to protect your face from sun or rain? I know I could get one of those velcro attached visors, but that's just one more f@#$ing thing to keep track of so I'd really like to avoid it.

I've got a shred ready as well and I love it. I never moves around and the bill does help with the sun until the point where everyone is squinting. At that point it's the sun reflecting off the water that gets the worst so not much you can do there. I've had my shaggy for about 5 years and it's still saving me from head shots.

I've got the shread ready tdub and i love it. The hoglock is awesome and the bill is moer than enough.

if your not wanting a full face... get a tdub... the bill doesnt look like much, but it actually covers more than you think by looking at a picture... i love mine... and like Randy said, the HOG lock, its nice... after buying that helmet, i see no purpose in getting a new one, unless i want a full face, or until it breaks...

I've got a couple of Sweet Strutters, and I love them. I wear ball caps lot, and love the style as well as its functionality. I always feel very safe in the strutters, and they are very very comfortable as well. For steeper creeking, I would suggest a full face helmet, yet I have no data on the full face as I don't have one yet.

Personally, I dig the Strutters, and will stick with them.

Joe

love my strutter, had it for years, works great in all types of boating. When i feel the need i put my FnA full face on.

I just got a shred ready T-dub and one plus of their lock system is you can adjust to get a tight fit with and without a neoprene skull cap. I will say the T-dub is big, bigger than it looks in pics and I kind of feel like I am wearing one of those WWII pot helmets but it will shade your eyes for a good part of the day and seems it would provide a wider rim of protection than other possible choices, but I have not 'rock tested' it yet.