There's an old saying; 'if you've got a $10 head, get a $10 helmet'.

I've seen enough weird and wild stuff over the years to encourage all of us to buy the best safety gear we can afford, wear it each and every time you go out on the track and, most importantly, look after it!

Every helmet fits slightly differently, and everyone's head is different. Don't buy helmets online if you've never used that brand before; I, for example, just can't wear Arai helmets, no matter what the size.

A helmet should fit snugly - almost too snugly. Leave it on for at least five minutes if you can; that way, you'll be able to feel if there's any 'pressure points' that are likely to get worse after a period of time. If you're a glasses wearer, make sure they fit in the eyeport.

You should feel pressure on your cheekbones, but your ears should be comfy. Under no circumstances should the helmet twist side-to-side on your head, and neither should it tip up and down when you've fastened the chin strap - you DO know how to fasten a chin strap correctly, right? If you don't, for God's sake ask someone! Your lovely, shiny helmet will be 100% useless in a crash if it's not fastened up under your chin.

Wearing a cotton balaclava underneath your helmet is a great way to keep the lining in good condition and, worn over the mouth and nose, will help filter the exhaust fumes from the kart in front. If you do intend to wear a balaclava, though, try the helmet on with one.

Visors are expensive, and those fancy Iridium ones scratch very, very easily. If you're racing at night, you'll need a clear visor, as well as a tinted one for daytime use. If your visor comes with studs for fitting plastic tear-off strips, use them; a tear-off strip is a lot cheaper than a visor, and can protect it from even quite sizable bits of gravel.

A sticker or strip of tape along the top will help in the afternoon sun. And when changing visors, go easy on the mounting screws. They only need a tiny bit of torque to do up tightly; overdo it, your race day is ruined and replacement bolts can cost you upwards of $25 a pair.

A word about paint jobs - they can be very expensive (over $1000), and they will be scratched in day-to-day use, guaranteed. Sticker treatments are cheaper, but you'll need patience and a steady hand to apply them. And white helmets are cooler in summer than black ones...

And when you're done with your helmet, store it properly! A lined, padded helmet bag is ideal, and can be had pretty cheaply these days. You can also keep your gloves, balaclava and earplugs all in one safe place.

At the bare minimum, let it air out in a safe place, put it back in the bag it came with and put it in your race bag wrapped in your racesuit. A helmet is a 'one-use' device when it comes to impacts; if you drop your helmet onto concrete, for example, chances are it won't be anywhere near as effective at protecting your head in a crash. Sounds too far-fetched? It's not, so don't treat your helmet with disrespect.

And if you do have a big crash where your helmet is impacted, get it checked out thoroughly by a professional race shop, especially if the helmet shows signs of the impact. If in doubt, chuck it out - DON'T sell it to someone else!!! It will hurt to throw away a $600-1000 helmet, but death hurts a lot more. Apparently...

Tim Robson