Go Kart Helmets: Are They Really Different?

Go kart helmets are imperative when you’re planning to drive a go-kart. It’s important for your safety and to protect you from any potential accidents. But you’re probably wondering are go-kart helmets actually different?

All go kart helmets are usually full-face because of the speed of the go kart as well as safety for regulations. If the driver of the go kart is under the age of 15 years, they are required to wear CMR approved helmet. However, drivers are able to use a brand of their liking as long as it meets the requirements.

So your most probably wondering what the actual requirements are and whether you should hassle yourself in buying a new helmet or use an existing one. We will cover all of the necessary question so keep tuned.

Are Go Kart helmets different?

Go karting is a fun sport but it is imperative that you are protected at all times which means that you’ll need the correct gear before you start the race.

Go karting helmets can come in different colours, types and sizes. However, they are consistent in being full-face due to safety reasons.

Though each company has its own helmet requirements, it is usually dictated by guidance they are provided by the goverment as well the club itself.

Full-face helmets

The main helmets that are used in go karting is full-face helmets which is the most common helmet when it comes to indoor and outdoor go karting. I have come up with a helpful list j

Snell Safety Standards

Snell Safety standards can be somewhat confusing for many orgs.

Fia Safety standards

Can I wear my own helmet?

If you already have a helmet and meets the requirement of the go kart track, and it has clear visor or goggles with it then you should be fine using the helmet to go karting.

However, there are standard and approved helmets depending on the country and sometimes a bit of additional steps which is meant

US Tracks

Go Kart Track	Helmet Requirement	Recommended Helmets
K1 Speed	Helmet must be approved by the Department Of Transportation (DOT). Must have Full-face helmet with clear visor or with goggles.	VCAN VX
Fasttimes	Full-face helmet cover with a clear visor is required	MOFANS Modular Helmet
Kart Kountry	Must be Department of Transportation Approved accompanied with visor or goggles	Bell Qualifier Unisex-Adult Full Face Street Helmet
SuperCharged	Guest helmets must approved	GLX GX11 Compact Lightweight Full Face
Orlando Kart Center	Feel free to bring your own	MMG Full Face

UK Tracks

Go kart tracks usually provide helmets to their drivers, however, it has become popular that drivers are now bringing in their own helmets.

Since most of them are motorcyclists they are generally approved by go kart tracks but the main requirement is that they have clear and full visor.
Tina, Revolution karting

We spoke with Tina from revolution karting about the specific requirement around helmets before driving a go-kart.

All accredited tracks across the UK are governed by the National Karting Association, and should any track fail or comply with their rules and regulations then they would be rejected membership of this body. The NKA regularly visits all tracks within their control.
Tina, Revolution Karting

Go Kart Track	Helmet Requirement	Recommended Helmets
TeamSport Tower Bridge	Al helmets must have a clear visor. All of the legal requirements for helmets but meet this standard.	GLX Unisex-Adult
Buckmore Park	Must be full-face helmet and meets the NKA standards	MOFANS Modular Helmet
Revolution Karting	Helmets must be full-face and must comply with
Capital Karts	Full Face
Rye House	Full Face crash helmet must be used. Must comply with UK regulations but does not have to be Snell/FIA CMR approved.

What kind of helmet do I need for a go-kart?

So you are probably off to a go-karting track whether it’s indoor or outdoor and your most likely wondering what helmet you want to buy before the race (I’m sure you’ll prefer the one that you brought yourself right?).

As mentioned previously you should purchase a helmet that is full-face and meets the ISO and national association guidelines. Helmets that are Snell or FIA approved would also be okay to use in go karting.

Can I use a motorcycle helmet for karting?

It has become very common that people use motocycle helmet when go karting instead of using the one provided by the track themselves. However, these motocycle helmets would need to be approved beforehand and the approval process has been outlined below.

If the driver is below the age of 15 then they must wear a helmet that is CMR approved. For any driver above that age then the helmet they use should be Snell or FIA approved as well as to adhere to the rules and regulations of the national association of karting in their respective countries.

Where to get go kart helmets?

There are countless places where you can get a high-quality go-karting helmet. Most people go for brands but sometimes you can find even better helmets that’s sort of unknown brands. Nonetheless, I’ll provide a list of recommendations that you should consider.

The recommendations that we make are all appropriate for go-kart tracks as they would be Snell or FIA approved.

The above helmets are all DOT approved which certifies that helmets are safe and ready for usage. Some of these are also Snell approved which is known to be more strict than the DOT approval process.

However, if non of the above suit your style then feel free to find a different pair, ensure that the helmets are full face with a clear visor. If you’re ever in doubt then reach out to the go-kart track and directly ask them for further information.

How do you size a go-kart helmet?

Helmet sizes are so important and should always fit you correctly as you wouldn’t want to

Helmet Size	Inches	Centimeters
Small	20 – 20.5	51-52
Medium	22.4 – 22.9	57-58
Large	23 – 23.7	59-60

Wrapping up

This blog post described the types of helmets used on go-kart tracks and the ones recommended by most karting bodies such as Snell and ISO. We also discussed some motorcycle helmets that are permitted to be used on go-kart tracks.