Ongoing problems with helmet visor fogging

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My Arai GP-5W has been a wonderful helmet so far, with one huge exception: the visor fogs like there's no tomorrow.

My race supply shop and Arai USA both suggested I just leave the visor cracked slightly. This does resolve the fogging problem but creates two other problems: light gets in and my eyes don't adjust properly, but more importantly, the visor doesn't have a "lock" and I am worried about it flipping up in an accident/if debris strikes it.

I recently installed a universal anti-fog insert, sometimes called a pinlock. This also works pretty well, but the biggest problem is the weird glare and reflections I get. Depending on the angle of the sun, I sometimes see my own eyes and nose reflected back right in the middle of the visor. Arai sells an exact-fit anti-fog/dual-pane visor rather than this generic insert I have, and they did also tell me this would solve fogging problems, but I'm unsure if it will suffer from the same glare problems.


The GP-5W is named as such because it has a larger eyeport (90mm versus the traditional 60mm), and I'm wondering if that's the root cause of the problem: the visor opening is so tall that my breath exits my nose right onto the visor.

Arai does not sell a breath deflector for their auto helmets, but I might try their motorcycle versions to see if they fit.


If breath deflectors don't fit or don't resolve the problem, I fear I may be forced to find a new helmet with a smaller eyeport. I will basically wear it for a few minutes and breathe hard to see if I can fog it. My first stop would be their GP-6 helmet which is the same shell that fits me perfectly but with the 60mm visor opening, but some of the Simpsons, like the Devil Ray, appear to have smaller eyeports as well. Bells aren't shaped right for my head and Stilo is getting out of my price range.

Any other thoughts or ideas?
 
That's frustrating, for sure. I do agree with you that ideally the visor should be down, although if I am not racing I keep mine up. I do wear protective eyewear (Oakley sunglasses), though. Normally I do have an issue with breath causing fogging while I'm sitting in grid, especially in the morning, but it clears up when I'm on track.

Sorry, I don't really have any good thoughts. You might try posting this at trackjunkies.org, a more track focused forum.
 
Originally Posted By: Gimpy1
go to a scuba shop and ask the guy at the counter for anti fog. The anti fog for diving masks is safe for plastics and works great. It can be quite pricey tho.



The two Arai USA technical guys and my race supply shop both said those sprays are not reliable, and they both recommended against the "dish soap" or spit trick.
 
There used to be a trick to keep bathroom mirrors from fogging up, but using shave foam in the can that produces the white foam (cheap stuff). You might want to try that.
 
I'm surprised a high end helmet doesn't have the small vents that can be opened and closed.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'm surprised a high end helmet doesn't have the small vents that can be opened and closed.


It does, but in a closed cockpit car there just isn't much air directly hitting the helmet, even with the windows down.


arai-touring-gp-5w.jpg
 
Take an Ivory soap bar and streak the inside of the helmet. Then rub the entire inside with a soft cloth until the soap residue and glare disappears. Will last about a week of continuous use.
 
Why do you need the visor in a closed cockpit car?
Maybe you need one of those NASCAR helmet type connectors for fresh air?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Why do you need the visor in a closed cockpit car?
Maybe you need one of those NASCAR helmet type connectors for fresh air?



To protect against any debris that might enter the car. It's a safety thing.
 
Well I just heard from someone else that the GP-6 with its smaller eyeport suffers from the same problem, so it looks like the breath deflector is the next thing to try.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'm surprised a high end helmet doesn't have the small vents that can be opened and closed.


It does, but in a closed cockpit car there just isn't much air directly hitting the helmet, even with the windows down.


arai-touring-gp-5w.jpg



Ahh, inside a car....got it.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm

To protect against any debris that might enter the car. It's a safety thing.


Also to protect against fire. Fire bad.
 
I was going to suggest the air duct. I know they make add on kits for them. A friend of mine with a NASCAR truck says the ones that go in the top are amazing.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I was going to suggest the air duct. I know they make add on kits for them. A friend of mine with a NASCAR truck says the ones that go in the top are amazing.


You mean a forced air system like this?

662c.png
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I was going to suggest the air duct. I know they make add on kits for them. A friend of mine with a NASCAR truck says the ones that go in the top are amazing.


You mean a forced air system like this?

662c.png



Yes exactly. His is just hooked up to a NACA duct.
 
My current full-face motorcycle helmet is a not very expensive Scorpion helmet that came stock with an anti-fog visor. It's some kind of coating applied to the inside and it works very very well, better than any insert type anti-fog solution (whether Pinlock or adhesive) I've tried - I've only gotten it to fog up in certain rainy conditions. And there's no glare looking through it like you'd get with an insert. Only downside is I have to be extra careful with cleaning - soft cloth and warm water only, anything more can degrade the coating.

Any anti-fog insert solution can present glare issues, because when they're installed, by design there's an air gap between the visor and insert. So you're looking through two surfaces separated by a gap which allows light to bounce back and forth between them causing odd glare/reflection issues.

Short of getting a different helmet with an anti-fog visor, it couldn't hurt to give the anti-fog sprays a try. Arai says they're 'not reliable', but what does that mean, exactly? That it won't last more than a day? If you only need the coating to work for an hour or two and it does the job, then it's good enough.

As for a breath guard, it would work if it's large enough to actually deflect your breath. Many breath guards are too small to be effective (for example, the one for my helmet) and I suspect are more for looks. You might have to Macgyver your own if you want something effective.
 
I had an Arai with a lexan face shield when I raced 600 super sport, the stuff I got (never use dishsoap or spit) looked like a wax and came in a tube similar to a chapstick tube, you would put it on and wipe it off with a micro fiber towel.
 
I might order one of these and see how it is. It's a very different design around the nose -- the nose is kept far away from the visor because of that notch.

Plus, it looks cool. :)


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