Geko Helmets - Page 4

Brian · 12 February 2003, 14:15

Praise where praise is due.

I e-mailed Gecko last Thursday with some questions about mods to my helmet.
They replied on Friday and I despatched my helmet to them, same day.
They received it on Monday, appraised work required and e-mailed me with prices.
I gave them my credit card details over the phone and they did the work and despatched the helmet back to me on Tuesday.
I received it back this morning.
All work completed FOC, (repeat..FOC), only paid for the new parts. (I had a new half-mask supplied and fitted, the full mask repaired, holes drilled for earpieces and the earpieces professionally fitted).

Excellent service-well done Dean and Sally at Gecko Head Gear!!

Richard B · 12 February 2003, 22:27

What earpieces did you have fitted, Brian? Is it the stainless steel "mesh" ones or have you gone for a comms system?

(Also speculating why you went for the half-visor.... presumably it's so you can have a malboro whilst you've got your helmet on?)

crazyhorse · 12 February 2003, 22:45

Thanks for the Imfo Brian,Im impressed they came on and if we feel we need a helmet for offshore work,then im going down this route.

Will the new helmet with its inflatable lineing fit all sized crew, as we may buy a new one that can be used outside for any rescue work we may come accross when we are out cruising. Im hoping we will not need it inside, but I may be wrong as I have seen them being worn inside a Tyne Class lifeboat in Bad whether.

Richard B · 12 February 2003, 23:09

crazyhorse, I bought mine at Southampton boat show, and was impressed my their answers to my questions. They come across as being keen about being on the water and very enthusiastic about their product and it's development.

On the BIBOA Weymouth cruise last year, there were two head trauma incidents which I'm aware of - on the way out, I head-butted the console mounted GPS (hard landing off wave, sorry Peter, not criticising, it was rough-ish!), and because of the helmet's full visor the GPS came off worse. On the way back, a passenger in a Scorpion 10metre head-butted a solid part of the cockpit. Resulted in big, swelled-up black eye. Not nice for a girl to go home with!

I decided my Geko was worth every penny.

Brian · 13 February 2003, 10:16

Pepper,

I went for the half-mask on the advice of Stuart McNamarra of Powerboat.ie fame.
I found that in inclement weather, when I was working hard at the controls, my breathing rate went up and the full visor misted.
You really don't need that when you are going at full chat and trying to spot all the pot markers, flotsam, spot the dials, check your course, take another drag of the fag etc. etc.
I did play around with various visor coating solutions but they were not up to the job. Consequently I used to shove the visor up. This gave only partial protection to the fizzog, but that was sort of OK.
OK that is except that the b*****y thing would keep flopping down every time the boat bounced, severely p*****g me off when I least needed it. The solution (I hope) is to use the half-visor in "down" position full time.
And don't worry, both options allow me to indulge in delights of full strength Marlboros, the full visor causing an interesting chimney effect on the exhaled smoke.

Ribald · 13 February 2003, 12:46

Brian,

Why not grow a beard - I find that, with a half visor, it offers a fair degree of protection. Only trouble is that after a good run, you have to chip the salt off which can be a bit painful

Charles · 13 February 2003, 13:25

Doh!!! Brian has a beard. That is he, on the left scoffing loads of french fries - scrumptious

gaelforce · 13 February 2003, 13:29

beard is a good idea. So is a woolly hat.

Richard B · 13 February 2003, 13:39

yup, woolly hats are great, and these "Polartec" ones even better - no itchiness. Only they don't protect head from hard and/or sharp bits of console

Alan · 13 February 2003, 15:04

its only a short jump to folk music now isn't it lads?! Now stick yer finger in yer ear and sing "I sailed on a trawler from Lowestoft town...................."

Brian, I'm surprised that you haven't got the patented Gecko "keep your malboro alight at 35kts" attachment. On second thoughts you seem to manage quite well without it.
I have to say that the only time I've banged me bonce on a RIB in the rough was on the radar arch on Cyanide coming out of Padstow last April. And yes at that time I bl**dy wished I had been wearing a Gecko! The rest of the time I think a woolly/fleece hat and decent set of goggles addresses the warmth and eye protection issues.

Still its all part of the roughty toughty RIBster look isn't it. Goes with the technical black diving drysuit, knife and epirb & vhf strapped across your chest!

Alan

Keith Hart · 03 June 2003, 08:03

I thought I'd resurect this old thread....

Just seen this in the news:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...cs/2958280.stm

Looks like a good advert for the wearing of helmets.

Keith (current affairs) Hart

Bilge Rat · 03 June 2003, 09:01

Keith

A source close to me has confirmed that they were trying to save the bacon sarnies from going over the side during the storm when the accident happened, not sure whats worse the obvious headache or the thought of losing a bacon sandwich to Neptune.

Bilge(would rather have a bacon sandwich than row across an ocean)Rat

MarkWildey · 03 June 2003, 22:19

You can follow the news of Rob and Mike at

http://www.oceanrowing.com/

Cheers

Mark

Keith Hart · 04 June 2003, 06:09

Hi Bilge Rat

Go for the bacon sarnies every time......

Keith (yum yum) Hart

washer · 04 June 2003, 07:16

Quote:

Originally posted by Andy
Ok, I know this has been discussed before .... but i think things have changed.

Does anybody have experience of the new inflate to fit Geko helmets. I saw them at the boat show and they looked and felt great. Are them comfortable after hours at sea. Also does anybody know about coms for them, how much are we talking.

Thanks in advance

Andy

All I can cay is 'I have the new Geko full face helmet and belive me it is the best bit of kit I have ever used.

Phil (washer)

jools · 04 June 2003, 23:15

Does anybody know about the new "Comms Kit" they have advertised on their web site.

No prices, pictures or details

It would be nice to be able to talk to the crew on a long passage, and I would prefer a radio system than a wired system

(Working for Motorola I can gat the PMR radios cheep!!)

Cheers
Jools

Powerboat · 05 June 2003, 00:22

As you may know we supply Gecko and Ravenspring kit here in Ireland.

From talking to Gecko during the week, they are about to launch a reasonably priced comms package aimed at the Ribster in the next few weeks !

By the way if you are ordering a gecko for use on a RIB go for the two thirds face visor. Far superior to the full face visor !

If any team or group wants a trial, we have a demo mark 10 air lined helmet at the School for demo !

Best wishes,

Stuart

Keith Hart · 05 June 2003, 06:00

I emailed Gecko about 3 weeks ago about the radio kits and I'm still awaiting their reply...

Keith Hart