StarTech
| Page Type | Gear Review |
|---|---|
| Object Title | StarTech |
| Manufacturer | CAMP |
| Page By | Diego Sahagún |
| Page Type | Dec 19, 2002 / Jan 25, 2007 |
| Object ID | 603 |
| Hits | 6893 |
| Vote |
Adjustable chin straps with a new fast closing system.
Polycarbonate shell, with aeration holdes and clips for head lamp attachment.
Designed for use in rock climbing and mountaneering in normal climatic contiditions.
The EC Directive 89/686/EEC requires to give an obsolescence date. It is very difficult to be precise but a conservative estimate for this item is limited to a lifespan of five years.
Made in Italy.
The prices are those in Spain.
More adjustments:
Open the ring (on the back) completely before putting the helmet on. Press the sliding system's blue push button and turn the toothed wheel round (keeping the push button down): clockwise to close the ring and counterclockwise to open it, until you find the most comfortable position. You must arrange the strap distribuitor so it does not touch your ears. Fasten the straps by pressing the buckle and inserting the small notched tongue. The length of the straps can be lengthen and there is a removable ring formed by a piece of soft cloth around them (on the Adam's apple section) in orther to soften the straps rubbing.Open the ring (on the back) completely before putting the helmet on. Press the sliding system's blue push button and turn the toothed wheel round (keeping the push button down): clockwise to close the ring and counterclockwise to open it, until you find the most comfortable position.
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Reviews
Viewing: 1-3 of 3 |
ben jammin - Dec 24, 2002 2:16 am - Voted 3/5
Untitled Review
The Camp Startech certainly lives up to its billing as being very comfortable to wear. I can wear this hard-hat the whole day without any discomfort and pretty much forget it's even there. The adjustment system works well and you can tighten / loosen the helmet with ease to get the best fit. The close fitting profile means you're less likely to bash it into the rocks while climbing.
There are a few downsides to this product though:
Shortly after its introduction some safety concerns were raised by the BMC, and I'm not sure whether these have been addressed properly by Camp. (BTW, Some similar issues were raised about Black Diamond's light-weight offering, the Halfdome.)
This helmet is one of a new generation of light-weight helmets, and makes a much less robust impression than older generation benchmarks such as Petzl's Ecrin Roc. I find myself packing my Startech carefully at the top of my bag because I'm not convinced that it would survive being crushed by the rest of the gear that I carry on a climbing trip. Makes you wonder how good the helmet is at protecting your head when it has to be treated with such care itself!
The chin buckle is fast and easy to use but it can jam in the open position when it is frozen and/or clogged with snow. This is more than a bit disconcerting!
I've had more than a few comments from fellow climbers about the dubious esthetics of this helmet, specifically the "egg-head" protrusion at the back of the head. But then, wearing a helmet is never sexy, I guess? ;-)
In my opinion, the new generation of light-weight helmets trade off safety and robustness against user comfort . Helmets such as the Ecrin Roc use a webbing suspension system to provide effective energy absorbtion, but this makes it difficult to make it close-fitting and comfortable. The Camp Startech relies on a pad of closed-cell foam to absorb impact energy, but it seems that the physics of the foam materials limit what can be done.
The bottom line: The Camp Startech is a comfortable helmet but there are some legitimate concerns with it. I still use mine for climbing under the motto that any helmet is better than none, but I don't think that I would buy it again.
There are a few downsides to this product though:
In my opinion, the new generation of light-weight helmets trade off safety and robustness against user comfort . Helmets such as the Ecrin Roc use a webbing suspension system to provide effective energy absorbtion, but this makes it difficult to make it close-fitting and comfortable. The Camp Startech relies on a pad of closed-cell foam to absorb impact energy, but it seems that the physics of the foam materials limit what can be done.
The bottom line: The Camp Startech is a comfortable helmet but there are some legitimate concerns with it. I still use mine for climbing under the motto that any helmet is better than none, but I don't think that I would buy it again.
UncleBob - Nov 12, 2003 9:26 pm - Voted 3/5
Untitled Review
I've had this helmet for 2 years now and frankly I'm looking for another. It's withstood minor encounters with waterfall ice and at least one impact with a wallnut sized piece of sandstone with no real damage.
Despite what some say, I feel my head is realtively normal sized, despite this I always feel as though it floata on top of my head like some monstruous beret. There is a large central disk of foam that goes directly on top of you skull that doesn't seem quite the right shape for a skull to fit under, but this is minor. I have had to re-glue this disc as it came undone from being lugged arond in my pack.
My biggest gripe is that I feel that unless you have the chin strap very tight, the helmet wants to tilt backwards when you're looking directly up and is completely held in place by the chin strap. This is very pronounced when the helmet is worn over a cap or a balaclava.
Pros:
Light
Cons:
Rides high on your noggin
Likes to creep up over a balaclava
Makes your head look like a _enis
Despite what some say, I feel my head is realtively normal sized, despite this I always feel as though it floata on top of my head like some monstruous beret. There is a large central disk of foam that goes directly on top of you skull that doesn't seem quite the right shape for a skull to fit under, but this is minor. I have had to re-glue this disc as it came undone from being lugged arond in my pack.
My biggest gripe is that I feel that unless you have the chin strap very tight, the helmet wants to tilt backwards when you're looking directly up and is completely held in place by the chin strap. This is very pronounced when the helmet is worn over a cap or a balaclava.
Pros:
Light
Cons:
Rides high on your noggin
Likes to creep up over a balaclava
Makes your head look like a _enis
Viewing: 1-3 of 3 |
Diego Sahagún - Dec 19, 2002 1:15 pm - Voted 4/5
Untitled Review