Hans Device? Feedback needed!

[RalphieViper]

When to a track event with COM a couple of weeks ago at Limerock. Someone told me that the president of the club was killed in an accident at Pocono last year after hitting a cement flag station. Got me thinking about a Hans Device.

Anyone use it? I have a Sparco 2000, no rollbar, so I think that it should fit?


Anyfeedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Ralph

 

[Bill B]

I don't do a club event without one!

 

[Bob Woodhouse]

Ralph: I owe my existance to one. At least I think I do. You may recall the accident at Road America where a Corvette went off track; came back across collecting four cars (three of them were Viper competition coupes) in the August SCCA Speedtv World Challenge GT race. I impaled the Corvette with a closing speed of 77 mph coming to a complete stop in about 5 feet. Engineers estimated the G-load between 25 and 33 g's. Pushed the breath out of me, broke my wrist from the steering wheel snap, but left me intact. The Corvette competitor recieved a concussion. The Hans Device is awesome, I love it. I used two other head tethering devices before this but they seemed under severe loading they have an opportunity to stretch out too much. Hans and I are inseparable now. Along with it must be a very well anchored seat, good 5 or 6 point belts. As you know, the neck on our body can stretch much like a slinky but the main aorta artery cannot, thus pulling apart and causing you to bleed to death in 45 seconds or so; the Dale Earnhardt thing.

Bob Woodhouse #13 CC

 

[RalphieViper]

You Sold me!

Christmas list: 1. Hans Device please!

I did a search on the internet. Is it true you could only get it from them direct?

Ralph

 

[BadVenm]

Ralph:

I currently use a Hutchens (SP?) device. Same concept as Hans, but much less $$$$.

If I keep racing next season I plan on moving to a Hans device. It's less cumbersome to put on and to use. Both style of devices are good if set up properly. As Bob W above said, the Hutchens style restraint, if not set up properly can have slack left in it which upon impact could leave too much room for injury.

I know I will like the less cumbersome Hans over the Hutchens, if I go that route.....which depends upon if I continue racing.

Either way, as of 3 or 4 years ago I would no longer get in a racecar without a head and neck restraint system of some type!

Just my .02 worth.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I used the Hans Device all season long at the tracks. Easy on, easy off. They recently designed a newer style clip for the helmet that you can install yourself. I still sent them my helmet for them to install it which was free. I tried on some of the other styles available, but there were more straps to tighten and adjust around your body to monkey with. I figured with the Hans just throw it around your neck and buckle the five point harnesses down. Seemed to me that this device I could assume I was correctly putting on 100% of the time. Your going to probably deal with the factory at one point with this device. You might be able to buy one on ebay as I have seen them on there. If you go that route you will need to get your helmet fitted with the correct hardware.

 

[kverges]

For track days, I don't know that it is essential unless there is a risk of collision. For racing, I would not go out without it, for the same reasons Bob expressed. In fact, I plan to add a seat with side protection for my head, as HANS only restrains fore and aft, but not for a T-bone impact.

You must buy it from the manufacturer.

 

[Russ Oasis]

I use the Hans after using the other type. Hans is so much more convenient to use and doesn't have all the issues the other type does, like whether you're wearing it a little differently than the last time you had it on. You just put it on and it's on correctly, each time (as long as you cinch your belts tightly over the legs of the Hans). I think that it's best to buy it directly from the factory (from their website). They have several different options for the device and the website will help you figure out which version you need. I love mine.

 

[Pictureman]

I don't have any driving experience but I have lots of pictures of what happens to a race drivers head in a crash.
A few of the pictures I have...One of a drivers head completely out the window after getting t-boned. One with his face breaking the steering wheel on a head on wall impact. Several with drivers getting knocked out from their heads hitting the roll cage. One of my friends hit a wall at 140 at fractured his head in about 13 places, which saved his life since the blood drained out when his brain swelled up.
I don't know what everyone uses but if I were racing I would have the head restraint stuff and padding on anything inside the car.