Alternative to Hard Hats

CrisPA | Posted in General Questions on April 4, 2021 07:49pm

Are there any alternatives to a hard hat for keeping roofing nails out of your scalp when working in the attic? Anybody make Kevlar flat caps? I would wear a hard hat but I usually wind up knocking it off when moving between rafters.

Thanks.

Answer

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Replies

Andrew_C | Apr 04, 2021 08:31pm | #1
CCM hockey helmet might provide more clearance. If you don't have one in your hockey bag, try a Play-It-Again Sports store.

PS - yes, I'd wipe it down with bleach first.
Expert Member

BILL WICHERS | Apr 04, 2021 08:46pm | #2
A kevlar cap wouldn't help much. While such a cap might keep the nail from puncturing your head, you'll still have a lot of force in a small area and it's going to hurt -- a lot.

You can find lightweight hard hats with a narrow brims, that's what I would use. Normally I just use my "regular" hard hat with reinforcing ridges in the top which is the same one I use when outdoors working with utility crews.

Bill
DCContrarian | Apr 04, 2021 09:14pm | #3
Bike helmet.

Any sports helmet with a chin strap.
jonny_h | Apr 04, 2021 10:52pm | #4
Rock climbing or tree climbing helmets tend to be lower-profile and have chin straps to hold them on your head, that's what I wear when crawling around in my attic
andy_ | Apr 05, 2021 12:14am | #5
Haha! This is exactly why there's still a skateboard helmet in my truck even though I haven't hit a ramp in well over a decade. It comes in really handy when working in attics and crawls.
It may not be OSHA approved, but it actually works much better than a hard hat since it doesn't get hung up on every other rafter.
norm_farwell | Apr 05, 2021 06:09am | #6
Google "bump cap."
CrisPA | Apr 05, 2021 05:31pm | #7
Thanks, everybody. Looks like a bump cap may be the easiest/cheapest solution. Now to see if I can find one in Enormous...
kurtgranroth | Apr 05, 2021 05:43pm | #8
I saw a review of this Klein hard hat ("Safety Helmet") on YouTube at some point and the electrician(?) in question raved about it.

https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/hard-hats/safety-helmet-vented-class-c-rechargeable-headlamp-white

What he liked was how snug but extremely comfortable it fit normally and you could choose to use the chin straps, if you wanted. Plus it has the mounted headlamp for dark attics.

Looks like it is $75