helmets
Helmets without Headaches The newest diving helmets offer many advantages, including increased durability and comfort CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL DIVERS ARE
a lot like football players, motorcyclists, construction workers and racecar drivers in at least one respect: They all need a good helmet for protection. These days, commercial divers have a wider variety of helmets to choose from than ever before. Here are a few of the latest offerings from companies with a history of producing quality helmets.
Kirby Morgan’s KM-37SS helmet
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UnderWater
MARCH/APRIL 2011
Kirby Morgan Dive Systems International Inc. At first glance, Kirby Morgan’s list of diving helmets reads kind of like the roster of a football team, with the numbers 17, 27, 37, 47, 57 and 77 all representing different models and giving certified commercial divers a variety of helmets to choose from. Among divers seeking an especially rugged helmet, the Kirby Morgan 37 SS helmet has proven to be popular. The 37 SS features an entirely stainless-steel shell as well as a stainless side block, helmet ring, bent tube, handle and other key components. It also features a quick-change communications module, available with either bare wire posts or a waterproof connector, and allows for easy, efficient maintenance of the helmet’s communications equipment. The advantages of the stainless-steel helmet include: • Rugged helmet shell and other components • No refinishing required if the surface is scratched or gouged • Elimination of threaded inserts for securing port retainer to helmet shell The 37 SS is built for comfort, with a head cushion that gives the helmet a secure, wellbalanced feel as well as excellent thermal protection during long work periods. The internal adjustable chin strap, along with the adjustable neck pad on the locking collar, gives the diver a comfortable, secure fit. And the helmet-attached yoke system has an adjustable neck pad made from a scuff-resistant elastomer. In conjunction with the spring-activated front neck dam ring lock, it provides protection for the bottom of the helmet. Connie Morgan, the owner of Santa Maria, Calif.-based Kirby Morgan, said the company’s
