As the Hybrid becomes more popular we are regularly getting customers asking about the difference compared to HANS and which device would suit them best. These are the only devices currently homologated by the FIA as “Frontal Head Restraint (FHR)” which is becoming compulsory for more and more series worldwide.
I have always been a big fan of the HANS and have worn the
Schroth HANS 20 degree Pro model since 2005. I got used to it straight away and now it feels very strange to get in a car without one! Luckily I have not tested it too many times but after a small shunt in Monza in 2008 I certainly know it works!
The United States have their own homologation called SFI but the majority of the rest world is governed by FIA homologations. The Hybrid had been SFI homologated a number of years ago and having seen it being used in the US I always thought it looked a little awkward. The Device recently got FIA homologation so we started selling them and I got the chance to try out the
Hybrid Pro Rage.
As mentioned I was sceptical of the Hybrid initially, I thought the part behind back/shoulders of the Hybrid would be uncomfortable but in fact it was fine for me and have to date not heard any complaints regarding this. The HANS is extremely simple to use, it slides over your neck and sits on your shoulders. It is held in place by the shoulder straps for the cars harness. In contrast the Hybrid straps to your body. This was something I found a little awkward (often describes as a Parachute backpack!) but once it was on it was very comfortable. If one finds HANS uncomfortable on the collar bones and suffers from bruising in this area then the Hybrid will certainly suit better. Some competitors also like the fact that the Hybrid is not dependant on the harnesses. The shoulder straps sit directly on your chest which some competitors find more comfortable and suggest they have a better “feeling” with the car. Some also suggest that there is a risk of the shoulder straps sliding off the HANS and in such cases causes a major risk. But this can only happen if the harness is worn loose and this is dangerous with or out without any FHR.
Both the HANS and hybrid come as standard with sliding tethers. I found the sliding system of the HANS much better which allows more movement although I wouldn’t consider the Hybrid restrictive. Part of the restriction of the Hybrid is due to the side tethers but this is of course helpful with side impacts which is a benefit compared to something HANS does not cater for. Hybrid offers better support for side impacts compared to HANS but it must be remembered that these devices are homologated and designed as FRONTAL Head Restraints. The side impact protection is questionable but Hybrid does seem to offer better support in this regard. Most competitors now use competition seats with head restraint built in which will of course help side impacts. If you do not have this type of seat then probably the Hybrid will be more beneficial than HANS during a side impact.
The Hybrid offers more adjustment in terms of fitting to your body and also the tethers that connect to your helmet are adjustable. Also the one model will work with any seating position. When purchasing a HANS you need to buy the degree suitable to your seating position (20 degree for saloon car, 30 degree for formula car) or you can purchase the
Adjustable Angle HANS device which has a range of 10-40 degree. The adjustment is done on splines and takes about 5-10 minutes to adjust (read our adjustable HANS blog
here).
Weight is always an issue in motorsport and is more apparent at the higher levels. HANS seems to win in terms of weight. We weighed
Schroth Pro Series Carbon HANS and the top of the range
Hybrid Pro Slide the HANS came in 200grams lighter. We also measured the entry level models and the
Sport II HANS was approximately 300 grams lighter than the
Hybrid Pro Rage. It is worth mentioning that Schroth have a new top of the range model called
XLT Protec HANS which is currently being used in F1. This is a further 25% lighter than the Pro Series Carbon HANS.
In the very early days of HANS the anchors/posts were difficult to attach and detach and as a result there were some quick release versions. Some competitor’s left helmet and HANS attached and put them on together. I think the regular type HANS posts is really easy to attach and detach and once you are used to it. The fear is that if you need to exit the car quickly then you have more manoeuvrability when they are detached. There is also a risk of the back of the HANS getting caught (roll cage, window belt etc) but this has been improved in recent models as the back has been made shorter and more rounded. The Hybrid comes with two types of attachment. One is the regular HANS type and the others are
Hybrid quick release posts. The quick release is really easy to detach but I found it fairly awkward to attach by myself but probably something you would get used it and maybe it would become as easy as the HANS post.
The Hybrid is becoming popular within rallying in Europe but for racing the majority are still wearing HANS. As mentioned the device is more awkward and takes longer to put on compared to HANS but once on, it is fine. Rally competitors can leave it strapped on for the majority of the day and remove the helmet separately.
The
HANS 20 degree Sport II is €279 + vat (€343.17) compared to
€560 + vat (€688.80) for the Hybrid Pro Rage. The debate between the two devices will continue but one thing that is for sure is wearing no FHR is really a bad decision!
I hope this helps you decide which device is most suitable for you. Any questions feel free to give us a call.
Eoin Murray
