Re: RC: Re: Can you paint a helmet???

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

I was faced with a couple of dilemmas regarding "decorating" helmets this 
Christmas.  First off, when we came here to Idaho to look at property, I 
attended a 4-H gathering, and was appalled to discover that not only did many 
of the kids not wear helmets but that it was considered "uncool" to do so 
("the little kids and the handicapped kids wear them and we don't want to 
look like THEM")--and furthermore, the ADULTS fostered this impression!  I 
decided then and there that Paul and I would become "the adults who always 
wear helmets" (we do anyway) and make it a point that we do so because it is 
the "smart" and "cool" thing to do, and that kids won't be able to compete in 
the disciplines with which we help (they want us to help start an English 
program) unless they DO wear helmets.  At any rate, we wanted to start by 
giving these two kids here (my nephew's two children) helmets for Christmas, 
and wanted them to "look cool" so that it would help in our drive to make it 
attractive to the kids to wear helmets.

Second problem is that with two kids close in age with similar head shapes 
(but different sizes), we bought two white Troxels, and wanted to have a way 
to easily differentiate between the two helmets to avoid confusion when 
gathering their "stuff" to tack up. 

I considered helmet covers, but didn't really have time to shop for anything 
"cool"--I'm sure there are neat ones out there, and might well consider that 
for another time.  I also did not want to damage the helmet material--a 
problem pointed out by other posters.  I happened into a tack shop in 
Portland, Oregon a few days before Christmas (with my dilemma still unsolved) 
and came across decals specifically marketed to be put on helmets!  
So--Heather (age 9, into horses, whose favorite color is green) now has a 
string of stylized green horses marching along each side of her helmet, and 
Nick (age 7, the Kamikaze) has red-orange-yellow "racing flames" adorning 
both sides of his.  No confusion as to which helmet belongs to whom, they 
think the helmets are "cool", and no chemical paint reactions to damage the 
helmets!

Heidi