Brain Bucket
Story and photo by Bryan Irons
Axel provides head protection for the casual off-roader
I grew up in a transitional time when sports of all kinds began to evolve from “run whatcha brung” to being prepared with a list of mandated safety equipment. I have no regrets about the way I grew up, but I’m full of food for thought. Had I grown up in today’s age of convenient safety, I might have made it through to this point with a few less scars and the ability to form a complete sentence without being distracted so easily. Squirrel!!! Sorry about that... So why have we as casual off-roaders seem to be the last to drink the purified waters of safety in the outdoors?
Axel Stremel felt the same way and started Axel off-road; dedicated to keeping us around for a while by offering cost effective, comfortable safety equipment for when you’re in your truck, Jeep or SUV off the beaten path.
Don’t start your “awe, c’mon mom!” line with me. I’ve taken a few hits to the skull on casual forays into the woods myself, and now have no qualms about strapping on a brain bucket even for a mild ride. Truth be told, the roll bars and cages designed to protect us in many rigs from imminent danger are exactly what will knock you into next Tuesday.
Axel Off-Roads website can guide you towards what type of melon protection you should be looking for and has options for additional accessories as well. For my family and I, the Trail Helmets fit the bill perfectly. After measuring up the clan and letting them pick a colour, our new protection was only a short courier trip away. Axel also has DOT compliant versions for competition use with mud shields, tinted visors, and provisions to have radio communication units built in. A “Stunt” version is also up for grabs if “Full Retard” is in your off-road vocabulary (also great for UTV and dirt bike riders). Neck braces and other attachments can be scored at the same time.
Measuring up for a new brain bucket is easily done and there is some wiggle room, so don’t worry about it if you’re going to grow your mullet out. A quick visual check shows that the Axel trail series was made for an off-road adventure; light weight, with plenty of air vents to keep your thinker from smokin’ and the curvature of the back will make it comfortable to wear without adjusting your seats headrest. With multiple layers of different density foam inside, it molds to your head for long-term comfort and all the little bumps you may get going down the trail are not felt at all. There are no cotton pads or other absorbent materials for drawing up sweat and smelling like an old gym bag, so washing them out after a dusty trail ride is a cinch.
While talking with the folks at Axel, it became very apparent how dedicated they truly are to keeping you and me safe out there, and mentioned LiveWithIt.org. It’s a site to pledge your dedication to not only having the right equipment, but using it as well. As we both know, the best gear does you no good hanging on the garage wall. So, in all this “I” and “me” talk going around; I pledge to wear my helmet and belts, and not become a statistic or sad story. Personally, I have too much to do in life to avoid a helmet, and so do you.
Axel Off-Road - www.axeloffroad.com
Live With It - www.livewithit.org