Check out Predetors new helmets, www.predatorhelmets.com/whitewater.html
The predator lee is the biggest rip off of the Sweet Strutter heres a link www.sweet.no/helmets_strutter.htm
and the predetor trinity looks like a cheap rip off of the Vixen by Shred Ready,
www.shredready.com/products/vixen.html

hm, they all look like helmets to me... just like all kayaks look like kayaks. of course there are similarities, but a rip off is different...

Davisgfunk,
Actually, the Trinity shape and the Shread Ready do not look alike at all !?! The Trinity does have a very similar shape to another SR product, but that is because they were both styled after very common equestrian helmets which are also mass produced as Harley type motorcycle helmets. As for the Lee shape, it is different to the Strutter in several way 1) It has slightly more volume for improved fit. 2) It has more temple coverage just rear of the front rivet. 3) There is less downward curve in the visor.

Cheers,
Matt Kelly
President
Predator Helmets
Vancouver, Canada
Blaine, WA USA
www.predatorhelmets.com

UK www.peakuk.com
German speaking countries blueandWhite www.kajak.de

they may not look exactly the same but the very similar look and the amout of time it took to get out suggests to me that you guys at preditor thought hmmmmm.... that sweet strutter appears to be selling well, hey I have an idea let us make a crappy plastic version that is not as safe but looks the same so vain kayakers on a budget will buy our helmet instead of the better more expensive one that looks pretty much identical.

just my thoughts anyway,
Denzil

P.S. Rip off artists who have no ideas of there own SUCK.

Denzil,
I would say safety is comperable to Sweet.. Independent TUV impact tests confirm this. What this style of helmets lack in safety is due to their lack of coverage compared to models like our Short Cut(more coverage and 10mm foam liner). A balance of a good stiff shell, excellent padding, excellent fit, and adequate coverage is the name of the game for safety. These baseball style, and most composite helmets, are all a compromise in safety for added style and lighter weight. Some will argue this point, but a helmet can't protect what it does not cover. Shell material is a bit of a marketing point(kevlar, carbon etc...) and most composite companies like to compare old and soft plastic helmets like pro-tec to their composites, rather than compare top end plastic shell helmets like Predator to their composite shell. Kind of like when glass/kevlar boat enthusiasts derided the early plastic kayaks. Once better plastic materials and shapes were used; composites boats all but vanished....

Regards,
Matt Kelly
Predator Helmets
Vancouve, Canada

no tell us how you really feel.

My take: It may be a rip it may not. but hey our world survives on rip offs. Family Guy is a rip off of Simpsons which is a Rip off of Honeymooners which is a rip off of Jetsons which is a ripp off of The Flintstones. So what it looks like the sweet strutter. I wear a plastic helmet. I feel completely safe. Some of us just don't run class 5 but still want to look good doing it. So I would buy something that looks like it. Just like the little kid who rides a bike like a motocross bike.

nice phraesology. the first one looks similar but the second ones not that bad.

You shouldn't be a dick to this guy. He actualy seems like he's telling the truth. I think it is awsome that someone is trying to make a quality plastic helmet. There should be alternatives to safety other than a $200 dollar helmet. Plus, he improved on the strutter design. I may like one of his helmets. besides, i think it is stupid to pay $200 and not even get a safe helmet. Don't be cool by having a fancy helmet, be cool by throwing sweet tricks or running the shit. If you wanna be cool at least don't spend too much on it.

anyway,
I think predator helmets are awsome.

the nice phraesolog thing was meant as a complement, kayaker 0678 stated things well. plastic is great, i wear a seventy dollar plastc that makes my head look big, supposed to be really safe tho. point is im not siding with the guy who started the forum, just sayin they look similar, like a lot of helmets do, jeroens point.

what really is all the fuss about nearly every helmet on the market was made of plastic until 'sweet' made there 'strutter' now your slating 'preditor' for making a plastic helmet

i think somebodies already got a 'sweet strutter' helmet and is now serveraly gutted that preditor have bought out cheaper alternative, and are just being bitter about it!!

just my thoughts though

althought i now have every intention of buying the 'preditor lee' "plastic" helmet

Sorry in my rant I did not explain myself very well.

The sweet strutter is not a very safe helmet is is a play helmet as is the Lee (I would wear neither creeking).

I think the design is a little too close to that of the strutter (famly guy was a different cartoon than the simpsons with some similar ideas closer to the link between the sweet Rocker and the happy 2b Aiges) and is just trying to cash in on there style. not everyone is anti this but I am.

composite boats did not dissapear once plastic got good they just moved into specilist areas where they had an advantage over plastic. In helmet design I belive composites do still have an advantage as you can get a lighter shell that is still stonger than most plastic shells. This does not mean that I think everyone should be wearing composite helmets, not everyone needs a composite helmet for what they paddle.

My objection is not against plastic helmets it is about unorigional design that is not just taking ideas from another helmet but is trying to be a cheep clone of another helmet.

Denzil

P.S. mhoole shred ready, greatfull heads, FNA etc. have been making very popular composite lids for a long time and SR espesially have always been popular (mabie not that popular any more but used to be market leaders). So to say nearly every helmet was plastic before the strutter is, i hate to tell you, utter gibberish.

Im not saying they arent good helmets and i changed my mind after the predator guy explained about the trinity, but the Lee i still think is a rip off, im posotive you could have made your own full design of a helmet if thats what your job is you dont have to elaborate on another brands designs. im all for affordable helmets and im all for predator just not affordable helmets that look exactly like other brands helmets.

My god guys...Take your avarage baseball cap! The Sweet Strutter is a complete rip off!!!

They are all helmets, and when you put a lid on a helmet they start to look like one another, big deal...

Good work Matt, I'm sure people in BC wil be happy with your design!! Finally some diversity! I got a bit bored with all those FNA Guides when I paddled around Vancouver

Hooray, Matt got it right.

The Lee is an affordable alternative.

I am hoping to get one for myself.

What's the big deal about it anyway. If you do not like one model or company for whatever reason there are a bunch of others out there.

These style helmets were not made for creeking anyway but for play they are great. fit well if you adjust it right and look good too.

Everything in the design world is a "rip off". That is how designs get improved upon (or more affordable). The world would suck if a designer could not build upon the best of what he or she is working on. From cars, kayaks, clothes, etc.
The only way companies can be kept in check and not gouge the consumers is by having competition. That's how Sweet can charge an arm and a leg for the Strutter. I'm glad to see the monopoly on cool looking visored helmets destroyed.
To come on here and blast a company for ripping off a design, you would have to be either a complete idiot, sponsored by Sweet, or maybe both.

[quote:639591ea14="stoneweasel"]
P.S. Rip off artists who have no ideas of there own SUCK.[/quote:639591ea14]

Your a tit, you come here ranting about a "rip-off" and don't even fully explain yourself fully until the debate has been settled.

So what if a helmet looks the same, who cares? I can think of loads of helmets that look the same. I got a Predator Trinity and it is so much better then the Strutter.

Next your going to be saying MSN messenger is a rip off of Yahoo messenger.

You gay

Ok so no one really has explained why they couldnt make a helmet that didnt look exactly like another brands helmet, all Ive heard is "everything is a rip off." Just like the trinity and the vixen didnt rip off the equestrian helmets because they were different types of helmets one is a kayak helmet one is a horse helmet just like the ball cap and the strutter one is a ball cap and one is a helmet. it seems that if predator was such a good brand then they could make a better helmet that dosent look exactly like another brands helmet. ok maybe i came in a little hot on saying predator rips of designs ill go for predator rips of a design because the trinity and the vixen look different but the lee and the strutter dont. I DO think its great that predator is making affordable helmets i DONT think that its cool that sweet sells their helmets for ridiculously exspensive and i dont look to great upon predator for making a helmet that looks like a strutter. if i new how to delete this thread i would have right after the guy frome predator left a response.

[quote:d0131a477c]Everything in the design world is a "rip off". That is how designs get improved upon (or more affordable). The world would suck if a designer could not build upon the best of what he or she is working on. From cars, kayaks, clothes, etc.[/quote:d0131a477c]

True but what generally happens is someone looks at something on the market and thinks hmmm... i like that style how can I make it my own (i.e. how can I make something taking ideas from that and improving on it using my own creativity). What seems to have happened here is Preditor have seen the strutter and made the SAME design in plastic with possably a few very minor differences so they can shout that it is not a blatent rip off honest.

there is a difference between taking something that is alreay there and improving on it and taking something that is already there and making a cheep knock off of it.

I was very dissapointed when I saw the Lee as I had no arguments with preditor helmets before this (have never used one as I prefer a bit more protection). They seemed to have there own style at least and I am sure with a bit of thought they could have come up with there own baseball cap style helmet that does not look identical to the strutter.

I would be a fan of seeing an affordable stylish playboating helmet on the market (even though I doubt I would use one) but it does need some origionality.

I guess some people here think it is ok to carbon copy ideas and call them your own but hey I object to that sort of behaviour so I will certainly not recommend preditor helmets to anyone anymore (at least until they show some origionality again and stop being ripp off artists).

I know not everyone agrees with my views but they are just that, my views, the way I see things and you can see them however you want. It is up to you whether you buy a preditor helmet or not at the end of the day and not up to some random bloke on the net rating about how he is not a fan off blatant copying.

Rant Over,
Denzil

[color=cyan:a5682fc71b]These days everything looks the same. Houses, cars.....

Who gives a rats ass anyway?[/color:a5682fc71b] [img:a5682fc71b]www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sauer/angry-smiley-007.gif[/img:a5682fc71b]

your completely right the lee is a tatal and utter copy of the strutter no matter what the predator people say but who cares its cheaper and gives good protection for the price i personaly think plastic is great as its cheap and ok its heavy but since when has about 50 gramms made a difference

Thank you!

someone has finally seen my point, half the price and still well protected. genious good luck to preditor.

p.s. stoneweasel notice i said 'nearly' all helmets, you twat!!

[quote:640c199788]
p.s. stoneweasel notice i said 'nearly' all helmets, you twat!![/quote:640c199788]

Why decend into insults?

No not nearly all the hemets were plastic I would say at least 25% - 30% of helmets were composite (especially those used by people running more triky stuff). Composite helmets are nothing new, does nobody remember the Prijon golf ball helmets of old?

as I said before if you have no objection to people using other people creativity for there own gain you might as well buy a preditor, if you like a company to have moral integeraty don't. Simple.

Denzil

did anyone have a shot at happy2b when they brought out the skook etc?

those helmets look pretty similar, and are challenging sweet as the 'fashionable' play helmet

they are also of similar prices..

The thing that makes the Skook by Happy2B different is the bill is shorter and there are other visual differences notice how they made a great helmet that still looked different enough to call their own.

I think some people are suffering from lack of paddling here and need to put on their drytops and head out to the river. There's only so much that Playak can do for us. I'm done with this porn. Heading out for the real stuff. Talk to my e-friends when I get back from seven days of WV paddling.

way to go nathan for putting it all in perspective. i saw the predator lee yesterday and altho it looks verry similar to the strutter on the website, its a bit more different in person. id say they are different enough after actually seeing one.

pluss , chek out that price

omg stoneweasel stop hanging to 25% thats only 1/4 of the market, so like i originally said 3/4 thats 'nearly' all were plastic!

[quote:8948886b79="mhoole"]omg stoneweasel stop hanging to 25% thats only 1/4 of the market, so like i originally said 3/4 thats 'nearly' all were plastic![/quote:8948886b79]

Ok then, firstly I was quoting that comment of yours for the insult mainly and questioning why you felt the need for it?

and how can you say that nearly all helmets were plastic when the most poular brand of helmets (excluding for club use where the ap2000 has always rained surpreme) back in the day (Shred Ready) were composite>

Also 75% in my opinion does not constitute nearly all, it constitutes a majoryit but nerly all suggests that there is little but that (I would say 90%+ would constitute nearly all).

Anyway I am tired of this thread, everyone knows my views on the preditor lee and I know the views of those that have posted here.

Peace Out,
Denzil

peace