After years of use it is fairly common for flight helmets to eventually need a replacement edge roll. The edge roll leather can become worn or torn and/or the foam core on the inside of the leather edge roll can crumble and deteriorate losing its padding effectiveness. FlightHelmet.com's sew-on replacement edge roll kit that we offer solves both of these problems since it includes a brand new foam core and new leather. The kit, which is available in gray or black leather, also includes heavy duty thread to sew the leather to the shell as well as visor bumpers for HGU-55/P and HGU-68/P helmets. The leather is pre-cut with elephant ears found on helmets with bungie visors (HGU-55/P, etc), but the leather can be trimmed for installation on helmets with traditional fixed visor assemblies (HGU-33/P, etc). Most flight helmet edge rolls can be replaced using the sew-on leather edge roll replacement kit available on our website here:

  Flight Helmet Sew-On Leather Edge Roll Kit

We also carry snap-on edge roll kits for certain helmet models. These kits make the installation process a bit easier and quicker. Instructions to install these kits are the same as the instructions for the sew-on edge roll kits shown below, just skip step 3 and step 4. The snap-on kits are available on our website here:

  HGU-55/P size Medium
  HGU-2A/P size Medium and Extra Large
  HGU-26/P size Medium and Extra Large

Not interested in a 'do-it-yourself' solution? FlightHelmet.com will install a new leather edge roll on your flight helmet for you. Please visit the Flight Helmet Painting and Refurbishing page for details.

A new leather edge roll improves the appearance of your helmet dramatically!
Before	After

The following instructions were prepared for a 'do-it-yourself' edge roll replacement. The only tools or supplies required are: a sewing needle, scissors, cleaning supplies, and clamps. These instructions will work for just about any flight helmet that has a leather edge roll already installed including the HGU-55/P, HGU-68/P, HGU-84/P, HGU-33/P, Toptex, Protection Inc, etc. Flight helmets without leather edge rolls already install can also have leather edge rolls installed. The additional step required would be to drill thread holes around the edge of the helmet shell as shown in the picture on step 2.

Step 1: Remove the old leather edge roll from your helmet:

  Use an x-acto knife or razor blade to cut the thread holding the leather edge roll to the helmet
  Remove leather earcups, communications cord, and styrene liner
  The leather will be glued to the inside of the helmet shell. Pull the leather off the helmet
  Remove any hardware preventing removal of the old leather and save the parts for re-installation later

Step 2: Prepare the helmet for edge roll installation:

  Remove the old foam core from the helmet shell
  Remove old thread from the holes on the helmet shell
  Clean the edge of the helmet shell, inside and out
  If you want to repaint your helmet, do it prior to proceeding to the next step

Step 3: Sew the leather to the helmet shell:

  Place the leather around the shell with the outside surface of the leather against the helmet shell
  Overlap the corners of the 4 pieces of leather by 2 stitches. The forehead and nape leather pieces go against the helmet shell first and the side pieces go on top
  Sew the leather down with two stitches going thru each hole so that the leather is secured tightly all the way around the helmet shell
  Tie off the starting and ending threads so they do not slip and trim excess thread to length

Step 4: Glue the foam core to the helmet shell:

  Glue the new foam core to the helmet. The foam core will be split so that it fits over the helmet edge and the edge of the leather for a majority of the edge of the helmet shell
  Clamp the foam core in place until glue dries
  It can be difficult to get enough clamps around the entire edge of the helmet at the same time, so it is recommended to glue in two steps. First glue and clamp the edges. Once dry, then glue and clamp the forehead and nape

Step 5: Glue the leather down to the inside of the helmet shell:

  Stretch the leather around the edge of the helmet and foam core making a tight fit on the outside
  Apply glue on the inside edge of the foam core and inside edge of the helmet shell and clamp leather in place
  Be sure to clamp leather so that it keeps a tight fit against the contour of the foam core and the helmet shell and doesn't stretch away from that inner corner
  It can be difficult to get enough clamps around the entire edge of the helmet at the same time, so it is recommended to glue in two steps. First glue and clamp the edges. Once dry, then glue and clamp the forehead and nape areas

Step 6: Re-assemble Helmet

  Re-install any hardware that was removed
  Re-install styrene liner, ear pads, communications cord.

Step 7: Enjoy more years of reliable service from your flight helmet!

FlightHelmet.com can install a new leather edge roll on your flight helmet for you!

Please visit the Flight Helmet Painting and Refurbishing page for details.