Helmet life?

Just bought a 2nd hand Arai helmet that was only used once and I was told that it was 4 and a half years old. I found out today that all Arai's have a date of birth and this one is in fact 1 month short of being 10 years old!

Would it still be ok as it's not been used?

One word - risky.
Given the possible outcomes is it worth the chance?

i think arai recomend 5 years,

i agree, think how many times your lid can get bumped in couple months let alone 10 years. it may not have been used but still 10 yrs is a long time. id imagin a lid tht is 10yrs old is going to be quite crude any way. with makes like hjc knocking out brill lids for just shy of a ton whats the point. just becarefull thts all. scott

On your head be it. Not on mine. Helmets age regardless of use, some lids like Arai fair better than others. Get it checked if you can, Arai customer service is very good. you might be fine with it. Good luck.

[northwind]

The foam used in them is pretty similiar to expanded polystyrene packing foam, which contracts and goes brittle over time... Though I don't know if helmet foam does the same.

[ogden]

The main question is whether or not the helmet has been in or out of a box since it was new. If it's not been exposed to UV light (ie. in a cupboard, box, whatever) then it won't have degraded nearly as much as if it'd been sitting on a shelf in a shop.

The man to ask is Lozzo, he knows this stuff backwards.

[G]

All the composites within the helmets will have degraded and gone brittle. I wouldnt risk it. The guy has already told you its only 4 years old and its nearlly 10.........i bet he told you he never dropped it aswell

I have had kayaks made of alsorts over the years, kevelar, fibreglass, carbon, plastic and over the years whether you used them or not they went brittle and after 2 years or so the slightest bumps would crack them and damage them badly. I once had splinters in my leg from a light collision with a rock as the brittle inside shattered to some extent.

Lesson 1 : never buy a 2nd hand helmet.

A brief googling says Arai's recommended lifespan for their helmets is 5 years in accordance with Snell Memorial Foundation Guidelines.

Cheers everyone, will attempt to get my money back and put it down to a lesson learned..