# Charles Owen 4star hat v Gatehouse



## Sags_Deer (10 June 2012)

Thoughts on both of these please, i would like to get a new hat.


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## eishi (10 June 2012)

I have a gatehouse, which I love! Comfy and doesn't get to hot. Also my previous one saved me from serious injury when I was in a rotational and split it in half! Walked away with only mild concussion!

I don't fit charles owen hats at all though, I think they are both very different fits! May be worth going to try them on if you can? I *think* gatehouse fits round heads better than oval.. but I may be completely wrong!


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## Sneedy (10 June 2012)

Echo eishi.........if one fits you chances are the other won't! I've got an oval head and Charles Owen are perfect. For some reason, yrs ago, I bought a Gatehouse and it gave me terrible headaches......thankfully (kind of ), I fell off and had to chuck it away!!!!


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## clip_clop (10 June 2012)

My hs1 gives me headaches. I can't wait to take it off when I've finished riding


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## Sags_Deer (10 June 2012)

i plan to try both see which fits the best then.


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## McW (10 June 2012)

HS1 is to a safer standard, I'm a gatehouse fan. I would try both for sure.


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## Keenjean (10 June 2012)

The Charles owen 4 star is tested to a higher safety standard than the hs1 as it is up to snell, pas, bsen and the astm standards whereas the hs1 meets all the standards except for the astm. This doesn't mean it's not safe, just that it is either untested for the type of fall the astm standard protects against or didn't pass for this type of fall. All the different safety standards are testing different types of fall e.g snell = crushing! So the four star has now surpassed the hs1 as the safest hat but it is literally MASSIVE! I know safety isn't about vanity but ive got a big head and I think there's a risk things would start orbiting me if I wore one! Don't forget though, the safest hat is the hat that fits you correctly


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## Coop (10 June 2012)

I found the 4 star really top heavy when I tried it, its like a fish bowl and I found it weighed me down somehow, and they come up a size big (in my experience), unfortunately the hs1 is not the same shape anymore so doesn't fit, so I will be buying another charles owen J3, superior in comfort but unfortunately not the snell standard :-((


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## longdog (10 June 2012)

We are stocking the 4Star, & have all tried it on in the shop to get a feel for the fitting. Agreed it is bigger than usual Pro II's, J3's etc, but felt incredibly comfortable & protected. Have tried the HS1 & wasn't keen on the feel, much prefer the 4Star & if I was still competing would definitely go for it!


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## Bella3puff (11 June 2012)

My daughter has just had the new 4 Star Hat  (she was in the Gatehouse HSI) She loves it and finds the fit fine and said it was not heavy, it has the new Charles Owen Free Fit" system which allows for increased airflow across the forehead and after XC schooling on saturday she took the hat off at the end and her hair was dry and cool. 

She has now had over the years the Champion Ventair, Gatehouse HSI and old Charles Owen versions and she said she like the fit on her 4 Star (but like everyone said that also depends on your head shape)


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## Wideyes (5 December 2016)

I thought the 4 star was to the same safety standard as the HS1? PAS 015 and ASTM F1163 and Snell E2001 I thought it was the pro ll that wasn't as safe as the HS1? :/ 
I was going to get the 4 star for my daughter because it's safer and she has an oval shaped head.


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## Hoof_Prints (5 December 2016)

I will only wear the 4 star now, don't feel very safe in anything else! It has great coverage. I tried on a few gatehouse hates (actually I tried on the whole shop ) but nothing compared to the 4 star IMO. I've got through 4 in the last two years , replacing after bad falls. I went head first in to a concrete step and I only had very mild concussion.


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## Cragrat (6 December 2016)

I don't fit Gatehouse, so have a 4 star- which is great-  but then I tried on a Pro-tector ( parkhouse) at HOYS.  Definitely my next hat!!!  ( I only buy Snell standard, can't see the point in buying anything less, seeing as I only have the one brain).


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## QueenDee_ (7 December 2016)

I have a Gatehouse RXC1 and I love it. 

Never get a hot/sweaty head and always feel well protected. I tried on my Mother's HS1 and (although admittedly it wasn't fitted to me) I thought it felt considerable 'bulkier' and nowhere near as comfortable or breathable.


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## MissTyc (7 December 2016)

I'm another 4-star fan -- it is enormous but I don't find it as heavy as the HS1. I am an oval head!


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## Shoei (7 December 2016)

I have had 2 4 star's.  The first saved me in a bad fall.  I fell of the horse, and hit my head (forehead) on the top of my concrete filled arena post.  Whilst I was knocked out and suffered concussion, it cracked my hat and not my head!  I replaced it immediately with another.


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