Everyone raves about Kirby Morgan helmets, but my neck is killing me after a 5-hour shift yesterday

I know I'm gonna catch flack for this, but I've been diving commercial for about 8 years now, mostly in the Gulf near Port Fourchon, and I switched to a KM-48 last month after my old Desco decided to give up. Everyone in the shop said I'd love it, that it's the gold standard. Well, after a 5-hour bottom job yesterday on a pipeline inspection, my neck and shoulders are wrecked. That helmet is just a bit front-heavy compared to what I'm used to, and I was craning to see my gauges the whole time. I adjusted the harness twice before splash, but it still shifts weird on me when I'm horizontal. Is the fit just super specific to head shape, or did I get a bad adjustment? Anyone else find the KM helmets way heavier than the hype suggests?

3 comments

3 Comments

sama801mo ago

Whoa wait, a 48? Dude, I didn't even know they made the 48 anymore, I thought they were all phased out for the 57 and 77 models by now. That's crazy, you're out there with a vintage bucket basically. No wonder your neck is shot, those old 48s are notorious for being nose-heavy, I heard a bunch of the older guys at my shop complain about them back in the day. It's not you or your adjustment, that helmet just has a weird balance point compared to the newer stuff. You might be stuck dealing with it or trying to find a counterweight setup.

andrew6931mo ago

Buddy of mine had one. Said it pulled his head down like a damn anchor.

davis.ivan1mo ago

Twenty-eight years in the Gulf, those 48s always pulled forward. It's the neck seal trim, not the harness.