Cold Tested: Up North Technologies Helmet Hang’r

The Helmet Hang’r is in theory quite simple and straight-forward, yet on another level well-thought-out and complex; it’s a device that attaches to a snowmobile’s handlebar and tucks out of the way. Then, whenever it’s desired – usually at a trailside break when talking, digging out a sled or just hanging out – the Hang’r can be rotated into place and stood up as a place to securely place your helmet.

That might seem simple, but Up North Technologies’ Ken Larson put a ton of engineering effort into this product. The Helmet Hang’r is made of three pieces of black-anodized 6061 aluminum held together with stainless steel hardware. One piece is a clamp that fits around any 7/8-inch handlebar, requiring only a half-inch of space on that bar. It connects to a pivot bracket that allows the user to find the right angle coming off of the handlebar. That pivot bracket mounts the actual Helmet Hang’r swing-arm – a 7.75-inch long elongated triangle with rounded edges. Installation is a snap – though Up North includes a 10-page, illustrated installation manual to walk owners through the process.

We mounted our Helmet Hang’r on a 2017 Renegade 850 and quickly found the correct angle to have the swing-arm fold-up against the handlebar’s crash pad in front of the driver. It was virtually unnoticeable when cruising down the trail. Then, when we’d stop, others we were riding with would try to precariously rest their helmets between the handlebar and windshield, on the bar end or on the tunnel behind the seat. If their sled was jostled, the expensive helmet often bounced off the sharp running boards on the way to the ground. Us? We’d flip-up the Hang’r’s swing-arm and set the helmet securely on it, causing others to look on in jealousy.

The upper edges of the swing-arm are designed to specifically match the inner diameter of most helmets, and the edges are rounded to be gentle against the helmet’s interior. The pivoting point on the swing-arm is pre-tensioned utilizing a three-quarter inch thrust washer so it moves evenly but stays in place and can be set at many different positions to accommodate times when the snowmobile isn’t sitting on level ground.

Nobody needs a place to hang a helmet but once it’s been utilized, the security it offers makes the Helmet Hang’r something a person doesn’t want to do without.

Editor’s Note: In each issue of Snow Goer magazine, our team of product testers reviews various aftermarket products in the Cold Tested department. Subscribe to Snow Goer now to receive such reviews, 6 times per year delivered to your home.