Interesting retro LSU helmet

[Spearhead]

Saw this on eBay:

Now contrast it with this photo from the mid-1970s:

Compare, contrast and discuss.

[slapshot]

Arial wasn't designed until the 1980's, so this is obviously not an original helmet.

[Cito_helps.08]

Arial wasn't designed until the 1980's, so this is obviously not an original helmet.

Still like it though...

[Cujo]

Were American flags used on LSU helmets back then?

Maybe that piece of information could help, but I would still call replica/fake on this one.

[cajunaggie08]

I dont think the tiger has ever been orange for LSU

[John in KY]

Were American flags used on LSU helmets back then?

Maybe that piece of information could help, but I would still call replica/fake on this one.

Obvious replica - and a bad one at that if the tiger is showing up red/orange. How can you tell it's obviously a replica?

1. That design was used from 1972-1976. Riddell helmets from that era would be suspension helmets, HA-9 fluid/air helmets (i.e. "Micro-Fit"), or PAC-3 padded helmets (at least in 1975/76). None of these have back bumpers.

2. The helmet is a Riddell VSR-4 - note the back bumper. Riddell didn't have back bumpers with logos until the mid-1980s (1985 or so); the VSR-4 was from the 1990s and has no drill holes for attaching padding.

3. The facemask has 2 upper wires - again, a design that didn't occur until about 1981 - and this version with the wider spaces was again mid-late 1980s.

[Harmening]

Were American flags used on LSU helmets back then?

Maybe that piece of information could help, but I would still call replica/fake on this one.

Obvious replica - and a bad one at that if the tiger is showing up red/orange. How can you tell it's obviously a replica?

1. That design was used from 1972-1976. Riddell helmets from that era would be suspension helmets, HA-9 fluid/air helmets (i.e. "Micro-Fit"), or PAC-3 padded helmets (at least in 1975/76). None of these have back bumpers.

2. The helmet is a Riddell VSR-4 - note the back bumper. Riddell didn't have back bumpers with logos until the mid-1980s (1985 or so); the VSR-4 was from the 1990s and has no drill holes for attaching padding.

3. The facemask has 2 upper wires - again, a design that didn't occur until about 1981 - and this version with the wider spaces was again mid-late 1980s.

What do you mean by "two upper wires"?

I know the reverse tab facemasks weren't around during the years they wore that logo.

[John in KY]

Were American flags used on LSU helmets back then?

Maybe that piece of information could help, but I would still call replica/fake on this one.

Obvious replica - and a bad one at that if the tiger is showing up red/orange. How can you tell it's obviously a replica?

1. That design was used from 1972-1976. Riddell helmets from that era would be suspension helmets, HA-9 fluid/air helmets (i.e. "Micro-Fit"), or PAC-3 padded helmets (at least in 1975/76). None of these have back bumpers.

2. The helmet is a Riddell VSR-4 - note the back bumper. Riddell didn't have back bumpers with logos until the mid-1980s (1985 or so); the VSR-4 was from the 1990s and has no drill holes for attaching padding.

3. The facemask has 2 upper wires - again, a design that didn't occur until about 1981 - and this version with the wider spaces was again mid-late 1980s.

What do you mean by "two upper wires"?

I know the reverse tab facemasks weren't around during the years they wore that logo.

Sorry, should have said "two upper bars", meaning the two closely-spaced upper bars which is part of the reverse tab facemask design.

This helmet has an odd version where those two bars are a little more widely spaced than usual.