Ok, so I need some advice about the “Authentic” Rose Bowl helmet that

[SantaVaca]

The bookstore is selling.  I’ve always wanted an authentic helmet but it’s been difficult for many reasons.  The first is trying to find the best one. I love them all.  I love the white ones, I love the red ones, I love the black ones.  I love them all.  

However, I think this year’s red Rose Bowl one is pretty cool and I’ve thought about just pulling the trigger and buying it.  But here’s the rub.  I can’t tell if “authentic” really means authentic and if I’m going to spend $300, I really want to get a real helmet.  I don’t want a replica.  Some day I hope to have Kyle autograph it and I really want the real thing in my office.  Have any of you guys bought an authentic helmet through the Red Zone store?  If so, does the helmet look and feel real?  I’ve heard that you truly never get an authentic helmet because the company that makes them can’t sell them to anyone but the university due to legal issues.  Is that true?

I guess what I’m asking is for someone to tell me that they helmets are real and it’s worth the money.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  

TIA.

[UrbanLiar]

I’m 99% sure the bookstore helmets are “authentic size”, not the actual helmets worn during the Rose Bowl. The verbiage on the Red Zone website states it’s “authentic size” but makes no reference to the helmet being used in a game. We received a Crimson Club offer a while back to buy an “actual game” helmet with the proceeds funding the LLTJ22 Forever Endowment from other games and they were over $1,000 each. So the $300 version is a bookstore version, not a crimson club version and it’s likely not a game-worn helmet.

[SantaVaca]

Ya, that’s what I thought. I noticed the way the said the helmets were “authentic size” but stopped short of saying they are an actual authentic helmet. I guess if they look and feel real, I could justify spending $300, but I don’t want to spend that money only to get a helmet that looks gimmicky. I hoping someone here has actually seen them and can push me one way or the other on buying one.

[dystopiamembrane]

I collect beer memorabilia. Never paid that much for anything other than rent, but I’m a working class fellow.