Fwiw stg has checked dates for me, the ones they can't are probably drop shipped from the mfg/distributors
Is the ECE certification sewn onto the strap?, if so check that closely, on one helmet I had the date was part of that.
Wasn't there an article or something someone posted that said the breakdown of helmet materials really start from the date of wear (within reason)? If I'm remembering that correctly, just make a label with the date of purchase and stick it in there.
What about a copy of the reciept showing date of purchase? Just put of sheer curiosity, I'd love to see a 5yr old, new in box, from a climate controlled storage...helmet get run through the normal industry safety tests to see how it does compared to the same model with a newer build date.
The line at Tech is already long enough... arguing this shit with officials ain't gonna help. I'd expect Shoei quality control to be pretty good, but if they actually failed to sticker it I'd try and return it. I bought a new Bell last year (lower end model) that actually had the date sticker stuck on the soft liner material (not under it!). I carefully peeled it off and put it where it was supposed to be with a piece of clear Gorilla tape over it
I ain't telling the guy to get in a pissing match with officials at Tech...just spitballing ideas to maybe save him some wasted time back and forth shipping helmets. I could be way off, but I thought I even saw @Mongo say a reciept with proof of purchase date would be G2G at Tech during some oddball situation like this. Or maybe he does have enough time between now and his first event to return it and get a replacement ...
Yes but there's no way for us to know when you started wearing it - no receipts don't prove much and sadly racers lie about safety items all the time.