To wear a helmet or not ?

RATM

When I was boarding with the usual group ( 10 of us ) last year only one of us was wearing a helmet and that was because he was a new Daddy and decided it would be the right thing to do. Got me thinking though, father or not , its probably a wise idea especially as Ive got to the stage where going hard and fast is what I like do all the time.

But by the same token I don't really like the idea of helmets, I just think they make you feel restricted in some way. There's just something about not having half your head covered by a clump of styrofoam regardless of how light it is. Also they look silly:D

Anyway Im thinking of doing a season in Winter 09-10 so thought on the law of averages over two months Im bound to stack it big time on a good few occasions and this got me reasoning that I should really buy one before this years trip instead of waiting till next year.

What's peoples thoughts on this, do you own a helmet and would never go back or have you decided that not wearing one is worth the risk ?

Jonnykitedude

Yes (sometimes)

Had a few nasty spills, last one was in VT one morning after a big freeze the night before, caught a edge a cracked my head on the ice. If i wasnt wearing my helmet it would of ended my trip.

Yes they look crap. Got some new earpads with built in headphones for my burton Red so gives me a good reason to wear it now:p:p

Imposter

I've got one for this season. The main reason I got it is because of the falls and collisons with other people rather than in case I crash at speed. In general the helmet is only really supposed to be effective at reasonably low speeds.

Tripp

You only have 1 Head. Why not protect it ?
More and More people on the slopes are wearing them. Skiers & snowboarders

loobylou

Skiied for years without one. Bought one for the first time last Feb. Two days later fell so hard that the side of the helmet cracked. Without the helmet I reckon it would have been a fractured skull!

paddyb

I have one didnt wear it at the start but was out in canada a year and had a lucky escape when someone crashed in to me from behind. Got one then as a helmet is cheaper than a trip to the hospital!

EileenG

Never wore one, but thinking about wearing one this year, just to set a good example for the children. Also, probably warmer than a beanie, and it looks like it's going to be mega cold this year.

CianRyan

Well i never wear one skating on concrete, unless im doing something big, i'd pop one on then.
But i've never worn one boarding because im not at that stage yet, not looking to try anything mad, so untill then i think im rockin in with out one.

Basically, if there was a sometimes option, id pick that, but cause there's not, i wont pick either.

robinph

A helmet isn't going to save your life, but it will save you from getting a sore noggin from an awkward fall, or from when someone else rides over you after a fall, or from the idiot on the lift who brings the bar down on you or many other similar occurrences.

As for looking silly, well where else am I supposed to be attaching my video camera?

...and the other items which have been accumulating on my helmet over the last few trips.

There is of course the odd type of incident where a helmet will save your life: :eek: :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he24trOJ2H4

...but I very much doubt that any of us here are taking part in those events at that kind of speed. Scott MacCartney at Kitzbuehel 2008 incase anyone is wondering.

MadDogGreener

I got helmet for the first time last year along with a few others in our group. Maybe we're getting old and sensible :-)

Anyway, one thing I hadn't though about was the importance of colour. I got a matt black one because it looked discrete/"cool" (relative to the other colours ) and its lovely and toasty. However on one of the really sunny days my head was getting cooked while wearing it. I was constantly stuffing snow down the vents to cool down. If buying again I definitely consider a lighter/more reflective colour and get *load*s of vents.


I was in 53 degree north at the weekend and noticed they have much bigger range of helmets this compared to last. They're obviously getting more and more popular.

paulharte

Removable earflaps are a great way to cool down a helmet, also you can then use the helmet for non-snow activities, such as skating, or riding dryslope

Check the Red Trace helmet, its got these

Overature

wear a helmet and you minimize the chance of brain damage

dont wear one and you run the risk of splattering the snow with your brains

your call

Imposter

I've had my first 2 days with mine - I didn't really notice it on my head at all and i've never worn helmets for other sports (bar hurling but that annoyed me so much I stopped wearing it).

pmurphy00

ive worn a helmet since i started boarding dunno how easy it would be to switch from not wearing 1 tho..my mates in canada always said if you dont stack ure not trying hard enough..
which kinda makes sence if your happy cruizing around boarding r sking prob no need 4 helmet but if ure pushing hard a getting more and more progressive big stacks are inevitable under/over roating and helmet pretty essential..if ure gonna do a season a helmet makes loads of sense..imo..
some ppl's look sillyer than others try a few on..i cant imagine boarding w/out mine..:)

Don1

Don' wear one noodling around, but definitely wear it when trying stupid stuff or hitting the park. Option three: "Depends on the situation" perhaps?

Censorsh!t

I chose no, because I think it'd be rather uncomfy.
I do fall a fair bit though, and have fallen on my head a few times alri.

robinph

They are not actually that uncomfotable unless you happen to have a really badly fitting one.

I actually have more trouble from wearing my motobike helmet for more than the half hour coummute every day than I do from a much cheaper and less well selected ski helmet being worn for a full day. I do intend to be getting a better helmet before my next trip though, but even the bad ones are good. They are warm as well and you barely notice them.

the-wasp

I'm a mountain biker so used to wearing a full face lid in the summer sun so wearing a small snowboard one in the cold is no hardship.

It feels totally weird barreling down a hill with no helmet, I dunno how people can do it but then falling off a bike usually involves a harder landing.

In my experience falling off bikes hitting rocks and trees with my head, helmets work!

Overflow

I just got me a new helmet for this season, its damn comfy, its got a kind of hat inside it that comes down over your ears, i would highly recommend a helmet to anyone not wearing one.

This is my new one:

hardCopy

Jonnykitedude wrote: »

Yes (sometimes)

Had a few nasty spills, last one was in VT one morning after a big freeze the night before, caught a edge a cracked my head on the ice. If i wasnt wearing my helmet it would of ended my trip.

Yes they look crap. Got some new earpads with built in headphones for my burton Red so gives me a good reason to wear it now:p:p

Slightly off topic, but where did you get the ear-pads. I have a RED helmet but don't know of anywhere over this side of the world that sells the audio-pads.

Thanks

edmund_f

you can usually pick them up in the resorts? - prrtty specalised so you may have to ask around

paulharte

I dont think they sell the earpads seperately, you have to buy a halmet with that feature.

I just use earbuds to be honest, works just fine!!

Jonnykitedude

hardCopy wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but where did you get the ear-pads. I have a RED helmet but don't know of anywhere over this side of the world that sells the audio-pads.

Thanks

Ebay got them for $30.
You can get the ones that come with them if you contact Burton.There was talk over on goneboarding about somebody loosing them.

edmund_f

must have been lucky, got mine separately, have seen a few places that do them, the buds work well too, pads are just more convenient.

das_uber_thingy

Did damage to my face (split my nose open) in Ischgl in 2007 which was a bit of a wake up call. Bought a helmet (which i know doesn't protect my face) for 2008 and it made a big difference in terms of confidence...as has been said before, you can be as careful as you like but if some nut job coming from behind you tanks it then you could be screwed!

Don1

Faceplants are never fun. Surprised more people don't go for full face. Had to shovel a load of snow over a blood spill right beside a lift queue in NZ this year after some unfortunate busted his nose wide open. I laughed.........

das_uber_thingy

Don1 wrote: »

Faceplants are never fun. Surprised more people don't go for full face. Had to shovel a load of snow over a blood spill right beside a lift queue in NZ this year after some unfortunate busted his nose wide open. I laughed.........

Remarkables? If so, you'd wanna be pretty unfortunate to faceplant there....tis flat as flat can be from what i remember.

Don1

nope, Coronet Peak. Remarks does have flat bits alright, but for park riders and hikers its top class.