#Helmetsarecool

Fattes

A great little piece about putting a lid on you head

http://vimeo.com/77008826

CardinalJ

Some of that is tough watching.

I've been skiing between 1 and 3 times a year for about 15 years. I only got a helmet last year after my first proper high speed wipe out in years, in Mayrhofen. Hit my head hard but came out with no problems or concussion. Having had concussion a few times before from what I thought was way less impact, I was very lucky. Got a helmet that evening on the way home.

I think what a lot of less experienced skiers won't know is that you can hit your head bloody hard no matter how fast you're going. When you're starting off, you fall over so much more and you're also surrounded by people who don't know what they're doing.

I also go mountain biking a lot and hate the feeling of my helmet, but I wouldn't dream of not wearing it. Helmets are definitely essential for anyone skiing/boarding. I still don't like the feeling of the helmet, but I'll get used to it.

Fattes

Personally I nearly always use one, the only exception is when i am teaching young kids normally beginners but it is always clipped to my pants for that. The only reason is for contact and to soften up what the kids see teaching them

But if you don't want to wear one hey your head your decision.

Peace

Luckily I bought (a cheapish) one before my trip last January (http://www.trespass.co.uk/skyhigh-00797). I was boarding down an easy blue and found a patch of ice. Before i knew it my head hit the ice. I don't think i even had time to try and break my fall so the head took the pretty much the full impact.

I came away shaken/dizzy and a bit of a headache for the evening but nothing worse.

I'm delighted i had the helmet but after wtahcing that video i have no idea why i went with the cheapish option when i spent the money last year. It was potentially not the best long term choice.

Fattes

Peace;
It’s an interesting point, you have hit on there, personally I would not be splashing north of 300 Euro for a POC Helmet! But I can see why newbies don’t want to have a large outlay either. Most of the helmets meet specific EU Requirements and once they are of the CEN 1077 standard that should be enough to keep you safe.

I have a H2 carbon fiber one for big mountain stuff, a FIS legal for Racing in (They have a whole set of criteria for them), and Salomon Brigade I use while teaching.

If you have had a heavy fall on the helmet just make sure there is no damage, cracks in the foam or the harder outer shell, before reusing it.

CardinalJ

True. Just because your helmet has a crack doesn't mean it was cheap, means it did it's job.

I got mine for 90ish on sale. Don't think I'd spend much more given it's something that should break given a decent wallop.

RasTa

Spent the season in Vancouver last year, 90%+ of people wear them.

Fattes

You want to see a Helmet working at its best Youtube Scott McCarthney Kitzbul crash, not for the faint hearted, but the helmet cracks and gets smashed off his head on impact absorbing all of the initial force from the crash.

cormee

CardinalJ wrote: »

True. Just because your helmet has a crack doesn't mean it was cheap, means it did it's job.

I got mine for 90ish on sale. Don't think I'd spend much more given it's something that should break given a decent wallop.

Same here, I got mine from that French sports chain-store, it was so long ago I don't remember how much it cost, but the state of the shell is testament to the battering it has saved my brain, or what remains of it, from over the years.

At this stage I feel uncomfortable when I'm not wearing it.

It's due an upgrade though, I'm sad to say. I've become emotionally attached to it over the years, and I've modded it to include headphone speakers :cool:

Fattes

cormee wrote: »

It's due an upgrade though, I'm sad to say. I've become emotionally attached to it over the years, and I've modded it to include headphone speakers :cool:

What most of the companies that make them say is they should be replaced, every 5 years assuming regular use in the mountains.

I am guessing if you break it out for one or two days a year that advice could be doubled.

Any serious knock you probably should consider replacing it :D:D

cormee

Fair point. Might be time to replace it.

oxysept

It's not just about your own ability - but with idiots like me on the mountian - you need a helmet if i crash into you or cut you off & force you into that tree/ rock.!!!

cormee

On a helmet-related note, I just watched The Crash Reels over the weekend, harrowing stuff, incredible guy that Kevin Pearce, and your heart has to break for him never being able to compete again, especially as he dislikes Shaun White so much, and he was destroying him on the slopes and half-pipes coming up to his accident.

Anyway he pretty much said the reason he survived his crash was because he was wearing his helmet, there was a lot of discussion of dead, or boarders and skiiers disabled by TBI, most of whom weren't wearing helmets.

It's showing on Sky 1 (or Sky Atlantic) on November 5th. A very moving documentary. His father's Kilkenny accent is hilarious though.

CardinalJ

Saw the ad for it the other day. I've seen clips form it so I'll deffo be watching. Sounds like a great doc.

Fattes

Thanks for the heads up

lbj666

I came from a kayaking/mountain biking background before i started boarding where its practically manditory. Even in the deepest water with no obstacles or rocks around i would feel naked without one. I cannot understand how there remains a nonchalence among certain people about wearing them in snowsports. How its not mandatory on all resorts i can't understand it would take a lot of the load off rescue crew thats for sure.

I have to reinforce what was said above

Some of the most painful crashs you can have is as a beginner, on flattish terrain where your head has a long way to hit the ground.

Good helmets are meant to fail at high impact , its means the helmet absorbed majority of the force and not your head. Just cause it looks ok after a big one doesnt mean still is.

The arguement that it makes you fool hardy, go faster and less careful is utter rubbish too.


Edit:

Remember aswell the other fall out from a concussion besides cheating death, like dizzyness, nausea, headaches, depression, fatigue all off which cant easily happen for month that 3 months after if not more.

Peace

The Crash Reel is on tonight i think. Watched it last week. Definately worth a watch.

cormee

Peace wrote: »

The Crash Reel is on tonight i think. Watched it last week. Definately worth a watch.

It's on Sky Anytime, so if you have that hooked up you can watch it whenever you fancy.

CardinalJ

Had a funny chat with one of my mates who doesn't wear a helmet skiing, but would ridicule anyone not wearing one on a bike.

I think the whole thing boils down to people not actually thinking about skiing the same way they think about other sports, especially cycling. Most people don't realize how hard the mountain is under the snow.

What finished my mates initial argument was when he said "I don't wear a helmet on a bike because I doubt my own ability on it, I wear it because I doubt other peoples ability to see me" He almost immediately agreed he should probably get one….

I think it's a matter of time before resorts start making them compulsory or winter sports insurance does (if it already doesn't).

Fattes

I really don't want to see a situation where they are compulsory for adults, freedom to choose is important. I wear one, i recommend people wear one but your noggin your choice.

A few winter sports insurance companies all ready have clauses in relation to helmets!

Fattes

Whoever suggested that Kevin Pearce doc thank you! Amazing and powerful,

cormee

Fattes wrote: »

Whoever suggested that Kevin Pearce doc thank you! Amazing and powerful,

Fairly amazing stuff alright. My missus was in a state for two days after watching it.

There's an extended version of the video, of his getting back on the board for the first time since the crash, on YouTube, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9siUCUzANsU -Imagine how he felt on that ride down.

He has some class on the board, even after two years off it.

... equally importantly, what is it about Shaun White that makes him so hateable?

Fattes

equally importantly, what is it about Shaun White that makes him so hateable?

Success, like a lot of other athletes of his type, Woods, Keane, Reich, Vonn are all the same they are insular and focused and people take that as being rude and obnoxious. Some of these athletes are what I like to call compartmentalised Assholes! They are difficult and rude when competing and training but when you meet them outside they are engaging bright and interesting. I include S.White in that last description. Then you have the complete opposites, Like S.Burke, Fedderer, McConkey, Bolt etc

I meet S.Burke once and the piece on her was quite hard to watch, one of the people I ski with was training with her a few days before the accident. It makes it a little closer to home then you would care to admit.

prunudo

Didn't really know what to expect when I sat down to watch The Crash Reel last night. It was a was an amazing and moving insight into Kevin's life pre and post accident. About as close to fly on the wall as could have got. You'd want to be made of stone not to be touched by the story.

bgrove

Just watched crash reel...excellent. After an hour googled his dad, Simon. Found he's a brother to Stephen Pearce the world famous pottery designer from east Cork.