Pack a helmet or carry on?

changepartners

Any advice on if I should put my helmet in my luggage? I usually bring my cycling helmet as hand luggage but the ski one is a bit bulky.

hawkwind23

I cram gloves and socks and anything else that fits in it and stick in the luggage.
Suppose you could wear it with GoPro attached and freak the airline staff out

AlternateID

If there's room pack it. I fill it with goggles, lens, hat, socks, whatever. If it's a weight issue take something else out. Helmet weighs nothing. There's nothing I hate more than the tosser who constantly hits everyone with the helmet as if it's not his fault as it's attached to his pack.

Actually it's the really impatient people in airports that annoy me the most.

cormee

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Suppose you could wear it with GoPro attached and freak the airline staff out

Or, wear the helmet, put the camera on a selfie pole and get your mates to play some dubstep music while you spin down the gangway towards the door of the plane.

(don't forget the timelapse footage of your drive to the airport)

mrolaf

Carry it on as it could get damaged and then it is ineffective

hawkwind23

Yes the drive to airport with shots of interior of car followed by selfie stick outside of car and getting luggage from boot and walk to get tickets.
Also the monotonous journey from the ticket desk to the plane should be included with some selfie stick action to show lots of smiling on the way, it is allowed to speed this up near the end in most cases.

neilthefunkeone

Usually jsut clip it to my carry on like so..



Then proceed to hit as many people with it as possible!!!

CardinalJ

I pack mine. Have a foam roller stuck in it and it's surrounded by a load of other stuff.

olaola

I pack mine and put any fragile items in it - sunglasses etc.

G2DG

As someone with only a week of skiing done (without a helmet) I'm guessing the next time I go it would be a good idea to have it. Just because I reckon I will be moving with a little more pace. At what stage should you really start wearing it. On red runs or just for black runs or what. I know it's not as simple as that but generally whats recommended?

Also if I did need one and looking at the price of renting them it looks like if you were going to be skiing once or twice a year for a few years, it would be better to buy one. So what is best? Stay away from all second hand ones or pick up a second hand one? What brands are best / worst or is it very much your own preference?

man_no_plan

G2DG wrote: »

As someone with only a week of skiing done (without a helmet) I'm guessing the next time I go it would be a good idea to have it. Just because I reckon I will be moving with a little more pace. At what stage should you really start wearing it. On red runs or just for black runs or what. I know it's not as simple as that but generally whats recommended?

Also if I did need one and looking at the price of renting them it looks like if you were going to be skiing once or twice a year for a few years, it would be better to buy one. So what is best? Stay away from all second hand ones or pick up a second hand one? What brands are best / worst or is it very much your own preference?

I always wear mine, all the time, wouldn't get on skis without it even on the dry slope in kiltiernan. Its like driving with a seatbelt for me I think it would feel weird without it.

For the price of them id get a new one, you wouldn't know what kind of knocking a second hand one had taken.

CardinalJ

G2DG wrote: »

As someone with only a week of skiing done (without a helmet) I'm guessing the next time I go it would be a good idea to have it. Just because I reckon I will be moving with a little more pace. At what stage should you really start wearing it. On red runs or just for black runs or what. I know it's not as simple as that but generally whats recommended?

Also if I did need one and looking at the price of renting them it looks like if you were going to be skiing once or twice a year for a few years, it would be better to buy one. So what is best? Stay away from all second hand ones or pick up a second hand one? What brands are best / worst or is it very much your own preference?

I ski a 2/3 times a year and I wear mine for every run. Falling on your helmet would also be wildly uncomfortable I'd imagine.

MadsL

G2DG wrote: »

At what stage should you really start wearing it.

Look down.
Is there white stuff under your skis.
If YES - wear a helmet.

I bought mine after I saw a guy being put into an ambulance. He was standing still apparently on a flat piece of forest road, he somehow got his skis tangled up and fell over backwards, onto a lump of ice. Stone dead.

I forgot my helmet today (actually left in the pickup truck of my ski buddy) I'm a very confident skier, but I went straight to the rental shop. I'd rather ski without gloves than without a helmet.

G2DG

That's fair enough. I'd say it's like the helmet in hurling or gum shields in football. Once you get used to it you don't feel right without it.

Hopefully I'll get a kids one somewhere. I've a small head, use a kids hurling helmet and wear kids glasses!!

hawkwind23

2nd ski trip , lost control and took a tumble , hit the ice with my head and blacked out
Bought my own helmet and use it every run

Jawgap

I carry mine - just so I can be sure it isn't bashed by the luggage handlers.

I don't ski that often (once per year usually) but I bought my own a few years ago instead of renting for the same reason - so I know it's history exactly.

I also wear it all the time on the slopes - whatever about falling there's always the risk someone is going to slam into you.

d2ww

I fully agree with the others, you're going to be wearing a hat anyway, it may as well be a helmet keeping your ears warm!
Unfortunately, you missed the LIdl/Aldi ski sales. They had helmets for about €20. I have a Lidl one for several years now and it's grand, they all have to pass the same IS standards, however if you want you want to spend €120 on one I'm sure there are shops around which will oblige.
ps. If you're in south dublin/wicklow area, I have an unused Aldi one(still has tag on) in size medium that you can have for free. It is in an offwhite shade however.
pm me if you're interested.

G2DG

d2ww wrote: »

I fully agree with the others, you're going to be wearing a hat anyway, it mayf as well be a helmet keeping your ears warm!
Unfortunately, you missed the LIdl/Aldi ski sales.

I was standing holding them before Xmas and all!!!

d2ww wrote: »

ps. If you're in south dublin/wicklow area, I have an unused Aldi one(still has tag on) in size medium that you can have for free. It is in an offwhite shade however.
pm me if you're interested.

Thanks very much that's fierce sound but I'm not around there that often. Born and bread in the midlands hence my healthy 'sure what what would you need a helmet for anyway!' Disposition. Also As mentioned I have an unusually small head so I'd say it will have to be small. I'll have a look for the sewing kit to get a measurement!!!

hawkwind23

Maybe worth a trip up north?
Decathlon will stock you up with loads of gear cheap , sale on too!
loads of helmets for around £20

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-10851-ski-and-snowboard

MadsL

Actually thinking about upgrading mine - my home hill is below the tree line, heard some stories about tree strikes.

AlternateID

MadsL wrote: »

Actually thinking about upgrading mine - my home hill is below the tree line, heard some stories about tree strikes.

There was one last Wednesday.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/01/local-skier-dies-in-ski-accident-at-snowbird

MadsL

Johanson was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

RIP. Tragic.

Makes you wonder what other protection to wear, I wear helmet + crash pants, and I've been thinking for years to add a spine protector.

Fattes

Helmeted are a personal choice, I wear one, I would recommend others do but you are all adults!

Also wear back protector, but considering my average speeds and what I do it makes sense, hucking. Cliffs without something on your back makes no sense

As for transporting the I would keep it in hand luggage you can put it on as a hat if they hassle you! At least then you know what is happening it in transport

AlternateID

MadsL wrote: »

RIP. Tragic.

Makes you wonder what other protection to wear, I wear helmet + crash pants, and I've been thinking for years to add a spine protector.

A helmet is a very light and simple piece of equipement that dissipates the impact. Basically we're talking about the head impacting the ground. The thing is he hit a tree(s). There's no details so we'll probably never know what really happened but you could speculate that he had a collapsed lung or worse. It really is tragic news as it's reported he skiied up to 100 days a season and was very good.

This is a no helmet story.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2567614/British-skier-23-killed-smashing-head-against-snow-cannon-Austria-telling-mother-didnt-want-wear-helmet.html

It's the daily mail so most of it is probably made up and miss quoted if quoted at all.

End of the day it took me a few trips too before I got a helmet. A few concussions and finally a trip off a cat track into the trees convinced me. Now I only take it off in the restaurant.

MadsL

I predict a time when a domino effect of resorts will start making lids compulsory.

It's funny though seeing the safety difference between resorts, I was at Ruidoso over Xmas and they were religiously checking for leashes on snowboards, Sante Fe I have never seen checking anything like that.

cormee

MadsL wrote: »

I predict a time when a domino effect of resorts will start making lids compulsory.

It's funny though seeing the safety difference between resorts, I was at Ruidoso over Xmas and they were religiously checking for leashes on snowboards, Sante Fe I have never seen checking anything like that.

Strange rule. I've been snowboarding well over a decade now and I've never seen, nor never had, a snowboard become detached.

man_no_plan

MadsL wrote: »

I predict a time when a domino effect of resorts will start making lids compulsory.

It's funny though seeing the safety difference between resorts, I was at Ruidoso over Xmas and they were religiously checking for leashes on snowboards, Sante Fe I have never seen checking anything like that.

Helmets are mandatory for u14 in Italy. I bring a school group every year, they're older than 14 but my rule is no helmet no ski.

I'm not sore of they will ever become completely compulsory for adults. I suspect that like drivers nowadays seatbelt wearing is largely automatic. Kids brought up wearing helmets will probably continue to wear them.

There's nothing uncool about it, all the racers etc wear them its not a hard sell.

Fattes

Austria and Italy both have compulsory Helmet rules for U16 an U14 respectively, Some N.American resorts have the same. The funny thing is the Italian and Austrian rules were brought in based on accidents involving adults You have to wonder!

I dont think you will ever see the day they are compulsory, but have a look at your insurance policy! Some travel insurance policies do not cover you if you are not wearing one!

Rew

AlternateID wrote: »

There was one last Wednesday.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/01/local-skier-dies-in-ski-accident-at-snowbird

Id be reading between the lines that he died from something other then the crash but I could be wrong.

Took a fall and smacked the back of my head hard enough to knock the gopro mem card out and give me a head ache, I was very glad of the helmet.

granty1987

Repeating others now, but I think its possibly more important for beginners to wear it than advanced skiiers/boarders.

Higher percentage of falls, yes they are at a slower speed but as others have mentioned, it is irrelevant to a large degree the speed you fall at as you can nut your head off anything standing still or on a nursery slope. Didn't that happen to Liam Neesons wife?

Fattes

granty1987 wrote: »

Repeating others now, but I think its possibly more important for beginners to wear it than advanced skiiers/boarders.

Higher percentage of falls, yes they are at a slower speed but as others have mentioned, it is irrelevant to a large degree the speed you fall at as you can nut your head off anything standing still or on a nursery slope. Didn't that happen to Liam Neesons wife?

Natasha Richardson is an odd one, she refused medical treatment twice after the accident.

As a beginner helmets are more useful for stray skis and bumps from anything else

man_no_plan

Fattes wrote: »

Natasha Richardson is an odd one, she refused medical treatment twice after the accident.

As a beginner helmets are more useful for stray skis and bumps from anything else

Yeah or some ape who thinks they can ski mowing you out of it while bolting through the beginner slopes showing off.

MadsL

man_no_plan wrote: »

Yeah or some ape who thinks they can ski mowing you out of it while bolting through the beginner slopes showing off.

First run a couple of days ago - I'm cruising at about 30-35 mph when guy passes me at speed in a flying wedge: downhill ski flat straight down the fall line and the uphill ski doing f'all. Utterly out of control.

I try to catch up with him but he simply has the weight advantage, about 240 lbs+ compared to my slight 157 lbs. By the time I get to him he has wiped out, yard sale all over the piste and there's four of us lined up to chew him out.

I swear if he'd hit a kid I'd have hit him with his own skis.

Senecio

granty1987 wrote: »

Repeating others now, but I think its possibly more important for beginners to wear it than advanced skiiers/boarders.

I would argue that wearing a helmet or not has nothing to do with your own ability. Beginner, intermediate or advanced the real issue is that you can't control the actions of every other rider on the piste.

cormee

MadsL wrote: »

First run a couple of days ago - I'm cruising at about 30-35 mph when guy passes me at speed in a flying wedge: downhill ski flat straight down the fall line and the uphill ski doing f'all. Utterly out of control.

I try to catch up with him but he simply has the weight advantage, about 240 lbs+ compared to my slight 157 lbs. By the time I get to him he has wiped out, yard sale all over the piste and there's four of us lined up to chew him out.

I swear if he'd hit a kid I'd have hit him with his own skis.

"Yard sale" I'll be using that at the next available opportunity.

Sounds like he was skiing beyond his ability and couldn't stop.

Something like that happened me last year, I was going down a black, decided to take a rest halfway down, so I pulled over to the edge of the slope beside a marker and sat down. Next thing I know there was noise and a flash of light. Some great big clown, boarding beyond his ability lost control and used me to come to a stop. Luckily I was about the same size as him, and he hit me flat on my back, because if I'd been smaller, or if he'd hit me at an angle, her could have done some very very serious damage.

I didn't even know where to start giving out to him.

borderlinemeath

Very first ski trip I was on back in the 90s, one of our group was knocked over by an out of control novice on a red slope. She had to be airlifted to hospital then airlifted home for major surgery. The novice ski pole hit her face and punctured through her cheek. She lost part of her jaw and some teeth and has permanent nerve damage. She wasn't wearing a helmet but if she was the damage wouldn't have been anything like it was.:(

dzer2

cormee wrote: »

Strange rule. I've been snowboarding well over a decade now and I've never seen, nor never had, a snowboard become detached.

Hi Cormee,

Actually seen it in Kitzbuhel this yr. Snowboard flying down slope and hammered into the safety net. Watched for someone to collect it eventually a slob being nice arrives down for it.
My friend came this yr and we were standing deciding which lift to take when he fell over. I asked was he alright after he got up. He says yes. We get on the lift and off we go ski down the next run I and see he is slightly pale and repeating himself a lot. So I contact the medics. Mild concussion 2 days in hospital. He was wearing a helmet.
Talking to the medics afterwards and they say the low pace falls are nearly the worst as if you are unable to protect your fall. If you are going at pace its more likely to be an arm or a joint that takes the brunt of the injuries

MadsL

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Very first ski trip I was on back in the 90s, one of our group was knocked over by an out of control novice on a red slope. She had to be airlifted to hospital then airlifted home for major surgery. The novice ski pole hit her face and punctured through her cheek. She lost part of her jaw and some teeth and has permanent nerve damage. She wasn't wearing a helmet but if she was the damage wouldn't have been anything like it was.:(

Wince....