 Poster: A snowHead
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Finding them uncomfortable is just a matter of getting used to them. I found ski goggles a restrictive pain in the ass to begin with but you just get on with it, then it starts to feel natural.
Personally I used to do a lot of MTB'ing (where riding with a helmet is simply the done thing). When I started skiing I found it weird going fast down a hill without a helmet, so I bought one.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The amount of spurious guff people will come out with to justify their original position with never fails to astound me.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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jedster, I've no particular feelings either way on bike or ski helmets, as I think the case for both is unproven (which is why I domobject to the idea that compulsion is the way forward, not that anyone here is suggesting that - although the "you're an idiot if you don't" approach is also pretty irksome, more prevalent in cycling than skiing).
I do find the debate fascinating though, and there must be some reason why there are so many more anecdotes from people who believe they have avoided injury through wearing a lid than people who have suffered from not (maybe they're all dead?).
I cycle between 2,000 and 4,000 miles a year and I've never fallen off my bike (apart from the obligatory topple over at traffic lights when first using clipless pedals), so I have no way of saying whether I've avoided injury through not wearing or wearing a helmet - but your examples do sound like the sort of impact that a bike helmet is designed for - and that it's worked as designed, and you do seem extraordinarily unlucky to have had two of those sort of falls!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| allanm wrote: |
| Cptsideways, You say coming together with a boarder caused the accident, then you go on about skiing trees, steeps.. the lot.. and then say piste can be far more dangerous.. I'm not seeing the connections? |
There are two risk elements - the ones I make skiing in the rough stuff, which would appear the obviously dangerous ones. Then there is the safe piste - or not as the case may be, this side is often out of your control as you rely on others for your safety.
Personally I've seen way more accidents on piste than off & some very nasty ones at that. I used to mountain bike professionally & have broken more helmets than I can remember, suffered concussion countless times, helmets saved my bacon for sure & I don't see the risk any different to skiing if I'm honest.
Each to his own though, just don't expect any sympathy if your not wearing one!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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andy,
As for being unlucky, I agree! The first one I thought was a total freak incident. Then it happened again a year later...
I do think these incidents are rare but you do find that chatting in a group of regular cyclists or motorcylists, generally one or two people will have had a front-wheel diesel disaster at some point. The scary thing is that there is sod all that you can do about it.
BTW I cycle about 4000 miles a year in all weather short of snow on the road. I've been doing that for 6 years and have hit the ground 5 times. Of the other three, one involved nudge from a car, the other two were rear wheel slides (pilot error in slippy conditions) - no impact to head or helmet.
j
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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queen bodecia, As Reecie says I went through the whole ski shop's choice of helmets before I realised that Alpina were the only ones that seemed to fit me properly. Initially I was disappointed as I liked the Rossignol and Scott helmets from a fashion perspective but as with boots you should go with the best fit. Some of the helmets felt I had a bowl on my head, with lots of space around the sides.
I didn't try any on before going this year as I only decided to buy when I was in resort (Arabba) but I know Alpina is not that common in UK ski shops but is available on line. The actual price was comparable to UK prices and the shop were really, really helpful. As my wife and I both bought a helmet I thought I'd ask for discount and was surprised when they knocked 20% off the total price. I also felt quite good that I was putting something back into their local economy (it was a small local ski shop), as I was told frequently this year how the resort was feeling the economic pinch. I suppose I should be advocating spending in the UK though 
The main reason we bought was that we noticed an increasing number of other skiers were wearing helmets, so was actually more concerned about being hit by some out of control skier who was wearing a helmet, rather than us hitting a stationary object. We both ski cautiously and on piste.
On the plus side, I found the helmet to provide a better temperature for my head, as I get too hot in a beanie or hat. I was also surprised that I could still hear nearly as well as without the helmet. From a vanity perspective I also look less crap in a helmet than a hat
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
However i don't think anyone on this thread has personally had a serious head injury. Not sure if that's significant, but it mirrors exactly virtually every debate I've seen on cycling helmet use - loads of anecdotal evidence of damaged helmets and almost nobody with experience of serious head injuries.
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This is just more anecdotal evidence from the perspective of someone on the other side of the debate. How many people who have suffered a really serious head injury are even capable of contributing to a thread like this? You could say that the loads of anecodotal evidence of damaged helmets is simply an indication of their effectiveness. Just depends on what you want to believe in order to justify your own choice. I don't think there is a definitive answer, but I'd personally prefer to be wearing a helmet if I was unfortunate enough to bang my head.
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if you wear googles you look like a total tool without a helmet
Since when?
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i can't believe more people don't know this. It is accepted wisdom surely? Anyone?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
The main reason we bought was that we noticed an increasing number of other skiers were wearing helmets, so was actually more concerned about being hit by some out of control skier who was wearing a helmet
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I know that seems like a good argument - it's intuitive - but I am confident it is better to be hit in the head by a helmeted head than a naked head. Why? Helmets work by the foam compressing and absorbing energy - this will reduced the impact on BOTH heads relative to an unhelmeted collision.
I'm not saying you are wrong to wear a helmet just that helmeted people are not more dangerous than unhelmeted people.
J
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[quote="jedster"]
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I'm not saying you are wrong to wear a helmet just that helmeted people are not more dangerous than unhelmeted people.
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Unless you fit a few spikes on your helmet to spear out of control boarders.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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jedster, I think you're probably correct and it was based more on perception rather than fact. I do like the helmet for the right level of warmth it provides though. I'm also thinking of getting a HD video cam, which a helmet makes a good mount point for
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Unless you fit a few spikes on your helmet to spear out of control boarders.
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No need - I carry a lance for those duties.
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