oh god what have I done!!!

A snowHead

So coming back to this with my own view.

Lets start with the basic stuff.

Was the helmet comfortable -yes very.

Did i like the visor option - yes, I found it easy, didn't fog up, didn't restrict my already restricted nasal passages as google do. I like the ability to flick the visor up either mid lift of even mid ski if I felt like it.

Did a helmet make me more reckless - I don't think so in anyway.

Other stuff.

It was an extra think to carry/look after but not big deal as I tended to just wear it unless sat in a bar/restaurant.

Folks often comment about how many times they get hit by safety bars on chair lifts, skis, ski poles etc. I can honestly say that I don't ever recall having my beanie bonced head ever hit by any of those in the preceding 20 years of skiing. Yet I was constantly clonking the bar on my helmet ensconced head. So my view on this is that it's the helmet that is the issues. This could be down to not being used to the increased volume of said head/helmet, it could be restricted peripheral vision or a bit of both.

There was a bit of reduced peripheral vision, but I would guess little difference to just wearing a pair of goggles on their own.

In short, I would quite happily continue to wear the helmet visor combo, whilst I don't feel that I actually need to. I'd go slightly further to say I can't see any reason for not wearing one.

It leaves me a little confused.

I don't see based on my experience of 20 years or so of skiing that it is needed, but having spent a few days with one I can't find a real reason not to wear one so will probably continue, but would I ski without one, yes quite happily, if only to stop being bashed by chairlift safety bars.

Sorry if that's not a conclusive position for those who evangelise helmets and those who don't.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I picked up a CEBE Fireball for £90 on amazon that came with 2x visors.
I actually got one because it gave me more peripheral vision than my goggles did! + I could never find a goggle/helmet combination that was comfortable.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

After using my visored helmet for a week in Are, here are my thoughts.

I was worried that my helmet would be too hot, and yes I did sweat in it, but as we were skiing in up to -16C I was glad I had it.

It was easy to flip up one handed either on the piste or on the chairlift.

it wasn't too tight on my nasal passages as most googles are (for me). I have found that the Oakley Crowbar goggles work well for me even though they are still a bit snug below the bridge of my nose, but these cost more than my new integrated helmet.

The peripheral vision was better (in my opinion) than goggles, a wider field of view.

Problems I had; - the visor was only cat 2-3, and as it was very flat light on most days in Are then it wasn't as good as it could be and I found myself lifting the lens to see the snow better.

When the lens was up, due to low light conditions, it was resting above the vents, and they fogged up, and while they were easy to clear again, I think this is a design fault.

The makers sell a cat 1-3 lens and I think I'll be buying one in Les Gets (£80) which will remove both of these problems.

Overall, there is not a massive difference in using an integrated helmet and wearing separate goggles and helmet, but there are marginal benefits, so I'll keep wearing mine.

I'm off to Les Gets next week, so will give a further update after using it there in (hopefully) different conditions.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Reasons not to:

1) £££££ - not a good enough in it's own right. But if you are not sure why you need something or whether you need it - then the money argument wins. A secondary here is could the money be better spent elsewhere - are there other safety related items more worthy of the money. As a random example winter tyres or better insurance.

2) Experience and evidence - if you have skied for 20 years and not been concussed or worse, why can't you do another 20/40? If you bought a helmet after many years skiing and then find it saves your bonce on a regular basis - under whatever circumstances. What does that tell you.

TBH, I think I would be in the same boat as yourself. If someone gave me one I'd probably not find a good reason not to wear it. That doesn't make it right wink

You'll need to Register first of course.

quick pic to show the difference between my wife's "most expensive helmet ever" and my cheapo one.

Her's have a much wide field of vision (in my view).

She bought her's last year, after 40 years of not wearing a helmet, partly due to peer pressure, but also after a friend was wiped out on the slopes and lost her memory for six months.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@Sack the Juggler, that's your mrs? I'd spend the money protecting that pretty face too. Very Happy

I expect some people here have wives who look like they've already crashed head first into a few too many trees so the helmet doesn't seem so vital Toofy Grin

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