 Poster: A snowHead
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Body armour (in particular back protectors) are a very common sight here in Whistler. Especially at lunchtimes, when the outer jacket/shell comes off, you can see the armour worn beneath.
Mainly on the good park rats, and/or the gnarly freeriders. Not so much on the tourists 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| stoatsbrother wrote: |
| This isn't about a bunch of blokes being macho, it is a serious question. |
Damn right! I wear a full face ALL the time to protect my beautiful facial features. I could walk into a lamp post at any time and split my lip for example. The horror!!!
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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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The only time I don't wear a helmet is on long tours when the extra weight / bulk is just too much. I wear a normal helmet at ALL other times and a full face helmet when charging / hucking. I like my full face helmet, this is it's first season of use and already it has paid off on big stacks. I have previously lost a tooth from a bad fall that a full face would have saved. I probably look like a bit of a whatsit but I don't care because I am very VERY pretty.
FWIW I always wear impact shorts and nearly always have a back protector on too...
And I always where my flouro gum shield when at Apres-Ski, hard to drink beer but I look 'core...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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parlor, what shorts do you wear, i am looking at buying some....
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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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Hi John
Gotta say, I still wouldn't wear a full-face helmet - it wasn't a nice experience (!) but it healed just fine eventually.
For me an open-face helmet is a good balance - non-intrusive and some degree of protection.
My main protective gear is situated inside my helmet 
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Full face problem #1: Traps horizontal tree branches. Need a nose guard attachment from nose bridge to chin for tree skiing. Chin guards mostly designed for vertical gate pole impact.
Full face problem #2: Icing/breath condensation on chin guard. I've come in with 4 inch ice beards before.
Full face problem #3: Hard to get a drink without a drink tube, which means you're drinking slush if #2 is also happening.
Full face problem #4: Twists neck downwards in Superman-style falls. Remedy: visors and shorter chin guards, which of course exacerbate #1, #2, #3
They are also somewhat more difficult to pack.
They do make -great- pillows for road trips, however. Put a well-padded one on and lean against anything for a quick snooze.
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| comprex wrote: |
| Full face problem #1: Traps horizontal tree branches. Need a nose guard attachment from nose bridge to chin for tree skiing. Chin guards mostly designed for vertical gate pole impact. |
I think my definition of full face must be different from yours, full face to me would include covering the area from the nose to chin and quite possible the eyes as well (more like a motorbike helmet for example).
The motorcross style helmet with chin guard but otherwise open faced I wouldn't class as being full face nor an ordinary open helmet with a slalom style chin guard added either.
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Looking at the pics of the full face helmets I can understand why folks feel that they might/do catch on objects with the large area in front of the chin - they are similar in design to the helmets you see kids wearing in cross country cycling or motor bicycle cross. I wonder why they are designed like that. Yes, I can see that they might be more streamlined for racing (and yes I accept the observation that often professional gear is what novice gear is modelled on), but is there a good reason why they are not modelled more on motocycle helmets which fit flusher and smoother to the face around the chin area and to my mind don't represent such a 'catch/twist' hazard, i.e. rather more of the curve of a football than the point of a rugby ball?
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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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| FenlandSkier wrote: |
I think my definition of full face must be different from yours, full face to me would include covering the area from the nose to chin and quite possible the eyes as well (more like a motorbike helmet for example). |
Ah. The earlier link was to the style I described. Could be done, I suppose, though just thinking about the top vent icing up or about getting a drink or doing moguls with this thing has me a bit off put. Never mind the visor replacement cost when it is scratched.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| but is there a good reason why they are not modelled more on motocycle helmets which fit flusher and smoother to the face around the chin area and to my mind don't represent such a 'catch/twist' hazard, i.e. rather more of the curve of a football than the point of a rugby ball? |
Gates (and branches) flex. KA- WAP! owch ooch crash.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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skimottaret, I have some Dianese ones. Coccyx protection is good, although feels a bit strange when you sit down. Also got thick pads over the hip joints for sideways falls (which suits me as I normally twist to fall on my side when I go over - probably something from my parachuting days). Protection around the upper hip bone though is a bit "notional".
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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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I wear the Dianese NextWave back protector & I don't notice it's there at all.
Deb wears their padded shorts/coccyx protector after having two compression fractures last year after falling off a climbing wall.
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GrahamN, spyderjon, Thanks, I will have a look at Dainese. FYI I did some consulting work for this company that provides "soft shell" body armour and may be worth a look
http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.co.uk/
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You know it makes sense.
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skimottaret, I've got ForceField for my top (elbows/shoulder/chest). Fits very nicely, is fairly comfortable (although elbows take a bit of getting used to), and gives you a very nice silhouette  , but is quite hot as it's a solid lycra-style shirt. All my skiing was done this season in a Polartec100 base, that as a mid and then a Goretex outer jacket (ME K2), and I was generally roasting. I think the Dianese shirt is more of a fishnet, so is probably cooler.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
I ski with a couple of dentists and they all wear mouthguards, does seem a bit overkill to me and very annoying when you try talking to them
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Just getting their own back because people try and talk to us all day with their mouths full of dental kit.. Or perhaps they are disciples of Alberto Tomba who credited much of his success to wearing a bite plane to align his TMJs and upper body ( http://www.ski-mastery.com/newsletter8.htm if you don't believe me )
WRT back protection I have an Ortovox Toprider 8.25 rucksack which has the in built spine protection system which is really good
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Poster: A snowHead
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BGA, Mr L fancies one of those - thought I might get him one for his birthday. what are they like to use?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Megamum wrote: |
| I promise this isn't intended as a troll - though it might cause a little debate..........So if someone said that you can't do both, is it more more important to be safe or to look good? |
Depends who you are asking I suspect a Frenchman will always say the latter, me at the top of something dodgy: survival turns only.
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
| Looking at the pics of the full face helmets I can understand why folks feel that they might/do catch on objects with the large area in front of the chin - they are similar in design to the helmets you see kids wearing in cross country cycling or motor bicycle cross? |
Further evidence of your "very clever troll" status : "motor bicycle cross" rather than "motocross"? Very quaint, will you be listening to some 78s on your gramophone later?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Lizzard, very comfy, fits very well, plenty of room in the pack, easy to attach skis to and also has a handy attachment for a drinks tube. Thankfully not really road tested the spine protector yet but it does seem pretty substantial.
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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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BGA, thanks, I'll have a look at that.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think back protectors could be good news. I suffered compression fractures through 3 vertebrae when I fell off a horse and put my back across a tree stump - I've had two kids and have never suffered anything more painful than those fractures - its the only thing I've ever done that left me incapable of doing anything other than scream. I've never got on a horse without one since. It is something I would consider for skiing if I ever reached the stage of wanting/being capable of doing anything dangerous enough to warrant it.
B.t.w. would any of you believe that I had never heard the internet forum defintion of a troll before logging on here and looking it up on google when I saw the term used? 
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Megamum, That's because you've led a very sheltered life- just pulling your leg
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GrahamN, thanks for the report on the armour shirt could see it being a good thing for racing, but i think i will do as BGA, does and rely on my backpack for protecting the back. I did however order some armour plated underpants padded shorts thingys from forcefield... 
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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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skimottaret, I use a Forcefield back protector for both skiing and motorcycling. You don't really notice it's there.
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Interesting thread. The main problem I can see with full face helmets is the increased potential for goggles steaming up. I wear a full face for mountain biking, where I perceive a higher risk. I fall more often off the bike, the ground looks harder and falling off the bike is a lot more unpredictable eg over the bars, high siding etc, etc. I also wear arm and knee pads biking for much the same reasons. For skiing I wear an open face helmet, which I prefer to a hat anyway.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
fall more often off the bike, the ground looks harder
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Add those pointy rocks that are no longer covered up by snow...
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FAQ
