Mathias Mayer himself has said in a press release that it could have been a lot worse, so presumably he thinks the airbag helped him? Perhaps Ted Ligety has an existing hostility to the introduction of airbags. Anyway I'm sure the crash and the effects of the airbag system (positive or negative) will be assessed in detail by the experts.
@Alastair Pink, yes it will be scrutinized I'm sure I didn't know they're even invented for such instances I can see them being used in downhill mountain biking and a whole raft of sports.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
How do they work?
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After all it is free
@rob@rar,
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@meandrew, do they self-inflate on impact? Skier activated? Are they permanently inflated? I've never heard of them bing used in racing. Presumably it is used for spine protection?
Edit: rob@rar the first link above explains in detail how the system works.
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MotoGP and Superbike racers have had race suits with upper body airbags for a few years now. The theory being that the ribs/back/neck/collarbones etc are protected. When they go off, the rider looks like they have been instantly bodybuilding.
I can see the advantage for skiing as the crash profile is similar to bike racing, even if the speeds are not as high. The difference being that bike riders typically have an aerodynamic hump which can contain the mechanism. I assume that the back protector is used for this in skiing.
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.
Dainese say tons of data from racers has let them come up with algorithms that know the difference between the forces and accelerations in racing and those in a crash, if the airbag's software decides it is crashing it inflates. And Ligerty's position on that facebook page looks suspect to me.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
They have been used in motorbike racing for the best part of a decade. You can now buy 'street leathers' with the system built in. I would be very surprised if the air bag caused an injury. It seems the main problem for skiing was to stop them from triggering incorrectly.
Is is a coincidence that Ted Ligety owns ski equipment company Shred and takes to social media to criticize a firm he is competing directly with?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thornyhill wrote:
Is is a coincidence that Ted Ligety owns ski equipment company Shred and takes to social media to criticize a firm he is competing directly with?
You may well think that, I couldn't possibly comment.....
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
You hear the pros and cons in equestrian too. Event readers have been using a system developed from bike riding for about 6 years now. Some say the pop as the airbag goes off spooks the horse and makes the injury much worse but lets be honest, by time the pop goes off your already hitting the deck.
As ever its just like helmets - you'll get those for and against and both parties will think of reasons to support their claims.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
A friend's wife's life was saved by one built in to her riding jacket. As it was her stomach ruptured by she recovered
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?
I thought long and hard about getting one but I knew I'd probably leap off without unclipping and our horses were already flighty- the shock would have messed them up even more.
Reading a media comment about the crash inferred the attending medics activated an airbag system rather than a worn automatic activating airbag system.
Anyone know which is the circumstances in Mayers event?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Nadenoodlee wrote:
I thought long and hard about getting one but I knew I'd probably leap off without unclipping and our horses were already flighty- the shock would have messed them up even more.
haha.As well as the day job I'm a H&S advisor for british eventing, and the stories I can tell you about airbags . In my view they are a great tool, but its the tools using them that we need to worry about
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
big davski wrote:
Reading a media comment about the crash inferred the attending medics activated an airbag system rather than a worn automatic activating airbag system.
Anyone know which is the circumstances in Mayers event?
Yes I saw that media report too. It's my guess it's just inaccurate journalism (who'd have thought it? ) by people unfamiliar with the new skier airbag system. I'm sure Mayer was wearing the Dainese airbag system and it deployed whilst he was in the air tumbling before he hit the ground.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Well put @PaulC1984, and having spent much og a mis spent youth around 1 and 3 day eventing I can think of exactly the types you mean!
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Alastair Pink wrote:
Thornyhill wrote:
Is is a coincidence that Ted Ligety owns ski equipment company Shred and takes to social media to criticize a firm he is competing directly with?
You may well think that, I couldn't possibly comment.....
Agreed Alistair!
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
davkt wrote:
Well put @PaulC1984, and having spent much og a mis spent youth around 1 and 3 day eventing I can think of exactly the types you mean!
haha
And I went into eventing as it wasn't as bad as pony club (but you certainly still get them, which includes the siding mothers sadly!)
And the stroppiest one of all, who do you think?!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@big davski, @Alastair Pink, Matthias Mayer himself as well as Hans Pum, the technical director of the ÖSV, have both said that the airbag activated as it was supposed to and prevented a far worse injury. Ted is bang out of order and slagging off the Dainese system when Shred Optics are working on a rival product is reprehensible. I hope he gets censured by both the FIS and the USSA and that the stupid thread he is using to stir up bad press is pulled ASAP.
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.
Thank you 👍
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Samerberg Sue, I,ve always liked Ted, seemed like a decent sort of guy but this outburst is poor and ill advised at best. He'll be lucky to escape censure at least. Maybe the lack of his own form getting to him a bit? To be blunt he got his a**e handed to him in Alta Badia today?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
update....the ski air bag is not the same as the bike air bag. The prototype was the same and provided excellent thoracic spine protection, but FIS rejected the prototype as a deployed air bag offered an aerodynamic advantage. If Matthias had been wearing the prototype he would probably have walked away uninjured. The approved version is still better than nothing, but FIS need to take a long hard look......why not approve the really good version? If everyone is using it there is no advantage.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Thornyhill, Ah now don't you be getting carried away with that degree of common sense, this is the FIS you know.......
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It's impossible to draw a conclusion from one uncontrolled event. On first viewing the accident didn't look a lot worse than many others we see on the circuit but very bad injuries were sustained. The airbag may have prevented more severe injuries or it could have contributed. It's very difficult to tell. It does seem possible for the airbag to act as something that the spine bent around on impact
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
If your'e going to land on your back at hig speed would you rather have an airbag behind you or one of these?
In eventing you have to wear both! theyve got body protectors made with an airbag built in. Surely skiing can develop something similar (perhaps not so extensive) http://www.point-two.co.uk/
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. In my view they are a great tool, but its the tools using them that we need to worry about 
) by people unfamiliar with the new skier airbag system. I'm sure Mayer was wearing the Dainese airbag system and it deployed whilst he was in the air tumbling before he hit the ground.
