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So, if I get a helmet: Features? Where to buy? How much do u need to pay?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I am beginning to be convinced, though when I had to wear one for lessons at Xscape I didn't like it at all; it wasn't really uncomfortable, but made me feel far less aware of what was going on around me and it got hot & itchy inside an hour. Also I am going away with a group of seasoned skiers who probably would never contemplate wearing one, & I don't relish the comments! One did a moguls session at Xscape and moaned about having to wear one "like a **** beginner". THink the perception is they are for kids & beginners (because those are the groups Xscape insist have them) or for racers/freestylers. Being the novice in the group of course it is NOT my place to preach safety (or anything else) to them!

So, what features are worth seeking? Does the "ventilation" adjustable or not, actually work? Does it make you feel less shut in? Can you hear through the fancy ear pads some seem to have? The Xscape helmet sides came down over my ears which was not so good. How tight a fit is right?

I have googled around, and there are precious few choices of retailers within striking distance really. EB at Castleford, S&R in Sheffield, both of whom I suspect might be the pricy option. People have mentioned Lidl, but do you have to catch theirs on a the specific few days they stock them as "specials"? Is it worth trying to source through Ebay - is there much difference in fit or do all of the same size fit the same pretty much? Or is it worth waiting till in resort (though that is half term so will be busy & I don't think Vallandry's big enough to have a lot of shops for choice).

Price-wise I don't want to pay over the odds. Yes, there is the argument about what price safety, but I am sure that cheaper ones are just as good actually and some manufacturers are making a bit too much profit on them! Have always thought making massive profits on safety items is immoral, but there we are.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
NewSkier, There's nothing wrong with the idea that you need a helmet - I wear one, and you're at my level - I'm glad you've chosen to do so. I'm in a £15 ebay job - I meaured my head and bought the appropriate size - it came with foamy bits that you stuck in where you needed to get a good fit. On mine the actual hard outer shell doesn't cover my ears but a light weight foamy loop covered with fabric comes around the base of the ear with the fabric stretched across the hole that is then made around the ear. This means I can hear quite well and it really keeps you ears warm. There's pictures of my one in the media zone. Mine has the appropriate EC rating and as far as I know if they have this and they fit then they are fine - so if a cheap one fits and you are happy with the look of it then there is nothing wrong with that.

Bargain boards have a nice £45 one for £19.99 at the moment - is in their offers on the left of the screen - www.bargainboards.co.uk
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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?
NewSkier. I tried on a lot of helmets, at Snow and Rock, before buying a Giro. I find the ventilation - adjustable - works fine and I wouldn't want to be without it. My ear pieces are removeable, which I like, though I usually wear them even when it's warm, because they provide my music (let's not have another argument about that, folks!). They need to fit really snugly. The guy in S & R, who was very helpful, said that when you stick it on, without the strap, and wobble it back and forth with your hands, it should move the skin on your forehead and your eyebrows too - if not, it's too loose. But I have plenty of room for a silk balaclava on cold days. If you have goggles you really like, take them too - not all goggles are compatible with all helmets, some clash at the forehead.

One of the many nice things about growing older is that one becomes less susceptible to peer pressure... Your fellow travellers might notice a lot more people wearing helmets this year, not all of them ******* beginners by any means, but I'm sure you're right about not preaching safety to them!

There are some super light helmets at super high prices. My Giro was about £85 I think. There are cheaper ones, but I didn't like them for various reasons. I found that our local ski shops in a small French resorts had a very limited stock - I think you're sensible to look here.
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NewSkier, I got mine free with FallLine magazine. Good fit, never too hot or too cold. I like the removable ear flaps. I have skied in minus 25 when it was warm enough, and +15 when it wasn't too hot as long as I kept moving. Low tech, and at £20 it made great sense. In the suitcase it protects goggles and other fragile things, and it saves me from my other failing of ghastly comedy ski hats Shocked

Its a good idea to try some on for fit. I recon I was just lucky.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Another vote for the giro fuse.
Excellent range of adjustable ventilation.
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NewSkier wrote:
... I am going away with a group of seasoned skiers who probably would never contemplate wearing one, & I don't relish the comments! One did a moguls session at Xscape and moaned about having to wear one "like a **** beginner". THink the perception is they are for kids & beginners ...


I'd say that the majority of helmet-wearers I see around Les Arcs are the better skiers. I'd be amused if someone called me a **** beginner just because they saw me wearing a helmet Smile
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
NewSkier, Comfort is the only thing you need to worry about. Don't worry too much about it being hot at XScape as this isn't alpine conditions which are colder and windier.
Helmets are cool plain and simple, those who think otherwise are not cool! I have 0 ventilation in my helmet and I do not find it a problem yes occasionally it is a bit itchy but none more than wearing a beanie. So go buy one you think looks cool is in your price budget but more importantly fits like a glove
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
rob@rar, wrote:
Quote:

I'd say that the majority of helmet-wearers I see around Les Arcs are the better skiers.
I'd say the same - the helmet wearers, apart from all us elderly Snowheads taking them up, are mostly the young and hard, amongst both skiers and boarders. There are always some ageing hippies, of course, long hair flying free around the bald spots....
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Helmets are cheap in the supermarkets and worn by young and old at the local places. I even remember seeing instructors wearing them.

Mine is pretty unsophisticated but rarely too hot. Mostly it negates the need for a hat and a scarf, stops my goggles from fogging up when I push them onto my forehead and serves as a great receptacle for goggles and gloves in restaurants, preventing that didn't-notice-my-glove-fall-off-the-table-and sit-in-a-puddle-of-water feeling. You get used to the change of hearing so for me there just aren't any down sides.
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NewSkier, But try it before you buy it as some makes fit some people and not others.
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Couple from me.

Just bought a new helmet and had tried on about 10 before I found the right fit (very patient shop assistant Confused Laughing ) Just checked and it is a Giro

Bring your googles (wife bought new helmet, got home googles did not fit, another £45 please Mad Laughing )

Sadly I have one cold point. My forehead. If there is a cold wind blowing and that is exposed then I get headaches. Sad but true. Make sure your googles are a tight fit to the rim of your helmet. The wifes new helmet had an additional piece of cloth to cover any gap here.

Lastly check for adjustable air vents and removable ear flps. Don't know how anyone could but a full ear covering helmet. Need the ability to remove my flaps Blush .
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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.
rob@rar wrote:
I'd say that the majority of helmet-wearers I see around Les Arcs are the better skiers.


We aim as a group of 4 to address that imbalance shortly wink Laughing
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 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
Thanks all!

Someone has suggested to me that I try Decathlon for good prices - is their stuff reasonable quality?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
NewSkier wrote:
Someone has suggested to me that I try Decathlon for good prices - is their stuff reasonable quality?

Yes, normally very good value for money.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
rob@rar, thanks = just found their website & they have 2 makes of helmet I've never heard of: Quechua and Wed'Ze - good prices certainly. http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/ski-snowboard-helmets-9867177/
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
NewSkier, both those are Decathlon's own brands.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
nessy wrote:
Helmets are cheap in the supermarkets and worn by young and old at the local places. I even remember seeing instructors wearing them.


Many of the instructors in Wengen wear helmets on the piste. Among other reasons its a good example.
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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?
NewSkier, They do a marvellous orange one there!! If I got to a branch I probably have one if it fitted!!
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Megamum, Do you know I thought of you when I saw that one Wink

Wonder what colour I should consider? I have a nice new red jacket with 2 small orange strips on it! Black salopettes, white boots and "blue" skis (but that's the grade of them not their hue Laughing ) Am thinking boring black or white to be honest, but part of me quite likes the white one with pretty patterns on Toofy Grin
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've really noticed a lot more people wearing helmets now and it does make sense. I think I'm going to invest in one for my next holiday. I saw quite a nasty collision last week where a guy briefly knocked himself out on hard-packed snow, and I began to think a helmet was a really good idea..

Apparently in one of the shops in (Courchevel I think?) there is a helmet on the wall with a huge dent in it where a guy somehow went off a cliff and hit his head on a rock and it saved his life.
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I didnt read all the replies sorry but,
helmets are life savers, for experts and beginners, not having one is stupid really
nowdays, they are very lightweight, and comfortable
one word of caution, avoid helmets with ventilation directly above the forehead, as if you ever raise you goggles, the steam of your head fogs out your goggles, get a helmet with ventilation on sides at front and on top at back
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wbsr, good point about the vents, thanks for that.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
NewSkier, we use helmets. We looked at all the helmets in EB at the Snowdome, but didn't like the removeable ear pieces - thought they looked very fiddly and kept falling off when we tried to put the display helmets on. Plus we wanted race helmets where you could fit a chin/face guard. Ended up with Alpina helmets bought online and they are extremely good. I don't find them too hot, and they keep your head quite warm in cold conditions. Adjustable to some extent a bit like a bicycle helmet.

Very light, very comfortable, would feel odd if I didn't wear one now. Ours are both dark metallic blue with a silver stripe (no choice over colour).
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I bought a helmet one week into my two week holiday in Banff earlier this year went for a powder blue smith one which is very comfy the next day I got hit on the head by a tree branch just lightly skiing in the trees ......... BUT on the last day I was in sunshine skiing the blue world cup downhill it was snowing and I must have caught a edge wrong and I had my biggest wipe out of the holiday banged my head and jarred my neck and I dont think I would have been getting on a plane a couple of hours later if it hadnt been for the helmet !!

I think you look cooler with a helmet than without !
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Hi, sorry for a bit of a thread hi-jack, but I've been thinking of a helmet for this season, but can't decide whether it is best to buy over here (Ellis Brigham in Glasgow X-scape) or in France when I am over (Chamonix & Val D'saire), anyone got ideas re costs/range here versus in the resorts?

I take it the brands are roughly the same in both countries (got a bit of a thing for a Dainese Fun not tried one on yet, but am a fan of the brand from my bike racing days and trust them (the cool looks help too))

Cheers, C
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I'd go Giro Fuse aswell-the speakers in teh earphones are great aswell for music/taking calls if need be!
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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.
Giro 9.9 for me and Boywonder, Giro Fuse for Kitty. The different models in the Giro range have different head shapes, so it's worth trying a few different models on to get the one with the best fit.
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 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
for general use get one with adjustable vents. I am starting to like wearing my Giro 10 ..
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I always wear one, I wouldn't like to ski without it - it's made by salomon, http://www.landausports.co.uk/Range/id/ski%20dept/brand/helmets/sib/unisex The lighter ones are a different class to the heavy, smelly ski school lids Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I recently bought a UVEX x-ride motion in austria for 80 euros. I'm very happy with the fit and the adjustable ventilation. I also noticed a lot more people wearing helmets this year, including all the instructors we had.

http://www.uvex-sports.de/uvex/sports/de/de/home.nsf/?Open&DirectURL=94852989DC6DF6EAC125731E00373B17
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
A vote for the R.E.D trace lid from me.

Great value at £45 from brighams.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
helmet instructions generally warn against stickers; but would a snowheads sticker do any violence to the helmet's properties??
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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?
Bought a Giro G10 from Severnsports yesterday. Looking forward to trying it mid January for my short break snowHead

Severn Sports had a far greater range of helmets (and sizes in stock) than EB at Castleford. I use severnsports crossgates, Leeds store (never been to their Armley, Leeds Store).
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http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=778852&highlight=snowheads+sticker+helmet#778852

pam w, The above thread dealt with this very issue IIRC
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Megamum, thanks, so I see - I don't usually look in the apres zone. I think I'll live dangerously and stick one on.
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Bought ourselves Giro's in resort this week.
Giro 10 for me, matching the son's who started wearing one at 17 voluntarily, only mine is the girly version with dark pink straps. Giro Fuse for the man, slightly different head shape.
Have found it to be more comfortable than my hat! And it stays on when I fall over, unlike the hat.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I do think that all these folks buying helmets sounds like a good thing - I hope that all the discussions that we've had have been instrumental in some of these decisions - who knows we may have actually saved lives in the coming season Very Happy Very Happy
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