Helmet - to wear or not to wear (it's not a wind-up!)

A snowHead

Hoping to ski in Europe this year (probably Alpe D'Huez, but could be elsewhere). Intermediate, Staying on the piste.

I have been toying with the idea of hiring a helmet. Even more inclined to hire one if going somewhere with pesky trees.

Anyone with experience of going from non-wearing to wearing?

In relation to other sports, I will not ride a bike without a helment, but cannot stand keeping wicket with one on (cannot see zip).

Cheers

Dobby

A snowHead

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

I came around to the helmet way of thinking a few years ago and haven't looked back.

It's nearly as light as a hat and keeps my goggles on my head.

When I've skied without it I don't just worry about the rocks or trees I'm going to hit my head on, but which fool is going to try and attack me from the back.

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Bode Swiller, +1

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I don't know about the various brand names and the qualities of each but Lidls @19.99 is in my opinion a good buy. You can try before you buy and you will have a good idea whether it is suitable for you or not. I think at that price you can't go wrong.

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I always wear one when cycling and couldn't justify doing that and not using one skiing. It's not trees, rocks and the ground I worry about but head clashes with other skiers. I've seen and HEARD a few and don't fancy it.

I spent a long time trying on different ones untill I found a good fit. I know from cycling that my head isn't the same shape as most. Many helmets are either a sloppy fit side to side on my head or very tight front to rear. As soon as I found one that fitted I bought it and have worn it ever since. It's comfy, warm and my goggles steam up less.

Only problem with trying a hire helmet is getting a good fit.

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

interesting this one...in all the time i've skied apart from a couple of times between gates i've never worn one. As a cyclist as above, i spent a reasonable amount of time and reasearch before settling on one and wouldn't dream of hopping on the racer or MB without it.

For skiing though, i do struggle to make the same link. I've had my fair share of proper white-out moments ate reasonable speeds Happy

and yet never thought..hm, i need a lid. Normally where and when we ski, there arent crowds of people around and there's not much to run into either - naive, possibly I don't know.

After all it is free

First time with a helmet last year, found it comfy enuf to wear, keeps you warm and of course could save your life. Wouldnt ski without one.

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dobby, Have to admit that I was one of those who was fiercely against, not for any technical reasons, just that I didn't like the idea of my head feeling restricted. I thought I'd feel claustrophobic in it. I took a bit of a tumble on an icy piste and head butted it - not hard - but enough to give me a mini egg on my forehead. After that, I tried a few on (ok, a lot) in a shop in resort and finally found one which was light, fitted and I was almost unaware of wearing it. The main advantage is that it's so warm, dry and surprisingly comfortable to wear.

Strangely coincidental was that I had an ummmm... [cough]... incident with dismounting a chair lift within an hour of buying it and it was only afterwards that it occurred to me that it would have been a whole lot nastier if I'd not been wearing the helmet, since the thing clonked me quite heavily on the back of the head. rolling eyes

I appreciate that this isn't exactly a hugely inspiring story... I guess what I'm trying to say is, find one that's comfortable and there aren't that many disadvantages that I can see. Renting one is great in theory, but if it's not 'the one' it could put you off completely.

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I would not leave the house without mine now. Keeps my bald head warm as well

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In my 8th year using one - no problems except on very hot day. Much less lame looking than a wooly hat or headband. Go for it.

Thanks, all. It seems that it's all about the fit.

Solidarity, Chrisb.

Dobby (who's lacking a bit in the hair department)

You know it makes sense.

Schuss in Boots, surely after all the previous helmet threads you must know by now that you can't post that experience without getting a 'you wouldn't have been hit by the chairlift if you hadn't been wearing a helmet' type response as further evidence that helmets are pointless and in fact are dangerous because they make you take more risks ... ad nauseum Toofy Grin

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

moffatross,

I was braced for it. Cool

As much as I'd like to blame it on the helmet, I suspect that being folded over double, clutching stomach laughing at a joke with Jo82 resulting in my tips pointing downwards and connecting with the off ramp thereby catapulting me forwards and off the chair in a hail of skis and sticks might have been the more likely cause... rolling eyes

To add insult to lack of injury (other than to pride).. I can recommend not attempting this manoeuvre when you have more sH's on the two chairs behind you... you will never live it down. rolling eyes

A snowHead

I wasn't a fan of wearing a helemt at first, but first time i wore one a slipped of a box rail and ended up with a big scratch down it ( rather the helmet then my head),

They can be expensive to hire or buy out tho tho.

A snowHead

I have just copied this from http://www.ski-insurance.co.uk/safety_information/injuries.html

...head injuries increased from 1000 in 1993 to 5200 in 1997 but what needs to be taken into account here is that snowboarding became more and more popular during these times.

The stats are that between 1991/2 and 1998/9 there were 285 reported deaths from a total of 426.2million ski and snowboard days (i.e.: 1 death per 1.49million visits to the ski area. The death rate for snowboarding is 0.46 per visits - 34% lower than for skiing which is 0.70.

Biomechanics show that in order to protect the head against direct impact blow at 30mph, with current available materials, a helmet would need to be at least 18cm thick, 50cm wide and weigh 5kg, that's heavy. Most intermediate skiers travel at between 28 to 34 mph.

Head injuries and Helmets
10 to 15% of injuries are head injuries: they are usually minor though, mainly concussion so should they be worn? Well any degree of risk should be reduced. Helmet sales in the US are increasing year on year. The standards for Europe and the US are different. In Europe the Central European Standard EN1077and UNI EN 812 and in the US the American Snell RS-98, the American standard being more stringent, Snell performs a series of impact tests that require a higher level of impact absorption. The Snell has to withstand 30% more impact force than the Euro Standard. If you are going to buy a Helmet: buy one that meets the high standard..."

I am still comfortable in my woolly hat. Cool

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

Chacun a son gout, you can find reasons to wear them of not to wear them, getting worked up about other peoples choices is IMHO a bit silly. The absolute level of risk for me on pistes and gentle off piste as a fairly sedate skier is pretty low and I can't say I have seen any persuasive evidence that persuades me that wearing a helmet would decrease what is already a very low risk very much.
I can readily see that people who ski at speed near rocks or are jumping around in terrain parks or racing where being whacked by poles is a problem think differently.

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My only crash last season who when I was hit by another skier who had been in turn hit by another skier. So I would rather have my helmet on because of the other mad idiots. dobby, I used to wear a wooly hat on the old head but it was sooooo itchy on the then smaller bald bit. Since getting a helmet in 2005 my head is warmer, the bald patch has changed to a hair patch though. Maybe I should take a leaf out of Take That's book and get a beard... did you see them on Children in Need - wrong message board!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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snowb4ndit, there's so much of those stats I could pick holes in but don't know where to start.

OK, here:

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

After all it is free

Schuss in Boots, not on your backside but on your head

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I thought I'd never wear a helmet - I like the sun on my head to much.

However, last year during a sneaky getaway to Les 2 Alpes with my brother, we very very nearly collided at speed doing figure 8's. Then a couple of weeks later, on our family trip, my wife had a couple of hard falls. She lost her confidence but would only get a helmet if I did. So i started wearing a helmet and I have to say feel a lot more secure. Miss the sun on my head and the wind through my hair, but as others have said, I too would never cycle without a helmet - and now will never ski without a helmet. Not uncomfortable but a bit hot at times

I did a quick survey whilst on a lift last Feb in Saalbach - about 80% had helmets.

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just back from snow and rock in dublin where we tried on some helmets as we were planning on finally wearing them after 11yrs without.
wife had a few that fitted no prob and she would be happy enough to wear one. me!! different story. some one else mentioned claustrophobic, yes bigtime with me. the miniute i put 1 on i couldnt wait to get it off,. tried 10 different makes and sizes to no avail, the only size that fitted me was xl and im only 5'6!! yes i know head size has nothing to do with height but it made me look like some kind of alien freak

also expected them to be super light, not so, cannot possibly imagine me ever using a helmet and yes I know I should try get past my helmet hangups for safety reasons but i honestly hated the feeling of something sitting tight on my head.
sorry pro helmet'ers or maybe that should be 'sorry head'!!

Did you try the Sweet Rooster? Low profile and only 500 grams! What it lacks in weight, it makes up for in price Sad

You know it makes sense.

Not gonna enter the should you shouldn't you argument (I don't!) But renting does not sound appealing. If a helmet takes a whack and the internal construction gets compressed it offers little more protection then wearing no helmet, not to mention the sweat and hiegine issues!
If your gonna bother I'd buy, plenty around the £35 mark.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

IMO wearing a helmet is a no-brainer (or rather by wearing one you may retain one).

I have worn a helmet now for about 7-8 years, as has my wife. Last year my wife was cruising down a fast empty blue down to Tsoumaz in Verbier, great visibility, about 100m behind me when an out-of-control idiot going far too fast for his own good ploughed into the back of her, she smashed backwards onto the icy piste and the helmet saved her head from a bad injury, shame about her knee though................he knows who he is, a Brit as well..............!!

A day later I was half way down Tortin and taking a breather when a loose ski smashed into my head and dented my helmet, again a lucky eascape.................saw it coming but it bounced on the mogul above me and spiralled into me - I'd never be without one, and neither would my wife, also keeps your head warm.

Now proud owners of 2 new helmets....................You only get one head after all wink

A snowHead

Markymark29, Agreed - I wear a helmet to protect myself mainly from other people & things, not necessarily from a straight fall - mind you, had to try on a lot to find one to fit my square head

A snowHead

Just need to check the pics of me at the last EOSB. It's debatable whether a helmet would have made any difference (other than a touch of whiplash) but I battered myself hard enough to realise the odds will catch up with you in the end so it's wise to protect yr important bits (the smutmeisters will no doubt jump in at this point) Smile

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

dobby, don't forget to take your googles along with you when you're trying them on for fit. I had problems finding one that would fit my old googles, with the helmet pushing my googles down onto the bridge of my nose. But used it as personal justification to get some new googles too! Very Happy

Originaly I didn't think I would get a helmet when they first started to appear on the slopes, but after a couple of wipeouts with rocks in close vincinity a couple of seasons ago I thought I would invest in some protection.

The only issue I have is on warm days even with the vents open my head feels like it's being poached. Consequently on very cold days it's very toasty! Otherwise no problems, oh, apart from remembering not to leave it in apres bars! rolling eyes

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Eeyore, Well you are the one buying a

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We started wearing helmets a couple of years ago as we improved and began to pick up more speed on the slopes. Helps to give me a little bit more confidence aswell Very Happy

.

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Despite the statement quoted by snowb4ndit, a concussion may actuall have considerably more long term affects than generally accepted. There is now some very good research coming out on the long term affects on concussion patients especially those who have had multiple such injuries. Yet all the standard sports med stats still refer to concussion as a minor injury. Wear your helmet if you want. Get one that fits. Put a Snowhead sticker on it. Have lots of fun. Very Happy

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

ewwww. Wear a helmet by all means but hiring a sweaty greasy lice infested one? yuck.

After all it is free

Im sure Natasha Richardsons family would be all for the wearing of Helmets and the associated risks.

An extract from TIME

The fact that Richardson was not wearing a helmet may or may not have made a difference in the gravity of her injury and death. If skiers are moving slowly — say 10 m.p.h. or slower — and they fall on soft snow, they're probably not going to be hurt severely, whether they're wearing a helmet or not. If they're moving faster than 15 or 20 m.p.h. and strike ice, hard-packed snow or another solid object with the head, they're likely to suffer severe injury, and again the presence of a helmet may not make much difference. It's in the middle area — at speeds that are neither very slow nor very fast — that a helmet can play the biggest role. The trick, of course, is that you never know when you're going to be in that gray zone, since even slow beginner skiers can lose control and speed up, and high-speed skiers have to slow down eventually.

I have now had a helmet for about 5 years and would feel odd skiing without it - hasn't felt at all uncomfortable and takes the knocks of chairlifts, other peoples' poles and keeps my head warm. Had debated for a couple of years whether to go for it but then had a fall on any icy slope on Christmas Eve, landed on the back of my head somehow, saw a few stars that were not guiding me to Bethlehem so that was the clincher and we then spent an afternoon trailing round all the shops with goggles to get something to fit. I would not fancy hiring though - I suppose they get some sort of deoderiser sprayed into them between rents, but again I would not fancy hiring boots nowadays either.

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First morning out last holiday I was on my way out the door with a beanie on, swapped it for my helmet at the last second even though I was just going out for a gentle warm up.

Woke up on a poxy little green run on my own after (what I assume was) a crash. My helmet was cracked open like an egg and I had a complete loss of memory (it took 4 hours for it to come back fully, when I woke up I didn't even know my own name!). I'm an intermediate boarder (can ride pretty much most of the mountain and making regular forays in to the park) and wouldn't have expected to need protection when riding down a gentle green.

I'm of a mind that if I hadn't had that lid on I wouldn't be about today, so as far as I'm concerned it's as much part of my kit as board, boots and bindings.

Help!!

Helmet - to wear or not to wear (it's not a wind-up!)

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