 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
I bought a good quality helmet (£70 price range) a couple of weeks ago and have used it for a total of 5 hours on indoor snow slopes.
On my last trip about an hour in a had a fall and spun around backwards onto the back of my head. On impact the helmet split all the way up the back.
My question is: Is the helmet designed to do this on the heavier impacts to help dissipate the impact or was it simply faulty?
Might be a totally stupid question! But wanted to get some opinions.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tom24, Unusual . . . just how heavy was the hit? Stars, vomit, blackout? And is it just the outer shell or does the split includes the foam?
Oh, and what make is it?
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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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Dont know about the helmet
but if it was hard enough to split the helmet and it didnt do any damage to my head , i would be thankful, and buy another one.
only you will know how hard you hit your head - or maybe you dont remember ?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It was probably a single impact helmet, it did its job, throw it away and buy another. On the label of most helmets it advises to throw away after significant impact
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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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I'm cagey to state the make of helmet as haven't contacted the seller yet.
I didn't blackout or anything like that, just had a headache and sore neck today.
It's completely split right through the shell!
Quite embarrassing considering it was on an indoor slope!
Gazza, that's what I thought, but then I thought what if it was a harder hit - then it would completely smash off my head!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Isnt the way most helmets are designed to split upon impact, hence the force splits the helmet, if the helmet was solid it would nearly be like not wearing one as the impact would just richochet into your head.
sounds like it did its job perfectly.
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ski helmets only protect you to a certain level. if you want something which may help in high speed head on collisions, try a motorbike helmet
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| Arno wrote: |
| ski helmets only protect you to a certain level. if you want something which may help in high speed head on collisions, try a motorbike helmet |
good point - I'll stick with a ski lid though!
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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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tom24, if you had a headache, a sore neck (touch of whiplash?) and the helmet split I'd say it probably did the job that it was expected to do. A backwards fall where you pivot down the slope can result in an almighty thump to the back of your head. I had a similar fall many years ago which resulted in mild concussion and missing two days of a 5 day ski course, plus the decision to buy a helmet.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| tom24, if you had a headache, a sore neck (touch of whiplash?) and the helmet split I'd say it probably did the job that it was expected to do. A backwards fall where you pivot down the slope can result in an almighty thump to the back of your head. I had a similar fall many years ago which resulted in mild concussion and missing two days of a 5 day ski course, plus the decision to buy a helmet. |
Very glad I was wearing it! Just depends how lucky you are with the way you fall sometimes, I had no opportunity to break my fall with arms.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tom24, have a chat with the seller but be prepared to shell (sic  ) out for a new one. It does sound like it did what it says on the 'tin'
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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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tom24, some helmet manufacturers will replace the damaged helmet for a nominal fee if you send it back to them. Worth looking into that first rather than splashing out on a new one.
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Had a Salomon ski helmet de-laminate on a fast heavy backwards fall, inner and outer separated round the back and top of the helmet, did it's job as far as I was concerned, sore neck and mild headache. Did manage to put a 4" split in the back of a Kevlar laminate motorcycle crash helmet high-siding at 100mph, did it's job well enough that I was passed fit to race 3 hours later (with a new helmet), now that hurt!
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You know it makes sense.
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OP - it did exactly what it was meant to do.
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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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| gazza2 wrote: |
| ...if it was hard enough to split the helmet and it didnt do any damage to my head , i would be thankful, and buy another one. |
+1
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Poster: A snowHead
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tom24, Sounds to like it did its job, they work by partial destruction so even if it hadn't split if you hit your head as hard as it sounds you did from the ongoing pain it'd be time to replace it, nothing to take up with the seller as far as I can see, you used it for its intended purpose, it worked, you survived time to buy a new one!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| gazza2 wrote: |
| ...if it was hard enough to split the helmet and it didnt do any damage to my head , i would be thankful, and buy another one. |
+2
just be glad you were wearing it
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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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Good job you were wearing it then. I would contact the manufacturer, often they will send you a voucher toward the replacement, not because the helmet was defective(it saved your head) but because they want to keep your custom. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've split a helmet mountain biking thru forest. Not a technical section of trail, just an unforgiving overhead branch.
Helmet was made by giro, and they were happy to sell me a replacement at reduced price, as long as I returned the broken helmet with details of the accident.
So check with the distributor of your brand of helmet if they do a similar deal.
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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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I've split a helmet mountain biking thru forest. Not a technical section of trail, just an unforgiving overhead branch.
Helmet was made by giro, and they were happy to sell me a replacement at reduced price, as long as I returned the broken helmet with details of the accident.
So check with the distributor of your brand of helmet if they do a similar deal.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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it all depends on the material used for the shell.
some plastics used are very stiff and will split on heavy impact. others are slightly softer and you can flex the plastic, these are more durable for the odd knock or two
however, even the softer compounds can get brittle below a certain temp.
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I've split/smashed/dented a fair few MTB helmets and as stated above, more often than not you'll get a replacement for half price or so (Giro but I know others do the same). The way a helmet behaves on impact is dependent upon many factors, not just speed of impact (orientation/hardness of 'snow' for instance). See if you can get a replacement at discount or if not, it's a perfect excuse for a bling upgrade 
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cran
cran
Guest
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Luckily when I had a fall like that I had no helmet and just hurt my head, if I'd had a helmet and it had broke I'd have needed to buy a new one which would have cost at least £30...
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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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I've only seen one helmet split in that way in many years. A rear impact after an athlete hooked a GS gate and span, landing on the back of their head. No concussion, just a split helmet.
It was a Shred race helmet and, to be fair, I would always replace a helmet after any significant impact, whether it splits or not. If it doesn't, you have no idea of the damage done to the impact absorbing layer(s) within the helmet.
Some manufacturers will replace for a lesser fee than a new helmet though.
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I would be thankful that it has done its job.
You should take great care with helmets, I always worry about mine in the suitcase on the plane.
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