 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking at purchasing my first ski helmet. I know the best thing is to go and try them on (with your goggles ((which I also don't have yet)) in a shop, which I will. But as with ANYTHING I buy, I like to read all the reviews and gather all the recommendations beforehand. This prevents me from going into the market blind and at the mercy of the sales rep.
So, I'm a skier and my budget is around £100, could be a bit more, not fussed.
Any recommendations?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The best is the one that fits you. They (should) all follow the same safety standards, and any modern helmet by a brand you may have heard of in passing will be perfectly adequate. You don't need to spend big bucks at all.
I have a POC helmet, cos the MIPS feature appealed to me. They're not cheap, and they have the worst goggle clips in the entire world. Been great aside from that, though!
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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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One that fits!
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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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Having just bought a new helmet, I will say that helmets fit a lot better than they used to! Used to be really tricky to find one that fitted & you'd be trying on all the ones in the shop, the 'fitting mechanisms' are much improved now. But you will need to try your goggles on with them, as you know.
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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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RichTraff, I might be wrong, but it's my understanding that all helmets have to meet the same safety standard, so paying more won't necessarily get you a better helmet. Decathlon have quite a few helmets so you could probably find one that fits well, and some of them look pretty good - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/F-50620-helmets/K-914-gender~adult
Personally, I have a Red Mutiny helmet that I got for about £50. It fits my Oakley A Frames and Dragon DX goggles perfectly, and is comfortable.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
paying more won't necessarily get you a better helmet
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and you can get plenty well under £100.
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Yes, I don't see the point of spending £100 on a helmet when you could instead spend £20 and replace it every couple of years after the inevitable drops, knocks, etc. If you can find a cheap one that fits I'd go for that.
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As others have said, a good fit is most important, followed by comfort, although they tend to go hand in hand.
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ok, I think I see the pattern here. It's ALL about the fit, which I understand. And you can easily find one under £100. Although I want it to look good!
Think I'll have to go into Snow & Rock and see what they have to offer. I hope they still do their price-match thing.
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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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| RichTraff wrote: |
| Although I want it to look good |
Bern, Bern, Bern!
Seriously they make the best looking helmets. Low profile, nice little peak and a variety of decent colours. Otherwise, Red and Protec are decent. I just got my OH the Protec Riot, he hates helmets but loves it.
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RichTraff, take your goggles with you to make sure they are compatible with your helmet or you may end up paying out for new goggles too. My firefox helmet was cheap as chips but my goggles ended up scrunched creating a gap. I'd had them years so I was happy to have an excuse to buy new but if you have expensive taste in goggles it could be a bumm3r. 
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You know it makes sense.
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RichTraff, looking GOOD is entirely subjective . . .some of us will always look like a bell-end when wearing a helmet  and price is no definition of quality . . . just ego
Fit, comfort and goggle match are the deciders . . . goggles first as there are more choices there to confuse you
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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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Must admit I took a punt and bought a Dainese one half price from Sportspursuit. It fits a treat and is a nice shocking blue My old one had lasted about 7 years and was getting a bit battered with some of the "plugs" missing so I thought it was time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mmm, you think a skier can pull off a Bern helmet?
I dress pretty funky for a skier but I'm not exactly working the half pipe!
It'd be ideal as I could use it on my mountain bike too.
Other option would be Giro G10 or Nine.10
But I do really like the look of the Bern Baker or Watts.
I'll see which fits best I guess.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yep – a skier can! I have a black Bern Baker – but then I tend to wear baggy, colourful snowboarding clothes and potter around on twin tips, so it sort of works. Great helmet – comfortable, fits well, looks nice, goggles (Oakley Crowbar) fit really well with it. I bought mine in the summer fopr £30 in a sale, so it was a bargain, too!
I use it as a winter commuting cycle helmet as well, which looks a bit odd, I grant you. But it's warm and comfy!
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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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Remember Rule 4 and you'll be fine 
The Bern hardhat stuff looks quite interesting. An exception to the safety standards, but probably quite effective for many people's head-smashing snowsport needs.
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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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| Harry Flashman wrote: |
| Yep – a skier can! I have a black Bern Baker – but then I tend to wear baggy, colourful snowboarding clothes and potter around on twin tips |
If any skier deserved to have his balls impaled on poles, dipped in hot sauce and left for the mountain corvids . . . "potter" 
If you want to wear what's considered 'gnarl' then you have to step up! The only skiers on the hill that can wear anything or slide on any stick without criticism are Telemarkers (insert smug smilie here)
Bern are just piѕѕ poor baseball helmets that make you sweat.
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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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Sweet Protection Trooper. Best on the market.
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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 just bought a Protech Audio Forece for the park. Reduced from £80 to £50 online.
Happy with the look and feel. Bargain
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Try lots on...
Some say the largest selection in the UK (including Bern) can be found near Christchurch Dorest at www.snowtraxstore.co.uk
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| RichTraff wrote: |
| Mmm, you think a skier can pull off a Bern helmet? |
Why not? What you've basically said is that a Bern helmet is what you want but you worry what other people think? Personally I couldn't care less. Ski clothing is generally hideous, I wear snowboard pants and style it out with either a snowboard jacket or a generic winter coat (North Face, Canada Goose etc).
I'm fashion concious but I ski to have fun. No one has ever said to me 'you don't dress right for a skier' and if they did, I'd just laugh. If you want a Bern, get one. If you're worried about the label, the logo is only a sticker on the helmet, take it off and tell everyone is a 'insert ski brand here' helmet.
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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 wear a Dainese 'Fun' which is getting on a bit now.
POC are prob the coolest helmet brand right now. 
Our kids- POC x2, Burton Red x1, Sweet Protection Trooper x1.
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The helmet I just bought was a Salomon Ranger, nice fit & price ok.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Ski clothing is generally hideous, I wear snowboard pants and style it out with either a snowboard jacket
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Out of interest, what would you say the difference is?
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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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Difference is: looser fit and more stylish design.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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RichTraff, I did loads of research and convinced myself that I wanted a Giro G10. Then went to a show and tried a few on. Convinced myself I wanted a K2 Rival Pro (weirdly because it had integrated headphones - yet I am generally opposed to listening to music while you ski/cycle etc). Went to a K2 stockist (Bucks Boarding Company in Milton Keynes) where there were loads of different brands and ended up buying a Smith Maze as it felt really comfortable on my head and didn't make me look like either a pea or a nazi.
The choice is between fit, comfort and price. If you try them all on without worrying about the price you might find the one that fits best is the cheap one. If it's the expensive one just say "it's a bit more than I wanted to spend" and try to haggle. Then convert the difference in price of what you wanted to pay and the price of the helmet you want into the equivalent number of beers in resort. Then buy it. You will be wearing it on your head for 8 hours a day for a week at a time (or more) so it has to be comfortable not cheap.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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POC Skull lite works for me, and I like them. No overheating problems like I had with my previous lids. I could literally pour sweat out of my old Protec and RED helmets.
As has also been pointed out, all helmets should comply with the CEN 1077 standard, how far the exceed that standard is where the difference lies.
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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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Bern baker was one of the few the that fitted me, I look a tit in it but I look a tit in them all.
It has built in speakers for when I just don't want to listen to people.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Mollerski, clarky999, Snowboarding lends itself to different styles. It takes it's lead from skateboarding.
There will always be skaters who wear skinny jeans and tight vests, the same as there will always be skaters who wear baggy jeans and XL t-shirts. The skinny jeans kids will have rock music accompanying their video part, the baggy t-shirt club will have hip-hop.
The trends may change, but there will always be distinct styles within the sport. Shaun White may well be wearing leggings but Torstein Horgmo is wearing in baggy pants and hoodies (and doing better tricks).
Burton is the biggest snowboarding brand out there - but just like Powell Perelta it was started to make money, not as a brand run 'by the people, for the people'. For that reason, a lot of snowboarders won't buy Burton.
So whilst you're right, and they are the 'market leaders' that's because they have the most money to be able to afford to experiment, but it doesn't mean they 'lead the way' for everyone.
In terms of the difference between the two sports, ski clothing tends to go one of two ways. It's either fitted or it's extra baggy (think Armada bottoms and tall tees). I don't find either of these styles particularly fashionable, I think tall tees are hilarious and surely no one can tell me that salopettes with braces are fashionable? Functional perhaps (!?) but when you take your jacket off during après...well, need I say more?
Of course this is all just my opinion. I know plenty of skiers who couldn't disagree with me more. I know plenty of them who wear Moncler and Bogner and think that's what everyone else should wear too!
But I prefer snowboard clothes because there's more choice when it comes to style and fit and I just think they look better and are better designed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Katie Smiler wrote: |
| RichTraff wrote: |
| Although I want it to look good |
Bern, Bern, Bern!
Seriously they make the best looking helmets. Low profile, nice little peak and a variety of decent colours. Otherwise, Red and Protec are decent. I just got my OH the Protec Riot, he hates helmets but loves it. |
+1 for Bern lids, we've got a few.
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| Katie Smiler wrote: |
Burton is the biggest snowboarding brand out there - but just like Powell Perelta it was started to make money, not as a brand run 'by the people, for the people'. For that reason, a lot of snowboarders won't buy Burton.
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I'm by no means a Burton fanboi but this rationalisation is a bit back bottom. Not many companies are run as charities or for the love of it - Newman's Own is the most prominent I could think of. Most "core" snowboard brands are just people trying to get on the gravy train by turning their bro-brah ness into a business, and if you avoid "corporate" snowboarding you have to kick out most of the brands anyone's ever heard of. The reason not to buy Burton is patchy quality and durability & poor price/value not cos Jake is a sell out or happened to be less flakey then Tom Sims.
I do thank Burton though for giving me an annual giggle when I see some of their more outthere outfits that some sucker has bought. The camo trees Onesie was a particular fave
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Katie Smiler,
Two words SWEET PROTECTION. Cool as........ 
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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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fatbob, I'm not saying I agree with it, but ask around and you'll find that for the crowd that has been around for a while it does factor into their reasoning. Everyone who starts up a company does it to make money but the argument lies in whether they started up just to cash in on a new trend or whether it was because they did so to stay involved in a sport they love (and not have to get a 'proper' job!). DC is a hugely sucessful company but for the most part it is still skater owned and run and in the eyes of some that makes it more legitimate.
But as Burton bought up most of the other brands out there (including Forum and Special Blend which they are closing after this season) they are hard to avoid. However, just because they are the market leaders doesn't automatically make them the trend setters. For a lot of young kids out there Burton is all they know, but if they watched a few more snowboard vids and played a little less Shaun White on the XBox they could see they have a choice when it comes to style.
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| Masque wrote: |
| Harry Flashman wrote: |
| Yep – a skier can! I have a black Bern Baker – but then I tend to wear baggy, colourful snowboarding clothes and potter around on twin tips |
If any skier deserved to have his balls impaled on poles, dipped in hot sauce and left for the mountain corvids . . . "potter"
If you want to wear what's considered 'gnarl' then you have to step up! The only skiers on the hill that can wear anything or slide on any stick without criticism are Telemarkers (insert smug smilie here)
Bern are just piѕѕ poor baseball helmets that make you sweat. |
Indeed - I potter about. Skiing is an enjoyable sport/hobby for me, not requiring some sort of macho, balls-out race attitude at all times. And as my pottering includes the park, freestyle camps, off piste as well as the usual piste skiing, I get to describe my skiing attitude any way I like, without having my balls left out for the crows by weirdos like you.
The Bern makes you sweat? Sorry, I have to ask, but are you a little bit chubby?
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Fri 30-11-12 12:26; edited 1 time in total
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FAQ
With 4 fashion conscious teenagers, its a case of having to be. 
Burton ladies jackets are now very fitted.
