Ski Armor

[manhattanskier]

Hello everyone,

I have been getting more into jumping off cliffs, aerials and the park. I am turning 30 and I really need to avoid getting hurt as much as possible. What is your experience with skiing with armor, what is important and what works? Is it worth the money? I am also looking to invest in something that will work for when I roller blade and mountain bike. Someone suggested this stuff: http://www.revzilla.com/search?query=armor

What do you all think? Thanks so much, I love this form!

 

[bobbutts]

Hello everyone,

I have been getting more into jumping off cliffs, aerials and the park. I am turning 30 and I really need to avoid getting hurt as much as possible. What is your experience with skiing with armor, what is important and what works? Is it worth the money? I am also looking to invest in something that will work for when I roller blade and mountain bike. Someone suggested this stuff: http://www.revzilla.com/search?query=armor

What do you all think? Thanks so much, I love this form!

Makes me think of Scott Schmidt in the 90's on Today saying he never sustained an injury skiing. Guess how much armor he was wearing? Skills > Armor.

 

[skiNEwhere]

I doubt he built up those skills without taking a few tumbles first

 

[snoseek]

I would focus on a quality helmet and maybe something to protect the spine. Bones heal.

 

[Not Sure]

and Duct tape

But seriously , getting older leaves a lot to be considered, you don't heal as fast. work cosiderations, family .
In the 80's I had a serious aerial accident due to an idiot leaving his skiis in the middle of a slope and down hill from a large bump.
My buddy riding a lift yelled down to me to do a flip. I was halfway in my rotaion stoped and focused on this guys skis, I landed on my head (Explains alot). Rattled me bigtime , I couldn't stand up. Idiot walks out of the woods after releving himself " Oh here's my skiis"
I couldn't walk but I could crawl ,I let loose verbally and crawled after the SOB. He saw murder in my eyes and didn't see him the rest of the night. I ended up with a bad concussion , couldn't remember my girlfreinds name.
I still like to get air just backed off crazy stuff. I guess you just have to way the risk reward part.

 

[thetrailboss]

Yeah I don't know. I've never even thought of it. I guess I would if I was into racing, but I generally don't do anything crazy. I'd rather invest the money in new skis, boots, or something else.

 

[Savemeasammy]

I know of a guy who broke his back after jumping off a cliff. I believe he hit a buried tree stump or maybe a rock. He may have suffered a much lesser injury had he been wearing spine protection.




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[elks]

My brother-in-law wears this stuff for skiing and motocross. His back is shot either way from the abuse (especially the motocross). It looks like a real drag to wear this bulky stuff for skiing.

 

[jack97]

hmmm..... was thinking about some body amour. Last season, could have use knee protection. This season, shoulder pads would have help.

Getting back to OP, if you haven't already, look into a three piece cabrio boot, the progressive flex cushions the landings. IIRC, Seth Morrison had a ton of spare parts when Raichle was the only vendor that made these types of boots. Nowadays, Full Tilt and Dalbellos each has models with wider last, so there's a good chance you can find a fit.

 

[C-Rex]

Best thing you can do is keep yourself in tip-top shape. Work on core strength, and especially flexibility. Armor may help with impacts but strength and flexibility are what you need when you get get bent up in unnatural directions. That said, I have a pair of Skeletools padded shorts. They were designed for motorcross and provide a lot of protection. And as others have said, a good helmet and spine protection will be about about as much as is effective.

 

[Highway Star]

Armor may help with impacts, but unless it provides real skeletal support, it really isn't going to help much with joint injuries such as throwing out your back or tweaking a knee. As you age, you really have to be more judicious about when you really go for it when you are skiing, and work up to things with your skills and conditioning. Not crashing and having high din bindings that don't pre-release is important.

 

[Scruffy]

^^^ this

 

[abc]

What's the down side of armors?

There're some good advices on how to avoid injuries. Still, I doubt it's entirely preventable. I would think some armor could come in handy when the inevitable happens.

 

[Not Sure]

What's the down side of armors?

There're some good advices on how to avoid injuries. Still, I doubt it's entirely preventable. I would think some armor could come in handy when the inevitable happens.

Could interfere with your style and cause a fall? I like Moguls and could imagine having some issues given the amount of body flex involved, Hucking cliffs prolly not so much.

 

[abc]

Could interfere with your style and cause a fall? I like Moguls and could imagine having some issues given the amount of body flex involved, Hucking cliffs prolly not so much.

Isn't that what the OP was asking? What works? What armor people has used that provides protection without getting in the way and causing other issues?

 

[marcski]

Learn how to ski better. You don't see extreme skiers wearing armour when they huck cliffs in movies.

 

[C-Rex]

Besides a helmet and possibly spine protection, I don't think armor is going to do much. Do a lot of stretching and heavy lifting. Stretching obviously will make you more flexible and less prone to pulling or tweaking something. Heavy lifting promotes strong bones, tendons and ligaments.

Lastly, learn how to crash. The pros will tell you that knowing how to bail in a way that minimizes damage is key to progression. It's a natural reaction to tense up but it often leads to more injuries. When people get knocked out and then ragdoll down the hill they often end up with minimal injuries because their body just went with it instead of fighting against the forces being thrown at it. For instance, snowboarders should learn not to try to catch yourself when you slide out on your heel edge. Let your butt or back take the impact. Catching yourself just leads to broken wrists and effed up shoulders.

 

[marcski]

Besides a helmet and possibly spine protection, I don't think armor is going to do much. Do a lot of stretching and heavy lifting. Stretching obviously will make you more flexible and less prone to pulling or tweaking something. Heavy lifting promotes strong bones, tendons and ligaments.

Lastly, learn how to crash. The pros will tell you that knowing how to bail in a way that minimizes damage is key to progression. It's a natural reaction to tense up but it often leads to more injuries. When people get knocked out and then ragdoll down the hill they often end up with minimal injuries because their body just went with it instead of fighting against the forces being thrown at it. For instance, snowboarders should learn not to try to catch yourself when you slide out on your heel edge. Let your butt or back take the impact. Catching yourself just leads to broken wrists and effed up shoulders.

Agreed. I don't consider a helmet body armor...it's common sense.

 

[C-Rex]

Agreed. I don't consider a helmet body armor...it's common sense.

Agreed. But let's not re-hatch that argument. Unfortunately, common sense isn't as common as one would think.

 

[bigbob]

Learn how to ski better. You don't see extreme skiers wearing armour when they huck cliffs in movies.

At Killington a few years back during the Dew Tour, I watched one of the pros suit up in the Bear lodge and she did wear some body armor by POC.