Do you wear a helmet?

[Charlie Schuessler]

Because I enjoy using my brain, I wear a helmet. It took 40-something years or so to realize that though. It is my understanding that the helmet should be replaced if an impact occurs. It’s prudent to inspect it before and after each use to verify it is safe to use and don’t forget to clean it out…

 

[dmc]

Helmets are great... They protect you noggen at medium speeds and leave a nice looking corpse at high speeds...

I see people getting helmets and start skiing/riding like maniacs... It's not something that makes you better because you don't have to worry about taking it to a tree anymore...

 

[wintersyndrome]

I've been wearing a helmet ever since I discovered tree-riding, I feel safer, and im not thinking "god I could bash my skull open with one wrong move" whilst meandering through the trees. Plus I dont wanna go out like Sonny Bono

 

[JPTracker]

What got me started wearing a helmet is the Freezer at Jay. That is one of the coldests lifts around. When the wind blows, with the helmet, googles and face mask I don't get cold nearly as fast. Now I would not ski without it.

 

[awf170]

I've been wearing one for almost as long as I can remember. I thought I really liked wearing it, and it was more comfortable then a hat. But then when I went up GoS I decided not to bring a helmet with me because I didn't want to add the weight. I really love skiing without a helmet now. You feel free and your head feels light, but best of all your not totally deaf. I'm still going to wear it though. Do the newer helmets still make you feel half-deaf or have they gotten better?

 

[AHM]

From the guy that doesn't wear one..................

Interesting thread. I have considered it for a while, but decided I would take a bit different approach. I looked on the AMA website to see what they said. Their comment was that for skiers who ski above 30 mph, the helmets really do not protect. Since I ski above that speed most of the time, I felt the helmet was not actually beneficial.

Next, I looked at all my friends helmets which had scars from trees all over them, but their hats had never been torn or scared. This told me that the helmet was sticking up a tad higher and actually contacting trees which might be more dangerous. Also, with head protection, they were skiing a tad more agressively.

Finally, I decided if I wanted to wear one, I would pursue a helmet that would actually protect me such as an Aria (sp), Shoei(sp), etc.

But I will admit I have looked a Gyro 9 many times. Might I add one someday, maybe for some of the ski mountaineering where rocks falling from above could be an issue, but most likely not for eastern trail/off trail skiing.

Do I wear a mountain bike helmet..........................every ride. Pretty funny really.

 

[SkiDog]

Interesting thread. I have considered it for a while, but decided I would take a bit different approach. I looked on the AMA website to see what they said. Their comment was that for skiers who ski above 30 mph, the helmets really do not protect. Since I ski above that speed most of the time, I felt the helmet was not actually beneficial.

Next, I looked at all my friends helmets which had scars from trees all over them, but their hats had never been torn or scared. This told me that the helmet was sticking up a tad higher and actually contacting trees which might be more dangerous. Also, with head protection, they were skiing a tad more agressively.

Finally, I decided if I wanted to wear one, I would pursue a helmet that would actually protect me such as an Aria (sp), Shoei(sp), etc.

But I will admit I have looked a Gyro 9 many times. Might I add one someday, maybe for some of the ski mountaineering where rocks falling from above could be an issue, but most likely not for eastern trail/off trail skiing.

Do I wear a mountain bike helmet..........................every ride. Pretty funny really.

I think the helmet is a HUGE benefit in trees....I dont think the extra 1.5 inches makes you in more danger of hitting branches...hats dont "scar" like plastic so I wouldnt expect to see any marks..I do know though that the first time a larger branch hits you without that helmet on you'll know...mines saved me many times tree skiing and saved many pair or goggles...as it hits before the goggles..

Do you ski a lot of trees? I dont think 30 is average for trees but maybe im slow...

I like it mostly for tree protection..otherwise its just habit..

M

 

[Marc]

Interesting thread. I have considered it for a while, but decided I would take a bit different approach. I looked on the AMA website to see what they said. Their comment was that for skiers who ski above 30 mph, the helmets really do not protect. Since I ski above that speed most of the time, I felt the helmet was not actually beneficial.

Next, I looked at all my friends helmets which had scars from trees all over them, but their hats had never been torn or scared. This told me that the helmet was sticking up a tad higher and actually contacting trees which might be more dangerous. Also, with head protection, they were skiing a tad more agressively.

Finally, I decided if I wanted to wear one, I would pursue a helmet that would actually protect me such as an Aria (sp), Shoei(sp), etc.

But I will admit I have looked a Gyro 9 many times. Might I add one someday, maybe for some of the ski mountaineering where rocks falling from above could be an issue, but most likely not for eastern trail/off trail skiing.

Do I wear a mountain bike helmet..........................every ride. Pretty funny really.

Where do they come off saying that about skiing above 30 mph? There are so many different factors involved in a crash (and I should know, I do it a lot) that how fast you're initially skiing is only a part influence. Think about how you decelerate before you hit your head, how you fall, the degree of the slope, what you hit, the angle at which you hit the , the strength of what you hit, the depth of the snow, the quality of the snow, the temperature of what you hit, over your helmet, how relaxed your neck is etc. etc. The factors are almost endless.

The only thing you can say for sure about a helmet is the amount of blunt force it will take in a crash before it no longer protects your head and that the probability of head injury is greatly decreased in a crash when wearing a properly secured helmet. It is almost meaningless to mention inital speed.

 

[Greg]

30 MPH on skis is pretty freaking fast, isn't? I'm sure there are days I never reach that speed...

 

[dmc]

But I will admit I have looked a Gyro 9 many times. Might I add one someday, maybe for some of the ski mountaineering where rocks falling from above could be an issue, but most likely not for eastern trail/off trail skiing.

Tuckerman Ravine is where I started wearing a helmet... Mainly becuse of falling rock and ice.. Then after a while I just got used to it...

I'd rather ride without one.. But it's not so bad... The built in tunes are awesome and so is the visor on the 9...

Just as a note... there's truth to the 30mph thing.. We lost someone at Hunter last year that slipped into the woods a high speed and took a tree to the helmet..

Not saying it's right or wrong - just pointing out my original point.. That helmets don't make people 100% safe and they shouldnt feel they are...

 

[SkiDog]

30 MPH on skis is pretty freaking fast, isn't? I'm sure there are days I never reach that speed...

personally I think its fast...Im sure I hit that speed...but its certianly not my "average"....

M

 

[SkiDog]

I'd rather ride without one.. But it's not so bad... The built in tunes are awesome and so is the visor on the 9...

My Giro 10 also has a visor, but I think it was a "limited" edition....and I too love the earphones built in...skull candy I think?? whatever..they are nicer than jamming earbuds into your ears then a helmet pressing them in harder..OUCH..

M

 

[ALLSKIING]

It saved this guys life...Found it on K Zone.


http://www.friendsofjason.net/

 

[Marc]

Tuckerman Ravine is where I started wearing a helmet... Mainly becuse of falling rock and ice.. Then after a while I just got used to it...

I'd rather ride without one.. But it's not so bad... The built in tunes are awesome and so is the visor on the 9...

Just as a note... there's truth to the 30mph thing.. We lost someone at Hunter last year that slipped into the woods a high speed and took a tree to the helmet..

Not saying it's right or wrong - just pointing out my original point.. That helmets don't make people 100% safe and they shouldnt feel they are...

Well clearly, yes, there is an upper bounds of speed impact to a sufficiently hard object where upon the helmet will no long be effective at protecting one's cranium, but saying somehow there's a mystical cut off speed of 30 mph, at which speed all of a sudden the helmet no longer works is rediculous.

Obviously, the faster you ski, the more likely the helmet is not to protect you. That should be common sense to anyone.

But then again, if you hit a tree sliding on your back at 12 mph on the top of your head, the force may be enough to compress your spine and kill you.

Maybe I'm thinking too much like an engineer here, but just yelling "30 mph" for no apparent reason seems childish to me.

 

[dmc]

Maybe I'm thinking too much like an engineer here, but just yelling "30 mph" for no apparent reason seems childish to me.

It's the engineer in you... I look at it as a guideline...
It's like saying most avalanches occur on slopes between 30 and 45 degrees... Is it always the case? No... But it's more likely to happen..

People just need to realize that at high speeds a helmet may not protect from death.. So don't think of it something that lets you ski faster with less consequences...

 

[Greg]

So don't think of it something that lets you ski faster with less consequences...

Or more reckless...

 

[dmc]

Or more reckless...

I was trying to be nice....

 

[SkiDog]

yeah helmets are not "magic protection" they are a safety device...and should be used accordingly...

they do tend to give some skiers/riders a false sense or security, but if you know your limits you're better off wearing one IMHO..

M

 

[AHM]

Yep, lots of 'em.........................

I think the helmet is a HUGE benefit in trees....I dont think the extra 1.5 inches makes you in more danger of hitting branches...hats dont "scar" like plastic so I wouldnt expect to see any marks..I do know though that the first time a larger branch hits you without that helmet on you'll know...mines saved me many times tree skiing and saved many pair or goggles...as it hits before the goggles..

Do you ski a lot of trees? I dont think 30 is average for trees but maybe im slow..

M

That's why I looked to see if the hats were torn (wool, polarfleece etc will show the effects of a tree hit or snag). I ski a lot of trees.................non-stop..........do recall, it is my decision to ski with or without a helmet.

So, here's one for all of the helmet wearer's who go into avie terrain. Do you wear an avi lung. All the arguements made here would suggest everyone who ventures into that type of terrain would have an avie lung. I don't see a whole lot of avie lungs out there in avie terrain..............but I use mine all the time. What do ya think...................gonna buy one for the next time you decide to duck the rope or go thru the open gates to a non patrolled and non maintained section.

The approach is the same............we all use the safety equipment we feel will help us the most. For me, that is probe, transceiver, shovel, avilung, and avalanche/ski mountaineering courses. For others, it's a helmet.

 

[dmc]

So, here's one for all of the helmet wearer's who go into avie terrain. Do you wear an avi lung.

No i don't... But I'm not adverse to it... I do carry probe/tranceiver/shovel/whistle/snow tools... etc.. When i go BC...

I'd like to hear more about it's pratical use... If you have the info...