Do you wear a ski helmet?

[tfanmom]

I started wearing a helmet late last season after a dear friend who is a neurosurgeon remarked that people over 50 who fall and hit their heads have a much greater chance of a subdural hematoma or worse. It just made sense to get one at this point in my life when I want to keep skiing as long as possible and look forward to the day when I can ski with my grandchildren while mom and dad take off for their expert terrain. In addition, I am much more worried about the out of control newbie careering down the slope behind me than I used to be! I almost never fall while skiing, but it is the other guy who totally worries me. I have yet to be hit but I have experienced many a close call! Why take a chance? In addition, the helmet keeps my head warmer than any hat ever did. I have an Italian helmet, Briko Forerunner, and it is so comfortable and lightweight that I hardly know I have it on.

 

[rotorite86]

I don't wear a helmet, and don't plan on it anytime soon either. Call me stupid, but it would just annoy the heck out of me.

 

[Ctownskier]

Always wear a helmet! Funny thing - last weekend I decided to wear my Pats "crazy hat" - you know, the red and blue one that looks like a jester hat. My wife was conviced I would kill myself!

After wearing a helmet for the last 3 years - I felt naked without it. Not only was it warmer - but it really cut down on the wind noise.

I know I will look weird when we head to Deer Valley and the Cannons (Alta, etc) in March with my helmet as no one wears them out west.....Probably dont want to mess their hair!

CTOWN

 

[noreaster]

Like my previous post said I wear a Giro brain bucket "most of the time" . There are times I enjoy skiing without a helmet. I would hope laws are not passed to force anyone to wear a helmet. I would like to see it stay a personal choice. I think the ski industry does an excellent job of advertising helmets. I see more extreme skiers and boarders on Warren miller films wearing helmets. It looks to me that more and more people every year are wearing helmets without having to pass laws. I think its even more important for east coast skiers to wear helmets given the mostly hard pack conditions here. Many head injuries are from just falling down in the middle of a trail. This is not to say west coast skiers should not wear helmets.

The best part of a helmet is it keeps your feet warm warm :wink: on those very cold days. Like my parents always said if your feet are cold put on a warm hat.

The problem with passing laws is who is going to be responsible for enforcing them. Are you going to have VT state police skiing the mountains passing out helmet tickets. Ski Patrol responsibilities very by state and ski areas but for the most part they are in the medical care business not the enforcement business. Asking Ski Patrol to enforce helmet laws would be like asking EMTs in ambulances to hand out speeding tickets. More law enforement for more laws will probably result in higher ticket prices.

 

[Robbski]

Wear mine all the time. Started to wear one to set an example for the kids. Three days after I bought it I went down hard enought to break the shell and it wasn't a cheap POS either.

Two years later I went down hard enough to get a concussion while wearing the (replacement) helmet.

I'll be the first one to admit that my technique is a little suspect and I like to go hard but the falls I took happened during some fairly ordinary skiing.

I wouldn't think of skiing without a helmet. Its not at all uncomfortable and it keeps me nice and warm. In the spring I open the vents my hair may get a little sweaty but so what. (It doesn't come close to being as uncomfortable as a football hemet in August.)

As far as the east/west thing goes, I notice a lot of helmets when I ski out west. For example more than half the skiers waiting in the tramline at snowbird seemed to be sporting helmets.

 

[rotorite86]

Up to this point, I've never had a injury to my head, except the rare fall on the hard pack, or once I hit my chin with my left knee (big air, landing was A LOT harder than it was earlier in the day). I just find it to be too uncomfortable.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Helmet issue

Hey Ctownskier I don't know where you got the idea that "no one wears a helmet out west." I have skied the Salt Lake region every year for the past 5 years. In fact, we skied Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton the second week of Dec this season. It looks to me as if MORE people wear helmets out there. Considering the nature of their "double black diamonds" (mega steep!) and the extraordinary amount of terrain available for tree skiing you find in the west, it makes a lot of sense to wear one so as not to whack your head on all those branches and bushes. I wouldn't hit the slopes without one either out west or here in the east.

 

[wormly81]

Have you hit your head too many times already??? Or were you born stupid...

The best thing I have done for my skiing as of recently is the addition of a helmet to my gear. When Im on piste, the helmet gives me the confidence to actually enjoy myself instead of wondering when somebody else is going to go out of control and take me to meet my maker. I just got back from Val Disere and there I met 3 seasonaires who had their seasons ended because of somebody out of control on the piste; all 3 had helmets on. When one of them showed up at the pub for apreski (busted leg in tow) he was very shaken up and I overheard him saying to his friend that he just got off the phone with his mom (who had bought him a helmet just before he left ) and thanked her for making a decision that saved his life. I damn near burst into tears after hearing him say that in such a sincere manner.

A helmet wont stop you from doing something stupid and wont stop other people from going out of control on piste, but when those two unavoidable events happen it will give you the best chances in dealing with the situation.


Jeff

 

[skidon]

I got a helmet 'cuz I couldn't rivet a Red Bull can onto my hat. I don't wear it when it's real warm out, even though it's well-vented. Guess I'm a sweathog.

 

[Lostone]

When we first got ours, the rest of the people in our ski club gave us a bunch of crap. Now, almost all of them wear them.

Week before last, in the Sugarbush ski bum race, someone broke theirs. Can you imagine what would have happened if they didn't have one. :blink:

Don't worry about dying. Worry about who will be wiping your butt when you are a vegetable. Your choice. :roll:

And ski patrol wouldn't have to enforce a helmet requirement. (Which I'm not in favor of, by the way.) It would be done by those who check your ticket.

If you think a helmet is uncomfortable, wear one for a short time. Note that everyone says that they don't notice them? I've found that I'd forgotten to take mine off when my goggles hit my shoulder, after I'd been inside a while.

 

[rotorite86]

Ergh, you guys are making me consider a helmet!

 

[BrockVond]

Today, I too joined the ranks of the helmeted skier

I look at the dents on my Giro Fuse from the close calls I've had and I know it's saved me from serious harm at least a few times.

Just today in today's NYTimes there was this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/23/nyregion/thecity/23skis.html

what a tragedy. If only she had worn a helmet I have no doubt that she would not have been so badly hurt.

Her father started this memorial site:

http://www.thechristinafund.com/index.html

He's got a good point about ski instructors wearing helmets. If the resorts are going to recommend that customers wear helmets, I think ski instructors should set an example and always wear them.

 

[DEVO]

I must admit that my wife and I are two of those people you see on the mountain who's kids are wearing helmets but we are not.

I have been saying I am going to get a helmet for the last couple of seasons, and really want to pick one up this season as I am hoping to start learning 360's. I don't know if i will be able to get my wife to wear one though. I think they are the smart thing to do . I can't imaging going out on my mtn bike with out wearing a helmet ( I have even thought about wearing my full face 661 DH bike helmet out skiing a couple of times, heh heh heh).

 

[LineSki15]

Yeah, I've had some discussions with my friend about why he doesn't wear a helmet and he continuously says that it is "too expensive" and that "if you are going to get hurt, a helmet won't help most of the time"
I think he really just thinks it will be too uncomfortable and that it will look stupid, but believe me, it would be hard to make this guy look more stupid! (j/k).
Oh well, to each his own I guess.

 

[BickMaster]

Hemet...

I bought one for my race snowboard and feel it a must in case of whiplashes. I started wearing it while skiing in the last two weeks but feel less concerned since you usually have a second chance when off balance on skis... :O).
I slammed my face very hard on ice @ Sugarbush this WE. My left pole instantly bent 90 degrees under the impact. The goggles broke appart while protecting my upper portrait.

The helmet probably didn't do any difference this time but next might be different.
I'm considering the use of a facial/ nose protector for warmth and safety now since I love to ski as fast as control and others skiers safety allows me to...

You can't be too protected if still comfortable.

 

[rotorite86]

I am unedcuated about helmets, but how does a helmet prevent Whiplash without wearing some kind of neck device?

I always wear a bike helmet, as I had to call an ambulance once for a friend while we were out in the woods. My buddy and I said to my friend "you don't have to wear the helmet now (on the road), but the second we hit the trails, its on or you aren't going". Thank god he put it on, he still had a mild concussion and had road rash (gravel style) on the entire right side of his face.

 

[RossiSkier]

If wearing a ski helmut isn't cool, well try Skiershop.com's best selling GIRO BAD LIEUTENANT. They look pretty cool

It also comes in Snow Camo and Green Camo:

While you're there, check out the body armour:

 

[dmc]

but the second we hit the trails, its on or you aren't going".

I don't mountain bike with people without helmets... I refuse!

I've seen some ugly head injuries from helmetless people on MTBs...

 

[ChileMass]

I haven't worn a helmet since racing GS in 9th grade (a looooong time ago), and it's not like I have anything against wearing one, I just don't think of it until I see others wearing them at the hill. I have a high level of confidence in my skiing abilities, but I realize I still have to look out for others who could do me damage. Just really don't even think about it, but I suppose I ought to wear one since I have kids I'd like to see grow up.....

I'll probably get one for next season.......

 

[TeleGrrrl]

Several years ago I was skiing White Nitro at the Loaf, it was typical icy conditions up there, and I caught my ski edge on some puckerbrush on the edge of the trail. I started sliding down the slope, finally got my feet pointed down hill, started self arresting with the carbide tip of my pole, and eventually landed on the Spillway cross cut, a bit shook up but not injured. This little kid skis over to me, he was probably 7-8 years old and says, "Hey Lady! If you're going to ski like that you should wear a helmet!" And so, I stopped in Kingfiled on the way home and forked out the cash. I've been wearing one ever since. Sometimes kids are so much smarter than we are....