Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

To wear or not to wear a Helm?

58K views 333 replies 150 participants last post by  snowyc 
#1 ·
Just interested in freestyle riders thoughts on using helmets. I'm a pure freerider who hasn't had much experience with jumping/jibbing other than backcountry kickers into deeeeep pow, so I never wore a helmet, even though my mom bought me one about 12 years ago, lol. Do you guys bring your helmets along just for riding 'park' or no helmet use? I did not like the feel of a helmet on my head when I tried it way back in the day. Plus, the helmet was noticeably colder! Feel like I need to yell FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOM from the top of my lungs like William Wallace when I was wearing one. However, I do know that park riding is more deadly to your lightbulb...
I should note that despite getting into more freestyle oriented riding this winter, if it snows, I'll be riding pow, not in the park :p
Wanna protect my head while in the park, but don't exactly wanna lug a helmet around with me on my pack, already enough crap in there!

My question is, what are your thoughts on helmet use in respect to freestyle riding.
 
#157 ·
I always wear one.There are so many styles and colours and shapes now too.
I smashed my head on the ground a couple weeks back and would have definitely done some real damage if I was not wearing one. I totally would have needed to take time off riding, something that no one wants to do!
A guy this year died last run, didn't run into anything, just caught and edge fell...and unfortunately had nothing to help absorb the impact and died. So sad.
 
#158 ·
Can these threads be considered as Politics and banished from the forums?
... Nothing but an ongoing war, you could replace Helmet with Gun control and Abortion and have the same results.

Better get some sleep, I'm headed to the Mtn tomorrow. No helmet this week though, can't find it :dunno: Left it in a buddies truck maybe. Hopefully I can survive...
 
#165 ·
Or worse. All I have to do is think of Liam Neeson's wife and there's never a decision to make. It doesn't matter how good you are, you can ALWAYS make the simplest of mistakes.. And it can cost you everything
 
#166 ·
My very first day learning, I caught a mean heel edge and cracked my head. Nothing serious, but enough to realise that I could easily do some damage in a similar situation.

Worn a helmet ever since. Whacked it a few times hard enough to know I would've been in trouble without it.
 
#167 ·
Discussing if people should wear a helmet or not to wear a helmet is like discussing if you should wear a condom or not.... Obviously you should wear a condom but a lot of people don't, the best you can do is educate people and get the information out.

The rest is up to the individual...:dunno:
 
#169 ·
I don't wear either :D. Been with the same chick since 1999 so I don't need to worry about getting an STD. And been riding since 1988 so I pretty much know my limits by now.
The only reason I would consider wearing one is when I take my 3 year old out to the hill to set a good example.
 
#168 ·
Ha! Great thread. When I started riding in the early 90s...NO ONE wore helmet. Not skiiers, not snowboarders. I NEVER wore a helmet and end up with a couple minor concussions.
Upon returning to a board after a while off I was so pleased to see almost everyone on the hill wearing a helmet. I rented a helmet and just purchased a Bern Baker EPS and felt muuuuch safer wearing it. It was warmer and more comfortable than a beanie and I wasnt dropping my goggles all over the place.
 
#173 ·
Ive never really worn a helmet, except when I was younger and thought those chrome helmets was so badass :p But anyway, to me it seems like wearing a helmet is very trendy thesedays, and your sort of an outsider if you dont. When your queing for the lift, and your the only guy without helmet, its sort of.... wierd? :p
 
#175 ·
Wife took a nasty fall off a medium kicker yesterday; left the launch heelside and of course the board went out in front of her, landed on her butt and whacked her head. Was fairly slushy conditions so no concussions/dizzyness but she still ended up with a headache for the rest of the afternoon.

And yet she *still* refuses to wear a helmet. Thinks it makes everyone think you are a pro that does backflips off 50ft jumps (mind you i wouldnt go out without my helmet and i am far from that level)

Anyone have any suggestions for a 'cute' helmet? Or something that is low profile/doesnt stand out too much?
 
#176 ·
Anyone have any suggestions for a 'cute' helmet? Or something that is low profile/doesnt stand out too much?
From what I've seen, Bern makes the lowest-profile helmets in a variety of colors and styles. The lining is like a beanie and has soft fur around it (like wearing my Chihuahua on my head :laugh:). I think your wife would like that.

Just make sure it has EPS or is certified; a couple seasons ago Bern's lower-end helmet wasn't. :)

Lib Tech also has an insanely low-profile helmet that is certified. Right now I have a Giro Revolver. I put earphones in the audio pads though, because the Skull Candy one they make for it is crap.

I bet she would want to wear the helmet If you got her an audio-compatible one! Outdoor Technology is releasing a wireless helmet audio system this year in September- man I can't wait to get one of those!
 
#178 ·
No need for the insults.. It's not illegal to ride without a helmet. Do you just stand in the lift line scolding people for not wearing helmets? I think it's great that most people wear helmets but it's a personal choice and should remain that way. More people get ran over walking to work than hurt/killed while skiing/riding.
 
#186 ·
That's because more people walk to work more often. A per capita comparison would be more accurate.

As to the insults, when you make a statement on the forum, no-one is obligated to agree with you. I think it was a dumb statement as well. I'd probably phrase it a little better... ;) But yeah people know their limitations and don't need helmets just like they know their liquor capacity and don't need to take a taxi.
 
#189 ·
That's because more people walk to work more often. A per capita comparison would be more accurate.

As to the insults, when you make a statement on the forum, no-one is obligated to agree with you. I think it was a dumb statement as well. I'd probably phrase it a little better... ;) But yeah people know their limitations and don't need helmets just like they know their liquor capacity and don't need to take a taxi.
thanks Donutz, thats basically what I was trying to say. Wearing a helmet is definitely a personal decision, even though I honestly can't figure out how someone could justify not wearing one when it could be the difference between life and death, but I just thought that was one of the most idiotic statements I'd ever read and is the exact kind of thing that temps Karma to prove you wrong.

I was just at a ladies house measuring her kitchen, and as a rule, I always try to connect with them on a personal level. They're a skiing family, but theyre also a nurse and Dr respectively..one of their best friends came in in Friday after a terrible ski accident..had he not had his helmet on, he would probably be brain dead. He is a double black level skiier, and yet he had emergency surgery to fix his collapsed lung and broken back and spine..he has 2 18" rods going down his back right now.

It doesn't matter how good you are, mistakes happen. Personally, at 27, I have too much responsibility and too many people who care about me to take that risk.
 
#179 ·
Gdog thanks for the suggestions; Will look at some of those offerings.

The audio thing i am not so sure on, neither of us ride with audio at the moment (hard enough to communicate out there as it is).

Was actually just going to get her one of those pads for the back of your head; but i am pretty sure she wont turn down a fairly low profile helmet if it came as a present
 
#187 ·
Its part of the Bern Hard Hat line. Since it doesnt conform to standards, they cant call it a "helmet." Well...they probably can but they dont.

Look at the Bern lines that say EPS. Very similar look...harder foam for big impacts.
 
#181 ·
Just figured I'd mention, I have a Red Trace II. No issues with the quality, it's actually pretty nice, and fits my head good, but is absolutely unbearable on my ears. By 1 in the afternoon they'll be throbbing. As much as I like the helmet itself, my ears can't take it so I'm hunting for another. Just a thought for those of you with higher set or larger ears.
 
#190 ·
You've called out someone on each page of this thread.. Helmet nazis just get old! I too have been skiing/skateboarding and riding over twenty years. I just started wearing a helmet a few years ago when they got popular. I still ride without them from time to time when it's a nice spring day and just casually ride groomers with the girlfriend. I won't be surprised when insurance companies start making resorts make helmets mandatory or give them a discount if they do.

Worst thing I've had happen was a broken femur while skiing and and broken ribs/dislocated elbow while riding. Skateboarding was the worst for head injuries. Nobody wore a helmet back when I was into that. Making beginners/tourists stay the fuck off terrian they cant handle and making them learn and follow the skiers code would help curb injuries more than PPE. Kids in the future are going to have to suit up like Ironman to be allowed to have fun.
 
#191 · (Edited)
You've called out someone on each page of this thread.. Helmet nazis just get old! I too have been skiing/skateboarding and riding over twenty years. I just started wearing a helmet a few years ago when they got popular. I still ride without them from time to time when it's a nice spring day and just casually ride groomers with the girlfriend. I won't be surprised when insurance companies start making resorts make helmets mandatory or give them a discount if they do.

Worst thing I've had happen was a broken femur while skiing and and broken ribs/dislocated elbow while riding. Skateboarding was the worst for head injuries. Nobody wore a helmet back when I was into that. Making beginners/tourists stay the fuck off terrian they cant handle and making them learn and follow the skiers code would help curb injuries more than PPE. Kids in the future are going to have to suit up like Ironman to be allowed to have fun.
im not a helmet nazi.. I dont give a flying fuck if you become a drooling vegetable..ill bet if you did (or anyone else did ) your family would be wishing you wore a fucking helmet so that they wouldnt be wiping spittle off of your chin, pushing you around in a wheelchair or feeding you baby food. Again, let me make it clear..i dont care if you wear a helmet, thats your decision but the moronic fucking comments in this thread about why people don't wear them makes me wonder if they haven't already hit their heads too many times.

"im know my limits"
"im just cruising"
"shouldnt have been on that terrain"

guess what? youre not a professional rider, and you're certainly not infallible..how about rather than make idiotic reasons, you just say "i dont want to wear a helmet despite the fact that I know the risks inherent with high speed head injuries"?

EVERYONE makes mistakes ... Caleb Moore, Shaun White, Sarah Burke... theyre all much better at their sport than you. I'll bet Shaun White doesn't get into a halfpipe without a helmet on..and Ill also bet he knows his limitations. its a stupid fucking argument and youre just asking for karma to teach you a lesson.

so, in conclusion, suck my helmet nazi nuts


and in case any of you missed it..this was Liam Neeson's wife Natasha Richardson

"On 16 March 2009, Richardson sustained a head injury when she fell while taking a beginner skiing lesson at the Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec, Canada about 80 miles (130 km) from Montreal. The injury was followed by a lucid interval, when Richardson seemed to be fine and was able to talk and act normally. Paramedics and an ambulance which initially responded to the accident were told they were not needed and left.[19] Refusing medical attention twice, she returned to her hotel room and about three hours later was taken to a local hospital in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts after complaining of a headache.[20][21] She was transferred from there by ambulance to Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur, Montreal, in critical condition and was admitted about seven hours after the fall.[22][23] The following day she was flown to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where she died on 18 March at the age of 45.[1][24] An autopsy conducted by the New York City Medical Examiners Office on 19 March revealed the cause of death was an "epidural hematoma due to blunt impact to the head", and her death was ruled an accident.[20]"
 
#193 ·
Last week at Northstar:

A dad skier was bending down to zip up his toddler daughter's jacket in the base area near a fence. A pair of skis were leaning up against the fence two feet away from dad. Some doofus backed up into the skis, causing them to slide and fall down the fence crashing directly into dad's head. Luckily, he had his helmet on. If he didn't, he'd most certainly have had to go to the hospital for something.

You wear a helmet because doofuses have a knack for being unforeseeable.
 
#196 ·
As for accident stories...
My sister's fiancé (<hey that's cool- the accent was automatic!) told me about his friend who went skiing several years ago wearing only a beanie. He fell on a beginner hill, and during the moment he was on the ground a skier sliced over his head and cut it pretty deep. :eek:

After a fair amount of stitching later he turned out to be ok, but man that was just nasty!

This was back when I was learning and him and my sister were visiting us for crizmas break. My dad, being the money-saving man he was, got me one of these stupid things to wear:


I was about to go snowboarding one day without it and he told me this story of his friend, so I wore it.

It looked like a bowling ball. It cramped my ears. It was terrible.:dizzy: But it saved my ass later on! (I've still been needing to sell it since I've had my REAL snowboarding helmet, which is the most awesome thing I've ever worn on my head!)

It's in new condition still if anyone's interested... if anyone is I'll take some pictures.
 
#197 ·
I never wore one for 8 years of riding. Hit a 20 footer at bachelor earlier this year and caught my heel edge landing and slammed my head. Rattled me pretty good. Went and bought a helmet, forgot it was on after ten minutes. So now I'm wondering why I haven't had one since the day I started...
 
#198 ·
I was riding really mellow woods saturday, following my son ( I let him go ahead so I can see what he's doing and where he goes) he's 13 and learning.
I ducked a branch but didn't see the other one behind it, a broken stump that smacked my helmet protected forehead. It was a good hit. Without helmet I would have had stitches for sure. I was not going fast.
 
#199 ·
Haha Donutz, that's what they don't get.. I have no vested stake in their life, but the stupid reasonings just make me want to face palm all day. No one is perfect, conditions are rarely perfect, and aside from the occasional assclown chiming in about how they never fall or they haven't work one in X amount of years and have been fine, there's 20+ pages of new to experienced riders telling stories about how their helmet saved their day,season or life.

I didn't think helmets were cool at first.. I didn't want to wear one so badly. Then, one day I was calmly cruising down a mellow blue trail with some friends and looked back to see where they were and lost my edge.. I fly backwards about 10 feet downhill and smack my head pretty good.. Seeing stars, I got up, rode to the lodge and bought a helmet.. And then looked around and realized I was in the majority with the helmet on
 
#200 ·
I am 45 and never wore a helmet since I started skiing in the late 80s, through transition to snowboarding last year.... until a couple of things happened this season.

- Ultra icy conditions early this season and I kept catching edges like crazy. Several slams backwards into the ground while my kids were around and I was 3 hours from home really started me thinking.

- Doing much more aggressive runs and seeing the effects of higher speed and greater angles got me thinking some more...

- Then my son and I decided to try park. That was it - I bought a helmet first and never looked back. I have a Red Trace, its comfortable both in feel and temperature regulation.

Now I can do whatever and not have to think about it. I just put it on and keep it on and I made peace with that. Partly at my age there are bigger things to be worried about... I know people fighting cancer, raising disabled kids, unable to find work, etc, etc...how can I get worked up about a helmet?

My kids need me around for a long time so that is a big factor for me....but otherwise I think its pretty cool to be riding at my age, especially in the park with the teens and 20'somethings, and I would hate to lose that.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top