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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.
 
#7 · (Edited)
My personal opinion is always wear a helmet. When learning new tricks it is really easy to catch your heel edge and slam the back of the head on the ground. Helmets are not fool-proof you can still get a concussion wearing one... but it can also mean the difference between being a little shaken up for a few minutes... and it ending the rest of your day/trip.

Even if you are just "taking it easy" you can still get hurt. You could crash on a simple box and get a concussion due to bad luck. someone else could crash into your from behind... like Boarderholic or my girlfriend two seasons ago.

Actually when I was waiting in the season pass pickup line at Kirkwood a couple of year ago... a huge icicle broke off the roof and clobbered two guys standing in line by the season pass office. One guy had a helmet and was ok although shaken up. The other guy did not and was stretchered away. Anecdotal evidence... but still.

I agree it feels nicer and more "free" without a helmet... but a proper fitting helmet should be pretty comfortable and warm.
 
#8 ·
I would much rather not wear a helmet, but here are the reasons why I do...

1. 2 head concussions neither of which happened in the park. 1 was caused by an out of control skier and I was wearing a helmet. I still rode the rest of the day, but literally could not piece together a sentence and had a gnarly headache.
2. I like to ride through the trees...I'm guessing my head is not going to win of I hit a tree at speed
3. Double black diamonds with exposed rocks...in the even that I bite it, I would rather not tomohawk head first into a patch of them wearing a beenie...then again, even a helmet might not save me.

My main factor for wearing though, in all honesty is because I have kiddos and I'd hate for a nasty accident to take me out of their lives.

Andy
 
#9 ·
It's totally your choice whether you want to or not but I highly recommend it in the park with rails, boxes, bailing hard on jumps, etc. it really saves you!

I can't count how many times I'm hiking a rail or waiting to drop and a guy with a helmet falls really bad and smacks his head on the back of the rail and all I'm thinking is "if that dude didn't have a helmet..." I've had my own firsthand experiences too but just my two cents.

Outside the park there's plenty of hazards out there so again it's recommended but I usually don't wear a helmet outside of the park but I'm taking my own risk.
 
#10 ·
Yeah, I'm thinking that when in the park I'll wear one or I won't try any rails outside the park. On a normal run I'm not too worried about being run into or hitting any rocks so I'll stay free in that circumstance since I've never had any issues with trees or rocks - although the base of my board might tell ya different: gotta love those exposed rocks in the worst places, lol.

Interesting to hear the different responses, but I'm a bit shocked at the responses towards wearing a helmet. In my time ripping down double blacks at kicking horse, sunshine and castle mountain, I found that most riders didn't wear a helmet. Should note that I NEVER ventured into any park terrain areas so can't comment on that, but sounds like it's exactly opposite.
 
#11 ·
I think that it's all about finding a helmet that is comfortable, light weight, and low profile. I use a Smith Vantage, and I had two sent to my house. When I picked up the box, with TWO helmets inside, it felt practically empty. I feel like a lot of the helmets designed for the "park look" (like the skate helmet look) are heavier and lack ventilation.

I also know tons of people who wear thin beanies under their helmets for warmth. That's where the inner adjustable helmets are nice.

Unless you are jibbing or riding icy park conditions, I think riding in the trees is more dangerous for your dome piece.

Have you ever actually hit your head hard while riding? I know more than a few kids who never wore helmets for the same reasons you are saying, only to slam their face on something and get carted down the hill. Needless to say they ALL made peace with some dome protection.
 
#13 ·
Nope, have never hit my head against a tree or other object other than snow. I tend to steer my board away from such obstacles with my edges. If your edges fail you can always bail on your board by falling against the mountainside packed with snow. Always a way to avoid a tree! Lol, some will say that's crazae, but doesn't mean it ain't true.
I have once or twice driven my noggen in the snow after totally messing up a backcountry kicker :p

The thread contributors can feel glad that they've convinced me to bring my helm for park use and they may also be sad because I'll never wear a helmet going down a fall line.
 
#14 ·
I say wear a helmet or at least a hard hat. the new designs are more comfortable, lightweight and cool looking than they were 12 years ago.

It never falls off and my goggles never fall off of it

It keeps my head warm

It lets me listen to music

It protects my brain

protects my BRAIN

my BRAIN

BRAIN

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to the primary sensory organs for such senses as vision, hearing, balance, taste, and smell. The brain of a vertebrate is the most complex organ in its body. In a typical human the cerebral cortex (the largest part) is estimated to contain 15–33 billion neurons,[1] each connected by synapses to several thousand other neurons. These neurons communicate with one another by means of long protoplasmic fibers called axons, which carry trains of signal pulses called action potentials to distant parts of the brain or body targeting specific recipient cells.

From an evolutionary-biological point of view, the function of the brain is to exert centralized control over the other organs of the body. The brain acts on the rest of the body either by generating patterns of muscle activity or by driving secretion of chemicals called hormones. This centralized control allows rapid and coordinated responses to changes in the environment. Some basic types of responsiveness such as reflexes can be mediated by the spinal cord or peripheral ganglia, but sophisticated purposeful control of behavior based on complex sensory input requires the information-integrating capabilities of a centralized brain.

From a philosophical point of view, what makes the brain special in comparison to other organs is that it forms the physical structure that generates the mind. As Hippocrates put it: "Men ought to know that from nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations."[2] In the early part of psychology, the mind was thought to be separate from the brain. However, after early scientists conducted experiments it was determined that the mind was a component of a functioning brain that expressed certain behaviours based on the external environment and the development of the organism.[3] The mechanisms by which brain activity gives rise to consciousness and thought have been very challenging to understand: despite rapid scientific progress, much about how the brain works remains a mystery. The operations of individual brain cells are now understood in considerable detail, but the way they cooperate in ensembles of millions has been very difficult to decipher. The most promising approaches treat the brain as a biological computer, very different in mechanism from electronic computers, but similar in the sense that it acquires information from the surrounding world, stores it, and processes it in a variety of ways.

-wikipedia
 
#17 ·
I got a helmet a a few years back after a couple friends cracked their heads open on an icy day at Whistler. Wore it for a couple seasons until one day I forgot it, loved how much more comfortable it was without one, and never wore it again. Went and got one before last season though, since I spend the majority of my time in the trees and ducking ropes to the slackcountry. Wear it about 95% of the time now.
 
#21 ·
Helmet.. or concussion/degenerative brain damage/mental stability/possibility of death... Should this even be a question?

I understand a helmets comfort ability may be a deterrent for you however it's a small price to pay in my opinion instead of waking up brain dead simply trying to enjoy one of my favorite sports.
 
#23 ·
Just an FYI here. You are calling others dumb yet you have nearly defeated the purpose of the helmet here. Your helmet needs to fit snugly without a beanie under it. When fitting yourself for a helmet, do not wear a beanie under it. A sloppy, loose fitting helmet is only marginally better than no helmet and you are riding around with a sense of false security. Don`t wear a beanie under the helmet if you actually want protection.
To be honest, I didn't know it would make that much of a difference either. Personally I find my helmet warm enough anyway, but this is Raincouver where freezing temps are a myth.
 
#25 ·
I honestly hate wearing helmets and think there uncomfortable and everything, but I've known people who've had concussions and have actually split there head open, even when riding on a trail; even though I hate it I wear one just because you think about it and one blow to the head is all it takes.
 
#27 ·
Last year I discovered a pretty significant "stabbing" or "poking" type of impact on the top front of my helmet. Kinda looks like it was hit by a bullet.

Not sure, but I think it was caused by a tree branch. Seems like it could have done some real damage to a bare mellon!

I find that wearing a helmet gives me an added sense of security to bomb through shit with fewer consequences...which isn't necessarily always a good thing. :D
 
#28 · (Edited)
sorry i dont find even proper fitting helmets to be comfortable. :dunno:

wearing a helmet is a choice, my choice is not to.

ive actually taken a pretty bad shot to the back of the head while snowboarding, with a concussion and a few hours of amnesia to boot. its not something i make a habit of so im not really worried about it.






edit* i want to add that i am in no way endorsing not wearing a helmet, they do provide a lot of protection for your precious little head. but i do endorse your right to choose whether you wear one or not.
 
#29 ·
I have been a firefighter/paramedic for 9 years. While I work in the south, have seen the result of people hitting their heads on just about everything but snow and ice. I'll spare you the details, but I can honestly say that after countless motorcycle, scooter, skateboard, falls, ect, ect. over the years I have never said "that dude was lucky he wasn't wearing a helmet". I can even say that a few times about seat belts, but never a helmet.
My father died of a traumatic brain injury about 3 years ago. After 4 months in a hospital where my whole family pretty much stayed by his side. Coming from a family member who went through this whole ordeal, I have to disagree that it's a personal choice to wear one. Ask your family. After a traumatic brain injury, they are going to be the ones dealing with your situation, you'll be obvilious. Maybe visiting you somewhere all the time, maybe if your lucky enough to go home - feeding you, bathing you, cleaning up your drool, stuff like that...involve them in your decision.
Sorry if this was a little over the top, but maybe it will convince just one of you to wear one and save you and your family from having to deal with something like this. Why is this in a fashion forum?
 
#30 ·
Why is this in a fashion forum?
Agree with everything barnburner said. Working as an RN in both ER and ICU for the last four years, I have seen the results of head injuries first hand. It is not pretty. That said, I have seen many patients go on to make a full recovery after a helmeted head injury, when they would have been dead without it. Just wear the helmet. Which is more important, your fashion sense or your brain matter?
 
#31 ·
Wearing helmet is definitely a choice for each person to make. If you won't want to wear a helmet, that's fine, it's your choice.

The thing that kills me is some of the reasons I'm hearing here. The comments like "I don't plan on falling" are ridiculously comical. I do plan on falling either, but shit happens. I'm pretty sure nobody ever went out saying, "I think I'm gonna try to fall as many times as I can today." I took a hidden tree branch to the dome at Vail last year that would have certainly crushed my skull, pretty sure I didn't say something like "I was trying to bash my skull in today."

Shit DOES happen, and it only takes one incident to change or end your life. That's why I wear a helmet.
 
#32 ·
I've started wearing one, and now I don't think I could justify not wearing one. The reward (looking cool, feeling lighter) isn't worth the risk (self explanatory).

That said, I rode without for years and just considered it par for the course. It was pretty uncommon for kids to wear helmets 10 years ago, and the helmets themselves were not as comfortable or low profiled as those made today.
 
#33 ·
tell you the truth i dont wear one but have one incase i decide to do park i proably should wear one all the time considering ive had 5 concussions not from snowboarding but from rugby but it your choice
 
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