seb1041

And a woman died in a restaurant near here because a brick from the building above landed on her head. True story by the way that was awful...her husband was in front of her...o_O But I totally understand your point. It's better to have one but I don't think it's essential. I've been snowboarding for 15 years and I never had a helmet. Snowboard equipment is not cheap and if you can afford it go for it but I don't think you shoud wait to have one to hit the slopes.

roremc

$50 for a helmet. Not sure what a replacement head costs but it has to be at least a couple of hundred!?

They are worth every penny. You just never know what might happen.

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So many runs so little time.

InfiniteEclipse

I highly recommend 'Black Diamond TeleKneesis Kneepads'

Mostly because east coast ice was kicking my ass... but honestly, there's nothing like the extra couple hours on the hill I get from them



$25 @ http://mammothgear.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=19250

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HoboMaster

I would say 60-70% of people nowadays wear helmets anyways, so there isn't really that big vibe of, "Your a pussy if you wear a helmet" anymore.

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PowderHound and TreeNinja

Qball

I recommend always wear a helmet while riding. You never know what could happen. Someone could hit you, especially when the slopes get crowded. A simple edge catch could mean a whack to the head. One time I was just cruising down to the lift at the end of the day and visibility had become pretty bad. Was on my toe edge and hit an unexpected dip in the contour of the snow (like thinking it's the last step of the stairs when it's not). It jarred me pretty good and caused me to catch my heel edge, hitting my head violently on the hard snow. Luckily I was wearing a helmet and rode away with some whiplash and a little embarrasment.

Also, wrist guards are a good idea. Wrist injuries are the number one injury in snowboarding. I haven't worn them in the pass, but I will this year, especially since I plan to work a lot more on spins.

yusoweird

Helmet is a must. You head is the tallest part of your body, therefore when you smack the ground after a edge catch, the head will have the highest velocity hitting the ice/snow/pavement.

For typical riding, knee and butt pads are great to have. The safest way to reduce a toe edge fall is to try to drop on your knees first when possible. This is where kneepads helps a lot. You knees are one of the lowest part of your body that can aid to reduce impact. You really don't have much choice on your heel edge falls except to take it in the butt. So wear that butt pad.

SwissMiss

Yeah helmets are a must... The first time I went out I fell A LOT and hit my head quite a bit, and at the end of the day I was super cranky and very unhappy about my first experience.
I also reccommend getting some endurance shorts. RED protection make some good ones, a pair for women and for men as we have different needs for support. Right now they're clearing all the 2010 stuff so you might be able to get a pair discounted unless you want the 2011s. But I used the 2010s and nothing wrong with them. It definitely saved my ass from bruises because the first time I went my whole butt was splotchy looking from my bruises, my bruises outlined all my bones in that general area haha.

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Tanja

yusoweird

Never say never. Afterall, it is called an accident. A heel edge catch with some speed have a very high chances of hitting your head. I can safely bet that you never really caught a solid heel edge at higher speed? You personally may not need a helmet, but you cannot say that for everyone. You must keep that to yourself only. I do think that some people may never hit their head because of the way they ride, their react to accidents, or their precautions while riding. But again, no two person reacts and rides exactly the same way. Also, every single fall is different. The head has the highest risk for life changing damage. So at the end, it is essential to have a helmet.

seb1041

The reason I say that I've been riding for 15 years is not to try to look like I'm a pro and I don't ever fall but to remind you that a few years back, there was no such thing as a snowboard helmet and nothing serious never happened to me or my riding buddies or to friends of my friends. I'm not saying that there is 0% chance of head injury, accidents do happen ( and chances are I'm going to get a helmet for icy days)but I don't think it's absolutely essential. Maybe I'm wrong...but it really is the OP's decision at the end.

killclimbz

Is a helmet mandatory? No. Is it a good idea? Sure.

Really, it is up to the OP. You don't need one, but what is your comfort level? I rode for 10 years without a helmet. I've been rocking one since 98. Overall, in the cold climate I ride in, it offers more advantages. Warmth, protection, blah, blah, blah. Keep in mind it offers little protection if you are going big. Say if you hit a tree at 20 (easy to achieve) mph. Glancing blows, flyswatter slams, helmets are great protection. So again, it's preference. Of course if you take a flyswatter slam to the head and die, we'll say "we told you so".