helmet advice please

[greygirl]

OK this is not a debate on helmets in general (I am 'pro helmet', me and DH have our own from pre-kid days).

Lidl is due to sell kiddie snow helmets in a week or so, for £15. I have 3 small children. I am considering buying helmets for when we go skiing and for lessons at the snow dome (approx 2 times a month till the holiday).
my husband says no because a) we will have to take them on holiday which will be a right clart and b) they will grow so quickly it will be a waste of money.


does anyone else buy helmets for their (uk based) skiing children? any comments?

[andiem]

I always hire greygirl as they are extra luggage to carry and also they grow out of them so quickly so I agree with your dh!

[scurryfunge]

I think they sound good value, even if they are only used for the pre-holiday skiing. My DS hires them and I am sure we paid more than £15 for a week's hire on a school trip.

[LIZS]

dc have them and their heads haven't grown that quickly. ds (12) is on his second since he was 4 ! Mind you make sure they fit well, dd had to have a particular brand to suit her head shape. We pack them in our boot bags and pad them out well. Thanks for tip re Lidl :)

[greygirl]

they are included with the ski hire when we go, so it is money we don't need to spend, but i can't help feeling that they wear cycle helmets for a few years at a time, and i don't really like hired helmets...
but £50 is £50. might buy a round of beer up a mountain!

[TeenagersDriveMeMad]

I'd be concerned about buying helmets from Lidl really. Do they have accreditation and those kite mark things? If you take your own equipment it probably wouldn't be too much hassle to put them in one end of the ski bag and they airline wouldn't charge you extra.

DH and I don't wear helmets (I know, bad) but I make DD2 (now 17) wear one when she goes off piste because I found out what they get up to. Last year included (but was not limited to): cliff drops, very narrow tree runs, kickers off cliff drops and some incredibly steep runs.
She snowboards and is completely insane with no fear. The helmet travels in the same bag as her snowboards.

[TeenagersDriveMeMad]

I've just re-read your OP.
Which snowdome will you be going to? They will provide helmets for under-16s in lessons and doing recreational slope time [mostly].

[greygirl]

yes they do loan helmets at tamworth, but the twins are 3 (little heads)and the helmets are not really that well fitting and sometimes sweaty. i am thinking of their comfort really i guess.
i think the lidl ones will be ok - their other sports stuff is normally very well done (and th aldi kids ski gear is imo fantastic, well worth a look) but it is a very excellent point and i would check before buying obviously.

[CaurnieBred]

We have used the Lidl ones for DD (5). The XS one fit her for the last 2 years and we have the S one ready for when she grows into that. I would rather pay £15 for her to have her own one: we know how it has been treated and it will be clean. And if you have more than one child then surely you can just hand them down?

They were a bit of a pain when travelling but we just hooked them onto our rucksacks and had them as part of our hand luggage (DH and I have our own ones too).

[snowmummy]

If they are properly accredited, then for £15 I'd buy them. When are they due to be in Lidl?

[jicky]

Ours have their own helmets, as do we. We pack them in the middle of the kit bags, not the boot bags.

The kids used to use free rentals, until we went somewhere without free rental & realized we could buy them for less than the rental charge.

They last a few years, but then tbh our kids helmets will be pretty bashed, so generally replace them.

[CaurnieBred]

They are properly accredited.

[greygirl]

the lidl helmets near us come out mon 11th october. they are also doing thermals, ski socks, gloves and snow boots.

the younger two are twins so only 1 hand-me-down-able helmet.

it had been taken out of my hands as we went for a ski class and they noticed i have my own (9 yr old) helmet. they want their own because i do. i think i will have to buy them and present DH with fate accompli (if that is the correct spelling!)

thank you for your input everybody.

[CaurnieBred]

The ones this year look quite nice too - with a little pink figure on the white one for the girls. DD had to choose between light grey and dark grey when she got hers!