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Ski and snowboarding

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Original poster

Helmets for adults. Advisory or compulsory?

71 replies

clam · 06/02/2010 15:07

Goes without saying that the DCs are togged out with them.
But what about us adults? What do you do? DH point blank refuses to comply with my current panic about fatal head injuries. But was just chatting in Snow & Rock with another customer who said that the current thinking in his circle of mates who are serious skiers is that you'd be insane not to wear one.

What do you reckon?

OP posts:

FiveGoMadInDorset · 06/02/2010 15:10

Considering what happened to Natasha Richardson on a nursery slope then yes I would wear one. All my cousins in America ski and they think anyone who doesn't wear a helmet is insane.

boardbunny · 06/02/2010 15:18

I'm with the insane not to wear one camp too and I can't for the life of me work out why people don't. I'm a boarder so maybe a different perspective because of how often and how we fall! But I have had 2 falls over the years that weren't too bad in themselves but had my head bouncing off the ground in particularly icy conditions. I was seeing double with a helmet on and it hurt like hell both times, dread to think how I would have fared without a helmet.

They also seem to be more popular with boarders generally, in most resorts we can't go on any of the jumps or kickers without one (not that I do much anyway!) and all of the top snowboarders you get to see in competition always wear them even when not competing.

You can be the best skier/boarder in the world but it takes just one out of control numpty to crash into you, and even then it doesn't have to be a particularly fast or brutal knock to be fatal.

shockers · 06/02/2010 15:21

I second that last sentence boardbunny!

msrisotto · 06/02/2010 15:24

Oh, It's been a few years for me but i've never heard of adults wearing helmets!

FiveGoMadInDorset · 06/02/2010 15:27

www.nytimes.com/2010/01/02/sports/othersports/02ski.html interesting articlae about helmets in America

Original poster

clam · 06/02/2010 15:44

Interestingly, the shop where we're hiring all the rest of the gear, mentions helmets for kdis, but not for adults. Why is that, do you think?

OP posts:

Kiwinyc · 06/02/2010 16:00

My DH refuses to wear a helmet. Despite having an accident 14 yrs ago that fractured two vertebrae in his neck. He feels wearing helmets encourages people to ski beyond their ability, and i've told him that its not his ability i'm worried about but other people crashing into him again.

So i wear one (I board) and so do the kids. I think boarders wear them more because its a newer sport and its more 'normal' to wear the helmet if boarding.

drinkyourmilk · 06/02/2010 16:08

I board and ski - and wear a helmet doing both.

2 years ago I knocked myself out while boarding - that helmet saved my life.

Please wear a helmet - you wouldn't drive a car without a seatbelt.

Original poster

clam · 06/02/2010 16:14

I have in fact now just ordered to hire one in the resort. But can't persuade DH.

But I'm going to be the one providing round-the-clock care for him when he lands himself in a coma!

OP posts:

BaconWheatCrunchies · 07/02/2010 08:04

Will be borrowing one or hiring one, first time though.......

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 07/02/2010 13:59

We all wear them.

We do when cycling, we wear seat belts at all times in the car.

It seems daft not to.

sarah293 · 07/02/2010 14:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Francagoestohollywood · 07/02/2010 14:22

It is compulsory for children here in Italy (I think up to 14 yrs old) and I reckon it should be made compulsory for adults too.
Actually, I think it's the carving skis that give a false sense of security and lots of people think they are better skiers than they actually are. Lots of arseholes on the slopes, too many, imho.

Lilymaid · 07/02/2010 14:25

DS2 is off on a ski instructor course this week. Rule of the course is that wearing of helmets is compulsory at all times on the slopes.

Original poster

clam · 07/02/2010 14:55

Riven, I found an article yesterday about it, but the statistics were very contradictory, actually. They started by saying what a huge increase in snowboarding injuries there's been in the last 5 years, but then accounted for it by saying the percentage increase matched the increase of numbers on the slopes. Inconclusive, really. Sorry, rubbish at links. Someone else might know for sure.

OP posts:

usplus3 · 07/02/2010 20:53

I first started wearing a helmet 2 years ago - I always thought it would feel claustrophobic and bulky. Not at all. It's actually more comfortable than a hat. The air circulates and you don't get "hat itch" - the helmet is warm too!

Wouldn't ski without one now.

PS - husband wears one too...in fact he started wearing one before me!

Pennies · 07/02/2010 20:57

I wouldn't be surprised it it was compulsory soon.

QuintessentialSnowStorm · 07/02/2010 21:09

It is compulsory at the slopes here.

grenadine · 07/02/2010 21:16

I'm thinking of buying or hiring a helmet this time. Could anyone recommend a good make/helmet. Have no idea where to start with this!

Feelingforty · 07/02/2010 22:31

I've just bought one - a vulcan - & wore it at the dry ski slopes the other day. Glad I did because I banged my head.

sarah293 · 08/02/2010 08:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BaconWheatCrunchies · 08/02/2010 09:13

I've been about 6 times and never banged my head, but I think maybe slopes are busier now, and people faster, it's a bit like the roads.

Not sure I'll be able to persuade my DH to wear a helmet, he's been going since he could go into ski school, so about the last 30yrs, and my FIL would definitely think it wasn't needed. But then he has photos of his own father on the slopes. He made his own wooden skis.

Original poster

clam · 08/02/2010 10:42

Well, my new worry is whether or not we'll even get there in order to wear the darn things, if the snow that has been forecast for the East and South materiealises.

And apparently, the resorts are fully booked up everywhere, so it's going to be heaving.

OP posts:

ArcticFox · 08/02/2010 10:53

I think the reason that ski equipment hire companies have children's ones is that they are mandatory for a lot of ski schools (for children but not for adults).

I have had some bad falls and never had a head injury but you never know.

I read somewhere that you are more likely to have a head impact boarding than skiing because of the tendency to fall backwards rather than forwards, but I cant find the article now.

Have to admit I don't have one. Maybe I should.

grenadine · 08/02/2010 11:55

I've never worn a ski helmet and don't particularly like the thought of head gear (more weight to carry, another bit of clutter) however it is not just a case of how well one skies but having the possible misfortune of someone skiing into you if they are going too fast.

My husband has also twice been bumped off a chair lift getting on and been hit by the chairlift moving forward after falling..this is another reason I'm thinking of getting one.

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