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Ski Helmets?


PaulB

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I've got no idea what makes a $200 helmet better than a $80 helmet. Best bet is to get something comfortable with some type of soft liner on the inside if you're just using it for skiing. The good ones are way warmer than any hat you'll ever wear, but you won't want to wear them for aerobic activity because they'll be too hot.

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PaulB said:

So I'm thinking I should get a helmet for this winter. What features should I look for and/or avoid? How warm are they? What makes a $200 helmet better than an $80 helmet if they both meet the same safety standards?

 

 

 

Nothing!

 

I like the ones that don't go down the neck. just a personal preferance. like this Boeri

 

They are quite warm if you get one that covers neck and ears, or that has ear flaps...

 

I really like the Boeri that I have...

 

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I'd say get whatever fits best and is light, this is probably the biggest diference in prices. Also I'd recomend the half shell type with a removable lower part that covers your ears and back of your head for warmth but that can be removed as well in warmer temps. True that helmets are warmer than a hat. Go for something with extreme graphics like lightening bols and stuff to impress the chics, LOL.

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All good advice here. I would second to get what fits the best. I researched and bought mine 2 seasons ago.

 

The first helmet I bought I took home and wore around house to check its comfort (questioning looks and comments from wife and neighbors made it worth it laugh.gif), and I had a headache after 30 minutes. After I took it back and tried on in all 5-6 different manufacturers', I found that Boeri were the only helmets that really fit my noggin. It helps that they have a wide range of sizes, plus with their helmet I could fine-tune the fit by pressing out the inner foam where needed. Their Axis Rage has the removable ear liner for warmer days. Even though it retails for $140, I was able to get it at a local Coeur d'Alene shop for closer to $100. Last year with a slight style change, Gart's was selling the older model--in matte black color only--for around $50.

 

Good luck.

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b-rock said:

I'd say get whatever fits best and is light, this is probably the biggest diference in prices. Also I'd recomend the half shell type with a removable lower part that covers your ears and back of your head for warmth but that can be removed as well in warmer temps. True that helmets are warmer than a hat. Go for something with extreme graphics like lightening bols and stuff to impress the chics, LOL.

 

Exactly, I made the mistake of buying a helmet that has a hard shell covering over the ears. Very comfortable in the store, but I could only wear it for a half day on first use before it was too painful. Had to sell it. Now I have one that has soft removable flaps over the ears, much, much better. Maybe it was my big head, but the full shell over the ears was way to much and too warm. With removable ear flaps you can stay cooler or warmer.

 

Make sure there is enough space around the graphics in the front to put a piece of duct tape with your name on it rolleyes.gif

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Dustin_B said:Now I have one that has soft removable flaps over the ears, much, much better. Maybe it was my big head, but the full shell over the ears was way to much and too warm. With removable ear flaps you can stay cooler or warmer.

The problem with the helmets without ear coverage is the have much less converage of your cranium - and are therfore less useful as safety equipment. I've got a Leki helmet, that while fugly, as an open space around the ears so you can actually hear.

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Not to start a spray fest......but I think ski helmets are stupid

 

This is not just my opinion, but a conclusion of a survey that was done last year by one of the ski mags. They found that head trauma is a very uncommon ski injury as compared to knee, back, and neck injuries. In fact I think they found that neck injuries went up when wearing ski helmets......most likely because skiiers feel immortal when wearing a helmet.

 

Helmets reduce visibility, mobility, and hearing and appear to have limited safety benefits.

 

Just my humble opinion hahaha.gifcheeburga_ron.gifevils3d.gif

 

of course somone should check my refs

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I have been wondering all morning about just what Schnitzem has said. I won't go so far as to say ski helmets are stoopid, but I do wonder just how necessary they are. A quick google search of "ski injuries" discloses almost no mention of head injuries or the advisability of wearing a helmet, and I would think that for a racer or a kid it might be a good idea but for most of us??? I don't believe I have ever in my life heard of anybody suffering a serious head injury while skiing -- except some Kennedy guy.

 

For comparison, how many of those who are discussing ski helmets would consider wearing a helmet when crag climbing? Just curious.

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Just found the article

 

http://www.freep.com/news/health/rec28_19991228.htm

 

The funny thing is that pro-helmet groups say that 15% of all injuries are head injuries and 88% of all fatalities are from head injuries...and thus conclude that helmets will save lives....but if you look at the case studies, most of the deaths are from people hitting trees at 25mph+

 

No way would a helmet protect you from this

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mattp said:

I have been wondering all morning about just what Schnitzem has said. I won't go so far as to say ski helmets are stoopid, but I do wonder just how necessary they are. A quick google search of "ski injuries" discloses almost no mention of head injuries or the advisability of wearing a helmet, and I would think that for a racer or a kid it might be a good idea but for most of us??? I don't believe I have ever in my life heard of anybody suffering a serious head injury while skiing -- except some Kennedy guy.

 

For comparison, how many of those who are discussing ski helmets would consider wearing a helmet when crag climbing? Just curious.

 

your Kennedy reference is exactly my point....they used his case study to push for ski area helmet laws....but kennedy hit a tree while playing football and head injuries would not have been prevented unless he was wearing a motorcross helmet!

 

stupid stupid stupid

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Matt - 99.9% of skiers, including me, stay in what would be considered relatively mellow terrain. Typical injuries would be as you described - backs and knees and shit.

 

For other rad, extremo skier-types I think the danger of head or facial injury is probably a lot more likely, and helmets are probably not a bad idea.

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True story - my father, an expert skier of 25+ years, somehow skied off the side of an intermediate run inbounds and down a steep embankment and cracked his skull open. 12 hours of brain surgery. Thankfully he is in fine health now, but for a few weeks this was in question. This was before helemts were popular in the mid 80s.

 

Seems like just because there are more back, leg, etc injuries doesn't seem like a good reason to avoid the bigest and most debilitating injury. Don't know about y'all but my brain pays the bills, and a $100 helmet is worth any inconvenience it might present. Besides I like skiing in the trees grin.gif

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mattp said:

For comparison, how many of those who are discussing ski helmets would consider wearing a helmet when crag climbing? Just curious.

 

I like helmets for lift skiing, though I don't always wear one, because I tend to ski much faster than in the backcounrty. Nice for trying to push my limits skiing bumps on tele gear. If you are skiing fast, I don't see how you are less likely to hurt your head than, say, mtn. biking through the woods. You couldn't pay me to single track without a helmet. OTOH, I never wear one in the backcountry. It's too hot, I tend to ski much slower, the snow is almost always much softer and I find the decrease in awareness of my environment is a greater danger than smacking my head.

 

As for helmets climbing, I have done tons and tons of climbing without a helmet, but these days, I wear one almost always when on lead. Just last weekend, I took a long sport fall at Smith and got flipped upside down by the rope running under my foot. (My fault, I know, and I was aware of it, but fell before I could fix the problem) Anyway, even though the route was overhanging, I whacked the back of my head and was glad to be wearing a helmet. With the very lightweight helmets now available, I don't notice that it negatively affects my climbing ability. I often TR without one, and hang out at the base of crags without one (but never at Vantage!) but that's about it.

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I think they are stupid, but I just broke down and bought one anyway. I have a sinking feeling they are going to be required at the ski hill before too much longer.

 

I'm good about wearing my climbing helmet, generally. Always wore a motorcycle helmet when I rode. Never tempted to take it off in states with no helmet law. Similarly wear a bicycle helmet, and a hardhat whenever it's required and/or a good idea. But this ski helmet thing, well, I just can't see the benefit in it either. I trust in my own abilities to not auger myself into something, so I guess the only reason to wear one is to protect against other people getting out-of control.

 

Why did I buy a helmet? I don't know!

 

 

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I think that's probably right, Ed. If you are going to go out looking for trouble, like racing or cliff jumping or whatever, a helmet is not a bad idea. But for most of us, whether cruising the groomed runs at Crystal Mountain or skiing backcountry up on Jim Hill Mountain, the chance of hitting our head would seem to be so remote that I just can't quite see a helmet as a real important item and for backcountry skiing in particular, where you spend 90% of the time slogging up hill, it really seems out of place to me. Of course, I have skied some pretty gnarly stuff in the backcountry where I could easily have fallen over a cliff or taken a slide for literally thousands of feet but in these cases I think schnitzem may well be right that a helmet wouldn't do me any good.

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schnitzem said:

Not to start a spray fest......but I think ski helmets are stupid

 

This is not just my opinion, but a conclusion of a survey that was done last year by one of the ski mags. They found that head trauma is a very uncommon ski injury as compared to knee, back, and neck injuries. In fact I think they found that neck injuries went up when wearing ski helmets......most likely because skiiers feel immortal when wearing a helmet.

 

Helmets reduce visibility, mobility, and hearing and appear to have limited safety benefits.

 

Just my humble opinion hahaha.gifcheeburga_ron.gifevils3d.gif

 

of course somone should check my refs

 

May be un common for some people. but I personaly have suffered atleast ten cuncusions from skiing. one was so bad it numbed my left arm and the right side of my face. I could think of word to say, but could not speak them. I had a head ache for three day afterwards.

 

This is pre helmet.

 

If you don't ski hard enough, then I could see them being pointless. BUT TO CALL THEM STUPID IS WEAK!!!

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