lummox Posted October 24, 2003 Posted October 24, 2003 pnw skiers dissing east coast conditions is a laugh alright. back to helmets: if you think wearing one is uncool how fresh is it to drool and shit oneself cuz of brain injury? if only sonny bono were still around. Quote
cj001f Posted October 24, 2003 Posted October 24, 2003 b-rock said: Sorry, 'loose and frozen granular' I've only ever encountered "packed powder". Quote
thelawgoddess Posted October 25, 2003 Posted October 25, 2003 mattp said: I don't believe I have ever in my life heard of anybody suffering a serious head injury while skiing -- except some Kennedy guy. i had a friend get airlifted out of the terrain park at stevens after landing on his head. i bought a helmet after that. i like my helmet. it's comfy and keeps my head warm. mmm. Quote
marylou Posted October 26, 2003 Posted October 26, 2003 cj001f said: I've only ever encountered "packed powder". You might be surprised at what you can find to ski that is not "packed powder" at a ski hill. Quote
cj001f Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 marylou said: You might be surprised at what you can find to ski that is not "packed powder" at a ski hill. "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" Quote
Dustin_B Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 mattp said: Chris T, Forrest, Jon, and Dustin (maybe others too) make some good points here: wearing a helmet MIGHT prevent a head injury, and it really isn't that much of a problem to wear one -- at least at a downhill ski area. I still wonder, though, about the image thing. When I asked "how many of you wear helmets when rock climbing," a few of you answered "always" but aren't there others who are proud to wear a helmet with aerodynamic shapes and paint job when skiing because the helmet signifies the fact that they take risks by skiing fast and jumping over cliffs, while they DON'T wear a helmet when rock climbing because that makes them look like a gaper? Do any of you consider wearing a helmet at Castle Rock the sign of a "mountaineer type," who must be ridiculed at all costs? I'm not against helmets -- honest. There are almost certainly times when a helmet would make a big difference and I gotta commend anybody who wants to be smart in their persuit of recreational sports. I doubt, though, that the guy who skied off a cliff at Alpental would have been saved by a helmet. Be careful, you guys, because I don't think the helmet is going to make skiing safe for you. I always wear a helmet while climbing and biking. And most of the time resort skiing. It has nothing to do with an image thing or what looks cool and everything to do with the fact that I kind of like my head just the way it is. Wear a helmet, don't wear a helmet, I don't care. I try not to worry or think about what other people think about me wearing a helmet. Maybe I just have really comfortable helmets for biking, climbing, and skiing but once I put them on, I don't notice them. No inconvience to me. By the way - my buddy who won't buy an avie beacon because they are too expensive, wears a ski helmet at resorts Quote
murraysovereign Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 I wear mine in-bounds, but not b/c. I bought mine two seasons ago, after more than 30 years of not wearing one. Why? Simple - I took a pretty mellow fall one day, on pretty mellow terrain (just kinda tipped over and lay down, really - you know the type...), and as I was getting back to my feet I noticed the depression my head had left in the snow was about a foot from a good-sized rock. Pretty simple fall; pretty serious consequences if I'd fallen just slightly slower; pretty cheap insurance readily available - I picked up a helmet the next day. On the mountains I grew up on in the Okanagan I may not have felt the need, but now I'm skiing Whistler/Blackcomb these last few years and venturing onto bigger, more challenging (and rockier) terrain, I'm glad for the extra coverage. Quote
marylou Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 cj001f said: "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" "sarcasm does not translate well to the internet" I've noticed that too. Only on occasion though. Quote
kailas Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 The helmet fad is about image, that 'I just got out of an extremo competition', that's why I also ski with a pack in bounds and bendy poles with silly little baskets on the end. People want to belong to the magazine image. Yes helmets do save heads, but I've seen people die who had helmets on. If you want to wear a helmet that's great, but remember half of your actions are about 'looking cool'! I wear a helmet but only when they make me. Quote
Figger_Eight Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 I've bounced my head off of too many hard things while skiing to not wear a helmet. I wear one when mountain biking, so it makes sense to me to wear one skiing. It's also warmer than any hat I own. Oh, and yeah - it's all about the image. Quote
RobBob Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 (Ain't got time to read the whole thread, so maybe somebody already noted this...) About two years ago I read that in 30% of all ski fatalities (as I remember all types and terrains) the victim wore a helmet. While I'm sure this says an awful lot about the way the deceased chose to ski, it doesn't say much for helmets. I make my kids wear them...I probably will make the shift to wear one myself before long. I won't kid myself into believing that it's going to protect me from head injury. Quote
David_Parker Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 As a kid growing up skiing Sugarloaf, I was crazy and skiied out of control according to my parents. They MADE me wear a helmet when nobody else on the entire slope had one. I got tired of people hitting me on the head with ski poles in lift lines. I suppose they had to see if it was real. In the spring it was way too hot and I got busted ditching it. Finally I didn't have to wear one anymore except in downhill races. Eventually, they made us wear them in GS races too. Ever since I moved out west I don't recall EVER wearing a hat. I tele ski and in or out of bounds, I get too hot. I wear a headband and pull up a hood when it's snowing. There is NO WAY i could even remotely come close to wearing a helmet because I would over-heat. So don't give me some shit aout not skiing hard. I ski hard and that is why I don't wear a helmet! Perhaps the fact I telemark keeps me slightly lower to the ground, but I really don't fear for my head as much as other body parts. I concur there is the possibility of a head injury. It's not enough to warrant a helmet for me though. I wear a helmet climbing, often when riding a bike, whitewater kayaking and certainly playing hockey. My kid wears one for skiing, biking, skateboarding, scooter riding, rollerblading, etc. What I don't get is how many teens at the skateboard park don't wear them! To me being on wheels with a short wheel base will cause your feet to go out from underneath you unexpectedly faster than skis or even a bike. Why in America do we concentrate so much on passing laws to protect the relatively few who die from head injuries and pay no attention to the things that really kill us. At least people who wear helmets are out getting exersize and doing something good for their heart. A sad day if they ever require helmets at ski resorts. Absurd! I can only say it would be an inside political job between helmet manufacturers and ski resorts. Next thing you know someones going to sue a ski resort for injuring themselves and it's the ski resorts fault for not making them wear a helmet! Only in America! Unless it's a sanctioned event like a ski race, a bike race, a hockey league, etc, People should be able to make their own choices when it comes to wearing helmets. Quote
lummox Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 David_Parker said: As a kid growing up skiing Sugarloaf, I was crazy and skiied out of control according to my parents. They MADE me wear a helmet when nobody else on the entire slope had one. I got tired of people hitting me on the head with ski poles in lift lines. I suppose they had to see if it was real. In the spring it was way too hot and I got busted ditching it. Finally I didn't have to wear one anymore except in downhill races. Eventually, they made us wear them in GS races too. Ever since I moved out west I don't recall EVER wearing a hat. I tele ski and in or out of bounds, I get too hot. I wear a headband and pull up a hood when it's snowing. There is NO WAY i could even remotely come close to wearing a helmet because I would over-heat. So don't give me some shit aout not skiing hard. I ski hard and that is why I don't wear a helmet! Perhaps the fact I telemark keeps me slightly lower to the ground, but I really don't fear for my head as much as other body parts. I concur there is the possibility of a head injury. It's not enough to warrant a helmet for me though. I wear a helmet climbing, often when riding a bike, whitewater kayaking and certainly playing hockey. My kid wears one for skiing, biking, skateboarding, scooter riding, rollerblading, etc. What I don't get is how many teens at the skateboard park don't wear them! To me being on wheels with a short wheel base will cause your feet to go out from underneath you unexpectedly faster than skis or even a bike. Why in America do we concentrate so much on passing laws to protect the relatively few who die from head injuries and pay no attention to the things that really kill us. At least people who wear helmets are out getting exersize and doing something good for their heart. A sad day if they ever require helmets at ski resorts. Absurd! I can only say it would be an inside political job between helmet manufacturers and ski resorts. Next thing you know someones going to sue a ski resort for injuring themselves and it's the ski resorts fault for not making them wear a helmet! Only in America! Unless it's a sanctioned event like a ski race, a bike race, a hockey league, etc, People should be able to make their own choices when it comes to wearing helmets. you are sounding a little too subversive for my comfort level. i have sent a report on your activities to der general attorney ashcroft. Quote
David_Parker Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 lummox said: you are sounding a little too subversive for my comfort level. i have sent a report on your activities to der general attorney ashcroft. I'm sure she already has my name! What true patriot would have supported the patriot act? Quote
nonanon Posted October 27, 2003 Posted October 27, 2003 My closest calls skiing have come from falling rocks, as opposed to falling into them, so I take a climbing helmet sometimes. But I think most of my ski helmet wariness comes from knowing that if I skied even a few days in one, I’d get too used to it and never be able to go back to a hat. Last year I forgot my helmet for a mtn bike ride and I was on the brakes scared shitless the whole ride. Then yesterday, I rode Three Corner Rock with two guys who didn’t have helmets. “Can’t see the point,” they said. Yikes! I hope they never do. Quote
Toast Posted October 28, 2003 Posted October 28, 2003 I'll wear a helmet this season because I found a cheap deal on one and I've had too many close calls with trees beckoning my forehead That aside, I worry about overheating. I went way out of my way to find a helmet with big air vents, so I also worry about inevitable slushies chilling me when I wipe out. How to deal... Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.