iiyamadude 6 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 The subject of helmets getting more coverage: Quote: The death of a woman in a highly publicised skiing collision last week has shaken holidaymakers and sparked debate about safety on the piste, finds the BBC's Tristana Moore in Kitzbuehel, Austria. There has been plenty of early snow in the Alps and the ski season is in full swing. But in Kitzbuehel, the news of a fatal skiing accident has overshadowed the usual frivolous atmosphere at this time of year. "I bought a helmet last week," said Gudrun. "I've been skiing for 15 years and I never wore one, but I just want to be on the safe side now." People in Germany and Austria have been shocked by the recent ski accident involving a senior German politician, Dieter Althaus, and it has triggered a debate about wearing helmets. The Austrian tabloid newspaper Kronen Zeitung ran the headline: "Should wearing a helmet be made compulsory?" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7813304.stm Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 They wont save you every time as there are NUMEROUS ways you can get maimed on the mountain. Having seen a kid die in the park at Steamboat in front of me where a helmet wouldnt have helped but then personally been knocked out twice now - in a helmet, I rarely ride without one. Tragic news for the family and friends of the person involved above Link to post Share on other sites
alexeiw123 2 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 hmm I've never actually considered wearing a helmet when skiing? how many people here actually do? I kinda like my beanie ha. Wouldn't your head get cold with a helmet? or are ski helmets well insulated? Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 FamiliaGTX - on cold days, I keep the vents of my helmet closed, and wear a balaclava or neoprene faceguard underneath it. Never had a problem with getting a cold head, even on double-figure-minus days at Niseko. I strongly recommend getting a helmet - it becomes second nature very quickly and could be the difference between life and death in an accident. Link to post Share on other sites
very piste 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Nice and warm. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 wearing a helmet is a no brainer (ha ha). They're warm, googles never come off, well protected from the occassional head bang that we all experience from time to time. They're so light you hardly notice you're wearing one. The question is, why wouldn't you? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 And... you can stick your silly little helmet cam to it and look like The Borg. Glad I got one. Link to post Share on other sites
mikelowry 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Never used to wear one,now never wouldn't wear one. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Here's a recent other thread and poll http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/297513/1.html Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 yeah, a must have for the helmet cam. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I suppose you could strap it onto your head as well, though might not be the most comfortable. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 then you'd need to buy a head cam and not use your helmet cam. Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Originally Posted By: panhead_pete They wont save you every time as there are NUMEROUS ways you can get maimed on the mountain. Having seen a kid die in the park at Steamboat in front of me where a helmet wouldnt have helped but then personally been knocked out twice now - in a helmet, I rarely ride without one. Tragic news for the family and friends of the person involved above Many safety measures, seatbelts and motorcycle helmets for example, are compulsory in many countries, but none will guarantee safety in all circumstances. It would be an easier thing to enforce than the examples I've given, too. No helmet, no get on lift. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Originally Posted By: muikabochi And... you can stick your silly little helmet cam to it and look like The Borg. Glad I got one. looking like a borg is probably the least of your worries - looking like a complete goose is more likely. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 The only reason this is getting any press at all is because some politician is involved. People are dying all the damn time in all manner of ways but this doesn't mean we have to make a whole lot of ridiculous nanny laws in some stupid attempt to make everyone safer. In the US on average something like 35,000 people die each year from the flu. Maybe we should make a law that everyone has to wear face masks in public? Probably less than 200 people a year die from skiing related accidents worldwide and because of this incredibly small loss of life we should make wearing helmets compulsory? Utterly and completely ridiculous!! Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I don't wear a helmet, have thought about getting one though, it's no more than riding a bike wearing a cycle helmet which I do when I go out for long blats on my bike. My daughter wears a ski helmet and actually likes it, it comes with matching pink goggles too. Keeps her head warm and ways nothing. I think wearing a helmet should be a personal choice, but for sure wearing one is better than not, it won't protect you from breaking your bones if you take a big spill, but it could stop you doing your head in. Personally being protected to me comes much higher up my list than wether or not I look supper cool! Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Originally Posted By: Go Native People are dying all the damn time in all manner of ways but this doesn't mean we have to make a whole lot of ridiculous nanny laws in some stupid attempt to make everyone safer. Yet that is exactly what is happening. Every week, it seems some thing or another is banned, or made compulsory in the name of safety. One school in Queensland recently banned kids from doing cartwheels on school grounds. I kid you not. Link to post Share on other sites
Fang 0 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Don't know anything about ski/board helmets, but if you look at the actual science in regard to bike helmets you will see that they do SFA in most cases except for preventing road rash, and may in some cases make head/neck injuries worse. Of course snow sport helmets seem to be more solid than the expensive plastic ice-cream buckets that people wear on their bikes. I have a Bad Lieutenant that I used to wear at the insistence of she who must be obeyed, but it's too heavy so　I'm looking at getting a Giro G9 or G10, anyone have any recommendations about which is better or maybe a different brand, similar style? Don't need any tunes or other electronic gizmos. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Funny I would never think of getting on my horse without a helmet but have never considered wearing one whilst skiing. Being that I am a novice and felt I don't put myself in dangerous situations OR go fast enough I have never thought about it. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Originally Posted By: Fang Don't know anything about ski/board helmets, but if you look at the actual science in regard to bike helmets you will see that they do SFA in most cases except for preventing road rash, and may in some cases make head/neck injuries worse. Of course snow sport helmets seem to be more solid than the expensive plastic ice-cream buckets that people wear on their bikes. I have a Bad Lieutenant that I used to wear at the insistence of she who must be obeyed, but it's too heavy so　I'm looking at getting a Giro G9 or G10, anyone have any recommendations about which is better or maybe a different brand, similar style? Don't need any tunes or other electronic gizmos. Iv'e got a Giro cycle helmet and it is very comfortable, extremly light. Whether it is better or worse than others I am not sure, but was recommended this against some others at the time, despite it not being all that expensive at 10,000 yen when I bought it a couple of years ago. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Would wear one if I could find one to fit my ma-hoo-sive bonce Link to post Share on other sites
dawnblue 0 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Originally Posted By: snowhunter Funny I would never think of getting on my horse without a helmet but have never considered wearing one whilst skiing. Being that I am a novice and felt I don't put myself in dangerous situations OR go fast enough I have never thought about it. i think there is all the more reason to get one if you are a beginner - beginners fall more. you don't have to be going fast. you could fall over and bump your head just trying to get up! i bought one in niseko even though it was expensive but i thought it only has to save your nut once to be worth its weight in gold. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I got one after a scary out-of-control cartwheeling tumble in the trees where I luckily didn't hit anything. Have appreciated it for protection ever since including another cartwheeling tumble that would have been a lot rougher without it. Better to have those scratches on my helmet than my head. They're warm, comfortable and essential for bush bashing or just regular tree riding. I have a mate who could well have died in a tumble. The tree broke his helmet and he was in bad shape but he survived. No regret from him about his lucky choice to finally get one a week or two before the accident. Gives me the confidence to ride badass and take chances too Making them compulsory seems OTT though. Not sure everyone needs one and it's atypical nanny state interference measure. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Compulsory - posh! However I do think children should be made to wear them. Ski School classes often highly recommend them, and our school ski trips make them compulsory. Adults can think for themselves about whether or not it is worth doing. My helmet keeps me warm. The goggles clip just broke so I need to sort that as it is annoying. I bumped my head twice getting in and out of gondolas today, and some ponce cracked me on the noggin with thier skis and poles that they threw over thier shoulder in a crowd moving off a 150 person gondola. None bothered me because I had helmet protection. I also ^felt quite happy to lay back in the snow head completely at rest (and not cold thanks to the helmet)after a big stack or two. Bonuses in addition to the obvious. Feel awfully for the poor woman killed at Kitzbheul though! Helmet or no, there are too many instances of people not riding safely on busy pistes and it can be those that are sensible who end up hurt or killed. And Snowhuntress - I wholeheartedly agree with the above. As a beginner, grab a lid. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Kids should be forced to wear them, its almost akin to seatbelts. It's at that age, and also during early teenage years, that they are most susceptible to peer pressure. If they understand the risks of the sport they are undertaking, then they should understand why they wear a helmet and that it's more than just a case of being fashionable or cool. Link to post Share on other sites
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