Same here - long time instructors and ski patrollers seem to be the last holdouts at Alta, though a few have been giving in to it in recent years. Everyone else I know wears a helmet.
-
Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.
Little Lightning's thread makes me wonder how many of you wear a helmet?
- Thread starter Ski Around Sue
- Start date
Same here - long time instructors and ski patrollers seem to be the last holdouts at Alta, though a few have been giving in to it in recent years. Everyone else I know wears a helmet.
Kimmyt
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think some resorts are requiring their instructors to wear helmets now, but probably not all of them.
I myself wear one, to me it has a few benefits and one of those is WARMTH! It is way warmer and more windproof than a hat, because it doesn't slip up and uncover your ears. Also theres obv the head injury protection thing. Not just big stuff too, but little stuff like low hanging branches in the trees. I can't tell you the number of times I've knocked my head off of them. And yes, it won't prevent all injuries (I gave myself a wicked black eye by face planting with a helmet on and that obviously didn't help prevent it). Mostly like the others I've just gotten used to it, I wear one most of the time in climbing, all the time in biking and all the time skiing. And plus it makes you look cool, I think.
Funny story: A few years back, my husband (then-boyfriend) and I were playing around at a ski resort in Vermont. We were going to try and drop in the little mini pipe to give it a try. At the time I was a level 5 or 6 skiier and he was probably a level 4. We are standing there waiting to drop in and we motioned to a snowboarder kid to go first since we were nervous and not very good. He looked at us and said, "Oh no, you guys are way better than me, you go first". We were confused, because we had seen him snowboard down and knew we weren't better, so we asked him why he thought we were better, and he said because we were wearing helmets! Hah! That seemed to be an eastern thing, lots of folks out there didn't wear them and seemed to think if you wore one you were a really strong skier. I wanted to say that sometimes the people who are just starting to ski are in more danger, what with all the out of control skiers on the easier slopes!
So, aside from all the typical helmet benefits, you get the extra benefit of potentially looking like a better skier than you are.
I myself wear one, to me it has a few benefits and one of those is WARMTH! It is way warmer and more windproof than a hat, because it doesn't slip up and uncover your ears. Also theres obv the head injury protection thing. Not just big stuff too, but little stuff like low hanging branches in the trees. I can't tell you the number of times I've knocked my head off of them. And yes, it won't prevent all injuries (I gave myself a wicked black eye by face planting with a helmet on and that obviously didn't help prevent it). Mostly like the others I've just gotten used to it, I wear one most of the time in climbing, all the time in biking and all the time skiing. And plus it makes you look cool, I think.
Funny story: A few years back, my husband (then-boyfriend) and I were playing around at a ski resort in Vermont. We were going to try and drop in the little mini pipe to give it a try. At the time I was a level 5 or 6 skiier and he was probably a level 4. We are standing there waiting to drop in and we motioned to a snowboarder kid to go first since we were nervous and not very good. He looked at us and said, "Oh no, you guys are way better than me, you go first". We were confused, because we had seen him snowboard down and knew we weren't better, so we asked him why he thought we were better, and he said because we were wearing helmets! Hah! That seemed to be an eastern thing, lots of folks out there didn't wear them and seemed to think if you wore one you were a really strong skier. I wanted to say that sometimes the people who are just starting to ski are in more danger, what with all the out of control skiers on the easier slopes!
So, aside from all the typical helmet benefits, you get the extra benefit of potentially looking like a better skier than you are.
Liquid Yellow
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I skied for years and years without wearing a helmet. In fact, no-one did when I was learning 22 years ago. It's only been in the last 5 years you've started to see more of them, then very much so in the last two years since Natasha Richardson died.
I bought mine about 18 months ago (after she died) because I thought it actually makes such good sense. It keeps my head (and ears) nice and warm, it's light and you don't even know you're wearing it.
It's funny, I ski with a group of 10 every January in Austria. In the first year, only one person had a helmet and we all thought they looked a bit hardcore and it wasn't necessary. The next year, three did. Last year, five of us did.
This year, only one person wasn't wearing one - and he's just bought one for next time!
I bought mine about 18 months ago (after she died) because I thought it actually makes such good sense. It keeps my head (and ears) nice and warm, it's light and you don't even know you're wearing it.
It's funny, I ski with a group of 10 every January in Austria. In the first year, only one person had a helmet and we all thought they looked a bit hardcore and it wasn't necessary. The next year, three did. Last year, five of us did.
This year, only one person wasn't wearing one - and he's just bought one for next time!
gr8outdoors
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I wear a helmet! When my family first started skiing together 7 years ago, the thought had never crossed my mind. Then, my grandfather who spent many years working at a ski resort told me not to let my son ski without a helmet. My husband & I went out and bought a helmet for our son before the next season began. I got one when I discovered how warm it kept his head. My husband soon followed. Back when we were teenagers, no one wore them.
My son's instructor only seems to wear his if it's raining. Otherwise, just a hat and goggles.
My son's instructor only seems to wear his if it's raining. Otherwise, just a hat and goggles.
smartjingle
Certified Ski Diva
I've never worn one before, but I'm looking to invest in one. It sucks that most helmets don't fit my enormous head. I've had many great tumbles and falls involving my head and I'm so thankful that I never walked away with more than a small bruise, but I'm definitely looking into safety equipment so I'll have it with me next time I'm on a hill.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Always, 11th season, since moving to New England and skiing Sugarloaf -- where, as of 00-01, they were already in the majority, as I noted on my first (pre-move) visit. Got a helmet before my first full season there and have not gone w/o since. Very rare to even see skiers w/o helmets, and one can tell it's probably a rarely-skiing vacationer. On a mega-cold mountain such as this one, also the warmest "hat"-with-perks ever. 75 degrees? Bring it. Last April. Open the vents. Done.
75 degrees? Bring it. Last April. Open the vents. Done.
maggie198
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Lol, I was there last April in that 75-78 degree weather. Skied the last of the snow cone slush.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
I *think* it actually did get to 80.Lol, I was there last April in that 75-78 degree weather. Skied the last of the snow cone slush.
Absurd. Thought the season was a goner after that, but the snow returned. 
maggie198
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I *think* it actually did get to 80.
Yes it DID get to 80!
marzNC
Angel Diva
I found it interesting that the two younger instructors for the Alta adult All Mountain workshop had helmets but the older two did not. Rode up with one without a helmet (not our instructor) and somehow the subject came up. He gave all the standard reasons for why helmets are supposedly unnecessary. But just before we got off, it was as if he realized he had on an official jacket and he ended by saying something to the effect that of course it was safer have a helmet.
I always wear a helmet now. When my 7 year-old daughter asked me why she had to wear a helmet and I didn't, I told her I wanted her to be safe. She said "mommy, I want you to be safe." I certainly can't argue with that.
I've had a couple falls recently that I was was really glad I was wearing a helmet. And it keeps my ears nice and warm!
I've had a couple falls recently that I was was really glad I was wearing a helmet. And it keeps my ears nice and warm!
KatyPerrey
PSIA 3 Children's Specialist 2 Keystone Resort
All Vail Resort (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, North Star) employees that do their jobs on the snow are required (by the company) to wear a helmet! This includes ski patrol, ski & ride instructors, lift ops (when traveling to and from their lifts) and all other employees that slide down the mountain. Basically if you are in a company uniform and go on the mountain you MUST wear a helmet!!
Moongidget
Angel Diva
I always wear a helmet. Purchased it back in 2006, I think. I've only skied once since then without it, and man, did I feel vulnerable without it.
Both DH and I have had falls where we've hit our head hard on the snow, and were very thankful we were wearing a helmet in those instances. DH also loves the protective factor of wearing the helmet when skiing the trees. No need to duck out of the way of small branches, the helmet just takes care of them for you.
Both DH and I have had falls where we've hit our head hard on the snow, and were very thankful we were wearing a helmet in those instances. DH also loves the protective factor of wearing the helmet when skiing the trees. No need to duck out of the way of small branches, the helmet just takes care of them for you.
mountainxtc
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This is great. I really don't see why it would be such a big deal to implement that here - it won't happen though - management are being too "Canadian" about it and don't want to take away people's "right to choose". Seriously if it was up to me I might just fire all those who choose not to wear one. Kind of like natural selection. It's not like it's going to make a situation less safe, but it might make a huge difference as to how many pieces you leave an accident in. One would clearly be preferable. So why the hell wouldn't you
?
Mom of Redheads
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I wear a helmet because I think I'd be being negligent as a parent if I didn't. No one wore helmets when I learned to ski - and they kind of became common during a long patch of time when I didn't ski at all. Then, when I put the kids on skis, I bought them helmets because everyone wore them and because I wanted them to have safe habits from the beginning. It didn't occur to me at the time to question the double standard in not wearing one myself.
Natasha Richardson's death did it for me because she died of a brain injury while skiing beginner slopes. Until then, I naively believed that (more or less) only experts died on the slopes (that young Kennedy, Sonny Bono).
I only bought it last year, and given how little I'd skied in recent years, it didn't take long to get used to it. I forced DH into it too (after heavy resistance), and once he got used to it, I don't think he ever looked back.
Don't Leave Home Without It!
Natasha Richardson's death did it for me because she died of a brain injury while skiing beginner slopes. Until then, I naively believed that (more or less) only experts died on the slopes (that young Kennedy, Sonny Bono).
I only bought it last year, and given how little I'd skied in recent years, it didn't take long to get used to it. I forced DH into it too (after heavy resistance), and once he got used to it, I don't think he ever looked back.
Don't Leave Home Without It!
B
B.E.G.
Guest
The young guy instructors at my hill don't wear them either, the ones that are fairly new to teaching. Actually, I started second guessing my statement so I went to my hill's FB page to look at videos and yeah, ski patrol & instructors don't really wear helmets. And it's not like I was in a beginner lesson either - the two times I had instructors there, it was for intermediate groups (though it ended up being just me).
I know the greens and blues I do are cakewalks for them but I also can't help thinking of that ski instructor at Discovery who died on a blue run a month or two ago - just lost control and hit a tree (not saying a helmet would've helped - I think it was blunt force trauma to the chest - just saying that even instructors can lose control on runs they would consider easy).
ScottishSki
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I do. Just bought it this season. I felt a bit stupid at first but now it's second nature to wear it.
I went riding a few days ago and the ranch didn't provide helmets. Though I had a hat I felt very 'bare' without one, as I've never ridden without a helmet before, and this was the first time I'd been riding in the US. I think in the UK it's a legal requirement when horse riding.
I went riding a few days ago and the ranch didn't provide helmets. Though I had a hat I felt very 'bare' without one, as I've never ridden without a helmet before, and this was the first time I'd been riding in the US. I think in the UK it's a legal requirement when horse riding.
Serafina
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I didn't wear one, because I wasn't too concerned about falling myself and hitting my head...but then I saw the smart phones littering the slopes during College Week. The thought of teenagers texting their way down the slopes was enough to persuade me into the shop for a helmet. Self-defense.
Then it's also got the advantage noted above, which is that it's warm, and an extra one: it deadens the racket from my skis scraping on the ice and death cookies.
I got a good-looking one, it's a Bern, like Seth Wescott wears.
Then it's also got the advantage noted above, which is that it's warm, and an extra one: it deadens the racket from my skis scraping on the ice and death cookies.
I got a good-looking one, it's a Bern, like Seth Wescott wears.
