are helmets cool???

[MaineSkiLady]

MSL, I wonder if more folks back East (land of ice) wear helmets than folks out West (land of powder and slush).

I think it's more due to the fact that many NNE resorts are just COLD - and a helmet is the darn best warm, windproof headgear ever invented! We regularly ski here, in mid-winter, in below zero temps, with wind chills that are --- well, I don't even want to know. Let's just say I never saw +20 the whole month of January. Not only the helmet, but FULL face protection, nothing exposed.

 

[dloveski]

I know there is an ick factor involved but...how about renting a helmet until you can buy one? I think every resort rents them although our local ski shops do not rent them.

Maybe wearing a skull cap would help if the thought of the a gazillion teenage sweaty heads previously using the helmet grosses you out.

Since my helmet 'went missing', I've observed the following:

--rental hemets are awful, no wonder kids whose parents make them rent one hate helmets---if this is their experience.

Resorts buy the same model (cheap) in batch of various sizes---and use them for years. The straps may not work (under the chin) and are likely missing the goggle snap holder in the back. Last week, on a pow day, my goggles kept falling off, as there was nothing to anchor them. and besides being UGLY, the forehead freeze between the helmet and the goggle is more than uncomfortable. The ick factor is mitigated if you wear a thin head gator, but, after my rental experience---I'm going helmetless. Oh well, it was free, but not sure of the discomfort factor outweighed the safety factor.

--purchasing a helmet off the shelf in late season, at least this year, is a futile exercise, unless one wants to spend $50 or $60 (sale priced) for an army green generic helmet. Why do shops stock up heavily on these ugly WWII vintage style helmets, while they have, maybe if you're lucky, only one or two $160 white women's helmets---in one small and one large---that's it? Oh and little kids disney character helmets, but these are way too small.

I have grown accustomed to wearing a helmet----but I refuse to wear the rental or WWII style helmet----I'll take my chances til the stock of decent women's helmets are available next season.

 

[Jilly]

We bought our helmets after a trip to Whistler, 8 years ago - where everyone seemed to be wearing them. But I'll agree with MSL - Tremblant is d#@n cold and helmets are warm. I've gotten so used to it, I feel naked without it. Yes it was hot this past week, but now the rocks are showing I want it on for that.

As for rentals - yeah, ick!! I think I would wear a skull cap or something under it. As for my own, it gets a Febreze spray every couple of weeks. I don't think I can remove the liner to wash. Have to check that.

I went for walk around the resort village here at Tremblant, and most of the stores have switched to summer sports. Not too many helmets around. As for the green army - probably looked like a good thing when the buyers were ordering, but didn't sell like they thought. Not enough teenagers getting mom or dad to buy it.

 

[frenchgirl]

I have not seen the "green army" helmets here. Just lots of Giro helmets. Last year it was the Head brand. We had quite a bit left until the shops closed(yesterday).

 

[Kiragirl]

"the ick factor" LOL

I had never thought about renting a helmet, but I guess you can.

 

[GimpyGal]

The ski shop where the hubby works has a spray they use on the rental boots after every return but nothing for helmets. Some kind of helmet spray definitely needs to be developed.

Someone - perhaps a helmet manufacturer - should market a really cheap skull cap and have it on a display rack back in the rental dept to go with the rental helmets. Bet it would be a pretty good seller.

 

[Kiragirl]

The ski shop where the hubby works has a spray they use on the rental boots after every return

that reminds me of bowling shoes, eeeeww

 

[silviamira]

Phew, I was thinking about getting a helmet. Now I know I MUST get a helmet!

I don't care at all if they are cool or not. They are very expensive, though, and I've spent too much money this season (had to buy the whole equipment - skis, boots, jacket, pants), I just can't afford it now :(

However, I'd like to keep my head for a few more years, so I guess I'll have to save and buy a helmet (I guess an unbranded, cheap one will work as long as it's "officially approved", won't it?)...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

(I guess an unbranded, cheap one will work as long as it's "officially approved", won't it?)...

I don't recommend this. This is one piece of equipment, like boots, that you want to have fit properly. If it doesn't fit right, you won't want to wear it. Wait until fall, save up, then get to a ski shop when they come in. Start trying on. Should be no movement of the helmet when on your head. Bring along a balaclava (if you wear one in colder temps), your goggles, and if you wear your hair pulled back when you ski, do so when trying on the helmet. It will feel different otherwise (i.e., you tried it on with your hair loose). Fool with the strap, check the vents and operating system. Take your time: this is an important piece of equipment, and if it fits you well, you will KNOW IT.

A good helmet that fits is worth the price - just like boots.

 

[SkiBam]

I'll second what MSL says: get a helmet that fits and is comfortable. And keep your eyes open whenever you're in a ski shop. I had been thinking this season that I should replace my old helmet - it had a few dents (tree branch, hard snow, skis falling off a rack and hitting me on the head!) and truly wasn't as warm as it could have been. While out west in March, we were visiting ski shops in Vernon, B.C. (more on a jacket hunt) when I spotted a helmet. Tried it on on a whim - and it was the perfect helmet for me! Comfy, warm - just perfect. AND on sale. So glad I found - and bought - it. Oh yeah, I found a new jacket too.

 

[Kiragirl]

I bought my Giro 9 at a pre-season sale for $50. I thought that was a pretty good price (and I'm cheap LOL).

 

[silviamira]

A good helmet that fits is worth the price - just like boots.

Too bad. I should have thought you would say that... :p

Okay, so my head is not very beautiful, but it is worth 50 dollars I guess I'll have to save (for myself and my boyfriend) ;)

Thanks for the great advice!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Too bad. I should have thought you would say that... :p

Okay, so my head is not very beautiful, but it is worth 50 dollars I guess I'll have to save (for myself and my boyfriend) ;)

Thanks for the great advice!

Once you find a brand/style/size that fits, you can try to get it elsewhere. Case in point: someone was selling a Leedom Scream Cut earlier this season on eBay, didn't fit his son, tags still attached. I won it for $1.78. Okay, $15 to ship. So what? A brand new helmet (of which I already own same model/size) for $16.78? SOLD.

As to one's head being worth $50....well, Natasha Richardson had a beautiful one. Would surely have been worth (and easily afforded by her) an expensive helmet. Not that cataclysmic of a fall, bonked the back of her head. But....who knows if that would have made the difference in her survival? That whole tragic incident chills me...

 

[silviamira]

Wow, 16 dollars IS cheap! I'll have to keep an eye out at the beginning of next season, and see what I find

Thanks to all of you I have realised that wearing a helmet is necessary. You're right about Natasha Richardson... who knows if that would have made the difference...

What we do know is that helmets never worsen the conditions, they can only help, so that should be enough to convince us to always wear them.

 

[itri]

You've got enough time right now that I would try to find somewhere you can try helmets on and see what works for you. Then, if you find one you like, you can keep an eye out for a bargain over the summer or at the beginning of next season!

 

[Delawhere]

Over spring break we went skiing in Tahoe and rented helmets. I wasn't thrilled about wearing a helmet worn by scores of sweaty teens but I figured I didn't have a choice unless I wanted to ship all of our gear.

The only good thing was that I figured out that I don't want to wear a 1/2 helmet with detachable ear flaps. I obviously don't know what those type of helmets are really called. Anyways, they just aren't as comfortable as my regular helmet.

The ski rental places had a pathetic choice of helmets. There were very few adult sizes available.

Still, it never occurred to us to ski without helmets.

 

[GimpyGal]

This is as good a time as any for me to add my 2 cents worth about why I know helmets are cool. My belief in helmets started nine years ago the day I was skiing helmetless and was hit basically head on by another skier who made a huge GS turn clear across the hill trying to get to another slope. My head broke his shoulder and suffice it to say his shoulder broke my brain. Bottom line was a severe concussion and damaged 4th cranial nerve affecting my vision. The concussion and double vision kept me from driving a car for 3 months! Although my injuries were somewhat severe I'm so fortunate they weren't any worse and I eventually made a complete recovery. What a wake up call that was for me, my family and my ski friends. It was so good to hear that everyone rushed out and got helmetized after my accident. Sure made my sitting around recovering not totally in vain. I have not skied sans helmet since.

Fast forward to a high speed fall a couple weeks ago. I somehow managed to spin around, then fell downhill and hit squarely on the back of my head. What shocked me the most about that fall was how much it hurt when my head hit and bounced on the hard snow. I hit so hard it took my goggles right off my helmet! I waited for the usual pain of hurting some other body part but fortunately there was nothing. I collected myself, skied down, found my DH and we decided that in light of the Natasha Richardson tragedy I should get checked out. Bottom line – no concussion at all! And CT was normal too. Not too surprisingly the only body part that was sore the following days was the front of my neck from it snapping back. I didn’t even have a sore spot anywhere on my head! Even though the impact hurt like all getout that helmet really did its job in absorbing the blow.

I will say I am unfortunately experiencing the same double vision I had 9 years ago but the doctors tell me that is a result of my neck whiplashing so to speak and re-stretching that previously damaged nerve. Not much a helmet can do to prevent that. But the helmet prevented me from concussing again so that is why I can say that helmets are cool, very cool!