Mane management... do you do anything special?

[shnu]

braid or ponytail using elastics every 5 cm.

 

[skihub]

I do various things with my hair when I ski, none which seem to work out too well!! I have long layered hair. Has anyone had good luck with the helmets with ponytail ports? Thinking about getting one.

 

[QA1]

I would rather have the protection than the pony port. Same thing with bike helmets. In the pre-helmet years, I wiped out on the ice, just goofing around with my friends. The first part of my body to make contact with the ice was the back of my head (where the pony port would be). It knocked me silly. I am now a full helmet, low pony girl. I don't think the silly is going to go away.

 

[CMCM]

I have fairly long hair and don't like it flying around, so I always do two braids. Last time I skied it was cold and I had a gator around my neck, braids under that, and boy did they ever get into a major tangled mess despite the braids. I guess it works better to have the braids outside of everything. I tried one low pony tail in back and that got messy too, so for me and my type of hair, the two braids works best.

 

[snowday]

I wear o simple ponytail under the helmet and UNDER the jacket as I think the sun reflected on the snow discolored my brown hair worst than on the beach :(

 

[Severine]

I tried wearing my not-quite-shoulder-length hair in 2 ponytails under the helmet (not long enough to tie outside)... ended up getting a really bad headache. So for now, I have to deal with it flying around a bit because of the in-between length. :(

 

[Kiragirl]

long hair does not look good on me, so I let it just hang loose (just above shoulder length), BUT I have much less bad hair with my helmet, it keeps it smoother and not as flat, yay.

 

[itri]

That's the problem I have with my bike helmet, Carrie. I don't know how to french braid, so I either do a low ponytail, or pull back every couple of inches with a rubber band. Either way, I end up with a headache if it's pulling my hair too tight or the knob is sticking into my helmet in the right way. No fun. I've never had my hair this long before for skiing, so I'm not sure what I'll do this year...in the past I've always just left it down and let the helmet take care of it, with a hat in my pocket to pull on for lunch and apres.

 

[LilaBear]

My hair is longer than ever this year, and it's giving me problems. it might be because I have kept my hood on my jacket for the first time. I tried a single braid, but it snags on my collar or gaiter and gives me fluffy loose strands around the back of my neck - and I hate untidiness .... Last year I was wearing a low pony, but didn't pull it all the way through on the last twist and had the sort of doubled over ponytail, it's not working so well with the longer hair. Right now I am wearing just a low ponytail, and retie it often. I have bangs at the front that I push into my helmet to clear my goggles - need to do that more carefully - at the end of the day they come out like scrumpled up paper. And as my goggles are too tight around my helmet causing indentations in my cheeks, my end of day look is smashing!

QQ - I love that look on you. Not many people can carry off super short hair, but I think you do it well.

 

[altagirl]

My hair is longer than ever this year, and it's giving me problems. it might be because I have kept my hood on my jacket for the first time. I tried a single braid, but it snags on my collar or gaiter and gives me fluffy loose strands around the back of my neck - and I hate untidiness .... Last year I was wearing a low pony, but didn't pull it all the way through on the last twist and had the sort of doubled over ponytail, it's not working so well with the longer hair. Right now I am wearing just a low ponytail, and retie it often.

That's exactly why I can't do one ponytail - it gets so knotted up/messy by the end of the day, I can't stand it.

2 braids works a thousand times better for me. If I do side ponytails, the bump gives me a headache, but if I just start a low braid behind each ear, it's smooth and works out perfectly. Plus the braids keep my hair from getting tangled and knotted in the wind.

I've tried french braids before too - but that also gives me a headache - my hair has to be flat under my helmet.

 

[amanda]

I also do pigtail braids and have the same problem with the braids getting stuck in the velcro of my jacket. I can't really figure out a solution to that one which is frustrating.

 

[vanhoskier]

I cut my hair short and layered, and texturized. So, it can get messy, with a bed-head look and still be "stylish." I've found this style works best for kayaking (think wet-hair helmet-head) , skiing, and cycling. Run my fingers through it, and go. I like low-maintenance.

 

[michpc]

I just accept that my hair is going to look like total crap at the end of a day of skiing, and try to keep a hat on as much as possible until I get a chance to shower :D

 

[Robyn]

I just accept that my hair is going to look like total crap at the end of a day of skiing, and try to keep a hat on as much as possible until I get a chance to shower :D

For me it's not so much the look that concerns me. It's the damage and pain done to my hair and scalp. When my hair gets knotted it can take practically a bottle of conditioner and a lot of time with a comb to get it to untangle.

 

[altagirl]

I cut my hair short and layered, and texturized. So, it can get messy, with a bed-head look and still be "stylish." I've found this style works best for kayaking (think wet-hair helmet-head) , skiing, and cycling. Run my fingers through it, and go. I like low-maintenance.

I'm jealous. My hair just will not cooperate when it's short. Bed-head stylish is cute. Totally flat on one side and sticking straight out on the other is not.

And it refuses to do anything different without a ton of products, flat iron, hair dryer, etc. But when it's long, the weight and length make it behave.

 

[Monkeygirl]

I have a friend that crocheted herself a snood for skiing and biking. I keep threatening to steal it.

 

[MaryLou]

Wow, I feel lucky. I've always had long hair and none of the troubles/aggravation I read here. Maybe I just have a high tolerance for snarls, etc?! Years ago, prior to a helmet, it was just a headband on my free hair.

Now I have a helmet, last year it was one pony down the back, tied below helmet. Year before I did two ponies, tied below helmet. No problem with velcro, and I guess it doesn't bother me when it's all over the place and comes out above my collar. Although this weekend the ponytail holder was stretched, and kept loosening up, so I just took it off. By then my hair was well set into the helmet and didn't bug me at all. I don't like having it next to my skin though - like under my neck gaitor or collar. The fine hair under my pony might get a little snarly, but that's it, nothing at the top or anything. I actually prefer my hair longer in the winter b/c it's easier, often get it cut shorter in the spring.

 

[skihub]

I bought a Boeri Siren helmet - it has a strap in the back that snaps and holds your hair. It works well for me with my long layered hair. I push my hair away from my face, put the helmet on, and then use the strap to capture my hair in the back. The helmet does cover my entire skull; the pony strap thing is low. I like it!

 

[sibhusky]

I've been wondering about this myself. This will be the first time I've ever had long hair with a helmet. When it was shorter, it always looked horrible and I just said, "who cares, I'm skiing". But I need to ski with a balaclava because the helmet that felt perfect in the store ended up the tiniest tad too big almost instantly, so I will be having an issue with either a pony tail (unless I put a hole in the balaclava) or two braids or pig tails. I'd prefer to stay away from something that will take an effort to fix at lunch time, and I'd like to not have horrid knots at the end of the day. All suggestions welcome.

 

[oragejuice]

I went out again today, and it was a BLIZZARD. MY long hair was NOT cooperating at all. But I was having jacket/helmet bandana issues all at the same time. I'm starting to think I want to CHOP it all off again!