Helmets

[C.Fuzzy]

If you've hear this one from me before, you can skip this.

Normal daily life, in itself, presents exponentially more instances of an equivalent risk to 'snowboarding without a helmet' on a regular basis, and we're not all living our lives in helmets. But why do we accept these equivalent risks without thought or consideration, when all things being equal, logic and reason says that if snowboarding is a danger enough to wear a helmet, then we should adopt a helmet for precaution to all the rest of these equally risky things.

I imagine that the only reason we don't (probably) is that we perceive snowboarding to be additional risk and all the other things to be normal risk which we've learned how to mitigate. Take a shower, climb a ladder, drive 100 miles, (maybe sitting at a desk)... all pose an equal or greater risk. But inherently we know there's a bias. Showers and ladders are scary for old folks, not for us. The risk is skewed to those that don't have the skill or are losing the skill to mitigate the risk.

Really, some of us are just better than others at mitigating life's risks than others. Whatever the risk. Some folks gracefully navigate and others bump and clunk along. And... sometimes our risk mitigation is up and sometimes it's down, and sometimes you eat a plate of shit and nothing you could ever have done would have changed it.

I have twin daughters. One of my daughters in on the gymnastics team and continues to get bumped up levels advancing fast. My other daughter has gotten the nickname 'spilly' because she's a clutz (in comparison gifted in other ways though). My point is... some folks can mitigate some risks better than others. However, folks are often unable to admit they're not skilled at something or have lost the skill they once had and so we're stuck with statistical arguments mostly aggregated, not from the skilled who truly just had bad luck (Kevin Pearce), but by those who are less skilled in general.

I don't fault or judge anyone from taking the risks they take, regardless of the outcome. Mitigate those risks best you can for who you are... at the point you are... and live and let live. Or live and let die. Ride the edge like Honnold knowing you may dean potter yourself, or march into a government sanctioned police action out of duty and honor, or log into another roll call on zoom, or sit at a desk and eat junk while safely and smugly avoiding immediate death while marching steadily into debilitating health issues.

[pow_hnd]

If you've hear this one from me before, you can skip this.

Normal daily life, in itself, presents exponentially more instances of an equivalent risk to 'snowboarding without a helmet' on a regular basis, and we're not all living our lives in helmets. But why do we accept these equivalent risks without thought or consideration, when all things being equal, logic and reason says that if snowboarding is a danger enough to wear a helmet, then we should adopt a helmet for precaution to all the rest of these equally risky things.

I imagine that the only reason we don't (probably) is that we perceive snowboarding to be additional risk and all the other things to be normal risk which we've learned how to mitigate. Take a shower, climb a ladder, drive 100 miles, (maybe sitting at a desk)... all pose an equal or greater risk. But inherently we know there's a bias. Showers and ladders are scary for old folks, not for us. The risk is skewed to those that don't have the skill or are losing the skill to mitigate the risk.

Really, some of us are just better than others at mitigating life's risks than others. Whatever the risk. Some folks gracefully navigate and others bump and clunk along. And... sometimes our risk mitigation is up and sometimes it's down, and sometimes you eat a plate of shit and nothing you could ever have done would have changed it.

I have twin daughters. One of my daughters in on the gymnastics team and continues to get bumped up levels advancing fast. My other daughter has gotten the nickname 'spilly' because she's a clutz (in comparison gifted in other ways though). My point is... some folks can mitigate some risks better than others. However, folks are often unable to admit they're not skilled at something or have lost the skill they once had and so we're stuck with statistical arguments mostly aggregated, not from the skilled who truly just had bad luck (Kevin Pearce), but by those who are less skilled in general.

I don't fault or judge anyone from taking the risks they take, regardless of the outcome. Mitigate those risks best you can for who you are... at the point you are... and live and let live. Or live and let die. Ride the edge like Honnold knowing you may dean potter yourself, or march into a government sanctioned police action out of duty and honor, or log into another roll call on zoom, or sit at a desk and eat junk while safely and smugly avoiding immediate death while marching steadily into debilitating health issues.

100%

[scrub]

Most of my head smacking has been on the hard ass snow going pretty slowly. I’ve had two concussions this way before I started wearing a helmet. Trees have wrecked both my knees including one MCL.

I don’t see any studies saying that helmet use contributes to further injury (for example kids wearing bike helmets on playgrounds can actually cause entrapment related injuries) so I’ll keep wearing mine and replacing it when it gets all dented from hitting branches in the trees.

ETA which is my choice, from my injury perspective. I’m not about to tell others they should do the same.

I have a Smith type head, currently wearing a Maze but I also wear a Code (with the liner pulled because I use it over various hats when touring with goggles under).

[sunokeru]

MIPS tech claims to to do just that, so yes, it’s fucked.

And of course, yes a helmet will protect against lacerations…

I personally would take the idea that they protect against skull fractures with a Alaska sized grain of salt..

Source for the part about MIPS? That is not consistent with what I have seen - for instance the website states "to help reduce the risk of brain injury" (emphasis mine), not "stop" it. Pretty big difference that.

But it can't reduce the risk. There is nothing on the market where if you hit a tree at 40mph that is going to stop your brain from smashing against the inside of your skull. That is what causes brain injuries. Your brain hitting your skull from the inside. MIPS can't change that at all. So yes, their claims about reducing the risk are BS.

Sorry, but that is just not logical.

Risk encompasses both probability and potential severity of an injury. It is totally plausible that a helmet can help reduce both or either – but of course only to an extent. I agree with you that in more extreme scenarios (like your example of hitting a tree at 40mph) I would expect there to be little or no benefit.
But for more marginal cases (lower speeds, less direct impact) it appears totally logical that the helmet provides some protective benefit. I am not aware of any data quantifying that effect (whether on likelihood or severity of injury) but it stands to reason that it is greater than zero.
I will gladly take that additional potential margin of safety.

[casjcade]

There is also the ice and rocks from others lowering from above and attachments for headlights and cameras.

Got me the Salewa Vert a few years ago. Was looking for a new one, and needed a climbing helmet for a "mission" with a group, so got the dual cert one. Paired with a 10.5 Ah headlight it worked out nicely. Sometimed I don't use a helmet for touring and stuff, but usually in resorts.

[benjinyc]

Sometimed I don't use a helmet for touring and stuff, but usually in resorts.

I think this is pragmatic, I think the risk of head injuries for all of us here are from other skiers/riders colliding into us. Two of my most serious snowboard related head injuries were from the fault of others;

[McK21]

I had three bad head impact on snow, I always wear helmet and in one occasion without it I don't know if I was still able to use my brain, if not worse, I lost consciousness for a couple minutes, I wasn't able to stand up and I had to stay down for some time, and when I finally was ready to stand up again and try to ride down the slope I found myself on the chairlift, I completely lost mwmory of the ride down and part of the ride up the chairlift, it toke me some days to remember that part of the day.
Maybe without helmet things won't had changed, but from that day I don't feel confident at all to ride without helmet.

[jsil]

Everyone can make their own decision.

Personally, I learned pre-helmets and started wearing them in the mid 2000s. I haven't had a concussion or serious head injury since, but that's a sample size of one.

The helmet has saved me many injuries slamming on hard snow (sometimes being hit by another skier/rider), with one notable altercation with a tree. It was a bad snow year and I went off the groomed trail between two runs. I was right on the edge of the run and hit something submerged and fell straight into an Aspen trunk at about 15 to 20 mph. Helmet cracked and I had a bit of a headache but was fine. I can guarantee that without a helmet that would have been a trip to the hospital.

That's enough for me to keep wearing them... And I also take it carefully in these situations from now on.

[eleveneightnate]

Picked up the new Smith Method helmet that replaced the Maze in their lineup. Here are some shots next to my Maze (both Mediums). Overall, they fit very similarly, with the Method feeling a little more secure and pulled in around the back of my head/occipital area. They also switched up the vents and added Koroyd to the back. Overall the same aesthetic and weight, with better tech and fit. Still the lightest/lowest profile/best looking helmet IMO.

IMG_6779.JPEG (542.28 KiB) Viewed 84 times

IMG_6780.JPEG (572.46 KiB) Viewed 84 times

IMG_6781.JPEG (694.38 KiB) Viewed 84 times

IMG_6782.JPEG (609.54 KiB) Viewed 84 times

IMG_6783.JPEG (1.04 MiB) Viewed 84 times

[scrub]

thanks for that comparison, I’m hoping to make the same switch this season.

I mostly hate that mine is white