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Do you wear a helmet when you ride?

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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
We were having this discussion at the office today, and I'm wondering what the general populace of newschoolers says.

I remember back in like 2001-2004 or so, what I would consider the "heydey" of my skiing ability... very few people wore helmets when they were riding. I mean even guys like Tanner and Candide would wear hats when competing in the x-games.

Hell... I never wore a helmet unless someone forced me. I don't even think I had a good reason. When I ask myself why, really it all came down to fashion and comfort. Didn't like the feeling or look of helmets.

However, more and more these days I see helmets almost everywhere. Of course part of that is because here in Quebec, wearing a helmet in the terrain park is mandatory. I know its the same in some places in Ontario, and at Whistler... but how many other parks are like that?

So I pose the question to you - do you ride with a helmet? What fuels your decision either way?



Oct 22 2010 11:00AM
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AwR
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 1,880
Guilty of wearing a helmet, the way i see it my brain is worth so much money from paying for college...why not protect it.
Oct 23 2010 7:24PM
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Yossarian
Posts: 1078 - Karma: 56
I've worn a brain bucket for pretty much as long as I've been skiing. It makes me feel weird without riding with it and I can understand people thinking that if they start it'll shake their balance or whatever.  All I can say is that I have had some pretty hard bails and I have gone through few helmets so I would rather wear one.

Then there's the problem of those gapers who crash into you and you end up nailing your head on some ice or something...
Oct 23 2010 7:41PM
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3R1C
Posts: 367 - Karma: 14
Yes. Always.
Oct 23 2010 7:44PM
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2387 - Karma: 2,072
After suffering from a concussion and losing some short term memory, I always wear 1 now in the park. This has saved me becuase i've taken some huge hits to the head landing all fucked up that left my ears ringing.



I encourage all of you to wear 1. It's a fucked up thing to wake up and not knnow where the hell you are, what happened, or what's going on.
Oct 23 2010 7:51PM
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Barsevskis
Posts: 183 - Karma: 138
i always wear a helmet unless i'm instructing and only stayong on groomers. but in the park or any backcountry i always do. i've gotten a concussion when i did have a helmet on and i couldn't imagine how bad it would have been if i didn't have it on.
Oct 23 2010 8:03PM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5852 - Karma: 4,531
Always even when I'm just free skiing, too scared to try shit without it. Have had enough concussions with a helmet on to scare me.
Oct 23 2010 8:15PM
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soup
Posts: 6343 - Karma: 4,415
wow I am so surprised at the number of people that do wear a helmet thats awesome!

personally, I dont. I feel so unnatural with one on and feel like such a bobble head. It doesnt make me feel any more safe but a little bit worse. I do rock a mouthguard all the time no matter what I am riding. saved my dome a bunch of times for sure.
Oct 23 2010 8:53PM
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steezenskis
Posts: 1044 - Karma: 31

i never wore a helmet.

then i got a concussion. i now have a helmet.

Oct 23 2010 9:26PM
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theWIZARD
Posts: 935 - Karma: 76
yes becuase its not worth some head trauma, ive seen to many accidents. Helmets are also a lot more comfortable like bern helemts
Oct 23 2010 9:36PM
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jibnut
Posts: 3038 - Karma: 304
I love my helmet :)
Oct 23 2010 9:38PM
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tedmgee
Posts: 1502 - Karma: 111

for some reason i dont like helmets with bills. looks gay IMO.

but i wear a helmet when im riding on an average day. i dont wear one when im tired and just want to fuck around

Oct 23 2010 9:45PM
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Martin-moe
Posts: 190 - Karma: 249
I always wear one (except summer setups and easy railsessions).
Oct 24 2010 12:25PM
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sirschralpalot.
Posts: 453 - Karma: 18
all the time. never ride without one
Oct 24 2010 12:29PM
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skia4life91
Posts: 657 - Karma: 379
this is with a helmet, cant imagine if i didnt have one one
Oct 24 2010 12:30PM
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skia4life91
Posts: 657 - Karma: 379
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Oct 24 2010 12:31PM
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kaivam
Posts: 17 - Karma: 10

I would have had many concussions by now if I didn't wear a helmet.

The way I see it, these are the main factors why most people nowadays choose to wear a helmet: it's safer (obviously), most parks require helmet use, and most pros use helmets, which sets the example for younger skiers.

Oct 24 2010 1:29PM
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A.Eberhard
Posts: 4426 - Karma: 415
I wear a helmet because it makes me feel confident in trying a new trick.
Since my home mountain has always required a helmet in the park I just could never see myself without one.
I think they look better then a hat.
Oct 24 2010 1:40PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
this dude i skied with a little last year had a full face with a bill shaped like a flat brim, coolest brim i've seen haha


but i always wear a helmet, seems silly not to
its kind of ironic, my brother, who is a ski patroller wears a helmet all the time, except when he is patrolling. It seems like a lot of patrollers do this
Oct 24 2010 1:44PM
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Bar_Down
Posts: 5896 - Karma: 395
i wear one. the fact that i wouldnt be allowed in the park without one is definitely one of the reasons why, but ive also heard a lot of stories from ppl that i know that have gotten concussions and shit because they got in collisions (and most of the time it wasnt even their fault, some noob ran into them or something) so ya, i wear one cus even though im an experienced skier and never fall outside of the park, theres still a chance that the ppl around you could injure you. i would still wear a helmet if i didnt ride park.
Oct 24 2010 1:56PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
I had an aunt die because she wasn't wearing a helmet. It was a little while back before many people wore helmets. But still i always were a helmet to protect my brain cells so that i can go kill them with weed and alcohol instead.
Oct 24 2010 2:25PM
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rossiskier93
Posts: 781 - Karma: 103
lol. patroller sounds like an idiot. and im sure the 2 people at sunday river would be alive if they didnt have helmets on. righttttttt
Oct 24 2010 2:36PM
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pigglywiggly
Posts: 4482 - Karma: 305
Always do. I never want to take the chance of missing a day(s) of skiing because i didnt have a helmet on
Oct 24 2010 2:39PM
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ShorelineTahoe
Posts: 24 - Karma: 89
I do now after seeing two of my friends get staples in there head...just from a little tree branch! Helmets are also getting a lot more comfortable and lighter. check these helmets out: http://www.shorelineoftahoe.com/store/home.php?cat=1196
Oct 24 2010 2:42PM
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H8CH
Posts: 2709 - Karma: 218
yup - not good enough not too... plus i need my brain for my job...
Oct 24 2010 3:40PM
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RAWLAN
Posts: 1209 - Karma: 50
i wont hit a jump without one. sometimes in the spring ill wear a hit if im just messing around on rails and the snows soft but for the most part i always wear one
Oct 24 2010 4:48PM
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tride
Posts: 1038 - Karma: 26
Sheep. That's the number one reason everyone is wearing helmets, it's called "herd mentality".

Kids today wear them for the same reason that kids in the 80s didn't wear them, because it's a "normal" thing to do.

The vast majority of people claiming that "my helmet saved my life countless times" are absolutely full of shit. If that were actually true, there would be far more deaths among people who don't wear helmets (it's actually very uncommon in skiing).

And sorry, but just because you broke your helmet doesn't mean it saved your life.

Sure it's a safer way to go, but wearing a helmet in the car would also be a safer way to go (would save thousands of lives worldwide every year), it would also be a safer way to go to wear helmets on trampolines (which has pretty high rate of serious head injury), but, because those scenarios are not "normal", nobody does it.

Sheep, herd mentality, bring the hate.

Oct 24 2010 5:43PM
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Atypical
Posts: 1339 - Karma: 45
I always wear mine when I'm trying something new. I didn't used to, but taking a big spill and getting a headache is a shitty way to end the day.

I don't wear one in the spring when I'm just cruisin or messin around, but when trying to progress I do.

Depends on the weather as well.
Oct 24 2010 5:57PM
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
had you at 8/10, now 10/10
Oct 24 2010 6:00PM
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Dhane
Posts: 3866 - Karma: 1,722
+K. i was at sunday river today and you wouldnt believe the amount of kids wear hard hats to hit a rail 4 inches off the ground. they had to show off all their Level 1 and NS stickers some how though.
Oct 24 2010 6:00PM
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kdpil
Posts: 6 - Karma: 10
yep i always wear a helmet
Oct 24 2010 6:26PM
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LockyK
Posts: 404 - Karma: 16
Gotta wear a helmet to show off ma stickers. Also I'd be dead if I didn't have one.
Oct 24 2010 6:27PM
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Sp3dx
Posts: 21 - Karma: 9
The skid lid.... always a necessity no matter where I go. I really don't understand why someone wouldn't. 
Oct 24 2010 6:33PM
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assface
Posts: 4319 - Karma: 2,031
always, except when im hiking/touring and im not trying flips or dangerous tricks, and its an added weight while hiking
Oct 24 2010 6:34PM
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SHampson
Posts: 2355 - Karma: 1,180
I always wear one. There has been so many occasions where I would have gotten a serious concussion without a helmet, but it protected my head to just a minor headache for the day. Considering not wearing one on some mellow spring days this year, but only if I'm taking it easy.
Oct 24 2010 6:39PM
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SlickRick.
Posts: 4329 - Karma: 300
only when im jumping. ohterwise i hate the look and unbreathablitity/comfortability of one.
Oct 24 2010 6:48PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
always wear a helmet. I think they look better with the flaps off compared to a beanie
Oct 24 2010 8:29PM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
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I've been wearing one for close to ten years now, be it on my bike or skiing. Head trauma causes migraines for me, so it's worth it even more then preventing concussions. In all likelyhood, I'd be dead now if I hadn't worn helmets through all the dumb shit I've done.

Personal reasons for wearing one:

1. I crash. Sometimes very hard.

2. It sucks to be looking at a potential bonk, rail, jump, cliff, etc. and wondering about your equipment or the safety of whatever it is. A helmet is one less thing to worry about.

3. They're comfy and warm and don't soak through like hats.

4. Chin strap means they don't fall off.

5. Better music options.
Oct 24 2010 8:42PM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4686 - Karma: 3,408
^yeeeah dude. buckey lasek classic is ill. thats what i rock too
Oct 24 2010 10:50PM
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MADDECENT
Posts: 5579 - Karma: 951
Yes i do.
Oct 24 2010 10:51PM
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Gorno
Posts: 266 - Karma: 28
This season will be the third that I will use a helmet. I have whacked my head enough times that I figured it might be worth while. They bring down steeze, but since I started hitting boxes/rails, they are seem like a good idea.
Oct 25 2010 5:10AM
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baz1
Posts: 287 - Karma: -37
Im already retarded, my helmet helps me keep my level of retardation at a manageable level.
Oct 25 2010 5:27AM
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SketchySwiss
Posts: 393 - Karma: 43
Here in Europe it's not mandatory, even for park skiing.
I used to be a helmet hater but when my buddy had a head trauma I changed my mind.

In my case I always do wear a helmet while skiing powder, never know what's hidden under.

Then if I am skiing park or just crusing it depends on the weather, but I ll wear it mostly when it's cold.
Oct 25 2010 9:01AM
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averyshyra
Posts: 1184 - Karma: 731
Its a security "blanket" for me.
I know it takes almost nothing to really clock ur noggin. so why not keep it safe?
Oct 25 2010 9:18AM
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sagaRIP
Posts: 287 - Karma: 12
I wore a helmet up until i was 13/14. My parents made sure i did since i was quite a small child, and even though i was a very competent skiier (already quicker than my dad) it was other people possibly skiing into me that was the danger. I stopped wearing a helmet and opted for a beanie instead for the next 4 years and had virtually no accidents - mostly because i dont ski park or huck cliffs. Anyway my skiing has progressed from when i stopped wearing so this winter im buying one.

I admit that i stopped because it was seen as uncool, but also the helmet i had was awful and made my head itch and boil in the later months. Now though helmets can be really cool with stickers on them and a nice pair of goggles.
Oct 25 2010 9:27AM
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ElisWaltersson
Posts: 17 - Karma: 27
ofc I do!

But... On railjams I dont. cuz I need my goggles if I shall wear a helmet.
Oct 25 2010 9:28AM
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Coop8o2
Posts: 80 - Karma: 23
When I was younger I never worn a helmet but now I don't feel right without it on.
Oct 25 2010 9:30AM
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SketchySwiss
Posts: 393 - Karma: 43
And I use a helmet cam since last year so it helps me getting clean shots!
Oct 25 2010 9:42AM
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Cincher
Posts: 3403 - Karma: 535
Always.

Initial reason: My dad wouldn't take me skiing if I didn't wear one.

There have been lots of times helmets potentially saved my brain matter, such as Manitoba tree skiing at Falcon Ridge where I became George of the Jungle and didn't watch out for that tree, or at Stony Mountain last March where I became George of the Jungle and didn't watch out for that tree...again. I apparently got sqeezed through a V shaped tree, but I don't know due to the mild concussion I recieved. Rolled away in an ambulance and from the hospital with a broken left scapula (I was skiing switch) which only had to stay in a sling for 2 weeks before I could at least write again. But hey, it's better than a cracked skull and mild brrain damage-amage-amage-amage.
Oct 25 2010 10:02AM
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Gibbon
Posts: 160 - Karma: 237

I'm always wearing a helmet. I feel much safer. without I have a weird feeling same like skiing without my backprotector...

Oct 25 2010 10:13AM
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FilmingBitch
Posts: 6463 - Karma: 212
Absofuckinglutey.
First, they are incredibly warm. Second, I think I've been hit on the head by charlift bars more than actually falling on it... but the times that I have fallen on it I would have been done for without a helmet. I have seen too many helmetless accidents go wrong to ever consider not wearing a helmet anymore.
Oct 25 2010 11:33AM
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