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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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p-oskier
Posts: 1407 - Karma: 58
I live in Quebec so like you said, wearing a helmet is mandatory but I have raced all my life so wearing one has always been normal for me.
Oct 25 2010 11:39AM
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k.thompson
Posts: 239 - Karma: 1,258
in march i hit my head twice so hard that i couldnt remember the year for half and hour after the accident, so whenever im actually riding i wear one
if im just cruising a lap through the park doing just rails i wont wear on though
Oct 25 2010 12:09PM
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ski@jaypeak2
Posts: 2802 - Karma: 429
Has anyone here talked about how half the kids in the park wear helmets that either, dont fit, are unbuckled, or sagged on the back of their head?

There is no point in wearing a helmet unless its worn and fit properly.
Oct 25 2010 12:30PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,896
When I was a little kid we skied Sugarloaf.  This guy was riding the T-Bar (don't know if they still have them there).  The guy let go of the T-Bar at the top, it swung out and then back and hit him right in the forehead.  It looked just like that picture.  There was so much blood too.  He was right in front of me on the t-bar and by the time I got up to the top there was a bloody pool the size of a truck tire. 
Oct 25 2010 12:49PM
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FilmingBitch
Posts: 6463 - Karma: 212
This is one of my biggest peeves... what the heck is the point? I personally can't even see how it's comfortable... I'm sorry, I know a lot of people on NS wear their helmets this way. I just think it's silly. Oh, and it looks terrible. If any of my students wear their helmets like that I don't let them do shit until they fix it.
Oct 25 2010 3:31PM
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The_Oakley_Kid
Posts: 3128 - Karma: 179
haha seriously? when i'm forced to wear a helmet, thats how i wear it. its a personal choice whether or not you wear one, and how you wear it if you do. if someone told me to wear a helmet correctly or i couldn't ski, i'd tell them to get fucked. the day someone forces me to wear my equipment or dress a certain way is the day i quit skiing. seriously that is the most absurd thing i've read in a long time.
Oct 25 2010 4:25PM
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ski@jaypeak2
Posts: 2802 - Karma: 429
Not everywhere. As stated previously in Quebec you must where one and in a lot of other parks across the US and Canada. Pretty much every sigle competition from the Dew Tour to your local shops rail jam says helmets required. Not wearing a helmet correctly can be more dangerous than not wearing one at all.
Oct 25 2010 4:44PM
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The_Oakley_Kid
Posts: 3128 - Karma: 179
nice quote, that takes what i said completely out of context. like i said, not wearing it correctly is a choice, just like wearing one, or not wearing one. correct me if i'm wrong but, at places or events that require helmets, as long as you have a helmet on your head your fine, they dont make you wear it a certain way.
Oct 25 2010 4:49PM
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ski@jaypeak2
Posts: 2802 - Karma: 429
well you cant wear it around your leg. Ill say it again, there is no point in wearing a helmet unless its worn properly. Personally I dont wear a helmet, but i also dont do any contests, or ski where one is required. I dont want to internet fight but if you have it on your head you might as well get some protection from it.
Oct 25 2010 5:06PM
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flexpattern
Posts: 1090 - Karma: 45
always worn one, always will!
Oct 25 2010 5:14PM
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lorida
Posts: 2833 - Karma: 46
I've been wearing one ever since that Celeb up in Tremblant died from head injury.

WE SHOULD ALL LEARN FROM CELEBRITIES!!!



in reality, it was cool not wearing a helmet, until I hit my head on the kink of a rail. That was a bit of a wake up call.
Oct 25 2010 5:46PM
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Dhane
Posts: 3866 - Karma: 1,722
haha, she was wearing a helmet dudeee
Oct 25 2010 5:55PM
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VT_scratch
Posts: 8786 - Karma: 6,254
unless ive been hiking and getting really hot or hitting some real mellow urban or a backyard setup i wear a helmet. basically, if im riding the lift all day, im wearing my helmet.
Oct 25 2010 6:09PM
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Smuffy
Posts: 4686 - Karma: 3,408
does anybody hit themselves with their poles? this used to happen to me all the time, and having a helmet definitely helps. its not a bad injury, but a bucket is nice for the small hits.
Oct 25 2010 7:29PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
I have one but I never wear it unless I can just tell its gonna be one of those days where I'm gonna get fucked up. I got a concussion on like a not even very intense rail last season though so I'm reconsidering. But yeah I know what you mean, 5 years ago no one wore helmets now everyone does. I use mine for skating more than skiing even though its a ski helmet.

Thats retarded that in Quebec its mandatory though. Stupid government telling us what we can and cant do with our own body. Ridiculous.
Oct 25 2010 7:38PM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
In the UK, indoor slopes have a mandatory helmet policy on park nights. And I never clip into skis without a helmet on, even if I'm just going for a cruise.

My decision comes from riding bikes, I've seen people case off the easiest of features, and wish they'd worn a helmet.
Oct 25 2010 7:43PM
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T.MARTIN
Posts: 1333 - Karma: 62
what helmet sponsor does henrik harlaut have?
Oct 25 2010 7:44PM
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J-Neal
Posts: 1545 - Karma: 172

I always wear a helmet! I feel safer, and more confident when trying a trick out of my comfort zone.

And you can't put stickers on a hat!

Oct 25 2010 7:50PM
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FilmingBitch
Posts: 6463 - Karma: 212
All's well and good until one of my students kills himself and I'm responsible for his safety. I am protecting my own ass here, not telling the kid how to dress because it looks bad. If he's not wearing it correctly you're damn straight I will tell him to buck up. I don't care what he does on his own time (sometimes I might but can't do anything about it), but while I am responsible for his safety, he is following the rules. Especially since I am talking mostly about kids 10 and under.

I still think it's silly not to want to wear a helmet properly though, and I'm sorry so many people disagree. I love life too much and have spent too much money putting knowledge into my head to lose it in a freak (or not freak) accident. Yes, serious injuries may still occur regardless of whether someone is wearing a helmet, but at least the injuries are somewhat attenuated and/or there is no/little doubt about "would wearing a helmet have prevented this?".

I seriously doubt that me telling my students to wear their helmets properly is the most absurd thing you've read in a long time, judging by what I see on NS each and every day. To each his own I suppose.
Oct 26 2010 12:13AM
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The_Oakley_Kid
Posts: 3128 - Karma: 179
i can see where you're coming from as far as your job goes.

but other than that I guess we just have different perspectives on life in general, which it seems you value highly, while i'm trying to not make it past 40.
Oct 26 2010 12:22AM
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phelps
Posts: 636 - Karma: 60
yea no one like to start out their season with a concution.
Oct 26 2010 12:23AM
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jason...
Posts: 9006 - Karma: 780
unless you're foreign and that is just broken english you really cant afford another bump on the head...
Oct 26 2010 12:35AM
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Captain_Slow
Posts: 1677 - Karma: 24
I've only not worn a helmet for one day, and felt very uncomfortable skiing w/o it.
Oct 26 2010 12:40AM
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special-J
Posts: 1572 - Karma: 4,477
..........like, are you just dumb, or... what?
Oct 26 2010 12:45AM
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thejrp
Posts: 5 - Karma: 10
I definitely wear a helmet. Keeps your head warm and safe. Great for ducking through tree branches. And when you smack your noggin it does not hurt so much.

Used to wear full face too, which is good cause it keeps your poles away from the face in case of bad landing / pole position.

Down sides of full face. Hard to eat. Hard to kiss your girl. Bad for photos. Gotta get your ugly mug our there for all the peoples to see.
Oct 26 2010 12:48AM
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The_Oakley_Kid
Posts: 3128 - Karma: 179
what you want to be old? Really? mortgages, kids, achy bones, wheelchairs, 9 to 5 cubicle jobs, mini-vans, retirement, prostate cancer, dentures, hip replacements, glaucoma, i mean the list goes on man, shits not for me.
Oct 26 2010 12:55AM
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NL_twoplank
Posts: 118 - Karma: 40
i nearlly always wear a helmet , the only time i dont is when hiking or cruising the mountain. but since a political german guy had a bad skiing accident and he didnt die cause he was wearing a helmet everybody under 18 has to wear 1 in the alps, and its worm, comfortable, and safe, so why wouldn't we?
Oct 26 2010 6:44AM
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skifoo
Posts: 1396 - Karma: 45
i never ride without helmet
plus it looks so stupid when people wont wear helmet (well okay for some pro's it might fit, but you look like total beginner without one)
and thats just MY opinion
Oct 26 2010 9:31AM
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Jombob
Posts: 113 - Karma: 97
Always wear a helmet, find I can't ride to my full ability without one. Helps when someone slams the chairlift bar on you head as well. Started to wear the back protector more this year after landing on some rocks in NZ, only for freeride and dropping cliffs though.
Oct 26 2010 9:35AM
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NL_twoplank
Posts: 118 - Karma: 40
yes, you shouldnt really be judged by how you look
Nov 7 2010 4:04PM
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NL_twoplank
Posts: 118 - Karma: 40
thats not really true, 10 years ago nobody was wearing helmets, while skiing cause nobody had heard some one from having bad injuries from skiing, and not really many people had bad injuries for not wearing a helmet
Nov 7 2010 4:12PM
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spicyjib
Posts: 94 - Karma: 74

I always were a helmet.... fact is that a your head smashing an icy landing = BRAIN FUCK!

last ski season i had a friend snowboarding without his helmet at the begining of the season. he was just hiting some little jumps and cot an ege and slamed hard into some icy snow. He was rushed on a hellacopter to a local city where he had to have brain surgery. the doctors said there was a very good chance he would not make it! but he did pull through. hes never going to be the same again witch is sad considering this all could have been avoided if he would have done something as simple as putting a helmet on.

Nov 7 2010 4:16PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
whenever i'm skiing inbounds i wear a helmet because i always worry about some clown from new york hitting me when he gets out of control. i can stay in control when i ski but some asshole can't. besides if i'm doing any kind of skiing that pushes my comfort level i always like to have a helmet

however, i rarely wear one when i'm touring. it depends on what i'm doing, but for a long climb with gentle skiing down i don't usually wear one because there's really nothing for me to hit my head on and a helmet is just extra bulk going up. when i was in chile i wore a helmet in the bc sometimes when we did short skins and bootpacks and i would be skiing sketchy lines with lots of exposed rock.

so basically i gauge it in the backcountry, mostly no though. inbounds always, 100% of the time unless i'm taking 3 runs before or after i go through a bc gate and tour the rest of the day
Nov 7 2010 4:23PM
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Where-am-I
Posts: 1635 - Karma: 281
yes always
Nov 7 2010 8:02PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
my mom forced me to wear a helmet when i started skiing at age 2 and i've worn one ever since...i feel naked without one. the only time i don't is if i'm filming or taking photos and it gets in the way.
i don't understand the logic behind people who don't wear a helmet tree skiing...or while hitting rails. the gnarliest crashes i've had involving my head have been on boxes 1 foot off the ground, random crashes can happen any time...

i think helmets have become the norm now, way more people wear them than don't
Nov 7 2010 8:12PM
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jamodeo
Posts: 3040 - Karma: 663
I have to post in here now every one WEAR YOUR HELMETS today at Mt. Snow i was kinda just chilling mello tricks and stuff now pushing it try to 50-50 180 out of the flat down like i had done a few times earlier got bucked long story short ski to the back of the head 5 staples if i had one on, didn't because i broke my last one haven't gotten one yet, i would have been fine so helmets GET WIT IT
Nov 7 2010 9:25PM
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Trojan~Man
Posts: 1996 - Karma: 1,357
I rock a helmet all day erry day!! for sure.

sometimes even when i go to school.... you know i jib the curbs reall hard on the way.
Nov 7 2010 9:38PM
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emryium
Posts: 152 - Karma: 10
Helmets for life. My friend once broke a helmet, I'd rather do that than break my head. Really no problem with not wearing a helmet nowadays, lots of people do it. As long as you don't gap it...
Nov 7 2010 10:17PM
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Lemuel
Posts: 14491 - Karma: 10,630
I always wear a helmet errday.
Nov 7 2010 11:06PM
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TPatel
Posts: 207 - Karma: 10
I always wear one. Its warm, it protects your head, you can put stickers on it...hell, you can get one with built in speakers so u dont need ur headphones. gotta love technology.
Nov 7 2010 11:11PM
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jeremy.g
Posts: 4931 - Karma: 459
just saw one of my friends get fucked real good hitting his head without a helmet, convulsing and bleeding everywhere. super scary. i wear one anyway 95% of the time but such a reminder to wear one
Nov 7 2010 11:32PM
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Maximumsushi
Posts: 7837 - Karma: 3,351
Tride, you're always on point.

I don't usually wear a helmet. About 10% of the time I'm skiing, I wear a helmet. Usually I'll wear a helmet when I'm skiing some gnar. Things like cliffs I'm not familiar with, or urban. I definitely should wear my helmet more often. I really enjoy riding with music, but hate ear-buds. That's really the only option when you're wearing a helmet unfortunately. Appart from absolutely horrible sounding helmets with built-in audio. Even those never line up with my ears correctly.

I did randomly wear a helmet last spring on a pow day. I was skiing some steep, deep trees with a friend, and he came out of nowhere and skied right over my ski tips. I went flying into a tree, separated two ribs and smashed my helmet very hard. I was pretty glad I was wearing that day.
Nov 8 2010 12:15AM
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muFFn
Posts: 1040 - Karma: 74
I never leave home without one. I also wear back armor and about 20% of time actually wear a full chest, arm, and back piece. Mostly for jumps and hucking cliffs. It's great because it's such a confidence booster when your trying something new. Not to mention it has saved me a dozen times over.
Nov 8 2010 12:18AM
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
hmm, might not wear one this season. my head isn't really worth the cash i'd have to spend on a new snow helmet.
Nov 8 2010 12:50PM
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Su[G]ar
Posts: 564 - Karma: 38
i always wear a helmet unless i just chill on the rails on a warm slushy day
Nov 8 2010 1:45PM
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mxrcr222
Posts: 87 - Karma: 13
When you ski, I can guarantee snowboarders will throw snowballs at you! Looking dorky and being alive is better then looking cool and being dead! Im thankful for my helmet, it for sure has saved me a few times and counting.
Nov 8 2010 8:48PM
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mackinnon
Posts: 5153 - Karma: 161
the_oakley_kid deserves a golden wheelchair nod i think...
Nov 8 2010 8:59PM
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
My parents made me wear one when I started skiing, and now it feels unnatural to not wear one
Nov 8 2010 9:01PM
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trettzilla
Posts: 931 - Karma: 29
always. had too many hard hits to the dome not to. ive also seen my fair share of people get seriously fucked up and even some deaths. saw one kid who definatley would have died if he wasnt wearing one.
Nov 8 2010 9:19PM
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john.stossel
Posts: 943 - Karma: 5
lolo favre  didnt wear won when he won xgames in 2007
Nov 8 2010 9:47PM
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