Forums > Kitesurfing General

Wear a helmet?

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Created by Plummet > 9 months ago, 25 May 2015
Plummet
4862 posts
25 May 2015 7:51AM
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This forum has been a little boring of late.

Lets spice it up with a lively debate on helmets.

As the title suggests. Stop being a dick and wear a helmet when kitesurfing.

If you wear a helmet. Good onya. Carry on.

Lambie
QLD, 742 posts
25 May 2015 10:03AM
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In winter the helmet keeps my ears warm and slows down the onset of surfers ear - Im not looking forward to getting my ears drilled out :-(
So there you go Plummet - another good reason to wear a helmet !!

kiteboy dave
QLD, 6525 posts
25 May 2015 10:03AM
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Which one do you suggest? I think it's a no-brainer (lol) for learning to foil..

I'm thinking pro-tec maybe..

sir ROWDY
WA, 5366 posts
25 May 2015 8:11AM
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Skate helmets (pro-tec and similar) can be had pretty cheap and are fine to wear in the water. I have 2 that are meant for skateboarding (not the water versions) and they have lasted me years at the cable. Only difference between water version and not is that the padding is usually not water resistant in the skate models. Skate models are generally quite a bit cheaper.

Cal
QLD, 1003 posts
25 May 2015 11:37AM
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Yep, Im getting over my most recent round of injuries and have been thunkung a helmet is wise for me. Love to hear peoples experience with different styles etc.

Rails
QLD, 1371 posts
25 May 2015 2:16PM
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flyingcab
VIC, 942 posts
25 May 2015 2:19PM
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I just ride helmets on the rails. Don't see much need for it normally riding.
Red thumb me if you want, just being honest

windreams
QLD, 258 posts
25 May 2015 2:39PM
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Me, my kite, board, harness, blue water, sky and wind means I’m enjoying life. If my luck runs out and my misses posts a RIP on here because I knocked myself out while kiting, don’t worry because I went out happy, knowing the risks and wouldn’t have changed a thing… live the dream

Freddofrog
WA, 522 posts
25 May 2015 12:48PM
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Select to expand quote
Plummet said..
This forum has been a little boring of late.

Lets spice it up with a lively debate on helmets.

As the title suggests. Stop being a dick and wear a helmet when kitesurfing.

If you wear a helmet. Good onya. Carry on.


Go troll somewhere else...

Schulerbible
NSW, 77 posts
25 May 2015 2:57PM
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Honestly, wearing a helmet is not too bad. Also you get the poss of capturing nice GoPro footage if the camera sticks on your head. I got my self a NP helmet which is easy to adjust. There are some cheaper options available if you look into other activities (e.g. rockclimbing):

www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/petzl-picchu/570834/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=641986&country=au&gclid=CLreydD_28UCFUFwvAodsokATQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Cheers

Plummet
4862 posts
25 May 2015 1:28PM
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Freddofrog said..

Plummet said..
This forum has been a little boring of late.

Lets spice it up with a lively debate on helmets.

As the title suggests. Stop being a dick and wear a helmet when kitesurfing.

If you wear a helmet. Good onya. Carry on.



Go troll somewhere else...


That sounds like a response from a non helmet wearer. ....

Seems the sensible helmet wearing types are engaging in a useful discussion about the most beneficial helmet.


snalberski
WA, 858 posts
25 May 2015 2:18PM
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kiteboy dave said..
Which one do you suggest? I think it's a no-brainer (lol) for learning to foil..

I'm thinking pro-tec maybe..



I normally dont wear a helmet but I bought one for learning to kitefoil. Most people seem to bigup the pro-tec and red thumd the Gath. Regardless I went with a Gath Gedi becuase of the close fit. As I have a whole rigmaroll of sunnies/ earplugs I hoped that having close fitting ear coverage and a built in sunnies/visor would negate my need for earplugs and sunnies, which it did. Of course you dont get as much of a seal as earplugs but its enough to stop water rushing in your earhole and the overall effect works well. In fact so well that I decided even if just for the benefits in regard to negating surfers ear and having sunnies /eye protection on demand that I would wear it all the time.. even when not foiling. People seem to say that they offer less protection but after checking one out its obvious it will offer well and above what is required for smacks into the board, glancing blows from the foil , water surface slams etc..,

alverstone
WA, 533 posts
25 May 2015 2:45PM
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I love my helmet. Went out at Woodman's Point when it was belting 25-30 knots northerly the Saturday before last. At one point I was standing waist deep at beach 3 - having a pee, as you do - and a wave and the wind lifted my strapless North Whip and slammed the nose into just above my ear. There's a blue paint scrape on the helmet now.

flyingcab
VIC, 942 posts
25 May 2015 5:37PM
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alverstone said..
I love my helmet. Went out at Woodman's Point when it was belting 25-30 knots northerly the Saturday before last. At one point I was standing waist deep at beach 3 - having a pee, as you do - and a wave and the wind lifted my strapless North Whip and slammed the nose into just above my ear. There's a blue paint scrape on the helmet now.


Thanks for letting me know its strapless, now i know you are "one with nature" and have much greater board riding skill than everyone else.

Hybrid_Z
VIC, 382 posts
25 May 2015 5:49PM
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Plummet said..
This forum has been a little boring of late.

Lets spice it up with a lively debate on helmets.

As the title suggests. Stop being a dick and wear a helmet when kitesurfing.

If you wear a helmet. Good onya. Carry on.



If your E-persona is anything to go by (as well as your dress sense and landboarding videos) i assume you took a few blows to the head prior to wearing a helmet.

Chris_M
2132 posts
25 May 2015 4:06PM
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flyingcab said..

alverstone said..
I love my helmet. Went out at Woodman's Point when it was belting 25-30 knots northerly the Saturday before last. At one point I was standing waist deep at beach 3 - having a pee, as you do - and a wave and the wind lifted my strapless North Whip and slammed the nose into just above my ear. There's a blue paint scrape on the helmet now.



Thanks for letting me know its strapless, now i know you are "one with nature" and have much greater board riding skill than everyone else.


I'm so good I wear a helmet..... strapless


I just balance it on my head all session long

Plummet
4862 posts
25 May 2015 5:24PM
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Hybrid_Z said..

Plummet said..
This forum has been a little boring of late.

Lets spice it up with a lively debate on helmets.

As the title suggests. Stop being a dick and wear a helmet when kitesurfing.

If you wear a helmet. Good onya. Carry on.




If your E-persona is anything to go by (as well as your dress sense and landboarding videos) i assume you took a few blows to the head prior to wearing a helmet.


Haha.... No. The blows I took to the while wearing a helmet would have killed me had I not been wearing one.......

Ps to assume makes an ASS out of U and ME.

Prawnhead
NSW, 1317 posts
25 May 2015 8:13PM
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You're crazy , it would just ruin my whole ensemble !! I just bought new boardshorts to fit over my wetty this winter!

skywalker3d
VIC, 228 posts
25 May 2015 9:42PM
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I dont mind wearing a helmet. The noise from the wind and not hearing other people can be annoying, but I fear a blower ear drum more so. I like to try tricks all the time and offen come out with a saw head from a crash and think what would it have been like with out a helmet. If i just mowed the lawn like I do on some light wind days I just wear a hat like a cool dude. I also kite in sallow water so hitting ya head on the bottom is very likely. I personally really don't understand why more people don't wear helmets but go to the effort to put board shorts on over there wet suits. It just seams easy, quicker and safer to just put a helmet on and it looks cooler to cover your head with the brains in it instead of the head that is all shrivelled up in ya wet suit....

nigelw2
VIC, 237 posts
25 May 2015 9:58PM
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Gath Jedi for me, don't even notice it when it's on.
But I forgot it a while back and my head was freezing, a warm noggin is the bonus in winter

sir ROWDY
WA, 5366 posts
25 May 2015 8:44PM
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Wore a Gath windsurfing for a long time, saved my head on a number of occasions.

bjw
QLD, 3686 posts
25 May 2015 10:56PM
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I dont wear one, but in the colder states it would be a must in winter.

THE DONG
VIC, 518 posts
25 May 2015 11:02PM
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how do helmets go over hoodies? Maybe ill recycle and strap a 4L icecream container to my head with shoe laces. An old local bloke did that when helmets were compulsory for bicycles.

jpungar
VIC, 12 posts
25 May 2015 11:14PM
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Helmets are fantastic. They keep me safe. I don't wear one, but they help me spot who to avoid kiting near.

MDSXR6T
WA, 1019 posts
25 May 2015 9:42PM
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Plummet said...
Haha.... No. The blows I took to the while wearing a helmet would have killed me had I not been wearing one.......


That's because you're kiting in 75knot winds with 100ft swell and giant squid and killer whales trying to attack you

95% of other kiters are just trying to have some fun in 15-30.

"Plummet would go"

sir ROWDY
WA, 5366 posts
25 May 2015 11:06PM
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THE DONG said..
Maybe ill recycle and strap a 4L icecream container to my head with shoe laces. An old local bloke did that when helmets were compulsory for bicycles.



What's the point of that? Might as well wear a proper helmet and not die.

Freddofrog
WA, 522 posts
26 May 2015 2:51AM
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Plummet said..

Freddofrog said..


Plummet said..
This forum has been a little boring of late.

Lets spice it up with a lively debate on helmets.

As the title suggests. Stop being a dick and wear a helmet when kitesurfing.

If you wear a helmet. Good onya. Carry on.




Go troll somewhere else...



That sounds like a response from a non helmet wearer. ....

Seems the sensible helmet wearing types are engaging in a useful discussion about the most beneficial helmet.




Wrong again troll. I'm one of the few that always wear a helmet.

You were bored so brought up a contentious topic which has already been covered to death, and you know it.

Like I said, troll.

Plummet
4862 posts
26 May 2015 3:59AM
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MDSXR6T said..

Plummet said...
Haha.... No. The blows I took to the while wearing a helmet would have killed me had I not been wearing one.......



That's because you're kiting in 75knot winds with 100ft swell and giant squid and killer whales trying to attack you

95% of other kiters are just trying to have some fun in 15-30.

"Plummet would go"



If you don't think you need a helmet In 15-30 your wrong. Many people have died due to head trauma when hitting a solid object and not wearing a helmet in these winds. I have not seen one case of someone dieing because they wore a helmet.

jpungar
VIC, 12 posts
26 May 2015 7:32AM
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Plummet said..

MDSXR6T said..


Plummet said...
Haha.... No. The blows I took to the while wearing a helmet would have killed me had I not been wearing one.......




That's because you're kiting in 75knot winds with 100ft swell and giant squid and killer whales trying to attack you

95% of other kiters are just trying to have some fun in 15-30.

"Plummet would go"




If you don't think you need a helmet In 15-30 your wrong. Many people have died due to head trauma when hitting a solid object and not wearing a helmet in these winds. I have not seen one case of someone dieing because they wore a helmet.


Not many people have died kitesurfing, so that's not true. Do you have stats on kitesurfing deaths and wind strengths?

kiteboy dave
QLD, 6525 posts
26 May 2015 9:30AM
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This guy died close to where I used to live. 28 years old. 15kts. Helmet would have saved him.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Redcliffe-Kitesurfer-Slams-into-Concrete-Wall/

Gazuki
WA, 1363 posts
26 May 2015 7:33AM
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How many people die per year kiting? There can be many I would imagine. Once again I assume but I would say if any they would be old guys stroking out/cardiac or drowning. I have only heard of one personally that died through blunt head trauma.

Personally I don't like helmets as they mess with my perception awareness. Wore once in big surf a few times and I hated not hearing 100% of what's happening around me. So for me its a balance I hate that more that the .0001% I'm going to knock myself out and die. Got to love freedom of choice.



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"Wear a helmet?" started by Plummet