Alun Evans wrote:

On Wed 17 Jan '07 at 14:25 Ace wrote:

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:12:06 +0000, Alun Evans
wrote:

On Wed 17 Jan '07 at 12:38 Mike Clark wrote:

Have any resorts collected data on proportions of skiers using helmets
and also the proportions of skiers injured in accidents and whether or
not they were wearing a helmet?

I personally know two head trauma incidents (one with helmet, fine; other,
unconscious), though they were both snow-boarders, which does seem to lend
itself to head-plants.

I've never worn a helmet for skiing or cycling, and am sceptical about
their efficacy. I work on the basis that I've fallen loads of time,
including head plants, and never damaged my head, so the sort of
impact I'd like to protect against is much greater than those I've
experienced.

Indeed. I had the same thoughts, though after a couple of close scrapes with
branches, I decided to give it a try, and it's not too bad. Nice and toasty
when it's cold too.

snip

Anyhoo, your sample size is clearly too small to draw conclusions from

Indeed, which is why I didn't...

- I've personally witnessed dozens of ski and board accidents wear the
head has made contact with sme other surface or object and never seen
any major trauma - doesn't mean it doesn't happen, just that in all of
the cases I've witnessed the wearing of a helmet would have provided
no benefit.

I don't want to turn this into a helmet-wars argument, such as used to
come around periodically on the cycling newsgroups (probably still do,
but I've not been active there for years). I would certainly never try
to persuade anyone that they're not a good idea, as long as no-one
tells me that I should wear one;-)

Well, it's more the legal aspects that should worry you, i.e. when a resort
tells you to wear one, or your insurers do. (Particularly in the US).

I think it's also the case that FIS Slalom racers *must* wear one now?


Personally, when it's sunny and not too cold, it is nicer with just a pair of
sunglasses.


A.

Interesting discussion - I keep telling myself I'm going to go and buy
a helmet, but I too prefer hat and sunglasses so keep putting it off.

Skiers and boarders I know all seem to have gone and bought one when
they've either had a close call themselves or seen someone else come a
cropper. Anecdotally, boarders do seem to land on their head more since
if you catch an edge at speed you'll probably ragdoll down the hill
hitting your head as you go, and too fast to do anything to stop it.
Skiers on the other hand seem to have the rest of their body as a
crumple zone so it's more likely to be unlucky colisions with rocks and
other slope users that do the damage.

It's the decreased hearing and peripheral vision I'm not keen on.
Advice from the manager of a ski shop here? Make sure you go faster
than everyone else on the hill....

Matt