To wear a helmet or not to wear a helmet? I must admit, I sometimes wear a helmet and sometimes I don’t. I grew up motorcycle riding, and ALWAYS wore a helmet. I have a Giro Fuse with Oakley A-Frames. They are both comfortable separately. BTW, I love the Oakley optics. However, together they don’t fit me quite right. The lesson… When fitting for a helmet, bring your goggles to the shop. It may seem somewhat goober like, but will help you get a better fit.
With some tip $$, I just ordered the Giro Omen. The Helmet/goggle combo feels much better. The helmet is awesome! Here is the current issue with the set up. I have the Tuneups II (phone and MP3 Player) and although the website says the Tuneups II and Omen are compatible, hmm. THEY ARE NOT!!! I have an email into Giro, let’s see if they can offer a solution. THEY DID NOTHING, not even return my email. I am very disappointed with the lack of service or solution from Giro. The Giro website says the OMEN is compatible with Tune ups II. I found out from “customer service” that the tuneups II comes in many varieties. The 9, Fuse, Omen, Bad Lieutenant and the G10 all have different Tuneups II set ups. Solution… When you get your set up, don’t change helmet styles. Unless you want to upgrade your entire set up. Poor move Giro. Giro, at least have documentation that the Tuneups II is different for all helmet models. At least then I could make a planned decision on the upgrade.
Alpengluhen has a very good article about “Helmets vs Hats”
While a helmet may protect your head, it does not give you free reign to be careless or an idiot on the mountain. More to the point, a helmet may protect your head, but it does not protect your knees, neck, or spine. It does not make you instantly invulnerable to the conditions surrounding you. In other words use the helmet to protect your head and your head to protect yourself and the rest of the mountain.
The second issue I have belongs to the the ear covers. One of the first things I noticed on my helmet (and just about every I’ve tried since) is how the ear flaps muffle sounds from the front and back of the wearer. I say this is a lesser issue as I find riders with headphones to be in the same category. The ability to hear a rider approaching from behind is important, but as an instructor the ability to communicate with my student is even greater. There isn’t a good solution to this one, so I leave it up to the riders to check before making a turn.
March 6, 2007. Just playing around with my new helmet
Give Alpengluhen’s article a read. He addresses some very good points. Including my issues with helmets and teaching (hearing). And while he doesn’t recommend headphones, I do use the Giro Tuneups II. When I am hiking the pipe, windows, or to the top of P8 or P7 at Breck I like the diversion of music, hypnotherapy, phone or podcast.
With my current helmet set up I plan on wearing my helmet on all but the warmest days while teaching Level 1 skiers.
Enjoy Ag’s article.
to your sliding success,
Jon
I am a helmet wearer 100% of the time, but part of that is my helmet is just plain warm. The ear pads are great and I have headphones built in but keep my music at a barely audible volume. Just background music is all, so I can still have conversations and hear what is going on.
I have a Giro Bad Lt. and my kids and brother all have helmets.
A broken leg or torn ACL, MCL, PCL, busted wrists or arms, etc., these all heal and there are surgeries for them that work pretty well. Break your neck or damage your grape and there isn’t much of a cure for it. I make my living with my brain not my back, so I need to protect it.
Now that I have a helmet that really fits well. I believe I will be a 100% guy too. I just hope that Giro comes through with the workaround for my Tuneups II and Omen setup.
I do want to protect my pumpkin. And with the best time for hiking the Lake Chutes here, I will enjoy having the security of the helmet.
Jon
I’m a 100% helmet wearer these days. But I find, like you, that on intro to skiing classes my dedication to the helmet is sketchy. You’ll often find my helmet laying on the snow near me, or on my head unlatched. Haven’t figured out a good solution to this problem yet. Mainly because back-back classes won’t often afford you a moment in the lodge to switch.