skiers, helmet or not (Page 2)

I learned to ski many years ago when you seldom saw people wearing helmets.  There was no question in our minds that our daughter would always wear a helmet once we starting bringing her skiing a few years ago.  Last year my husband and I both decided it was foolish of us to not have helmets so we bought them at the beginning of the season last year.  I have to say it is way more comfortable then I imagined!  I can not even think about heading down the slopes without it now.  

Now I am getting antsy for ski season with all this ski talk.

Never wore one.  Taught daughter to ski when she was 4.  While skiing with her at Heavenly (I think), an out of control skier on another hill took out a child....and she died.  Bought the helmet for the daughter that night, and both boys had one before we put them on skis.

Took me a few more years before I wore one when I was skiing without the kids, but I do now.  Have to admit, my helmet has an ipod connection, which I love.

someone hit me and left me for dead on the side of the trail almost 3 years ago.  Broken humerus, shredded rotator cuff, torn ligaments in L thumb.  NO head injuries even tho my head banged down the icy trail a good 50 feet.  Helmet looked fine but I replaced it anyhow.

it happens.  Might be you next time.

While I wholeheartedly agree that well fit boots are very important I disagree that SureFoot is the way to go.  They charge a lot of money for a not great job.  I battled a pair that I got there for 2.5 years before buying a new pair and being fit elsewhere. There are fantastic bootfitters all over the world.  Here is a link to SKI magazine's list of the top 15.  Number 11 is in Park City.  http://www.skinet.com/ski/galleries/15-best-bootfitters

Helmet... hands down.
Esp @ Park City, there's a lot of east slopes that get "icy".  And from personal experience, when that out of control idiot who is on skis for the first time w/ no lessons (b/c his drunk friends just told him to "tuck and go") hits you from the back, it HURTS!!!

And you don't have to buy one.  A lot of shops are now offering them through rentals (a lot of my afterschool ski kids rent them).

And while you're out here, you should hit the west side of the Wasatch.  Our snow is better and less snotty - and we were skiing a long time before they were last year Snowbird and Brighton ALWAYS have the best powder stashes ( IMHO ).

Absolutely 100% YES to a helmet. 

In December of 2007 I was in a major accident where an out of control snowboarder smashed into me sending me crashing into a very large tree.  On top of breaking my back for the second time, I ended up with a major head injury as well which could have been infinitely worse had I not been wearing it.

Sometimes it doesn't matter how good your skill set is, you can be taken out in an instant by someone else. 

Be safe! 

Has anyone mentioned that you should wear a helmet?

I'm a novice skier but I still find myself following the trails into the trees. (I think it's a guy thing)  Plus as the others have mentioned, even if your the greatest and safest skier in the world, there's always the guy barreling down the hill out of control that you have to worry about.

Hey!  Those areas in the Cottonwood Canyons are supposed to be SECRET!  Now you've done it!!!

As for helmet, my whole family has always worn one, always will.  Before the helmet era my sister was knocked unconscious on a bunny hill in PA by an out of control snowboarder, she ended up with a moderate concussion (she now wears a helmet as well)

I always wear a helmet now.  I admit I miss wearing my touk hat, or on a nice spring day wearing a baseball hat backwards w/ goggles, but I've had a few too many crashes and concussions so I always wear on.  I've even gone w/ a full face helmet cause I get ht with branches all the time in the trees.

Powder Mt.

And just to "even the sides" - I've been taken out by a couple out of control skiers on the slopes as well - occupational hazard of instructing.   I've also been run into by skiers going backwards (which is all the rage now)  And the worst was I had a skier hit me upside the head while in the line for the tram at snowbird cause he turned around while carrying his skis on his shoulder, luckily I was still wearing a helmet. 

Sonny Bono didn't wear a helmet, now he's dead..

Oh PAGE 3!

Actually, Sonny Bono was murdered..... (tin foil hat link)

"Bono, an experienced skier, was ambushed on the slopes by hired hitmen, who beat him to death and then staged a tree collision, Mr. Gunderson said."

But seriosly - A helmet will not protect you from every fall or collision - just like a bike helmet wont.  But your chances are better with one than with out.

Just to clarify - a helmet most likely wouldnt have helped sonny (disregarding that he was attacked), he was hoped up on pain meds (fact: not conspiracy theory), too tired ("this is my last run" - you never take a last run, any experienced skier knows that you always skip the last run) and ran head, more like face, first into a tree - given his facial injuries.  No helmet will protect you from a face impact into a tree, unless you have a full face helmet, which 99.99% dont wear

Michael Kennedy however most likley would have survived as he wasnt going that fast, and his impact was w/ the back of his head. (skiing backwards, trying to catch a football while video taping)

Been Ski-ing since I was 5 (boarding since 12), back then we never thought about wearing helmets, only ever wore a helmet in competition, when I started my son at 4, he wore a helmet, every time we go, he has a helmet, would not let him on the slopes without it......but still don't have one myself......reminds me of those parents I see on bikes who make their kids wear helmets and don't wear one themselves, really annoys me, so dangerous.

Ok, I'm buying a helmet....no good reason not to, lots of good reasons to.

I have skied all my life, raced through high school and college and coached after that.  AND my parents have a ski shop...so i feel like i'm in the scene pretty deep.   Here's my two cents:  Whoever said helmets are cool now is absolutely right.  Especially out west.  I bet those without helmets will be in the minority.  And of course, there’s the safety factor mentioned above.  I too, have heard of and seen numerous examples of helmets literally saving people's lives... mine included.  So yes, wear one – you’ll be hip AND safe!

(have fun!)