VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Hey CJ (Chris ?) I have to rebut your comments about helmets. I have done many major wipe outs and never felt any extra "pull" from my helmet. I would suggest if you hit that hard in that direction you will be getting whiplash with or without a helmet. Also about the lines. Better to be wrapped around your helmet than your bare head so they may cut your ears/scalp off ?? Besides, one quick release buckle and it is off, if it comes to that. Just like a motorcycle it is fun to ride with your hair blowing in the breeze until shit goes wrong. But truthfully it is up to the individual. I just feel the only real negative is cosmetic and psychological. Ask yourself about all the other things in life we now wear helmets for. Not a bad investment.


Reuben

A http://www.flyfirebird.com/catalog/imag ... fe-set.jpg is a great idea for 'problems' with lines ... Practice reaching for it as well as safety releases ... & the current you were dealing with @ I.V. was not tide it was created by the waves ... Side on waves (S.E.) @ I.V. always create that ... 2 other hazards @ I.V. are the boat ramp & the outfall N. of the camping area.

Jim, sorry you missed out yesterday, it was fun. I have to work tomorrow morning otherwise you know where I would be. Only problem is the NE get a little chilly brrrrrrrr........................


Reuben

Very silly people that don't wear helmets, to all of you that don't..please do, if you are knocked out face down in the water without a helmet, unconscious in the water, can you breathe, doubt it, head injuries at dallas rd from kiting injuries are few, there are some like paul (sorry paul) who had a terrible 2 wheeled accident in thailand, while not kiteing, was he wearing a helmet while scooting around? he still talks about his harley and wearing the harley suicide skullcap which many wear, silly people, even riding a bicycle, whether mountain bike or other always wear your helmet, brain injuries are way worse than a bad hair day. I had a motorcycle accident years ago, i was wearing a full coverage Bell, it hit me so hard in the chest it cracking my breast bone sternum?, but saved me from a broken neck and who knows what else, I also got cracked on the head by a mast in knee high water while counting waves sets as i was preparing to launch in shore break, it knocked me to my knees, temporarily paralyzing me, that was in the 80's so i started wearing a hockey helmet, I am also a carpenter and had a 12 foot piece of rough 2x14 fir land on my head from about 10 feet above my head, again luckily i had my hard hat on, the ride to vic general in the clam was not fun, they don't let you out of it untill the xray results are in, as in broken neck etc, as it turned out i had a hairline spinal fracture, but they missed it at the time, the hemoreging had not set in yet..( vic general is only 5 mins from strawberry vale elementary where the accident happened.) But if something happens to you, yes to you on the water the time frame is huge, you have to wait for either your buddy system to get you to shore, the coast guard, a chopper or make it back by yourself, difficult to do if you are unconscious...but i'm still here...so people!..These days we have great helmets that you don't even know you have on..very cheap insurance in my book. Cheers people. :roll:promise i won't edit this anymore, i think my 10 cents are up, we need a helmet emoticom, what do you think BWD? like when you are expecting flack for your post etc? Smiles all>

I remember growing up when seatbelts were optional, as a little kid bouncing up and down on the backseat of the car. I don't think anyone transports their kids like that anymore. Helmuts, Just like seatbelts, you put it on and forget about it.

I'll probably get another helmet but in my previous post I wanted to point out some thoughts for discussion purposes. I think that I would have less problems with a properly designed helmet for surfing/kiting. Rueben if you haven't felt that helmet you use yank yet, just wait, I'm not lying it hurts. I think you use a protek and those are for skiing. Also remember that if the helmet isn't tight enough or worn properly it can actually cause a concussion from impact on water. My point about lines is that all our gear is designed to minimize places to get snagged and I'm thankful for that. I just see the helmet as another potential spot to get hung up. I'm still on the fence for now until I find one I really like.

That's a unique theory on helmets CJ ... Do you never wear a seat belt counting on being thrown clear in the event of a crash ?

I wear my seat belt. I was just bringing up some thoughts about helmets.

Good ... & I must say you have an awesome avatar http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_REkgXByDyuU/S ... helmet.jpg

I had never thought of wearing a helmet windsurfing until now. A coworker of mine's brother was kiting in Australia, caugh some air, and the wind pushed him into the shallows for a mean crash. Knocked himself out on the bottom (rocks) left him face down in the water inhaling salt water and sand. Broke both wrists, right arm, has severe damage to his right knee, concussion, and pneumonia from the salt. Plus cuts and bruises. His girlfriend was on the beach and ran out to lift his face out of the water. Someone else was needed to get him on dry ground.
Broken bones are one thing, but concussions and watersports are not a friendly pair.
I imagine in short order it will only be the oldschoolers that don't wear helmets. Hope everyone stays safe so we can all enjoy many years of enjoyment to come.
See you on the water.

I have this helmet.

I bought it basically when I got serious about kiting (basically at the same time I bought my first kite and board). I find it plenty comfy and it is really customizable for different head shapes, there are inserts for every area of the helmet so you can make certain areas thicker or thinner for a better fit.

I figure the biggest danger kiting to my noggin is hitting hard things, and this helmet is nice and solid, ready to take those kind of hits. I really like the look and fit of the Gath helmets, but the fact that I could flex them around in my hands easily threw me off a bit - I want something that will stand up to a big log or rock without question.

I just put it on and forget about it - the seatbelt comparison is pretty accurate. In fact, it's great in winter as it provides a surprising amount of warmth. You can always toss a skull cap on underneath too if it gets really chilly.

Anyway, there's my 2 cents and a short review.

Yeah Ned, that is the same helmet I have and I use it with the padding in the summer and with the padding removed it fits great over my wetsuit hood in the winter. In fact this is one of the main reasons I bought it. The other was that it fit better than all the other ones I tried out.

Reuben

Soooo, this is the helmet I bought at Ocean River Sports for $61.55 incl tax (By Capital Iron downtown). I got XL and it fits my big head with a 2mm hoodie underneath.

skipro wrote:I had never thought of wearing a helmet windsurfing until now. A coworker of mine's brother was kiting in Australia, caugh some air, and the wind pushed him into the shallows for a mean crash. Knocked himself out on the bottom (rocks)

well, this occurred to me at CB the other day and also at Klover when my fin grounded on the reef tossing me onto the rocks....Same thing at Florence when the tide sneaked out on me & I cruised 100mph into the sand like a moron, endo-ed....i had my hands out all those times but a hit like that snaps the neck pretty easily....not sure if the helmet would even help much but at least i would look prettier in the casket or I could still wear it when in my sip and puff wheelchair

Ned wrote:I figure the biggest danger kiting to my noggin is hitting hard things, and this helmet is nice and solid, ready to take those kind of hits. I really like the look and fit of the Gath helmets, but the fact that I could flex them around in my hands easily threw me off a bit - I want something that will stand up to a big log or rock without question.

FYI for impact strength, GATH makes a surf hat which most guys wear and it is quite flexible....but also the Gedi which has the kayak standard designation, intended to bounce off rocks on a regular basis.

I really like the Gaths. I started windsufing in '03 and had a Gath hat by '05, but I never wore it more than a couple of times because of the usual excuses. In the fall of '08 Mike B. and I were out at S. Chesterman's in 3.5-4.0 conditions with big, dumping surf, pretty much survival sailing. It was warm enough to go without a hood but I wore my Gath to keep my head a little warmer. During one rinse cycle the wind got a hold of my rig and slammed the mast right on top of my head. I've been concussed playing hockey a few times and can say i've never been hit like that in the head before. I saw a bright white light and it HURT, but I was uninjured and kept sailing. Didn't even scratch the helmet. I think it saved my life, and i'll never sail without one again. I'm so used to it now I don't even know it's there.