Death at Cannon Mountain

[koneco]

I posted this in the injuries thread, but I feel it deserves its own thread. Snowboarder lost his life. The week before, a skier lost his.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/articl...haped-his-life

You're free to do what you want, but ... wear your goddamn helmets. Every time I read about brain damage or death, it seems that the people involved weren't wearing head protection, and with head protection they may have avoided permanent injury or death. The article says they didn't want to speculate on whether or not a helmet would have made the difference...

I'm something of a hypocrite, since I tried snowboarding last year and found it easier to stay alert of all things around me without one. Even skiing on warmer days, I'll trade my hat for a helmet, but it really isn't worth it in the long run. A helmet is an insurance policy. It may be taxing to wear, but you'll be glad as hell to be wearing it that 1 in 1000 times you fall bad enough to hurt yourself.

[ny300z]

dam RIP,

i started wearing a helmet when i went to utah and now i wear it every time. It really dont bother me and i dont think they look bad at all. Its not worth it to not wear one!

[sempai]

I bought a helmet this season after 30 years of never wearing one. I've only been out once so far this season, and I did wear the helmet. I always thought it would be a big bulky inconvenience, but it's really not bad. I'd probably be tempted not to wear it on a very warm day, but we won't be seeing any of those here in the Artic Hell (Minnesota).

[MitchK]

after a concussion last year while wearing a helmet, there's no chance I'll be going out without one. I'd hate to know what kind of shape I'd be in if I hadn't had my helmet on (I was thinking of taking it off while I was up there at the time, because I was just crusing groomers that day).


RIP.

[Liquid_Beaver]

Breckenridge has a cool sign on one of their buildings that really get's the point across.

Average cost of a helmet: $100
Average cost of a CAT Scan: $1000

[koneco]

Not to mention the dangers associated with CAT scans (i.e. lots of radiation increasing your risk of cancer greatly).

[dis]

Breckenridge has a cool sign on one of their buildings that really get's the point across.

Average cost of a helmet: $100
Average cost of a CAT Scan: $1000

Not quite so effective up where I live. It's kind of covered under our universal health care. If I'm in the US skiing, work has me covered. That being said, I wouldn't be caught on the slopes without a helmet, and I try to make sure that a helment is worn by anyone that I'm riding with.

[JPARK]

My helmet saved me several times in last two years.

jumps rails powders...
i had bad fall but helmet saved me
I wear it unless I go to green slope with my gf.

another i found it helpful was wrist guard.
riding without it for couple hours gave me little pain on my wrist. I would always wear them even if they are very hard to put on and off (maybe i need another one)

and if you're learning rails.. i suggest padding pants... saved me lots of time. including today.
fell right on rails... i don't wanna imagine how painful it could've been if i didn't have padding pants. it makes your butt large but it's for your safety.

[graeme]

at certain speeds and angles of impact a helmet aint gonna help you anyways

[graeme]

So, whilst helmets may help reduce the incidence of more minor head injuries and lacerations they are less able to protect the foolhardy skier who pushes his or her limits and who (inadvertently) ends up wrapping themselves around a tree. To give a stark example, biomechanics have demonstrated that in order to protect the head against a direct impact blow at 30 mph, with currently available materials, a helmet would need to be at least 18cm thick, 50cm wide and weigh 5kg+. Hhhmm….stylish. Radar data collected from ski areas suggests most intermediate skiers regularly travel at between 24-38 mph.

taken from elsewhere

[MitchK]

taken from elsewhere

That would be what's needed to completely protect you with a fall, a helmet will help you in the case of any blow to the head. It might be the difference between walking away, or a concussion, it might make the difference between your life and a concussion
.

[JPARK]

at certain speeds and angles of impact a helmet aint gonna help you anyways

of course not. We are not trying to get away with the injuries 100% of the time.
just trying to minimize the risk.

[graeme]

That would be what's needed to completely protect you with a fall, a helmet will help you in the case of any blow to the head. It might be the difference between walking away, or a concussion, it might make the difference between your life and a concussion
.

no, its what would be needed to protect you from a direct hit at 30mph

[graeme]

but are helmets really minimising the risk. i know i board hard and fast, is a helmet gonna afford me real protection? sometimes i use a lid, sometimes i dont, i think it depends if i am gonna be in the trees or not.
what i am saying is people seem to think that if they put a helmet on they are safe, thats really not the case. all this talk about mandatory helmets is a load of rubbish. if i am riding on my boards, i am accepting anything that may or may not happen, it is an extreme sport. i would rather die doing something i love than laid up in a hospital bed for months with an illness

[MitchK]

no, its what would be needed to protect you from a direct hit at 30mph

Yes, but even a regular helmet with a direct hit @ 30 mph will leave you in better shape then no helmet at all. Complete safety and protection? No, but I will guarantee you that it will have helped.