ACCIDENT DETAILS - WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTOS

[zgur]

Does any manufacturer make a helmet with a face mask to protect the face? Back in windsurfing days, there were a few helmets with hockey like face guards to protect from the boom.....wondering if anyone knows of any water helmets with a face protection.

Thank you, Zeev.

[headwound]

just had baby #3 molly pearl.
my son jack did his first body drag with me on his 5m switch blade.
and has become a good enough swimmer to start wake boarding.
anyways just sharing the stoke with my kids and loven life.
still riding alot .
just wanted to up date this page.
worship the wind become a decypul today.
aj
oh yea I guess you can tell I found god or he found me since that day my head split open I dodged the bullet a bit)

[headwound]

just had baby #3 molly pearl.
my son jack did his first body drag with me on his 5m switch blade.
and has become a good enough swimmer to start wake boarding.
so just preping him for kiteboarding.
anyways just sharing the stoke with my kids and loven life.
still riding alot .
just wanted to up date this page.
worship the wind become a decypul today.
aj
oh yea I guess you can tell I found god or he found me since that day my head split open (and I dodged the bullet a bit)

[RickI]

Does any manufacturer make a helmet with a face mask to protect the face? Back in windsurfing days, there were a few helmets with hockey like face guards to protect from the boom.....wondering if anyone knows of any water helmets with a face protection.

Thank you, Zeev.

Yes, there have been some put together for the kayak market. I would look over the following article first and think about possible kiting variations and cervical involvment. I have no real experience or familiarity with face guards in kiting applications. Still frontal impacts and facial damage do occur in kiting impacts.

http://www.whitewater.org.nz/safety_hel ... hments.php

A few kayak models include:

http://www.predatorhelmets.com/whitewater.html
http://www.outdoorplay.com/store/Produc ... =EHE_CHFAC
(the padding may be light for kiteboarding)

FKA, Inc.

Transcribed by:
Rick Iossi

[RickI]

Well done AJ and a big welcome to Molly Pearl! Thanks for telling your story. I am glad the family is doing well. Hope the summer has been good over your way.

[bounce]

Best argument for wearing a helmet (if you have kids):

Imagine yourself sitting bandaged in a hospital bed, trying to explain to your kid why you did not wear a helmet.

[sarc]

I have been hit in the head by my board when it was picked up by a small wave. The board hit me flat in the back of the head (I was chest-high in water facing shore) and the wave was just head high, so less than 3 feet. But all the water pressure transferred from the whole surface of the board to my noodle.

The impact was AWESOME. I could not believe that such a small wave could hit me so hard.

I was wearing a helmet.

You out there who don't wear helmets because they don't look cool... GET A LIFE! Do you kite for yourself or to please others?

[Woodsy]

Hey AJ,,congradulations on your new baby...This is Todd and Tanya Woods form Toronto.. Interesting to see the pics of your accident after hearing you describe it while we were taking lessons. We are both ripping it up and Tanya is staying up wind,,,bought another 16 m Switchblade as well as a 9m..Thanks for all your help last March. I have since sold all my windsurf gear and have not looked back. Am now doing 360 rolls in both directions and jumping higher each day. Hope to see you again some day soon
T&T
woods

[headwound]

spread the stoke todd and tania.
well done on the back rolls you where an awsome studant.
glad you stuck with cabrinha you got to try the new contra out, verry nice kite just as safe and forgiving as the SB but moves better in the sky.
anyways good luck and I hope to see you guys in my windy season
aj

[Da Yoda]

Any suggestions on a Comfortable helmet? I wore a Gath in Fiji and it was very annoying and uncomfortable. And pics would be helpful- Thanx

Check out BERN helmets - http://www.bernunlimited.com

The Baker (mens), Macon (mens), and Brighton (womens) models are all available in a water specific version. Ther fit runs a little big (had to size down one size), but its way better than most water helmets and at $69 it's not a bad price.

They also meet the CE helmet ratings for water sports, so they are safe. They are the first action sport helmet to ultilize Brock foam for impact protection.

I posted some info on this new helmet company a while back, but it was deleted from this forum... I guess it came off as pimping . Since the question has been posed asking a suggestion about a comfortable helmet, I will use it as an opportunity to again spread the word about BERN.

I also have the Baker snow helmet... it's the same helmet Seth Westcott was wearing when he got the gold in the boarder-bross at the winter Olympics.