Which helmet?

[sflinux]

I have the older gath convertable. I liked it when I first got it, mainly for the spf protection. As the visor aged, I could no longer ride full faced due to scratches on the lense, and would ride with it like a visor. For reference, I have used the Protec Ace Wake. Sizing is comparable. For me, if buying a helmet too small, the gath was snug around the ears, whereas the Protec is snug around the cranium.
With respect to head protection, the Gath works fine for things running into my head (boards, etc). But I wouldn't expect a lot of brain protection from high speed wipeouts, and would prefer the Protec due to the extra foam. The Gath is better than no protection at all. No helmet will protect from every impact, the idea is to try to minimize the damage.
Historically I used the Protec in the surf and the Gath for flat water riding. I am now just using the Protec and am using UV glasses.
For hydrofoil riding, I would prefer a helmet with full face protection.

[OzBungy]

I had a Gath convertible. It was the least worst helmet I have owned. When it worked it was fine. Problem was the size adjustment comes from stick on strips. The glue was hopeless and the strips would come off. If you have a crash and the helmet comes lose then it almost tears your head off. Massive bucket effect. I could have stuck the strips on using a permanent glue, but I would have had to buy the glue and do the sticking and and get it right etc. I was not interested in doing that on a $200 plastic hat.

I am not interested in any of the currently available water helmets. The bucket effect and wind noise is too bad for them to be usable. I know, i have owned most of them. A helmet has to be about as comfortable to wear as a hat for it to be useful. The best helmet is the one you want to wear. All the existing ones are not a pleasure to wear, and I don't believe they are designed for what we experience kiteboarding and foiling.

[Oldman]

I would appreciate any input from the hydrofoilers on which their favorite helmet is.
Thanks.

[TomW]

I'm still happy with my gath from 2005.

[juandesooka]

There's a foiler in San Fran who wears a rugby scrum helmet. I am intrigued, as we wear wetsuit hoods most of the year, and this could fit under the hood.

Photo from Kiteboarding Facebook Group

[Slappysan]

A ruby scrum helmet would do almost nothing vs. a foil wing or fuselage. If you're going to wear head protection wear something with a hard shell when foiling. That Petzl helmet looks very nice but again the polystyrene sections would cleave like butter if hit by the wing of your foil and offer almost no protection.

[downunder]

^
I hardly believe that for a hard shell helmet.
To be fair, if it hits you it would probably slide down/up the helmet. If it slides down to the neck, well that's a problem...

I've tested my helmets with a hammer, the force of cracking the shell open is a Jedi force with a lightsaber (joking, no force needed with it)

viewtopic.php?f=107&t=2382042

[Jefe]

One that hasn't been mentioned is the Zhik H-1. I noticed some moth sailors wearing it and it looked low profile so I checked it out when I started foiling. It is much lower profile than the snowboard/kayak style helmets, which I appreciate as I've got a big enough head already. Price point is about the same as the other options discussed, and it's designed for the same sort of impacts that we deal with. I really like it so far. Makes me wonder about their minimalist seat harness.

https://www.westcoastsailing.net/defaul ... rcQAvD_BwE

[Da Yoda]

One that hasn't been mentioned is the Zhik H-1. I noticed some moth sailors wearing it and it looked low profile so I checked it out when I started foiling. It is much lower profile than the snowboard/kayak style helmets, which I appreciate as I've got a big enough head already. Price point is about the same as the other options discussed, and it's designed for the same sort of impacts that we deal with. I really like it so far. Makes me wonder about their minimalist seat harness.

https://www.westcoastsailing.net/defaul ... rcQAvD_BwE

I'm 99.9% sure that Mystic's new MK8 helmet is the exact same model as H1 and Mystic's comes with ear covers. The non X vision is the same as the Zhik version. The X version is same but has a fancier chin strap release (FidLock).
https://www.mysticboarding.com/products ... lor_000000
https://www.mysticboarding.com/products ... lor_000000

Mystic's sneaker is the same as a Zhik's sneaker, so it looks like they're either connected somehow or they both source their accessories from the same Chinese vendor.
https://www.mysticboarding.com/products ... lor_000000
https://www.zhik.com/shop/footwear/zkg/zkg-black.html

[jyka]

I'm looking for a full face helmet to hydrofoiling.
An ice hockey helmet with a steel cage would protect face well, but is it interfering visibility too much? A plastic visor wouldn't protect face area so well..