Helmets for kitesurfing and the bucketing and drag myth

[RickI]

You can easily get whiplash in heavier kite wipeouts without a helmet. How many people wear helmets when it is experienced in car collisions? Sudden, pronounced deceleration is all that is needed. On the other hand, wearing a helmet may reduce or avoid injury, whether minor or more serious.

Lets also look at the unfounded claim that a helmet going to cause whiplash.

An xl human head weighs in at 7,000g
A Pro-tec xl helmet weighs 430g

That is a percentage increase in weight of only 6%.
That is a very small increase in total weight of the head.

If you consider the reduced drag thanks to the gloss surface of the helmet the 6% increase in total head weight nothing compared to the gain in impact reduction and drag.

[Sarda]

Yes the full cut is the way to go.

I would also recommend the hi Viz yellow if they have it in stock just in case you get separated from your kite.

Also don't use it for years. I replace each year. UV will in the long run weaken the helmet.

Fitting is very important. You want to find the size that fits you without having to use the sizing belt in the back area.

What about full cut makes it work better?

Better ear protection without compressing your ears. The foam forms a ring around your ears like old fashioned oversized headphones.
The full cut also keeps sports eye protection goggles, sunglasses in place.
The full cut cover over the ears will also stop you from losing earphones if you listen to music while riding... I don't though.

The cleaner design will also not snag lines like other melmets could, but that is a very unlikely scenario anyway.

Full cut looks good on old farts like me...... it's the farting that gets me though these types of carves.... vegan farts..... and the bottom turns....

Does it have these?

"It has impact slap breakup holes on the helmet to reduce slap when hitting the water."

Why would you mislead a fellow kiter (or anyone) on the properties/capabilities of an article of PPE?

Bell funded Snell foundation "research "was it?
Does it "reduce 85% of head injuries" too?
Perhaps "the protective effect of a helmet increases with increasing severity of injury." as well?
Are there vast profits to be made and are you lobbying?

I hope you got paid well?

[downunder]

Yes the full cut is the way to go.

I would also recommend the hi Viz yellow if they have it in stock just in case you get separated from your kite.

Also don't use it for years. I replace each year. UV will in the long run weaken the helmet.

Fitting is very important. You want to find the size that fits you without having to use the sizing belt in the back area.

What about full cut makes it work better?

Better ear protection without compressing your ears. The foam forms a ring around your ears like old fashioned oversized headphones.
The full cut also keeps sports eye protection goggles, sunglasses in place.
The full cut cover over the ears will also stop you from losing earphones if you listen to music while riding... I don't though.

The cleaner design will also not snag lines like other melmets could, but that is a very unlikely scenario anyway.

Full cut looks good on old farts like me...... it's the farting that gets me though these types of carves.... vegan farts..... and the bottom turns....

^
Here we go again.

HOW BIG IS YOUR FRICKEN EGO??????

Sorry buddy, but pics you are posting are blunt representation of your "look at me" way of thinking. Yet another Yank (YaY - need to copyright that).

[downunder]

The biggest myth of all:
- saving life of others.

Question 1. Do you have to maintain conciousness to maintain control of your kite?

Question 2. Do you have to maintain conciousness to avtivate your safety?

Question 3. Will a helmet help you maintain conciousness upon and after an impact to your head in most cases.


The answer is YES to all of these questions. Please re-think your idea that helmets don't save the lives of others, along with preventing injury to innocent beachgoers that could lead to a beach ban.

So obsessed about consciousness. Again and again, scaring people will not get you anywhere. We (Aussies) have the complete continent for us to kitesurf anywhere we like. So why would I (we) care about your local beach?

Why would I care about the "Butterfly effect" that may or may not cause something? You are implying that ALL kiters should have a care of the whole World on their shoulders. That is not how people think and operate.

They just wanna have some fun. No kiter will ever think about the death loop situation or rocks or mother in law if got killed. No one. Except you

...


OP:
"No bucketing with the right helmet. Most of the "considered cool" helmets used by kitesurfers while protecting the head , can bucket somewhat"

But it's a myth. Ok than. Apparently being dragged under the water in a death loop situation is a myth too. A lots of myths but your myth is somehow more relevant than other myths and "idiotic excuses".

The biggest myth of all:
- saving life of others.

.

Again, you are barking on the wrong tree. The above statement "can bucket somewhat" is negating a myth. But you decided to ignore this statement and carry on to dismantle my views. Or anyone else view if not aligned with yours.

Case rests.

[kct]

When I'm kiting in onshore waves sometimes I fall in front of the wave and like clockwork the wave pushes the surfboard right at me. A friend had his eye knocked out of the socket like this.

I don't wear a leash. I think the danger of impact goes beyond the beach

[Matteo V]

^
Here we go again.

HOW BIG IS YOUR FRICKEN EGO??????

Sorry buddy, but pics you are posting are blunt representation of your "look at me" way of thinking. Yet another Yank (YaY - need to copyright that).

Jeez man! Lay off the put downs. I feel more sorry for you, than anybody else here. Seriously, Freddy looks great in those pics - helmet or not. How can you be so angry to twist it all around to "you are an evil yank"? Did you have a bad experience with a person from outside of your home country???

[downunder]

^
Well, not Yanks. Egos. Which is more than often related to Yanks. Sorry, but it is. The relevance of this PIC has nothing to do with helmets. I mean, really? You really think that it does?
I apologise if it does. Of course the pic looks great. I did mention it, didn't I? You are taking this way too personally. If "Freddy" wants to write something, he can.

Irrelevant question. This thread is about helmet myths and drag. Highjacking the thread with great surfing pics is simply that. It almost looks like a Marlboro cowboy selling ciggies, the only thing is, he is not selling that, but the lifestyle. All good ad's are selling it. I'm good with pics of how helmet looks or how it fits, but somehow carving is more important?

What is the point of this pic is beyond my understanding of the Topic. Funny how your reaction is completely different when I posted a movie about paraplegic non-helmeted kiter and this. It's only showing a biased view.

Here, no relevance to kiting. No myths. It is about a pro climber and a filming crew perception of him/risks/etc. My/your perception is just not the same. What some call idiotic, the others are celebrating. Simple as that. And what you do not understand (as being perceived by others), is that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

[FredBGG]

Does it have these?

"It has impact slap breakup holes on the helmet to reduce slap when hitting the water."

Why would you mislead a fellow kiter (or anyone) on the properties/capabilities of an article of PPE?

Bell funded Snell foundation "research "was it?
Does it "reduce 85% of head injuries" too?
Perhaps "the protective effect of a helmet increases with increasing severity of injury." as well?
Are there vast profits to be made and are you lobbying?

I hope you got paid well?

??????????????........

I don't get any money, I don't lobby and I buy may helmets and also bought a whole set of sizes and take them to the beach if anyone wants to try them.


And the helmets do have these "It has impact slap breakup holes on the helmet to reduce slap when hitting the water."

I have used helmets without the holes and if you slam down hard enough the continuous surface of the shells without holes is more hash.

The holes have a dampening effect and reduce drag.The water penetrating the holes also creates an additional cushion that works with the foam.

[FredBGG]

Full cut looks good on old farts like me...... it's the farting that gets me though these types of carves.... vegan farts..... and the bottom turns....

^
Here we go again.

HOW BIG IS YOUR FRICKEN EGO??????

Sorry buddy, but pics you are posting are blunt representation of your "look at me" way of thinking. Yet another Yank (YaY - need to copyright that).
[/quote]

Ego???? I just called myself an old fart...... how is that Ego.
Maybe ... I wonder if it may have anything to do with surviving near death from tuberculosis as a toddler and beating all odds and being able to practice kitesurfing
at the age of 61 after working pretty much all my life on what is left of the health of my lungs.....

But hey thanks for the insults......I just blow them away with more of my vegan farts

Also i'm not YaY.... Yet another Yank....... Born in South Africa, can't seem to get all excited about American Football or Baseball, lived most of my life in Africa and Europe.

[FredBGG]

When I'm kiting in onshore waves sometimes I fall in front of the wave and like clockwork the wave pushes the surfboard right at me. A friend had his eye knocked out of the socket like this.

I don't wear a leash. I think the danger of impact goes beyond the beach

Yes.... For eye protection the full cut helmet holds watersports goggles nicely in place.

The goggles/sunnies I sometimes use are really good for eye protection. I'm a photographer and need to keep my eyes in good health... and in their sockets.....

They are really resilient and when I tested the lens material I broke the dumbbell before I could break the lens material.