Do you wear a helmet? WHY? / WHY NOT?

[tommykite]

I have been wearing a helmet since I got whacked in the head by my board when I was learning about 4 years ago now. I try and ride full power all the time and regularly land F16's amongst other tricks and I'm learning handle passes right now. I'm one of the only people at my local spot that wears a helmet why is this??

Tommy

[Kosh]

Why? Safety. Nothing else. No other reason needed I would say.
(Although, I have never needed it, but you never know..)

[pilookite]

I have always worn a helmet.
back in the day when I started in 99 it was considered as something normal in france.

I just got to habit and would feel uncomfortable without one today.
People might not see them as usefull but it could be a life saver when launching or landing.

On top of this I have been knocked over by a kite leading edge last december followed by a bar heating me in the back of the head and some dragging...

well, I am glad I had my helmet on that day as it was alredy painfull with one, I am scared at the idea of imagining what could have happened without.

I bless my line cutter as well after that day!

[mathieu leheilleix]

I don’t wear an helmet purely because I don’t like wearing it: It affects my balance and I like feeling the wind on my ears !

[OzBungy]

I don't wear a helmet because before I was landing kite loops I had some big crashes and the extra weight of the helmet hurt my neck. The ear covers amplify the wind noise in my ears and that's really unpleasant.

[mede]

I always wear one, because:

* it protects my eardrums (friends had their eardrums blown out, no need to risk that)
* it's a good sunscreen
* would give me some extra protection in case of an impact whatsoever
* it does not disturb me at all (helmet: SR super scrapy)

btw: every serious freeskier wears a helmet, the same is the case in wakeboarding, mountain biking... strange that some kiters do not get it..

but i observe a clear tendency towards helmets: in vignola (sardinia) some weeks ago, EVERY kiter on the water (about 20) was wearing a helmet. All ages, levels, several nationalities present...

the same observation in beauduc: helmets get more and more widespread

[BWD]

Last weekend, barely enough wind to launch kite. Tried to go, wind died completely.
Almost skipped the helmet, but wore it anyway, because there were half a dozen children on the beach, watching. It's a good habit I guess, even when it seems unnecessary. It's like, "When do you need a seatbelt?"

[Kirok]

Helmet adds extra warmth in cold climates. When I combine the helmet with a Ocean Rodeo beanie, it is plenty warm. But I always ride with a helmet regardless of the temperature. Just my style I guess.

Kirk

[Tom183]

Why no helmet? Because 99% of the time, you don't need it.

Why wear a helmet? Because of the other 1%. Sounds small, until you have a few hundred sessions under your belt.

If every day, you had a 1% chance of being shot in the chest, wouldn't you wear a bullet-proof vest?

[Henrikite]

If you're a beginner..wear a helmet till you can fly a kite properly. After that its up to you.
If you use a board leash then yeah wear a helmet and probably a back and neck protector too.

I don't wear a helmet because its completely unnecessary in where I kite. Huge sandy beaches and no rocks.
And about wearing a seatbelt....lol
Do you wear one when you go fishing on a boat?? Do you wear a helmet when you play tennis?

If I'm hitting sliders then yeah theres a point to it definately. But come on.....this helmet fetish ends here...you might want to go discuss it on some other rainbow coloured forum.