Helmets

[airsurfer]

Years ago I had a wakeup call after cracking open my chin on a jump in open water on my stand up jet ski. I was alone and had a 45 minutes ride back to shore with no way to stop the bleeding. After that I started wearing a motocross helmet it was light and strong and padding was designed not to absorb water . I think it's overkill for kiting but if you're concerned try one

[tegirinenashi]

...So now, the Gath Surf Convertible is the "least, least worst" helmet. I am pretty satisfied with it. I look like a dick, but removing the helmet won't improve that much.

I know the Gath is not certified in any way, but the certified helmets are all grossly not suited for kiteboarding, and greatly amplify the more likely sources of injury...

I don't understand why people dislike Gath helmets. They have minimal padding, but the drag during water impact is minimal too. And why 2 mm of plastic + 5 mm of foam is not enough? To put it bluntly, Gath helmets offer the best compromise between impact protection vs. extra drag. And their earlier designs were even more slim and elegant.

[zact]

In Rugby League, some players opt for a soft, form fitting 'helmet'. Its referred to as headgear, rather than a helmet. One of their priorities is that the headgear is soft on the outside, so as to not pose an increased risk to other players that a hard shell would. This obviously compromises its impact distribution characteristics, but the form fitting design would virtually eliminate the bucket effect that seems to be the main complaint about helmets in a kitesurfing context.

https://www.google.com.au/search?safe=o ... n2V7wtiAB8

If that link doesn't work, just Google 'rugby league headgear' to get a better idea of what I'm referring to. I've never seen it outside the rugby codes, although boxers use something similar, but bulkier.

[Da Yoda]

This obviously compromises its impact distribution characteristics, but the form fitting design would virtually eliminate the bucket effect that seems to be the main complaint about helmets in a kitesurfing context.

There's currently one company (in the US) that's making a "soft shell" helmet with D3O impact foam. Google D3O foam if you're not familiar with it.
By design this helmet almost ticks all of the boxes for an ideal kiteboarding helmet...
1. Good, snug and comfortable fit.
2. Close fit and close contour resulting in low drag without avoidable projections (e.g. fixed visors/bills).
3. Light weight.
4. Well padded with suitable material for impact absorption without creating excessive bulk and drag.
5. Good drainage/fit characteristics to reduce water retention and bucketing potential.
6. A good hard shell for impact dispersal and penetration resistance. Kevlar/high strength composites may offer better penetration resistance than ABS plastic.
7. Strong, corrosion resistant fastenings in an effective retention system.
Note: #6 is addressed by the D3O foam for impacts, but penetrations obviously would not be protected as well.

I present to you the Gamebreaker Pro Soft Shell Helmet:
https://gamebreaker.com/shop/gamebreake ... ts-helmet/

[tegirinenashi]

Here is a solution that doesn't look like stuck in last century.

Ask a customer to take photos of his head from various angles. Ask what padding depth customer wants (e.g. 5 mm soft foam/rubber, 2 mm plastic). Make helmet 3d model, and 3d print it. Sell it for a small fortune.

[zact]

I present to you the Gamebreaker Pro Soft Shell Helmet:
https://gamebreaker.com/shop/gamebreake ... ts-helmet/

That's what I'm talking about. I personally had never seen them outside the rugby codes, but it doesn't surprise me that they are.

As for the D3O foam.... I remember seeing something along those lines being developed 10-15 years ago, but never heard any more about it. Certainly looks like the material for the job and alleviates my concern about impact distribution.