Canvassing opinion for helmet wearing or not

Thanks again people for your opinions......it's really interesting and useful. Thanks as well for the additional links to the older forum chats - I'll have a read.

Wanderer has added another view for me which is the consideration of incidents where hospitalisation wasn't necessary but an impact with the head took place and a helmet was of benefit

From my view I don't think wearing or not wearing a helmet will effect my attitude to risk. My attitude to risk is based on my ability (or lack of) as a skiier and the other factors like piste condition / weather conditions

Thanks again...... appreciate it :)

So what was your verdict? Don't also forget the impact (no pun intended) of other skiers who are not as alert as you and end up bouncing into you

Also it hurts less when the safety bar clunks your head :lol:

For me, I'm probably more concerned about someone crashing into me than anything else. Therefore something totally outside of my control. In a way similar to a car seatbelt. I think I'm a good driver but that's irrelevant if someone heading in the opposite direction decides to overtake on the brow of the hill......

When I worked for the ski school in Niederau, back in the 70s, there were no helmets, just woolly hats.

Even when helmets were introduced, I wasn't that interested. Eventually, I bought one,but for 2 years, it rested in my rucsac, while I wore the woolly.

Then, one morning, I looked out of our window up the hill in Obergurgl. It was a complete whiteout. I thought that if there was ever a chance of a big fall, that was it. hence I wore my helmet for the first time.

A few turns from the top, although I could not see the end of my skis, I saw the ground approaching me at high speed. Without the helmet, it is clear that I would not have survived. Even so, I suffered a mild concussion.

Ever since then, I have worn the helmet.

Decision Made!

I am going to join the ranks of the lid wearers. There is no hard evidence for me to wear one but there is also no reason for me not to wear one either.

Wearing a helmet will not increase my attitude to risk...... my attitude to risk is constrained by my skiing ability & No ACL or Cartlidge in my right knee

I am wearing a helmet for those instances where you may get dumped on your arse by someone else who hasn't had the care and responsibility for those piste users on the downslope

I realise that the chance of death is low 1 in 1,006,000 ski days and the chance of a head injury is 1:400,000 ski days and that a helmet is unlikely to prevent this type of injury at normal ski speeds and if the head impacts the ground at over 20 mph

I have purchase a MIPS helmet as this is meant to be better in preventing rotational injuries of the spine and neck which are higher in number than head injuries.

I got a deal on the Helmet - List price £110 - Paid £83

Thanks to everyone that chipped in on this thread

Avoriaz for me on the Jan 20th!

Enjoy the snow guys!

Many years ago I had a bad fall and banged my head so now I won't ski without one.
It may be great marketing but I've a wife and kids at home so safety is a must for me.

Blind studies on the effectiveness of helmets with real people are going to be limited. Ethical approval for real life crash test skiers might prove difficult.

At the extremes of impact they will be irrelevant.
Moderate impact with be reduced - hopefully by enough to reduce life changing injuries into something less severe.
Skull cracking by impact with pointed rocks may also be prevented.
Cuts and scrapes may well be reduced as the helmet should stay on when a woolly hat might not!

Whether that is enough to justify wearing one is an individual choice.
The stats from motorcycle accidents suggest they make a difference but social skiing is vastly less dangerous than riding a motorcycle on the road so reducing the risk may not translate into big numbers of lives saved.

As I said. Personal choice. You have chosen to pay £83 for a piece of brightly coloured plastic that costs a 'cool' sounding company pennies to produce in an Asian sweat shop.
If it makes you feel better, then so be it.