Helmets - SUP surfing

[headmount]

And look like Henry Stanley going up the Congo?  When I was younger books about him were tops on my list.  He was, of course an egomaniac but he wore a pith helmet well.  Here are two pics, one of him and helmet and one of a bunch of SUPaddlers attacking him on the Congo.

So you see there is some SUP history with these helmets.

[starman]

Bill, while getting wacked by a linebacker in a head-head collusion involves a lot of force (Force = Mass x Acceleration)  a 20lb board can provide just as much or greater force under the right circumstances. Plus why limit it to 20lbs when some of our SUP's are 30+.

There are plenty of reasons for wearing a helmet but preventing a concussion is not high on the list. But you are correct that having that helmet on will certainly help mitigate concussions when the impact force is low.

Anyway good link from the bicycle world. http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/injury-prevention/precious-protection

Interesting discussion as it seems each sport looks at head protection differently. Too often it's more about how "cool" you look. Better known as not wanting look like a "kook". As always how "cool" is it when someone has to spent their day changing your diaper and spoon feeding you because you didn't "need" a helmet.

[jsprague-sup]

Just ordered my Gath Surf Convertible with go pro mount.  As a beginner surfer I think I'm more at risk of hitting my head and now I have an excuse to get a go-pro! 

[PaddleAnything]

Back in the 90's, the whitewater community was growing rapidly while all the equipment was evolving to make whitewater kayaking easier and safer.  At the time, you basically had to buy a new boat every 6 -12 months to keep up with the evolution. 

PFDs had to be approved by the CG but there was very little to no formal research with regard to WW helmets or any other equipment.  The people making the products were also using them so their own person self interest was the motivating factor to make sure it worked. 

Have you ever seen a kid riding a bike with their helmet rolled back on their head exposing all of the forehead?  At the time, some kayak helmets rolled back or forward exposing parts of the skull.  WRSI - Whitewater Research & Safety Institute was started after the death of one person due to this issue. 

http://wrsisafety.com/history.asp

http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/news/home02/may02/helmet.html

http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/news/audio-video/helmet.html


I've taken a lot of hits to the head while paddling.  I'm alive today because of my helmets.  I've also been hit in the head by other people's paddles, boats/boards and tree limbs.  I really hate hitting my head on car racks that extend out over the door. 

If the guy/girl on a road crew turning the stop/slow sign needs to wear a helmet in the case of an accident, why wouldn't someone engaged in a risky outdoor sport wear a helmet? The only explanation is that surfing in the ocean is not really as dangerous as kayaking a class III rapid.   

I don't really care if anyone wears a helmet in the surf or not.  I do think it is juvenile to label someone a kook that does choose to wear one. 

[Piros]

This is the worst example of a helmet for surfing that I have seen , not just for the potential neck injury but the fact you will be pulled down head first by the water and making it even harder to break the surface on your last breath.

If you are going to wear one it needs to be like a skull cap with no visor and big ear holes so you can still hear what's going on.

You guys have apparently no knowledge of white water kayaking. This would never be used in surf but is the most popular river helmet.

Exactly , that's why we are talking about surf helmets and that's not one for the job.I got dragged behind water ski race boats professionally for 12 years between 90 to 100 mph in 45min to hour races and I saw first hand what damage a helmet can do from the bucket effect when there was a fall , the helmet would extend the neck and severe the nerve to the arm , leaving the skier with a dead arm . It was a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation.

These days I have slowed down alot and I am a photog of Sup surfing which is really hard to shoot as suppers don't sit so much in the pocket they are wider so I sit much deeper and often get sucked over the falls filming .I used to wear a helmet but let me tell you when you get seriously pounded having a bucket on your head its so much worse.

If you want to talk about pros and cons of helmets yeah they are good in general waves but when it's big I'd be putting on a vest.IMHO...

[PonoBill]

I think the notion of surfing as a hazardous sport is overblown. The stats certainly don't support it. One conclusion of a study I read was that surfing is slightly less hazardous than high school basketball.

[coldsup]

I think the notion of surfing as a hazardous sport is overblown. The stats certainly don't support it. One conclusion of a study I read was that surfing is slightly less hazardous than high school basketball.

Funny though because if you started a thread "tell me your injuries" you'd get a long continuous list of tales and pics of surfing injuries.....

Surfing is like a lot of sports - injuries are part and parcel of it and you accept it.....but head injuries tend to be a different matter. So far I've not had any head ones but have come close too often. So.....gong to don the Gath on the SUP when the waves look half decent. Wouldn't wear one for regular surfing though - not as dangerous in my book as SUP surfing.

[JeanG]

I think the notion of surfing as a hazardous sport is overblown. The stats certainly don't support it. One conclusion of a study I read was that surfing is slightly less hazardous than high school basketball.

Funny though because if you started a thread "tell me your injuries" you'd get a long continuous list of tales and pics of surfing injuries.....

As opposed to basketball?

Hazardous sport: Ambulance on standby at all times, in frequent use. MX, DH, horse racing, football.

Surfing isn't even in the same league.

[supthecreek]

Saw these two threads next to each other...
kind of funny

[SteamboatBORN]

I think we have pretty much beaten this horse (thread) to death.

[pdxmike]

I think we have pretty much beaten this horse (thread) to death.

Wait!  We haven't talked yet about whether there should be minimum width and weight requirements to make helmets fair.

Otherwise the people with the deep pockets will start showing up with expensive canoe-like helmets and be safer than everyone else. 

No rules needed for those wearing Large or XL helmets though. 

[coldsup]

Gath Original or Gath Convertible??? And which colour

[PaddleAnything]

I think we have pretty much beaten this horse (thread) to death.

Was the dead horse wearing a helmet?  If no, discussion continues regarding the horse's cause of death. 

[SteamboatBORN]

I think we have pretty much beaten this horse (thread) to death.

Was the dead horse wearing a helmet?  If no, discussion continues regarding the horse's cause of death. 

He was wearing one of those cheap football helmets from the kids costumes. Blunt force trauma to the temple I believe. 

[tautologies]

I think the notion of surfing as a hazardous sport is overblown. The stats certainly don't support it. One conclusion of a study I read was that surfing is slightly less hazardous than high school basketball.

Shh, don't tell anyone. We all love to tell about our 23 minute hold downs...