Helmets

[TNbound]

Did the OP ever say he was looking for a creeking lid? I'm not sure how we got on to fullface rigs when he asked about a play oriented helmet... Maybe he wants a playing helmet.

I think the strutter is perfectly adequate for everything up until you get into creeking with really ugly/big drops. Especially with a composite shell, it will more then handle any blow you may take playing or running easier/lower gradient/deeper rivers. I've also seen people wearing them get thrashed on REALLY big play waves and when they rolled up they still had them on, despite the large bill.

Personally, I like my tdub since it has more coverage, has just big enough of a brim to keep the sun/rain out of my eyes, and it fits my giant head well. Until I find a full face that fits me, the tdub will be the go to for creeking, playing, and river running. Maybe the new WRSI will be the ticket.

[PatrickOC1]

I wear a shred ready shaggy I dont notice the flutter you speak of I think that HOG system works pretty well keeping the helmet from flopping around, had a protec ace I believe when i first started out a year and a half ago, every successfull roll you come up with a blindfold on I like that rachet system shred ready has with the velcro fit pads makes it real easy to go from warm --> cold water paddling while avoiding brainfreeze.

Ive bounced my head off a few chunks of granite up here but again not dropping waterfalls or worrying about my vertabrae or chopping fingers off In that line of work you need something fullfaced

my useless opinion....

[truckeeboater]

Has anyone experienced diminished hearing while wearing a helmet that also covers your ears? Obviously we love to recreate in an environment that can potentially be difficult to hear the person across from you, and if you already suffer from mild to moderate hearing loss (like me) having your ears covered up could make it even more challenging to hear critical things like whistles or shouts for help.

So how many folks out there will ONLY wear a helmet if it has ear protection? Just curious

[eddyhops]

What?

[TheKrikkitWars]

The strutter is a great helmet and despite years of nay-saying, there's yet to be a documented neck injury thanks to a baseball cap style helmet... I've heard of people getting them ripped off during big-water beatdowns though, and they either fit or they don't, the fit-pads help, but some people simply don't have the right shaped head for them to be secure.

Personally, I prefer to have a little more protection on the back of my neck, so I've got a Sweet Rocker HC (still going strong after five years and counting) and a Holy Diver, the latter is sadly out of production, but the peak-less snow-sports version the Rooster is still available (and due to the fact that the snowsports helmets are identical to the watersports ones, but for a gogglestrap and warmer removable ear-pads, it enjoys a degree of popularity with paddlers round my area).

If it was the light weight and comfort of the Strutter that turned your head (rather than the peak) then the Rooster is well worth a look.

On a related note, Sweet have changed the optional peak that comes with the Rocker and it's no longer the brittle, shattering mess of an add-on that it used to be.

[truckeeboater]

What?

Thanks, but not really funny.

[sbroam]

Has anyone experienced diminished hearing while wearing a helmet that also covers your ears? ...
So how many folks out there will ONLY wear a helmet if it has ear protection? Just curious

I've known 2 people personally who suffered burst ear drums while paddling from impact with the water. I always look for a helmet with ear coverage - I'm still using my Lidds NATO, but sadly, they are also gone. I've never felt like helmets with ear coverage (Protec, Seda, etc) have ever impeded my hearing, certainly not any more than the general ambient noise of the river.

I'm kinda liking this one when the Lidds is retired :

http://www.headtriphelmets.com/trooper- ... elmet.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ELGOTTO]

Lots of good points made here. I appreciate the info. After this I might stick to my Cascade with the face mask unless there is something about them I shhould know.

[Shep]

I've known 2 people personally who suffered burst ear drums while paddling from impact with the water.

Make that three, if you count the internet as "personal". I got a hole in my ear-drum while learning to roll a buttboat in summer '08. I'm still dealing with the aftermath, as it has never healed properly. About to go for my second-try surgery this spring. It's all been a real hassle.

That said, I don't know how I feel about ear protection. I think it could help, but I've never paddled with a helmet that covers the ears, so I don't know how I feel about the loss of hearing. I do have to paddle with a wax plug in my right ear to avoid infection though, so I bet it'll be about the same.

[Mike W.]

Years ago, I started wearing an ear plug in my off-side ear due to the pain of hitting the water. As a bonus, I noticed I no longer got an ear infection per year. Now I use an i-pod while paddling. The headphones keep the water out, infection rate is -0- & it doesn't hurt to flip. My helmet doesn't cover my ears & since I don't like anything touching them, I won't buy a helmet that does.

[Creeker]

Cascade FF, though not as stylish seems to wear well for the creekers I know taking shots.

I never really gave much thought to how good plastic is or not originally.

1. my buddy mike had a simple flip on a local class 2+ creek (kenlockwood gorge) and he split his helmet and the split and movement of the split ripped his scalp to the tune of 8-ish stitches.

2. Part of my concern for neck injury comes from a trip on the bottom moose(ny). I had just upgraded to my new Shred Ready fullface. Ran Fowlersville and then the river splits around an island. Everyone goes right for the NONAME 4' ledge. it flipped me....very little velocity involved. I was setting up to roll and a perfect sharp rock scored a gouge on the crown of the helmet dead center 1.5 inches long. Then (by inspecting the helmet) the gouging point got minutely deeper at the end of the score and actually stuck into the plastic causing my head to halt in spot for the tenth of a second that it was. I felt my neck vertebra crane or bow as they got axially loaded..... jolt of burning electricity was the sensation. completing the roll mechanics were immediately abandoned. I flopped out of the boat in the slow current I tried to get some assemblance of balance.....none.....sort of a lunging flop to the near shore rocks only feet away. For about 2 minutes I was really wondering how this was gonna play out. After 10 minutes resting we pushed on. So now I look for a helmet with a hard shell finish. I own a lidds and sweet rocker. I paddle 99% with a FF but that's just me.

Freaky things happen on water. do whatever you need to do to paddle confidently. after all is said and done 99% brace is the most important safety gear.

[Craig Smerda]

What?

Thanks, but not really funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPr-xsQv ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hankrankin]

i've heard stories of people getting a heads down pin while wearing a baseball cap style helmet, and the bill on the helmet would shed water away from the face and create a small air pocket enough for the person to breathe and therefore keeping them alive and conscious. Makes baseball cap style helmet sound pretty darn good to me, and also why i think most helmets now feature a small bill.

[djutzi]

Fit is obviously very important, but also think about the kind of paddling you're doing.

If you always bail out of your boat immediately when you flip, then ear/face/back of the head protection maybe isn't that important. If you hang out upside down waiting to roll, then more protection is a good thing. I've also noticed that some helmets cover the top of the ear enough to protect it from a rock scraping over it, but not from slapping onto the water (WRSI helmets come to mind); again, consider the type of paddling you're doing...

As for the baseball cap style helmets: I have one, its comfortable, it looks good, it blocks the sun out nicely, and it takes a direct hit really well. HOWEVER, if I'm paddling a high volume river like the Ottawa or Gatineau and I get window-shaded, that bill really grabs the water, and the helmet its pushed way back on my head. Not a good thing. I've also taken hits on my ear and the back of my head wearing that helmet, thankfully with no damage. I've since picked up a Rocker which I wear for harder runs, and still use the baseball cap helmet for easier runs.