View Poll Results: Do you wear a helmet?

Voters
30. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes

    13 43.33%
  • No

    11 36.67%
  • Sometimes

    6 20.00%
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Thread: Helmets??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Canton, Ga / Lake Lanier
    Posts
    1,600

    Question Helmets??

    Do any of you guys wear them? Are there any benefits to wearing one other than to protect your melon from hitting the board?

    The reason I ask is because last summer I took a real hard fall and ended up with a concussion. I didn't hit the board or anything it must've just been how I hit the water. Then, this year, the last time we went out I caught my heelside edge and fell backwards and I really felt the fall in my head. I assume that this will be an ongoing problem. If I start wearing a helmet will it help absorb these impacts and help make it so I don't worry so much about falling and whether or not my head is going to hurt or get hurt?

    I don't do any crazy tricks or anything just really learning to ride. I ride at about 21mph and I can go regular heelside wake to wake and that is about as 'big' as I can go right now. However I feel like the fear of falling and my head hurting is preventing me from progressing. I can't ride switch at all and I fall everytime I try and work on it...sometimes the falls are tough. I know that is REALLY holding me back. In just the few times we went last year my riding improved dramatically. There was a noticable difference from the first ride of the season to the last, or so I was told. So, I'd really like to get over this hurdle/fear and see how far I can take my riding this season.

    *Note* For any of you real or internet Doctors out there the concussion I received last year was my second physician diagnosed concussion I've had in my life. The first one was about 15 years ago. I doubt that matters since they are so far apart...
    SOLD! 2011 Mobius LSV 325HP EFI
    Digital Cruise Pro, Wakeplate, Kenwood KM550U and KCA-RC107MR x2, Kicker ZXM700.5, Kicker 6.5 Cabins, 10'' Kicker CompVT sub, Wetsounds SYN 4, Wetsounds REV10s, Wetsounds WS420Q, Gravity VI Surf Ballast, Acme 537

    Board: '12 LF Harley (Monster) 139
    Her Board: '11 Ronix Krush 128
    Kids Board: '13 Ronix Vision 120
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    Surf: LF Custom Quad & XXX


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    3/1 Truxx Lift, and some other stuff...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Acworth, GA
    Posts
    1,223

    Default

    I have a helmet and wear it on the occassions I know I am going to bite it, which turns out is quite often LOL. I have had some bad hits on the water as well and had my bell rung... so I bought a helmet. I think is does soften the blow to the head. It does help me with my fear factor.

    I also got heat moldable mouth guard (like we used to wear for football) as I have had my teeth smashed together pretty hard during some of these wicked wipeouts... had a filling knocked out once so thought it'd be cheaper that fixin teeth.
    Kraig - 2010 Outback V

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Henderson, NV
    Posts
    7,020

    Default

    personally, I don't. never really thought about it. i'm not a great wakeboarder and sliding wake to wake is probably the most I'll ever do at my "young" age..

    that being said, my cousin is a very accomplished boarder. he's been riding for 15 years or so. he will not wear one when going out and just kickin it riding with family or a quick spin, but when he's with the normal crew or trying new tricks, he always wears one. he said it makes the falls that much easier to take. I know that he spent some coin on a good helmet.
    '06 Supra Launch 20SSV-gone but never forgotten

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Acworth, GA
    Posts
    1,223

    Default

    Yeah, the Poll should include a Sometimes option. I don't wear my helmet if I am just carving it up and playing around, but when I know I am going to try something that for me could end up coming to an abrupt and painful end I wear it.

    Edit: The helmet I got I made sure had the ear covers as two or three years ago I took a wicked hard hit to the right side of my head, directly on the ear. That sucked and I had ear infections for about a year afterwards, really messed me up. SO my hope is the ear flap will help prevent that if I hit like that again.
    Last edited by KSmith; 05-10-2012 at 09:03 AM.
    Kraig - 2010 Outback V

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Canton, Ga / Lake Lanier
    Posts
    1,600

    Default

    ok, maybe one of the mods can step in and add "Sometimes" to the poll.

    I think I may pick one up and see if that helps with the fear factor and softens the crashes a little...
    SOLD! 2011 Mobius LSV 325HP EFI
    Digital Cruise Pro, Wakeplate, Kenwood KM550U and KCA-RC107MR x2, Kicker ZXM700.5, Kicker 6.5 Cabins, 10'' Kicker CompVT sub, Wetsounds SYN 4, Wetsounds REV10s, Wetsounds WS420Q, Gravity VI Surf Ballast, Acme 537

    Board: '12 LF Harley (Monster) 139
    Her Board: '11 Ronix Krush 128
    Kids Board: '13 Ronix Vision 120
    Skate: LF Faction 44
    Surf: LF Custom Quad & XXX


    Tow Rig:
    2011 Toyota Tundra CrewMax TRD Magnetic Grey
    3/1 Truxx Lift, and some other stuff...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Keuka Lake, NY
    Posts
    7,692

    Default

    I have one and it helps if ring your bell wear it covered by the helmet.
    It won't help the eye lid peeler falls. Aka face plants....LOL

    Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk
    A Day at the Lake...Priceless
    A Day in Powder...Endless


    Joe V
    2012 Möbius XLV~ Loaded & Exiled
    2007 Outback V ~ sold

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    718

    Default

    I always wear a helmet (with ear cups) and it has definitely lessened the blow. It has saved my noggin and my hearing several times.

    Even if you are just cruising at 20+ MPH, crossing the wake at 5-10 MPH means that you can get a nasty smack at any time.

    The secret to whether or not a helmet is going to help (as with me) or hurt (as some people claim) appears to be whether or not it fits properly. If there is any significant play, that movement around your head could let the helmet hit you harder than the water. Two of my riders cannot get a good fit with available choices and, after getting headaches after falls with a helmet, now ride without one.

    To cure "eye-openers", try these fashionable accessories: http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog.asp?P=4427
    2005 XLV, upgraded ballast, Comptech swivel wakeboard and hydrofoil racks, Monster cargo bimini

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Canton, Ga / Lake Lanier
    Posts
    1,600

    Default

    SOLD! 2011 Mobius LSV 325HP EFI
    Digital Cruise Pro, Wakeplate, Kenwood KM550U and KCA-RC107MR x2, Kicker ZXM700.5, Kicker 6.5 Cabins, 10'' Kicker CompVT sub, Wetsounds SYN 4, Wetsounds REV10s, Wetsounds WS420Q, Gravity VI Surf Ballast, Acme 537

    Board: '12 LF Harley (Monster) 139
    Her Board: '11 Ronix Krush 128
    Kids Board: '13 Ronix Vision 120
    Skate: LF Faction 44
    Surf: LF Custom Quad & XXX


    Tow Rig:
    2011 Toyota Tundra CrewMax TRD Magnetic Grey
    3/1 Truxx Lift, and some other stuff...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    293

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by E4NASH View Post
    I have been looking at helmets only because I will need one for the cable park and it will pay for itself vs. rental eventually. I was looking at the one you linked to there and also these because they aren't so plain.

    http://www.overtons.com/modperl/prod...t&merchID=4005
    http://www.overtons.com/modperl/prod...t&merchID=4005

    The only opinion I have heard is they don't really help. It seems like adding more weight to your head could potentially cause a harder fall vs actually hitting a hard object (at the cable park), but I have no experience with them so who knows.
    -Ryan
    twitter.com/WakeVideos
    2000 Mobius V
    Monster Tower MT2 - 750 rears, GG 1180 center - PP Wakeboard Edition

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Des Moines, IA
    Posts
    3,237

    Default

    I had a memory-loss concucssion 2 years ago after a bad fall, and another mild one a month later. I ride with a helmet every time out now. (edit: every time I wakeboard, not when surfing) I've taken many bad hits since that time without issue.

    ShredReady helmets for me and my crew: http://www.shredready.com/products.php
    Last edited by brain_rinse; 05-10-2012 at 10:46 AM.

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