Are Snowboarding Helmets Lame?



Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2009

by Matt Banks
BoardRiderLounge

For lots of reasons, safety and trendiness have on no account really been able to get along. If you look at any typical terrain park at a resort, the chances are that most of the riders there will not be using snowboarding helmets. They may rock some of the newest snowboard clothes or ride the dopest new park board, but their head's remains exposed. The figures don't tell untruths about snowboarders and snowboarding helmets. Less than half of skiers and snowboarders even own a helmet. The figure rises a bit for children, just about two thirds of them have snowboarding helmets, likely purchased by parents concerned more about their kid's safety than their own.

Anybody can offer you reasons why a helmet is or isn't a necessity on the hill. Maybe a prior misfortune has made someone come to a decision they will always wear a helmet. Concussions are not unusual among boarders. If you've had one before, you most likely know that the possibility of considerable brain injury doubles with every successive concussion you maintain. More than two and you're facing at a big risk for brain dysfunction later in life including memory loss and possible psychological dysfunction.

While no helmet can ever promise that it will salvage your life, it does provide your brain a tad additional defense that can go a long way. But what do riders who don't wear helmets have to say? While no one is advocating a ban on helmets; some riders certainly would never wear one. Many riders have had unpleasant experiences with helmets that were too cumbersome and caused neck pain. Maybe they just had a helmet that didn't suit them well and was irritating to have on. Some riders just think helmets don't look good. Those riders are commonly the ones in bandanas or riding in a jester hat. While this is completely personal preference, sometimes riders just need their eyes opened.

Some high profile deaths such as Sonny Bono or, all too freshly Natasha Richardson have brought to light that you can get hurt on the slopes in lots of different ways. Even a lesser bump to the head can set off a reaction in the brain that can later be mortal. In fact, it is these lesser smacks, the more common ones, that helmets are meant to protect you against. Missing a box in the park can leave you with a headache or dispatch you to the emergency room. Even in snow, where you assume you will always have a forgiving landing, you can land hard. Packed snow, buried ice or a piece of terrain park equipment can halt your snowboard session very quickly if you choose not to shield your head.

The argument about whether or not snowboarding helmets are in vogue could go on for ages. What is important is what matters the most to you. You might find that a helmet is uncomfortable in the beginning, it may make your head itch or you may not be fond of the way it fits your head. But the reality is that a helmet is just a way of safeguarding your snowboarding future. Without a helmet, you could end up with a serious, but preventable, injury that may terminate your winter or worse. No amount of fashion criticism is worth not riding in a snowboarding helmet and possibly putting your life in peril.

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