Do you wear a helmet when snowboarding or skiing? It’s a couple of years ago that I felt like an alien in the gondola packed with people as I was one of the only ones wearing a helmet. Today there is many cool and colorful models and a helmet is a gadget giving you a certain style. It wasn’t like that then. However, for me it became a habit to wear a helmet many years ago and it wasn’t too hard, as there are a couple of advantages.
Here I present you my personal helmet pro and cons list, which will it make easier to you to decide if you wish one for Christmas or not:
Pro Helmet:
- It will protect your head and brain. No doubt about that! Ever cartwheeled over rocks? Ever caught edge on an icy slope?
- You goggles never fog! That is one of its biggest plus. You just rode down the mountain, it’s snowing, you enjoyed some powder face shots , you were rushing to the gondola to get straight right up, the cabin is full of other perspiring people. If you then put your goggles up and you are wearing a beanie, you will either end up in the toilet using the hand blow-drier to get of the fog inside your goggles (you could also just wipe them and ruin the surface coating – that is up to you), or you will ride with less visibility which implements less fun too. If you wear a helmet and you are putting your goggles up that will simply not happen.
- If you tumble you don’t loose your helmet and your goggle. Losing your gear is especially unhandy when you are off-piste. First hiking up in deep powder can take a while, and second your goggles will be filled with snow and your beanie will be wet.
- You won’t get cold ears or a cold head. No more brain freeze!
- If you are caught in an avalanche it will not only protect your head when taken down the mountain, but when you are once burried (which hopefully will never happen!) you will lose less heat as your head is emitting a lot of energy.
- A helmet became a fashion good, and it gives you your individual style.
Con Helmet:
- Some people think a helmet doesn’t look as cool than wearing a beanie. That’s a question of taste…
- A helmet sometimes feels unhandy to take along when you are already fighting carrying your gear to your car or to the cable car, and you are already late anyway.
- You might hear little less. However that depends on the model. Choosing one with a soft ear-shell doesn’t really affect your hearing.
- Your hairstyle (if you got any) gets a bit smashed and disheveled.
- When days are getting longer, and the sun gets stronger you will sweat a bit more. However most helmets got good ventilations systems you can adjust. On the other hand a helmet also protects you from the strong mountain sun.
If you decide on wearing a helmet, let it become a habit. It’s useless to use it one day and leave it at home the other day, because you never know in advance when you will need it. Things usually happen when you don’t expect them and not when you do your sickest moves. For example you are just traversing getting stuck on a hidden rock and hit your head on a tree trunk, or you ride down a flat slope after you spent the whole day in the backcountry.
Hope I could help you with your decision! If your have any other pro or con, please leave a comment!
