ricki
07-23-2005, 09:59 PM
"Helmets, make you look stupid."
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/7_G.sized.jpg
Really ... HOW?
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/6_G.sized.jpg
Damien looking good.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/Head.sized.jpg
Forrest Gump once said, "stupid is as stupid does" (or doesn't do, life is about choices).
Looks never even came into it, just actions.
From: http://www.svam.org/Exhibits/Macworld/slideshow/index.htm
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/1_G.sized.jpg
Minda styles as she's wired for sight and sound by Kiteflix (http://kiteflix.com/)
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album68/helmets_are_cool_1_s.jpg
This guy should certainly know about helmets. You can read his story Here (http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=494)
Lets checkout some more riders rigged with lids,
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/8_G.sized.jpg
Andrea shreds on
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/Paul.sized.jpg
Paul Menta
http://gallery.kiteforum.com/albums/albuq19/VARI_STICKS_IT_s.jpg
Vari from a while back
http://gallery.kiteforum.com/albums/albuq19/Andy_Moves.sized.jpg
Andy Hurdman goes to it.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album74/31_G.jpg
Lightwave Dave and Flash
If you are looking for a kiteboarding helmet some things to keep in mind include:
1. It should fit well and be comforable.
2. It should be light and not retain water.
3. It should have low drag and an absence of projections that could cause neck injury or inflammation.
4. It should have the best padding available and not an excessively soft variety either.
5. It should remain well secured and have corrosion resistant fastenings.
6. It should have a resilent shell.
7. Some riders like ear protection to reduce the odds of an ear drum perforation.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/12_G.sized.jpg
So, good close fit ...
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/9_G.sized.jpg
???
Wonder how it would feel entering head first at speed from a jump gone bad from 20 feet up? Do you want something that will hit the water and load up like bill or visor or something that will cause as little resistance to water as feasible while still providing impact protection against hard objects? Kiteboarders plow in from height not uncommonly at all.
Some guys wear these helmets backwards. Have you ever had a spinning wipeout against water? What was up and down can completely change in rapid succession. There is something to be said for low drag on impact with water for kiteboarding lids. The impact dynamics can be substantially different in other activities for which helmets have been designed such as kayaking.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/4_G.jpg
Do NOT wear helmets that are too large for you or poorly fastened. Too lose a helmet could cause injury just with impact against water.
http://www.thebellstore.com/images/Helmets/Moto7R/05Bluemulti.jpg
Excellent padding, shell but man look at all that drag. You don't want to hit water going hard or fast with one of these buckets on. Next.
From: http://www.thebellstore.com/
http://TSA.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1252428reg.jpg
Good padding, light, well ventilated but more drag out the wazoo. Looks like a pain in the neck for kiteboarding.
From: http://store1.yimg.com/
Another reason for not wearing lids is thinking "it won't happen to me." I hope you are right but I wouldn't bet a great deal on that conclusion. Life can be full of surprises. Some accounts follow, these guys had a lot of skill, experience and time kiteboarding. Sometimes skill just isn't enough even in light wind.
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=701
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=706
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=210
Lots more where these came from sad to say.
NOTE: If your neck is sensitive a helmet could contribute to inflammation/irritation. Of couse the regular slam in's to water could do this same thing even without a helmet in kiteboarding. If you have a sensitive or injured neck think carefully about kiteboarding in the first place and talk to your doctor.
Give some thought to wearing a good helmet, whenever you ride.
"The wiseman learns from others mistakes, the average man learns from his own mistakes, the village idiot never seems to learn."
- Howdoyouflythisthing
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/16_G.sized.jpg
C.J. is even wearing lids in bars these days. Looking good!
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/7_G.sized.jpg
Really ... HOW?
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/6_G.sized.jpg
Damien looking good.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/Head.sized.jpg
Forrest Gump once said, "stupid is as stupid does" (or doesn't do, life is about choices).
Looks never even came into it, just actions.
From: http://www.svam.org/Exhibits/Macworld/slideshow/index.htm
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/1_G.sized.jpg
Minda styles as she's wired for sight and sound by Kiteflix (http://kiteflix.com/)
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album68/helmets_are_cool_1_s.jpg
This guy should certainly know about helmets. You can read his story Here (http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=494)
Lets checkout some more riders rigged with lids,
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/8_G.sized.jpg
Andrea shreds on
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/Paul.sized.jpg
Paul Menta
http://gallery.kiteforum.com/albums/albuq19/VARI_STICKS_IT_s.jpg
Vari from a while back
http://gallery.kiteforum.com/albums/albuq19/Andy_Moves.sized.jpg
Andy Hurdman goes to it.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album74/31_G.jpg
Lightwave Dave and Flash
If you are looking for a kiteboarding helmet some things to keep in mind include:
1. It should fit well and be comforable.
2. It should be light and not retain water.
3. It should have low drag and an absence of projections that could cause neck injury or inflammation.
4. It should have the best padding available and not an excessively soft variety either.
5. It should remain well secured and have corrosion resistant fastenings.
6. It should have a resilent shell.
7. Some riders like ear protection to reduce the odds of an ear drum perforation.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/12_G.sized.jpg
So, good close fit ...
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/9_G.sized.jpg
???
Wonder how it would feel entering head first at speed from a jump gone bad from 20 feet up? Do you want something that will hit the water and load up like bill or visor or something that will cause as little resistance to water as feasible while still providing impact protection against hard objects? Kiteboarders plow in from height not uncommonly at all.
Some guys wear these helmets backwards. Have you ever had a spinning wipeout against water? What was up and down can completely change in rapid succession. There is something to be said for low drag on impact with water for kiteboarding lids. The impact dynamics can be substantially different in other activities for which helmets have been designed such as kayaking.
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/4_G.jpg
Do NOT wear helmets that are too large for you or poorly fastened. Too lose a helmet could cause injury just with impact against water.
http://www.thebellstore.com/images/Helmets/Moto7R/05Bluemulti.jpg
Excellent padding, shell but man look at all that drag. You don't want to hit water going hard or fast with one of these buckets on. Next.
From: http://www.thebellstore.com/
http://TSA.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1252428reg.jpg
Good padding, light, well ventilated but more drag out the wazoo. Looks like a pain in the neck for kiteboarding.
From: http://store1.yimg.com/
Another reason for not wearing lids is thinking "it won't happen to me." I hope you are right but I wouldn't bet a great deal on that conclusion. Life can be full of surprises. Some accounts follow, these guys had a lot of skill, experience and time kiteboarding. Sometimes skill just isn't enough even in light wind.
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=701
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=706
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=210
Lots more where these came from sad to say.
NOTE: If your neck is sensitive a helmet could contribute to inflammation/irritation. Of couse the regular slam in's to water could do this same thing even without a helmet in kiteboarding. If you have a sensitive or injured neck think carefully about kiteboarding in the first place and talk to your doctor.
Give some thought to wearing a good helmet, whenever you ride.
"The wiseman learns from others mistakes, the average man learns from his own mistakes, the village idiot never seems to learn."
- Howdoyouflythisthing
http://www.fksa.org/albums/album130/16_G.sized.jpg
C.J. is even wearing lids in bars these days. Looking good!