Reposted from:
http://www.bayareakiteboarding.com/viewtopic.php?t=867
There is a poll and an interesting discussion going on about helmets at the link listed above.
I just uploaded portions of the following KSI account:
"Before the rider could figure out how to release his snap shackle he was hit by a second strong gust. This gust relaunched the kite. The kite pulled the rider up towards the powerlines about 8 m (25 ft.) above the ground. He slammed head first into a bungalow roof on the way up breaking the back of his Gath helmet open and sending it flying off. The kite pulled the rider along the powerlines towards a wooden power pole. He hits the power pole and wraps his legs around it. He then lifts his control bar on top of the pole to where the rear kite lines lay of each side of the power pole. The lines short the powerlines with electrical sparks erupting. With the next gust his control bar breaks in two resulting in the activation of his kite depowering leash. He then slides about 1 m down the power pole, cutting into his hands with the 4 inch nails driven into the pole. He then leaps away from the pole on to the roof of a house and in turn on to a dune behind the house.
The rider suffered head lacerations requiring stitches and other cuts to his hands. He also had some hand burns caused by the electrical short. His Gath helmet was broken apart by the impact, his impact vest was heavily punctured, his wetsuit was substantially sliced, his control bar was broken when a 1 inch section of his spreader bar hook was apparently melted by the electrical arching. His kite was undamaged. The top of the power pole was charred by the electrical short. The rider had stopped using a helmet the week before when he decided to no longer use a board leash. He had cut his head on the garage door the morning of the accident and so chose to wear his helmet that day to protect the cut. "
You never know when something unexpected might pop up. A few guys would be likely dead IF they chose not to wear one when things went south with a vengence (including myself) and others might still be with us if they had worn a helmet.
Wear the best helmet that you can find and wear it whenever you ride.