Anything in particular to look for in a helmet? does a $30 helmet really make much difference over a $15 helmet? or does it just need some padding a good fit and a hard shell?

Thanks,
Seeger

Fit is the thing ! I have a couple of cheap helmets that don't stay put very well. My kiteboard specific one fits real well and I often forget I have it on. My baseball type has webbing and my bicycle one has soft foam on hard. It is the more dense foam + greater coverage on my kiteboard helmet that makes for the perfect fit, I'm sure.
So to some degree a kiteboard specific helmet would be better but any helmet that fits proper is WAY BETTER than none at all.

I coughed up $65 for my helmet, get a good one, your head is worth it. Last time out I got pulled over backwards and almost knocked myself out. Without the helmet it would have been bad.

One thing to watch out for, some kitesurf helmets have a large brim, like a baseball hat sort of thing, on land this can snag and put more stress on your neck. You want a helmet with good coverage and fairly smooth edges.

Look into Pro-Tec Helmets. It has a great fit. There are many options and they make you look like your a marine. I think they're styled after special forces helmets.

My helmet was $100 but I got it at a ski house at the end of a season so it was on sale for $60. I agree with the others - fit is key and your head is not worth saving a few bucks. Get a good helmet that is comfortable and snug. One that protects the ears is worth considering if you will be on ice or any other abbrassive surface that your head could impact.

The cheaper helmets may only be tested to Consumer Products Safety Commission standards- not very rigorous. That's what you get at White-trash-Mart.

Better is ANSI Certification and better yet is SNELL certification.

For a given level of certification, more expensive helmets are often better vented and lighter for more comfort.

Glad you're asking. I've been spanked a few times with kites in and out of the bug and have always been glad to have the helmet. I've also seen lots of bike and in-line skating accidents. It's the ones WITH helmets that remark "Gee whiz..." afterwards and the ones without helmets that could not remark at all (and in some cases were pulled off life support days later).

I use a good Snell rated motorcycle helmet because I had one. It is a little hot so before heading to the per event and NABX I was looking at some lighter weight "cheaper" helmets because I don't ride that fast but ran out of time. Well at Superior on April fool's day my right foot slipped off the peg at about 25 mph. Why I hadn't properly assembley the fork is a longer story but as I was heading over the front end for the first of three impacts I do remember thinking " Boy I am glad I have a good helmet on." The bottom line is we don't know when Sh^& will happen so get the best safety equipment you can. If you have insurance ER co-pays run at least $100 if you don't it is really expensive. A good helmet is sounding cheap now.

Get a helmet!!!! I've been ATB boarding for a while and just recently got into it much more. Unfortunately I had my first crash in years about a month ago. I was not wearing my protective gear. A mild concusion and X-rays/MRI later I'm ok but wow was it rough for a couple of weeks. I still have to ice my knee (I have ice on it right now).
I just biffed going 20-25mph. My left knee took most of the impact but I bounced on my knees three times then flipped onto my back and smacked the back of my head then slid about 10 feet. All in all the knee impacts and head impact plus the final slide on my back was over a course of about 50 feet or so. I felt like I was going to throw up for about and hour. But I did't crash my kite. I learned my lesson!!!!! The irony of the story is I took a week vacation from work so I could kite ATB because it was very low tide at the beach most of the week. The crash was on the 2nd day of my vacation around 7:00am on a perfect day.

I got lucky!
Scott

Quote:

Originally posted by speleopower But I did't crash my kite. I got lucky! Scott

:cool2:

I got one of those

Really light and you do not even feel it

http://www.bios-pro.com/en/index.php?loc=home

I like that helmet! Just wish there was a full face one for jetskiing. I'm not so worried about a head impact as I am a face impact with my ski. That would suck!

Scott

Add one of those

http://www.gumshields.co.uk/

:D

Get one that is rated for multiple impacts, like a ski or rock climbing helmet. Bike helmets are less expensive but are designed to break apart dissipating the energy of one impact.

I second Snowbird's comment that it has to fit properly. Check out this website for info
http://www.skihelmets.com/

Quote:

Originally posted by primekutzz Look into Pro-Tec Helmets. It has a great fit. There are many options and they make you look like your a marine. I think they're styled after special forces helmets.

That is what i have and i've VERY happy with it!
its nice and warm but not over the top!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PRO-TEC-B2-SNOW-HELMET-MEDIUM_W0QQitem...

The other thing to consider is where the protection is. You want a helmet that protects the back of your head, coming down lower toward the base of your skull. A lot of inexpensive cycling helmets ride pretty high and do not offer the lower protection.

I went with the Pro-Tec Ace Water for mine (http://www.pro-tec.net/water/main.html) and I like it.

I do concur with gulfsandeater on needing some lower skull protection. If you go over the falls i.e. pulled over the top of the board you'll probably flip over onto your back and smack the back of your head. That's what happened to me in my first really really bad crash.

I have a skateboard helmet for ATB riding.

Scott