• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

What level of helmet thwack should retire a helmet?

Bozzenhagen

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Oct 16, 2019
Posts
249
Location
Silverthorne, CO
General recommended advice for drops is. Replace it. If you are making a living wage in the US, you already make way too much to risk your head over saving $400 at worst? $500?
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,422
There’s always stitching with copper wire

27823E81-59E1-4204-86D5-B8D798EBDD07.jpeg
 

crgildart

Gravity Slave
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
16,324
Location
The Bull City
General recommended advice for drops is. Replace it. If you are making a living wage in the US, you already make way too much to risk your head over saving $400 at worst? $500?
So you drop your helmet on the pavement wrestling it out of the boot bag first thing in the morning. Do you go straight to the resort shop and buy a new one? Or, do you ski in it anyway and start shopping for a deal on a new one? Or... fuggutaboutit? This would make an interesting poll.. What if it was your kid? Same answer ir different answer?

I'm in the camp that any helmet is better than no helmet. Last time my kid and I got """new""" helmets was when he finally grew bigger than me.. we traded helmets..
 

Tony Storaro

Glorified Tobogganer
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Posts
7,805
Location
Europe
There are some helmet companies that have used EPP, which is a foam that will rebound back to it's shape versus EPS.
However, a manufacturer is in a tough spot, because infinite hits is impossible; so it is liability quagmire to even promise you that it can even absorb 2 hits even though multi-hit is the entire purpose and difference for using EPP instead of EPS for the foam liner.

POC and PRET i believe used to have EPP helmets, but maybe due to market forces my quick google shows they are using EPS in a lot of the product line.

If you google for EPP helmets maybe you can still find a few models. But if safety is the concern, you're still in the same boat after a crash and it is at your own risk. As there is no method to ensure the helmet is still protective. Nobody can vouch for you the helmet is OK or how much it has degraded; there is no test for this.

The best you can do is the crash warranty program where they'll give you a discount for a replacement (but often just the same or not as good as spring sales).




That’s mine and one of the reasons I bought it besides the main one-the color obviously was the Multi-impact protection.
But of course I very much hope I’d never have to experience a single impact, let alone multiple.
 
Last edited:

Bozzenhagen

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Oct 16, 2019
Posts
249
Location
Silverthorne, CO
How many times a season do you typically replace your helmet? Twice? Ten times?
This season? 1 out of 140+ days. So 0-1 per season? Mostly 0? I've been doing snow stuff for about 12 years, so I'm guessing maybe 6 head hits over 1000+ days. Which is probably already too much, fml, I just realized this. EPP or similar liner like ^ mentioned for multiple impacts (Didn't know a race/comp helmet would use an EPP liner for multiple impact protection).

So you drop your helmet on the pavement wrestling it out of the boot bag first thing in the morning. Do you go straight to the resort shop and buy a new one? Or, do you ski in it anyway and start shopping for a deal on a new one? Or... fuggutaboutit? This would make an interesting poll.. What if it was your kid? Same answer ir different answer?

I'm in the camp that any helmet is better than no helmet. Last time my kid and I got """new""" helmets was when he finally grew bigger than me.. we traded helmets..
New one ASAP with full ownership that I'm risking XYZ while using that helmet. It would be like a pinging todo-list item going on in my head forever until I clicked "add to cart" + "checkout".

I'm super paranoid about putting my helmet away, on, off onto to whatever during après.
 

Sponsor

Top