No helmet = no launch ?

[ozchrisb]

Some wear them as required by there spouse and life jacket too.

Happy wife, happy life.

I guess for women it's
Happy husband, happy something beginning with h.....

[Aloha]

The idea of having some kind of passive protection system in place while kiting is a good parallel to a car seatbelt but there was a lot more to the installation of seatbelt law than injury reduction and auto insurance rates (whole other discussion)

I've noticed empirically that for me head injury risk increases with wind speed (as does probably most risk of injury in this sport). I've been hit twice on the head by my surfboard blowing around after wiping out in 6m conditions but I've never seemed to have a problem with that flying my 18...

For those of you balancing safety, convenience & comfort (assuming if for you, like me - helmets get uncomfortable during long sessions): It might make sense to consider gearing up when the conditions are gnarly but leave your suit of armor at home when it's a 10-20mph 12m day - Just as you might wear a 3/2 shorty on nice days at Alameda but on the coast in the winter you'd break out the 5/4

I don't always wear a helmet, but when I do - it's on those oh $#@! it's so windy and gusty I hope I make it back in type days

Style Safe & have a great weekend everybody

[wjb]

When kiting with a helmet, make sure it fits properly such as on the safety conscious individual here

[shred_da_gorge]

Ah Wade, you've resurrected a northwest classic! That's my buddy Jim on a July 4th weekend at the Event Site, basically screwing with tourists. Yes, that's a 2-line Wipika he's on, and yes he can fly it like nobody's business. There was a whole drawn-out act that preceded this, starting by parking at the far end among the windsurfers and dragging the board across the pavement and down the sidewalk, then asking several people (non-locals) if they knew how to do this sport. It was the funniest April Fool's joke in July I've ever seen.

Anyway back OT, being a cyclist for decades I've seen this debate a time or two (hundred) before. It's not currently against the law to not wear a helmet while kiting, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, cycling, etc. Regardless of whether you think it's a good idea or not, you also have the right to not launch someone if they don't have a helmet, if they have a GoJoe, if they are wearing a pink wetsuit... whatever. Most of my friends have been kiting since its inception and windsurfing before that, and they, like me, wear a helmet on select occasions and choose not to for convenience on many others. If you say you won't launch me I'd say "that's cool" and find someone else.

Great point Yoda made about helmet fit, which is a particular beef of mine about the helmet debate as it relates to cycling. I'd venture to guess more than 50% of people on bikes wearing helmets would render theirs almost completely ineffective in a crash, but then again the number of situations where a cyclist actually puts their helmet to the test is vastly overstated. It's all about perception. The seatbelt analogy is another favorite of mine - often made by people too young to remember when the insurance industry bullied the federal government into forcing states to make it mandatory or lose significant highway funding. When I was growing up the law was repealed by voters three times in a row before it was made mandatory and people begrudgingly started to wear them. It was perceived to be another example of 'nanny state' government interfering with individual freedoms at the time!

Sure I hope I never have my head put to the test on a day I choose to kite without a helmet (and it's for convenience not cool factor - I disagree kiting is a 'cool factor' sport and I hope it never comes to that). I also hope I don't die of cancer brought on by the higher concentrations of mercury present in the SF bay leeching down from abandoned quicksilver mines. I guess we pick our poisons, but most of all I hope my choice to go helmet-less never causes harm to someone else.

[Frappes]

Anyone who watches contact sports like football or hockey knows that helmets aren't going to do a good job of protecting you from getting knocked out or getting a concussion. Protecting against skull fractures and lacerations is definitely a good reason to wear a helmet, but I think it's very important to understand the limitations of your equipment, for obvious reasons.

Other things a helmet doesn't protect you from:
- Broken back
- Broken wrist
- Drowning
- Equipment Failure
- Shark Attack
- Sudden Onset Diarrhea
- Pruney Fingers
- Lack of Wind

I'm not trying to advocate not wearing a helmet; rather try to show that it isn't the end-all safety item OP wants it to be.

[SFPete]

Dude, you've got to get out of other people's business. If they want to squish their melon, that;'s their decision. To not launch them becuase you think they should be wearing a helmet is the height of nanny-state douchiness.

[AD72]

I wear one to protect others from being blinded by the glare coming off my bald head. Safety first!

[sflinux]

Back in the day there was this cool kite shop called kitewindsurf that sold helmets at cost, to encourage kiters to wear them.
I'm all for helmets, but there is also the problem that helmets give a false sense of security. A study found an increase in head injuries on skis and snowboards with helmets.
http://xgames.espn.go.com/snowboarding/ ... dy-reports
A helmet wouldn't have helped the wrist in the recent accident.
I still believe that launching unhooked is the safest way because if anything goes wrong, just let go of the bar. There is no delay in the time it takes to fumble around for a quick release (and some quick releases do fail to release). When launching the leash should be attached to flag out safety, as opposed to a mini 5th line, or suicide. It is safe to move your leash to a mini 5th line or suicide once you are out in the water with downwind clearance.

[sc-surfer]

Making second bowl of popcorn...


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[Thor29]

Le Noun got it exactly right regarding active verses passive safety. But since this subject really gets me riled up, here's some more...

Impeccable logic:
You can get hurt or killed kiteboarding, so don't do it.
(Even if you wear a helmet).
That's is the answer. Anything else is just a compromise.
After all, we do not want anyone to ever get hurt or killed, do we?

Think about it. Nobody NEEDS to kiteboard. (Although I'm sure we would argue differently). So why not just make it illegal in order to protect everyone? That goes for all nonessential outdoor activities including mountain biking, rock climbing, snowboarding, surfing, etc.

Look, I think base jumping and alpine mountain climbing are too dangerous. So I don't do those things. But I think if you want to do it, go ahead. I think riding a bicycle or kiteboarding without a helmet are relatively safe. If you disagree, wear a helmet. You choose your risk and I will choose mine. End of story.

Man, I hate helmet worshippers... They are just like religious zealots. It's not enough that they believe in their god, they want you to believe too and won't shut up until they convince you. Even if their logic is horrible...