What is the current obsession with.....

[thom]

Yes, I am having 3rd thoughts about the air bags for skiers. After all, boaters wear life jackets that can be inflated instantly by gas and I think these could easily be adapted to make a kind of inflatable suit/helmet.

Despite what the OP says, I'm sure I can cash in on the fear-factor, especially with hire kit. Who knows, it may become de rigeur in other fields too. I am off to get the patent filed.

you might be too late

 

[Shaun]

Bono's dead?

Sonny Bono, not the Irish Bono ...

 

[BrumJim]

I wear a helmet when ski-ing these days for two reasons:
1) Its comfortable and keeps my head warm.
2) It gives me confidence to go even faster, hence negating the safety effect.

Almost the same as a bike helmet. Someone always has a story about only surviving due to their helmet, and peer pressure is increasing.

 

[geo]

I wear a helmet when ski-ing these days for two reasons:
1) Its comfortable and keeps my head warm.
2) It gives me confidence to go even faster, hence negating the safety effect.

^^^^ This for me too

 

[ComedyPilot]

Err FWIW, I am not telling people not to wear a helmet when skiing, it's the other way round, I am being lectured by a number of colleagues, friends/family etc to wear one.

Yet none of them can tell me how skiing has changed in the 30 years I have done it to justify the sudden increase in people wearing helmets. Also, only a small proportion of them have ever skied.......and none of them are regular skiers.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

You could reason it thus:

a = risks associated with wearing a helmet

b = risks from not wearing a helmet

If b>a then wear helmet.

Not to mention the possibility of wearing a helmet that, if nothing else, keeps your head warm or in the case of water ski-ing, above water.

 

[nickprior]

... how skiing has changed in the 30 years I have done it to justify the sudden increase in people wearing helmets. Also, only a small proportion of them have ever skied.......and none of them are regular skiers.

My feeling is over 25 years slopes have become more crowded, average skiing speeds** have crept up mainly due to better equipment and more skiers/boarders are prepared to perform jumps so you have more metal edges flying around at head height than before, not just in the jump park. But you'd only come to that conclusion if you had been skiing for that length of time. Non skiers wouldn't have a clue. Bit like non-cyclists ...

I'd much rather not wear a helmet but it just hurts too much!

** This is anecdotal, I have no hard evidence. Perhaps I mean there's an increase in the number of people skiing somewhat faster than the people around them on a crowded slope. Or maybe its just a function of more crowded slopes. Either way there's just more people out there just aching to come and crash into me.

 

[Archie_tect]

It's 26 years since I last skiied... don't think I'll bother going now- sounds awful NP.