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one900johnnyk
Oct 27, 2002, 4:49 PM
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do you wear them? occasionally? never? any bad stories?
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boulderingmadman
Oct 27, 2002, 5:30 PM
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i wear one when im trad climbing. the sport climbing i do is in a VERY popular area with exceptionally clean and well protected routes...ie: rockfall is at a minimum.
but when i go trad climbing, its a necessity. you never know what kind of block may come free when your 500' up. not to mention, someone could be above you on a seldom-climbed route and pull a block and drop it right on you.
then youve got slab falls...bouncing around, hitting ledges...etcetcetcetc...
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geezergecko
Oct 27, 2002, 5:58 PM
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Everyone should. Most don't. Read the ANAM.
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boz84
Oct 27, 2002, 5:58 PM
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It's like helmets when riding a bike.
You don't need them....
till you eat asphault.
Why risk it? DO they make you look "uncool"? A good (not synonymous with expensive) helmet will be comfortable for all day use, or take it off when not climbing to "air out". But other than that, wear it.
Not for bouldering though, cause then you'll just look like a fool.
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coclimber26
Oct 27, 2002, 6:05 PM
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Helmets aren't cool until you need one...I guess I'm not cool cause I wear one...
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mnutz
Oct 27, 2002, 6:49 PM
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I just bought my first helmet. I've never worn one before, but I think for trad you definately should. I've been doing a lot of rope-soloing lately, a slight knock on the head might not be too serious if you are with other people, but it all changes if you are alone.
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lox
Oct 27, 2002, 7:23 PM
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Boldering helmet ?
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daisuke
Oct 27, 2002, 8:40 PM
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helmets are usually useless when climbing toprope on clean routes, but when leading anything less than overhanging or tradding you should always wear one. that said I rarely wear one, mostly because the areas Iīve climbed donīt really require one. itīs not only rock that can kill you, a well dropped cam can probably knock a good sized hole in your head as well.
D
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camhead
Oct 27, 2002, 9:51 PM
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sorry guys, but I am going to yell at ya'll. I am getting the vibe that everyone here is thinking that helmets are ONLY for leading, and trad at that.
NOT SO
Think about it... most rockfall is because of people. Therefore, the leader, who is probably the highest person (unless there are multiple parties on multipitches), and HE will be the one knocking off rocks.
Therefore, it is much more important for a belayer to wear a helmet.
Furthermore, ropes often dislodge rocks when toproping. This is how Paul Pritchard got his head smashed in. Topropers should also wear helmets.
I would argue that at lest in the case of rockfall, leaders are actually the ones that could get away with NOT wearing helmets the most. Just think about that, before you assume that leading is the only risky position.
cheers,
Paul
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geezergecko
Oct 27, 2002, 11:02 PM
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I agree with Paul. I was top roping and pulled off a baseball size chunk of rock that just missed my belayer. A brain bucket could make the difference between a headache or an epic.
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beyond_gravity
Oct 27, 2002, 11:03 PM
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Notise how to two aspects of climbing that you need a helmet or you will get seriously injuried or die in are the two ones everyone hates? Aid climbing and Ice climbing
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beyond_gravity
Oct 27, 2002, 11:11 PM
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If you wanna save some serious dough, then make your own helmet out of paper mache. It might look dumb, but hey, that's not the point. Well, yes it is. Climbing is as much about looking cool and manly as it is about having fun. you cant have fun without looking cool first. remember that.
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mainline
Oct 27, 2002, 11:56 PM
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Check out this thread under accidents and injuries
"Tie in your belayer/Always wear a helmet"
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mainline
Oct 27, 2002, 11:59 PM
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I saw a guy leading a bolted sport route. He took a big fall and when his feet hit a small ledge below him he was flipped upside down smashing his head on the rock. He suffered a pretty good concusion. I always wear a helmet.
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apollodorus
Oct 28, 2002, 12:20 AM
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There is some dispute about wearing helmets on trad and sport routes, but on a wall, they are mandatory. A month ago on Scorched Earth, the wind whipped up suddenly, flailing my portaledge around at a belay like a kite. Even though I had two hands free trying to grab it, it hit my helmet. Before that, just moving up past roofs and having pieces pop out while cleaning left scratches in it.
"Hard hats are scorned by the elite climbers, partly for aesthetic reasons but perhaps mainly because it is believed that only older, more cautious climbers would wear them. And the elite are neither old nor cautious."
- Steve Roper, 1971, "Climber's Guide to Yosemite Valley"
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stevematthys
Oct 28, 2002, 2:37 AM
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i wear mine almost all the time.
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ouflyboy9
Oct 28, 2002, 2:55 AM
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Registered: Aug 20, 2002
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I always wear a helmet while leading..and on trad routes...never have i wore one while belaying on the graound
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tradclmbr
Oct 28, 2002, 3:04 AM
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Registered: Sep 4, 2002
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Sometimes its hot and sometimes you do feel like an old conservative wearing a helmet, but usually the thought of my head being burst apart by a dislodged stone convinces me that Id rather be a sweaty old man than a dead or maimed cool guy By the way, climbing with my brother at a sport climbing area with much loose stone I insisted he wear a helmet while he belay me. he promptly took off the helmet when I reached the first bolt and by the 4th he nearly had his head taken off by a fist sized hold that came off in his hand!
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estwing
Oct 28, 2002, 3:15 AM
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Registered: Mar 24, 2002
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I have taken to wearing my helmet much of the time. I find that it is not that uncomfortable and worth the safety it provides.
You should get one to.
Sam
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coldclimb
Oct 28, 2002, 3:56 AM
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I try to wear mine whenever I can. There have been times when I forgot it, though, which is why it's not on my head in any of my pics on this site. It's better to wear it than not.
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ajkclay
Oct 28, 2002, 11:53 AM
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Registered: May 9, 2002
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I was top roping last year in a popular TR area, when someone else setting up a rope above knocked a basketball size rock. I heard the rock coming and ducked in to the wall before the call "rock rock" came, and by the time the call did come, it had already landed next to my belayer by this time, just missing him by 10cm! He took it home to show his girlfriend, and she agreed to let him buy a helmet.
Top roping is sometimes more dangerous because you can get bumblies wandering around above you.
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charley
Oct 28, 2002, 12:37 PM
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Although I seldom wear a helmet toproping I think it is a good idea. I always wear it on multipitch,even when belaying on the ground. Can anyone do the math? What is the force of a baseball sized rock falling 30 feet. Thirty feet is toproping with tourist wandering around on top.
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edgelounger
Oct 28, 2002, 7:03 PM
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Registered: Aug 19, 2002
Posts: 109
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i only wear my helmet soloing
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bigwallgumbie
Oct 28, 2002, 7:18 PM
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Registered: Jul 12, 2002
Posts: 86
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Helmets...
SUCK!!!
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holmeslovesguinness
Oct 28, 2002, 8:04 PM
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Registered: Oct 10, 2002
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I've seen (and been involved in) some frightening close encounters with loose rock which convinced me that helmets are a good thing. I always wear mine (a Petzl) on multi-pitch routes or anywhere / anytime rock fall might remotely be an issue (about 75% of the time). Definitely want my belayer to be wearing a helmet.
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helmets?
1
