The Great Debate: Helmets: Aero Vs Moto "neck injuries"?
Neck injuries?
All I can say about this is that the argument that "you will get neck injuries" from wearing a motorcycle helmet is a negative answer to a more important safety issue, protecting your head. We should positively endorse the wearing of all helmets, not let small arguments put skaters off. Why do we have to make people feel bad over something that could save their lives and their faces? The main thing is a motorbike helmet is a full face helmet. A friggin solid one too,... designed for maximum aerodynamics and protection for ON ROAD crashes, up to and over 100+kph!! Doesn't that sound like the same sort of crash environment we are in when we speedboard? Much closer to what we do than doing dirt jumps or hang gliding/flying. :/
Sure you can spend 500 on a helmet and have a really lightweight lid, and also be so-so fashionable at the local sesh, but I feel there are trade offs with all three possibilities and all have their pros and cons-
Motorbike helmets,
Mountain Bike helmets and
Glider helmets
Motorbike helmets are heavier, but tougher. They have a visor which is really handy. They also could save your life. Second hand these will cost peanuts, but dont get one that is so old that the foam inside is hard.
Some of the sort of crashes you might expect in a motorbike accident involve hitting solid objects, being thrown, slamming onto tarmac, and getting hit from behind (which must be a serious whiplash issue).
In studies under these conditions (on-road motorbike accident) there were neck injuries in some cases, but the protection to the head statistics far out-weighed the neck issue. If the same accident occurred without a helmet (the one that caused neck injuries), it is highly probable that the same neck injuries would occur, however it is doubtful that the accident victim would have survived. If you get neck injuries from a fall, it may not just be the weight of the helmet that caused it, it might be the way you fell.
Maybe one day you will pull a muscle in your neck when you fall off your skateboard, but this depends on the kind of fall. In my opinion, it is better to have more protection for your head.
If some skater buys a helmet like this, he should not be discouraged. This is good protection.
If you are worried about your neck get a foam racing neck brace. Probably not such a stupid idea for MTB and aero users either.
Just be aware that you cant hear ambient skating noise as well in these.
Speedboarding Style Factor : 1 out of 3
MTB helmets seem to be a happier medium. Light and medium priced. Still mainly designed for MTB crashes which are mostly off road, (but still gnarly) and at speeds mostly under 60kph. Yeah MOTO X and MTB helmets have a different shape than ON ROAD motorbike helmets. Wouldn't you think that they have done studies on the kind of accidents both sports have, and tailor-made the helmet to provide protection under their respective conditions? Not really very aero,... but a MTB isn't a very aero thing either.
Downside to the MTB helmet is the lack of a visor. I have seen home made visors that work, and I have seen some that seem to restrict vision. Think to yourself, if you are moving at 60kph and a snake or lizard or even a stick is on the ground, do you want to see it before you hit it? Its hard enough to see through the shadows of the trees without taking away some more visual clarity. What about pot holes? Do you want to see them?? A DIY visor could be a bigger player in you having a crash, so make sure you take it into consideration.
Why not go for goggles? You might see better.
Speedboarding Style Factor : 2 out of 3
Glider helmets. Very expensive.
So what kind of impact would you expect one of these to protect you from? I imagine it can't really protect you from a full plummet from the sky. It must have some protection from tree branches, cliff faces and maybe being skewered by the aluminum tubes that make up your ultralight. I don't believe the shells of the Glider helmet are as solid as a motorbike helmet, or possibly even a MTB helmet. I may not be right, but we are starting to see more high speed crashes from people wearing these, and I am scared that the statistics arent looking good. If there is official data on the safety of these in the sort of accidents you guys are having in these Id like to see it. But I do know the riders that generally wear these are more seasoned, and may not fall off as much.
Would I feel protected if I wore an Icaro on a motorbike or scooter? Somehow I don't think so.
These helmets do look good though. I'm sure they protect you to some extent, but its a bit of a grey area huh?
Plus side is good hearing, good vision, and they look super cool.
Speedboarding Style Factor : 3 out of 3
What helmet you wear is your choice, just wear one.
The best choice is wearing a helmet.
Now I might be being a little bit harsh in my opinions, but Id like to discuss this issue with you guys because we do have a lot of people who own and wear glider helmets.
I agree they are cool and kind of "elite", but are they really suitable for our sport? Will a light weight helmet save you?
Do we hate on motorbike helmets to make us feel better about wearing an overpriced ineffective helmet? Shouldnt we encourage all helmets and look at head protection with no BS?
Please discuss.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robbo on
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Most skaters don't think as much about aero in paragliding helmets these days as much as they think about weight and vision. Paragliding helmets have been absolutely race proven over a number of years now. A thicker and/or denser piece of foam does not equate to a safer helmet. It is absolutely relevant to the type of sport you participate in and the majority of crashes that occur in that sport. If you over do the impact protection you increase the risk of brain and neck injury in the 99% of crashes that occur below that level.
Using a Motorcycle helmet in skateboarding is an irresponsible use of a helmet. A mountain bike helmet is much more appropriate and generally much safer for this sport -
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Permalink Reply by matty leadfoot on
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Sorry, I think its more irresponsible to demonize a helmet.
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Nobody would say don't wear a helmet and I don't believe I have ever said anything to that effect, A motorcycle helmet is designed for ultra high speed crashes and that is all its designed for and young kids should not be given bad advice about helmets just for the sake it, High speed for a skateboard is very low speed for a motorcycle, DOT and SNELL ratings are all about high speed impact, they have no requirements for low speed, vision, hearing or weight. Its about using the appropriate equipment and a motorcycle helmet is not appropriate for very obvious reasons as they have absolutely no give in them in low speed crashes. I loath to see young kids suffering brain injury because they crash at 40km/h in a 2kg motorcycle helmet designed to survive crashes at 150-200km/h. For this same reason I wouldn't encourage someone to bomb Mt Stuart on a 22" WB board or advise someone that rides a horse to do it in a motorcycle helmet rather than a appropriate horse riding helmet.
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Permalink Reply by Guff on
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The speed limit in Australia is 110K's an hour so you are saying that all the helmets sold here are ineffective. How many skateboarders have had severe head injuries from low speed crashes? There have been many head injuries from no helmet or skull cap.
Robbo said:Nobody would say don't wear a helmet and I don't believe I have ever said anything to that effect, A motorcycle helmet is designed for ultra high speed crashes and that is all its designed for and young kids should not be given bad advice about helmets just for the sake it, High speed for a skateboard is very low speed for a motorcycle, DOT and SNELL ratings are all about high speed impact, they have no requirements for low speed, vision, hearing or weight. Its about using the appropriate equipment and a motorcycle helmet is not appropriate for very obvious reasons as they have absolutely no give in them in low speed crashes. I loath to see young kids suffering brain injury because they crash at 40km/h in a 2kg motorcycle helmet designed to survive crashes at 150-200km/h. For this same reason I wouldn't encourage someone to bomb Mt Stuart on a 22" WB board or advise someone that rides a horse to do it in a motorcycle helmet rather than a appropriate horse riding helmet. -
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Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Dani on -
I would say the large majority of skateboarders suffer severe head injuries from low speed crashes.
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Who in Australia has had a low speed crash on a skateboard wearing a motorcyle helmet resulting in a major head trauma or death??????????
Dani said:I would say the large majority of skateboarders suffer severe head injuries from low speed crashes. -
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Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Jacko on -
just cause it didnt happen in oz doesnt mean it didnt happen!
Guff said:Who in Australia has had a low speed crash on a skateboard wearing a motorcyle helmet resulting in a major head trauma or death??????????
Dani said:I would say the large majority of skateboarders suffer severe head injuries from low speed crashes. -
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Who then if it is such a common occurrence . And merrick it has been stated elsewhere on this forum that anton wasn't wearing a motorcycle helmet.....
Jacko said:just cause it didnt happen in oz doesnt mean it didnt happen!
Guff said:Who in Australia has had a low speed crash on a skateboard wearing a motorcyle helmet resulting in a major head trauma or death??????????
Dani said:I would say the large majority of skateboarders suffer severe head injuries from low speed crashes. -
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Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Steve on -
I think what Robbo is saying, is that if you wear a motorcycle helmet you will be protecting your head but you may suffer other injuries to your neck or spine due to the added weight. You may also suffer other injuries due to the reduced vision
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Motorcycle helmets are designed for motorcycles not speed limits. Most motorcycles sold in Australia over 500cc are designed with top speeds around 250km/h. If you read what I am saying Guff you will understand that a motorcycle helmet is designed for an adult who rides a factory motorcycle not a kid on a skateboard. I'm amazed that you refuse to even consider the problems with a high impact motorcycle helmet designed for an adult. They have different helmets for different sports for a very good reason.
Almost all injury's occur in low speed crashes because almost all crashes are low speed. In 2008 there were 42,000 crashes NSW roads, 33,121 were at speeds below 60km/h so over 75% of crashes occurred below 60km/h. Injury rates for crashes on roads posted as 110km/h are about 40%, injury rates for crashes below 60km/h are about 50%. Think for a moment why this is the case, why don't people have half the chance of being injured rather than a greater chance of injury when they are traveling at half the speed . Because they overrate impact standards causing unnecessary injury to the people in the vast majority of crashes.
The main European motorcycle standards have lowered their impact requirements in recent years for motorcycle helmets to address this very obvious problem. This is why I advise young kids to wear an appropriate helmet not a helmet that is designed for a high impact crash in a vehicle. A moto helmet may be ok for an adult on a street luge who is already 3" off the ground and feet first when they crash. Similar to a motorcycle you cant hear much on a luge anyway because you are next to your wheels. But for a kid on a skateboard the added weight and lack of balance in a moto helmet has a tendency to increase the impact forces on your head to an unnecessary level given your crashes are generally in corners and at or below 60km/h.
In this case you are better off with a MTB helmet because you are much more likely to walk away uninjured. So I say once again it is not better to have no helmet it is better to have an appropriate helmet
Guff said:The speed limit in Australia is 110K's an hour so you are saying that all the helmets sold here are ineffective. How many skateboarders have had severe head injuries from low speed crashes? There have been many head injuries from no helmet or skull cap. -
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