Helmut Question

Please don't turn this into a thread of the pros and cons of helmuts....

First of all, I never wear them. But last night was only my second time out this season, and after taking a really nasty fall on my first run, I decided to try out my buddy's ProTec for my second run. The size was perfect, and I adjusted the chin strap to fit me, but after a couple jumps I landed funny off my toeside, and when my head hit the water, the helmut got 'pulled' and the chin strap ended up sliding up on my adam's apple, which gave me an abrupt choking sensation after the fall. It knocked the wind out of me for a little while, and immediately made me think of all those helmut posts I've read on WW!

Anyways, my question is this: if a helmut fits snugly on the top of your head, do you lose any benefit of keeping the strap unbuttoned? I was thinking that it will stay on while riding, and help in a fall, but this way I wouldn't experience the pulling sensation from the strap in the case of certain types of falls. Anyone think this would be a good way to go, or would it ruin the purpose of wearing the helmut?

He he, Helmut! I'm not sure former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl is going to do much good while wakeboarder, strap or no!

(helmet is the word you're looking for, remember, as a Wisconsinite, it's my job to harass Illinois folk ;-))

But, in all seriousness, you're just not going to get any benefit without the chin strap-- they're designed to be held on snuggly with the strap and that's that.

I ride with a Shred Ready. The SR has a second strap that fits behind your head at the nape of of the neck. Between this strap and the chin strap, helemt movement as you described is eliminated completely.

Richard - I am in the market for a helmet, and just checked out the SR website. I was looking at the Scrappy. Are you completely satisfied?

Thanks

Yep, I am happy with my helmet. However, I wouldn't spend the extra money on the composite ones. The plastic ones offer the same protection and are much lighter. My buddy rides with the plastic one and I like his a little better than my composite helmet.

Also, each helmet comes with insert pads that let you adjust the fit to your liking.

A lot of ski jumpers that use full face helmets don't use the strap because it is mainly used for impact of a surface, if water is catching in it, you'd want it to come off to save your neck. Don't think you could do that with a wake helmet.

Hmmm, good point A-dub. Now I'm torn. I ordered the Pro Tec, but it was the wrong size. Now, looking at the SR, I liked the extra strap in the back. I didn't think of the water pulling on my neck, but if they have pro/ semi-pro wakeboarders using them, the neck pull probably doesn't exist, or it's not bad enough to not wear the helmet.

I think I just talked myself into the SR.

I clasp the strap behind my head on the jump helmet. My only experience it at the cable parks, and a loose helmet will catch water and wrench the neck. I am wearing my wake helmet right now because there is a lot of debris in the water. That's the only reason I am wearing it though.

A-dub, is that with the Pro Tec? You wear the chin strap on the back of you head?

If you dont have a strap I would think the helmet would come off on every fall. For some of us that would be a lot of helmet fishing...

Oh on my Ace helmet i use the chin strap in the normal chin position and it works fine.

I just checked, and the Pro Tec Ace helmet has a backstrap too, just like the SR. The helmet should have very minimal movement with both straps being used. This should eliminate any water from going into your helmet and wrenching your neck, right?

the one i back strap is a pro-tec full face bmx helmet. Just get a proper fitting wake helmet and strap it.

"The size was perfect, and I adjusted the chin strap to fit me, but after a couple jumps I landed funny off my toeside, and when my head hit the water, the helmut got 'pulled' and the chin strap ended up sliding up on my adam's apple, which gave me an abrupt choking sensation after the fall."

If the size was perfect and you put the strap on correctly, I do not see how the helmet slid backwards and the strap ended up on your adam's apple. Something was wrong here, either the helmet size or how you strapped it?

MHayes, I wear a helmet when I bike, so I know how to fit them. Snug, and shouldn't be able to slide around at all. Same with the chin strap. Not so tight as to give you a headache or seem uncomfortable around the chin.
As I mentioned, it could have just been a weird angle at which my head hit the water, and maybe that is why in that article Dave Williams posted on helmets & concussions that at some times a helmet may do more harm than good, I don't know.
Maybe I'll take a look at those shred ready's with the back strap as well...

shred ready, love there product and have had Zero complaints from customers, they are great I have been riding mine for 3 years and its still works like new.