helmets when you ride?

Last night I hit hard and lost about an hour or so of memory. I'm guessing a concussion, but it is really freaking me out. I actually got back in the boat and was the driver. People in the boat took over when I started saying things that didn't make sense and I couldn't remember why I was there. The board did not hit me in the head, it was just from water impact. Would a helmet have helped? does anyone have experience in this department? When should I ride again?

That sucks!!!

I've had a couple from riding... just very hard falls, I suddenly wake up and I'm sitting in the boat as they are pulling it off the water wondering where I am and how I got there and what I drove there and how I'm going to get home.

Maybe take a couple days off if it makes you feel better, but I got right back to it. Once you have a concussion though, it's easier to get another one. So heads up. Literally.

And I don't think a helmet would help, especially the excuse they call for a helmet these days, which is nothing more than a thin plastic shell and 1/2inch of foam that falls out. If it makes you feel more comfortable, go ahead and wear one though. Or you could just wear a mouthguard if you are scared of getting another one. Would probably do more than a cheap helmet, but I am no doctor.

Hitting your head is part of wakeboarding. I see stars at least once a week.

Aden
What kinda helmets are you using that the foam falls out? There are many helmets on the market that the foam will not fall out. Try Shred Ready they make a very good helmet. Also Aden I would have thought for all the threads you have posted on of the shops and companies you ride for, they would have hooked you up with a good helmet.

Mike- search the threads on WW there are many threads on this topic. People will give advise both ways. Almost every coach will discourage wearing a helmet when you ride except when you are hitting sliders. Search the threads and find as much info as you can. If you feel safe with one then use it.

Not really, Jim, I just wear whatever looks good whenever necessary (competitions etc). It's one of those Capix skateboard helmets with the beaks. I got Rusty wearing his

I had a similar injury earlier this year and still can't ring myself to wear a helmet. I could care less about the looks, but I just feel out of sync with the helmet.

As far as the benefits of the helmet, that has been tossed around quite a bit on this website. Do a search and you'll find some lengthy discussions. Regardless, if your looking for a quality helmet, I second the Shred Ready products. There actually a whitewater helmet and very well built.

I recently got Protech Ace Wake helmets for myself and a couple others in my crew. I was impressed by the quality of the padding and the entire helmet in general. If you're looking for a helmet, be sure and check them out.

Be careful on some of the old helmet threads. In some, it seems that someone tries to make a distinction between types of impacts and repeatedly argues that wakeboard concussions are different in that deceleration causes the damage. This deceleration is exactly what helemts are designed to absorb. Whether it is for ditbikes, skateboards, race cars, or water...the cushion in a helmet acts as a buffer against deceleration forces. A significant portion of the force is absorbed by the cushion before the brain travels through it's surrounding fluid towards the skull. Helmet cushion is a kind of 'crumple zone' and anything helps.

Mike, My name is Don Shows. My son Dustin Shows was just released last week from Neuro ICU from an incident like yours. Instead of taking it easy for a couple of weeks, he kept riding and the headaches kept coming. He down played there significance and his brain started bleeding. (sud-dural hematoma).Next thing we know he is in a helicopter on his way to a trauma center. They caught it in time and he is expected to recover fully. Do not take any chances! Take a couple of weeks off and take it easy. I know its hard to do, but just becuause you can not see your injury does not mean you do not have one.Dustin will be wearing a helmet at all times now and I will encourage everyone I can to do the same thing. If you read this forum, these injuries are not uncommon.Please take this advice. If you feel nauseas or have headaches that wont go away consult a Doctor right away. Good Luck

If you take enough of a Head slapper to lose memory! Do not take It lightly!
Check this site out for brain injury information!
It Is worth your time.
http://www.biausa.org/Pages/home.html

I always wear a helmet when I am working on new tricks...

BUT my best friend Ryan,(who was a very good rider), died 3 years ago from the same exact injury as stated above by Don. He hit his head several times over about a month, but ignored the symtoms, didnt see a doctor and refused to stay out of the water or wear a helmet. The day he was life flighted out of Folsom Lake, was the first day he promised me he would not wakeboard and go see a doctor, but he couldnt resist. Point being, when you hit your head treat it like any other injury and dont ignore it.

Wearing a helmet makes the really gnarly spills manageable, simple as that. Bang your melon off the water with a helmet and odds are that you'll be good to go for a few more sets. Take the same thumper without one and you're done for the day - and possibly much worse. Helmets are a personal choice, to be sure, but no one can argue their value. IMO.

I caught my heel edge last Thursday riding and got yanked straight back into the water. I felt my head get smacked but didn't think much of it and continued riding doing tricks I was comfortable with. Next day my head was pounding in the afternoon and has been every afternoon since. Went to the doctor's Tuesday and got some skull x-rays 'cause she thought I may have cracked a vertebrae. Came back negative so she said it must be a concussion. Wants me to take 6 to 8 weeks off. Thats not going to happen but I definately can't go this weekend with my head still hurting. Concussions Suck!!!

Hi Todd, What the heck did you go and do that for? How have you been and what have you been up too. We got a new 220 TE about 6 weeks ago so you'll get to ride behind that beast the next time you venture down here.
Craig

I started wearing a helmet for all the right reasons, in style I really don't care my health is more important. There is a reason football,hockey,etc players wear helmets.
If you really believe they don't work then I suggest wait til you slam your head against the water full force then the helmet thought will come to mind.

Me being still learning I have slammed my head more than a few times and everytime it didn't hurt nor any side effects, but when I would get back to the boat everybody would be like you are done for the day.

NEVER undervalue a helmet, who cares if you don't ride or look like a pro, all that matters is we all are having good safe fun!

I wear one, because I took a bad ear slap that took a couple of days to recover. The ace helmet has the ear covers which I really like.

But, I look like a dork that is okay because I ride like one too!

I blew a eardrum out last year at Powell. When we got back I bought a helmet with the earflaps to make sure the eardrum incident didnt happen again.
But I just cant seem to get use to riding with it on. I feel all out of sorts, and I swear it throws off my riding( not that i am that great to begin with). I have not been wearing it latley, actually this entire season so far. Anyone have this same problem?

Let me start by saying my riding leaves much to be desired, I though am now to the point that if I forget my helmet it throughs me off. Sort of a comfort level thing.

ditto what Doug says. After you wear one it just kind of a security issue. I only worry about my legs and can focus more..

I wear one most of the time but it distorts the tunes from my tower speakers
I will make the sacrafice to save a few brain cells...
I have the pro tec and I think it is a quality product.

The one brain cell i have left is indestructible. I come from the school of thought, that if I needed a helmet I would have been born with one Pretty soon kids will be walking down the street with helmets just in case.Just not for me.

Wear a helmet. The people who discourage them do not have experience on the topic. Go into the archives and pull up some threads on this topic. After you read them, you will go buy a helmet and wear it religiously.

Wow, I really appreciate all of the input on this subject. I'm going to start wearing one all of the time while riding. I'm also going to take some time off. I love to ride, but I have a lot of responsibilities in my life and people to take care of. Thanks again for all of the feedback. I ordered a protec helmet yesterday.

ive been wearing one 50% of the time i ride now especially when i think i might throw a trick out im uncomfortabe with or is new..

i have some inverts and a decent rider and it doesnt bother me one bit..

its a black pro tec ace wake ...

ill admit it does make you lok a little less free and awkward in pics but not enough to take a risk ...

heres a few of me in helmet shots wearing it lud and proud

Good choice Mike.

Bill....nice shots!! The few, the proud, the helmet wearers!!!!

I now wear mine 100% of the time. In fact, everyone that has ridden with mine has gone out to buy their own.

I rode with one last weekend in an INT for the first time and it wasn't uncomfortable. The only thing I noticed was that sounds are muffled! So on a crowded lake that could be bad, But it didn't really feel akward to me. I might just keep wearing it.

After what happened to Dustin Shows, I will always have a helmet on. Its a wakeup call to all of us wakeboarding on why to wear a helmet, you never know what tomorrow brings and I would rather be safe then sorry when that time comes. Its that simple.

I wear a helmet to snowboard, why should I not wear one to wakeboard. Water can be just as hard as the snow! After all a mind is a terrible thing to waste!

All I know is that when I take wipe outs (especially catching an edge abruptly), the falls do not ring my bell as much as they did before I started wearing a helmet.
Maybe it's in my mind, but since I started with the helmet I haven't had major head pain. Now, I will also throw myself in the category of very mediocre riding, so I haven't really tried this experiment out from a great height, but you'd be no worse off (except maybe that it can increase neck pain from whiplash due to the extra weight, but that's pretty minor) with the helmet. Maybe since I started wearing it when my riding wasn't very good anyway it doesn't throw me off as that was probably the least of my worries as to why I couldn't pull off a trick.
A helmet has saved my ass snowboarding a few times, so I'd rather play it safe and look a little dorky on the water.

Look at these two dorks (Phillip Soven and Shaun Murray) wearing helmets



Why are people so afraid of how they look. I bet you don't think "What a dork", when you see one of the above doing crazy tricks, even though they are wearing a helmet.

well the pros do wear helmets but only because they HAVE to in order to hit the sliders,ramps and kickers during an event they are required to wear a helmet..


if you notice they always throw it on shore while the boat is circling around to give them their dup at the end of their run..

hopefully they will wear it more and start a precedence but it will take some time..

It is peoples own choice if they want to wear a helmet. But what I meant with the picture, was that I don't think that many people would say Phillip and Shaun look like dorks, because they wear a helmet. And hopefully more and more people, especially kids would think they look cool.

I wear my helmet all the time on the water.

This is what I've been saying for the last couple years. I'm on my second season wearing one. Shane, let me guess, you don't buy into seatbelts or motorcycle helmets either right? I can remember these thoughts not too long ago when I was an indestructable young lad. lol

sparky not really a big fan of helmets on cycles either, have had two sports bikes, and one harley, been down twice, no helmet, still going. The worst wreck ever was 4 roll rollover, no seatbelt, everything ended up well, although I do strap the belt on. I am all about personal choices, and I just don't like helmets, and yes, I have hit the water hard enough for a concussion and stitches, so yeah Socal I have experience. 35 and helmet free.

Shane, after reading what you have been through; I think I'll start wearing a helmet. Thanks for the tip.

Well, Shane, I guess wisdom comes with age Hope you have enough brain cells left when you are my age to enjoy that nice boat of yours.