use safety gear or not?

[kitecgn]

Hi guys, I’m new to kite surfing, and I’m currently planning to buy my first equipment. The thing is that I’m in doubt if I need to buy any safety only gear, like helmet and vest ect. I have been watching a lot kite surfer and I can see that a lot of kite surfers don’t use such safety equipment, so I was wondering if it was necessary? So I would like to know what are the reasons why you don’t or do use it? or if you have it and only uses if for some special occasions?

[BWD]

Use it!
Especially as a beginner.
At least a helmet.
Many times you will fall, and not even know why.
The board can hit you in the head.
It doesn't feel good!!
Wearing a wetsuit also helps, a little bit of padding all over.
The helmet might also save your life, if you get in a bad crash.
And it protects your head from minor but annoying bumps....

[Laughingman]

Hi guys, I’m new to kite surfing, and I’m currently planning to buy my first equipment. The thing is that I’m in doubt if I need to buy any safety only gear, like helmet and vest ect. I have been watching a lot kite surfer and I can see that a lot of kite surfers don’t use such safety equipment, so I was wondering if it was necessary? So I would like to know what are the reasons why you don’t or do use it? or if you have it and only uses if for some special occasions?

Lots of people don't wear safety gear simply because the cool guys don't but there are a growing number of people at least in SWO that are wearing pfds and helmets.

1. you will need it for lessons so buy it, no good instructor would allow a student in the water without it, so if your instructor does not require it, then I would find another instructor.
2. after lessons.... see below
The challenge with safety gear is you rarely think you need it until its too late, at the moment you find yourself several kms off shore with a lost board and a deflated kite, suddenly some floatation really comes in handy, or when you get hit by a gust and get pulled into some rocks, the helmet could very well save your life or at least protect your memories from being lost due to head trauma. Both of these things happen, the likely hood of having a long swim or your board hitting your head is really not a matter of if, it is when.

I'll be totally honest, as you progress you may decide not to wear a pfd or a helmet in certain areas, some places I kite the water is flat and never deeper then 3', seems kind of silly to wear a pfd in water that I can stand in, some people might say well, how are you going to stand if you are unconscious, truth of the matter is if I am unconscious I'm likely going to drown regardless since the pfds that we can wear with a harness will not roll us over anyhow. But on those big days, when getting pitted is really gonna hurt, I wear my pfd and my helmet. I certainly like to have the option even if I don't always make the right choice.

[knotwindy]

agreed, as a beginner you should use safety gear

at least until you can answer the question you asked for yourself and be comfortable with the answer

[juandesooka]

2nd year kiter here, well, into 3rd season I guess. I have a buddy who works for the coast guard and was my kite mentor at the start. Surprised that he didn't wear a helmet always, and even more surprised when he admitted it was because of peer pressure, being teased by the local hotshots. If "Captain Safety" falls prey to this attitude, then anyone can.

I wear a helmet and pfd always. There is no issue with comfort or performance. Let's be honest, the issue is not wanting to look like a dork. And that's a bad reason to put yourself at risk. Because you're going to need that helmet when you don't expect it and on that "wrong day" it can literally save your life....bonk your head in an otherwise non-dangerous situation, hard enough to go unconscious, and you're probably dead....even if your buddies are nearby, they won't get to you in time.

Or how about being tangled in kelp, fish luring, barely able to get a breath before dragged under again and again, until you can get clear ... as happened to another buddy. He figures the pfd saved his life that day.

Is it worth the risk to look just slightly cooler in the photos? (and yes, I know look like a dork!)

[matth]

Impact vest/pfd...check, two knifes ..check, helmet ...check, booties...check, proper wetsuit/drysuit for the days conditions...check, not giving a rats ass what some DB has to say...CHECK

[plummet]

Everyone should wear a helmet. every year several people die because they had an accident and did have a helmet on a.

[Thor SFBay]

It's totally up to you to decide what is an acceptable risk. I don't think helmets and PFDs are necessary, even for beginners. In certain rare cases they might add a little bit of extra safety, but your number one safety accessory is your brain - use it. Be extra vigilant and careful when on land (launching and landing) because that is where you are most likely to get hurt and where a helmet is most likely to be used. As far as I am concerned, time spent on land is a tiny fraction of the time I am kiting and a helmet has very little use in the water so I don't wear one. I have to wear a wetsuit, which adds a bit of flotation and the kite itself is a flotation device, so I don't think a PFD is very useful either. Like they say, don't go further out than you could swim back in.

One thing beginners have a problem with is getting separated from their board. Most people will tell you to stay away from leashes and I agree. But if you do use a leash, a helmet is mandatory as the board can get slingshotted at your head by the leash. Instead, I highly recommend a GoJoe (made by Ocean Rodeo) to make it easier to find your board in choppy conditions.

[rightguard]

I wear a helmet all the time... Don't really care if it's uncool... But it is hard when no one wants to launch you because they think your a noob.

[Thor SFBay]

Everyone should wear a helmet. every year several people die because they had an accident and did have a helmet on a.

Based on your writing, I'm wondering if you hit your head without a helmet on? Regardless, I think you were trying to say that some people have died kiting because they didn't wear a helmet. That's impossible to prove. Bicycling is a great example of this fallacy. Every time someone dies of head injuries who didn't wear a helmet, you will hear that they would have lived if they had a helmet on. However, if you pay attention you will find that there are lots of people who die of head injuries who did have a helmet on. That little bit of styrofoam can only absorb so much energy. But the real answer is don't hit your head in the first place. Bicycling fatalities are usually caused by being hit by a car (something that is often out of your control) but most kiting accidents are the fault of the kiter himself.

I am not arguing that a helmet is worthless. They can mitigate and lessen the severity of an impact. But the best way to be safe is to not engage in dangerous activities like kiting in the first place. The second most important safety consideration is actively doing your best to avoid dangerous situations, for example don't fly a 12m kite in 40 knot wind. Way down the list, if you choose to go kiting and do something stupid, a helmet might save you. Just don't depend on it.