GATH HELMET Test Report, with retractable full-face visor

[kiteboarder@pacbell.net]

Thanks mostly to Rick Iossi, & others who continue to stongly advise helmet use, I finally broke down & got myself a Gath, with a full-face visor (so I can eliminate my goggles, cap, & sunscreen ).

First impression: Pretty comfortable & light , but with slight visible distortion in the visor . Surprisingly, I didn’t notice the distortion AT ALL except (for some strange reason) on the beach while setting up my lines. Maybe it will end up like all the other eyewear I’ve used, where I nearly never even bother to clean off the dried-on salt-water spots, because it really doesn’t make much difference. Much better peripheral vision than any other glasses or goggles (like wearing nothing, but without the squinting). Even after fully dunking it’s even more fog-resistant than the most fog-free goggles (Spex). It may seem pricey at first, but I’d still rate it overall a better value, better performance, and better convenience than a regular helmet + cap (for visor) + sunscreen + glasses/goggles (not even considering that I’ve already lost one $100 pair , three $50 pairs , & two $20 pairs ).

http://www.murrays.compart number 52-1103 (the 0's for white*, the 3's for large).

*Even though they say white's by far the most popular color, I got yellow (like my impact vest), so I'll be easier for the boardsailors to see through their visibility-hindering sails.

[laurel]

I just rode for the first time with my brand new, pink lepoard print GATH RETRACTABLE helmet!

I love it! I feel so cool wearing it! It is super comfortable and the retracting visor is a great feature, although I think I will have to get used to the slight difference in vision, mostly from the darker color I think, although with yellow, rose, and blue available that should be not a big problem.

The customs designs ROCK! And make what has traditionally been a beginners helmet into something even the coolest of cool can use...

And ever since my friend in Maui cracked her skull on her board, I am thinking it is a pretty darn good idea to wear a helmet *and it was a wakeboard, no leash....

http://www.gathsports.com/ they have a great website with flash and html available and all the custom designs, lots of skulls for the tough kiters out there!!

Protect the noggin!!*it'll make you ride harder!!
Aloha
Laurel

[RickI]

Great news Mel and Laurel!

The good thing about a well fitting helmet is that you put it on and forget it is there within a short time. If something ever goes wrong it is nice to know that you have that extra edge in keeping your most valuable asset intact and online. Looking forward to seeing some photos of you styling and popping air in your new helmet Laurel!

It is interesting that people never used to wear helmet in American football. I imagine the combined velocity of impact of a could of guys running full out is around 25 mph. I imagine that most are glancing impacts with some of the force dissipated. In a good lofting you will hammer in at least that fast and possibly faster and there may be little opportunity to dissipate the impact. Why don't pro American football players go without helmets today? Wonder why more kiteboarders don't follow their example? Thanks for leading things Laurel and Mel!




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Rick Iossi

[swancvs]

given the speed things go wrong in kitesurfing, particularly the things we can't plan for, it amazes me that people still don't wear helmets!

Perhaps too much salt water has addled their brains, but come on guys, I work in a trauma environment where I often am called to hi speed/fall from height scenarios and my money is on the guy with the hard hat every time. It's not for what you can see coming it's for those times you don't see.

I'd never not wear a helmet, sure the freedom is nice but I'd like to be able to continue to kitesurf rather than become a vegetable.

Sorry if the above has been patronising but I share Rick's feelings on kite safety and it amazes me that the brand leaders still shoot pics without helmets, come on guys sort your act out!

[Guest]

Are there helmets that you can use for both kiteboarding and snowboarding, or do you recommend having two helmets - one for kiteboarding and one for snowboarding?

[RickI]

Some ideas regarding kiteboarding helmet selection appear at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf/ ... EFERENCES/

under:

1b. Safety Gear Ideas

It seems unlikely that a good snowboarding/skiing helmet that is potentially heavier and with a thicker polystyrene layer would deliver the same performance necessary for kiteboarding. A critical concern with using a skiing/snowboarding helmet would be "bucketing" potential or the tendency to retain added water weight through poor drainage characteristics. If you use too heavy or bulky a helmet it can contribute to neck irritation or actual injury. I would avoid using an unsuitable helmet such as one intended for bicycling or skiing/snowboarding. These other types of helmets would provide superior impact protection but possibly at the price of more probable neck injury.

I understand that there are at least two to three purpose built kiteboarding helmets under development but manufacturers at present. I am not sure when they will be released to the market unfortunately.

[kiteboarder@pacbell.net]

"RickI" wrote:
The good thing about a well fitting helmet is that you put it on and forget it is there within a short time.

That happened to me, even though my Gath is a bit big (I think I'd fit a medium okay, but I got a large).

If something ever goes wrong it is nice to know that you have that extra edge in keeping your most valuable asset intact and online.

As a matter of fact I had a bad launch yesterday, & ended up relaunching with my ARC on the sand JUST upwind of the rocks dead downwind of me! I actually thought "Well at least I've got a helmet!" Now that I think of it, this brings up the same "false invincibility feeling" you get wearing your motorcycle gear (including full-face helmet) while driving a car. Not good. In either of those cases the user can still be severely injured or killed.

Gath makes the same helmet for snowboarding, just with a different liner (probably slightly more comfy, but slightly too water-absorbent for kitesurfing), so it would appear to be a good choice for both sports.

[Guest]

Laurel mentioned a pink polka dot helmet.

I bought an already custom painted Gath (rastafarian colours) from one of the local retailers here at the same price as the normal gaths. He seemed clueless as to prices of them so just gave it to me at standard price. I had been meaning to ask, does Gath supply custom painted helmets (mine has a gold signature on it - wasn't painted locally, but was imported from Gath like that) and if so, are they supposed to be more expensive?

I get a lot of hassles about the colouring on it, but at least I know it won't be mistaken for anyone else's and I kinda like it anyway.

[Guest]

Its kewl, I found it. It wasn't on their list of customs, but it was on one of the other pages on a shelf. Its the red yellow green ones on the bottom shelf (red one side, yellow stripe down the centre, green other side)

[Petro9]

Sorry but I am not at all impressed by Gath helmets. They have no padding inside, and thus unable to absorb impact. They remind me of the "banana" helmets that riders used to wear on the Tour de France, jsut worn for the sake of having a helmet.
It is no secret why there is padding in most helmets, they aborb the shock!!
The Pro-Tec Wake helmets are far better as they have a rubber like absorber and drain very well. They even have a model where is covers the ears, and best of all they are CHEAPER!!!! $40!!!! as opposed to $100 for Gath helmets!!

RIDE SAFELY