I just had one of those the othrday. Brutal. One of feet even came out of the boot.My neck still huts but I think it would be the same or worse without a helmet
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i am not really sure that any statistics would help with the risk assessment this whole thread is all about. it is usually not based on facts but more on emotion or nonsense. if was about stats and facts none of us would ever travel in a car again.

This is a matter of evolution. Those who evolve are more likely to survive and pass on their genes. Those who don't...

Well i have never heard of a kiting incident where some died because of wearing a helmet. I have read about many who have died because they didn't wear one.

You can come up with as many calculations as you like about why you shouldn't wear a helmet. but the fact is you will be safer wearing one.

I agree with egorr. let those stupid fold who don't protect their head remove themselves from the gene pool.

i'm pretty sure most blokes don't wear helmets because its a coolness factor not a i will be safer not wearing one factor.

No doubt theres a greater % of helmetless dudes that wear boardshorts over their wetsuit.

ultimately its form over function!....

wear those pointless boardshorts and don't wear a helmet and yourl be the coolest guy in the graveyard.

For the stupid, this is the 3rd and last time to train your brain before you pass on your genes:
There are hardly any incidents involving helmets because there are hardly any helmets.
It almost seems like the few helmeteers that gather here let their choice interfere with their thinking capacities.
Thinking about what will happen when more kiters wear helmets is legitimized not only by the precautionary principle, but also, mutatis mutandis, by the scientific research mentioned earlier, and by the scarce anecdotes of DOCTORS ON HELMETS.
Setting up a coolness motive is a foul to the direction of the discussion.

Byebye.

Now you are misleading on purpose. You have not referred to any scientific research as far as I have seen.

Referring to anecdotes on helmets are foul to the discussion, not speculation about motives for not using.

I started wearing a helmet after getting hit in the head with my boom in double overhead surf while windsurfing and later by another mast while slalom racing. I started kitesurfing wearing a helmet and I don't know how many times my board glanced off my head surfing onshore conditions. To each his or her own whether you wear a helmet or not, but I have friends that have actually have been to the emergency department for a head injury that still refuse to wear a helmet. My point is simple, wear a helmet for peace of mind, don't wear one, think you're cool and take your chances.

I just want to add that I use a Gath helmet and a Dakine impact vest.

Yes Makanakai, those are good reasons for wearing a helmet.
If you want to discuss coolness motives for not wearing a helmet, "Doctors on Helmets" is not the appropriate topic.

Ofcourse it's hard for some unenlightened minds to overcome their feelings of looking uncool.
Some of these "hit back" the imaginary enemies by calling them stupid not to wear a helmet.
For these seemingly rational but unsecure minds it's too much to question their superior 'intelligent' position that they endure all these uncoolness feelings for.
Which they blame on the inferior non-helmeteers.
They may relax in the certainty that looking cool is a very temporary thing.

Tautology, i'm sure you can find the research quotes I posted a few pages back.

My byebye is until rational on-topic contributions surface, and especially research and facts.

Actually I think there are 2 types of people that don't wear helmets.


* Ignorant people who simply do not understand the risk they put themselves at by not wearing one.
* Stupid people who know the risk and don't wear a helmet anyway.

Cool people not wearing a helmet for coolness reasons will fit into one of the above categories.

I'm in the "helmets have saved my live several times group". So i KNOW that they can and do save you. Why would you not wear one doing an extreme activity? seems madness to me.