Ask Mark!

Mark Kempster is Managing Director of packyourbags and packyourbags Travel Store. He is also a mountaineer and a keen skier.

Here he answers some of the questions we’ve received regarding ski helmets.

Why should I wear a ski helmet ?

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Obvious I know, but a ski helmet is not a fashion accessory. A good quality ski helmet will protect your head and most importantly, your brain from most injuries. It’s not designed to save you from a head injury if you fall hundreds of metres over a cliff, but it is designed to protect you from injury in most ski accidents you might have on the slope. It is quite easy to ski and become out of control however good you are at skiing, and fall over and hit a path, rock, tree or even someone else. Perhaps you just fall over and then someone skis into you, or maybe you collide with someone on the slopes. Skiing is a dangerous sport and you should do everything you can to protect yourself from an injury.

Should I wear my ski helmet all the time ?

Ideally you should put your ski helmet on as you put your ski boots on. Although this principle’s purpose is to protect your head while you are on the slopes, accidents can happen anywhere in the resort. Even a fall from a standing position on an icy pavement or steps can give you a surprisingly nasty head injury. The consequences of any fall can be nasty and at best might stop you skiing for a day or so.

I have never had an accident yet, why bother now ?

Statistically speaking, the longer you go without having an accident the more likely it is that you could have one. There are now more and more people on the slopes and a lot of accidents happen with another person being involved.

Image by Rob Lee

I don’t need to worry, that’s what insurance is for ?

Not true. Insurance will help you after the event, but not prevent it. It may not be possible to prevent an accident from happening, and you can put insurance in place to take care of the consequences, but the best thing is to mitigate the damage you might do to yourself. Pervention, when it comes to head injuries, is always better than cure.

Is it compulsory to wear a helmet ?

In Europe, no. At lease not yet. It is compulsory in some resorts in the US for children, and some insurance companies won’t insure you unless you are wearing a helmet.

No one wears them

This is just not true – a lot of people wear helmets now and the number is increasing year on year. Next time you are in a lift queue, just look around and see – my last estimate in the Austrian resort of Obergurgl this year was around 50%.

It’s just a craze and another way for ski companies to make more money ?

Owning a helmet will cost you between £80 – £375 depending on the make you buy, but that’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind that you are less likely to acquire a brain injury. This is not a passing craze, helmets are here to stay for skiers and snow boarders alike and fortunately the younger generation of skiers are much more in tune to wearing them.

Does it feel awkward ?

No, ski helmets are light and robust, nothing like a motor cycle helmet. In terms of weight they are more like a cycle helmet. Once it’s on your head, you will not really know it is there. Once you have been wearing one for a day or two, it will seem like second nature. You can wear a hat under your helmet if you really feel the cold. Most helmets are also well ventilated so you wont feel too hot either.

Will I lose my sense of balance ?

No, within half an hour you will be perfectly happy skiing while wearing a helmet.

Can you get fashionable ski helmets ?

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Due to the increasing popularity of ski helmets, some of the major fashion brands now make them – along with most of the usual ski clothing and accessory brand manufacturers. Some helmets according to style, will either sit over or above the ears. Neither will restrict your hearing but some people will prefer one or the other.

Are they expensive ?

If you buy a top quality, highly fashionable label then you can pay well over £300, but to get a good one you don’t need to spend more than £80.

Where can I buy them ?

All good ski shops, both on and offline, and most ski shops in the resorts will have them. I would advise to buy one in advance of your ski trip – this way you have more choice time to choose. In general, items like in a ski resort are more expensive in comparison to your local ski shop.

Will they go in your luggage ?

Yes, no problem. Pack it in your main bag and stuff it out with your hats, gloves and socks to save space.

Can you rent them ?

Yes, you can rent them in a ski hire shops in the resort. I would personally advise against this and recommend to buy one if you can. The protecting properties of a helmet can get damaged if misused. If you own the helmet, you know what has happened to it. If you rent it you don’t – and probably the rental shop doesn’t either.

How does the sizing work ?

Helmets are measured like a hat. It’s important to get the fit right although there is lots of adjustment on the inside of the helmet that will help to keep the hat sat correctly on your head.

How do they fasten ?

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Most helmets are fastened by a chinstrap. A good quality helmet will have a decent chin strap that will not chafe or rub while wearing and also allow easy adjustment. When trying on a helmet it is a good idea to make sure you feel comfortable with the chin strap.

If you have any more questions about ski helmets, or if you’d like to ask Mark about any other travel or travel gear related query, then please contact us!

Natasha Richardson was not wearing a Ski helmet but a spokes person says there’s no way of knowing if she would have been protected if she had been wearing an approved helmet.

The Canadian Standards Association says wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding can reduce the risk of a head injury by 60 per cent.

In recent months there has been a sharp increase in the number of people wearing a ski helmet.

This winter (08 / 09) Lower Austria made it compulsory for all children under the age of 14 to wear a Ski helmet after the death of a 41-year old woman who had a high-speed collision with the German politician, Dieter Althaus, back in January 2009.

The German Politician was wearing a Ski helmet and survived, while the 41 year old woman died and did not have any head protection.
After this accident, helmet sales increased dramatically throughout Austria & Germany and some shops ran out of stock!

A Change in Attitude towards wearing a Ski Helmet?

The Attitudes to wearing a helmet have changed considerably in recent years.
A Ski Instructor recently published this article:

“Personally I have been wearing a ski helmet for the past seven years but when I first wore one as a ski instructor, the head of my ski school in Switzerland preferred me not to wear one as he felt it sent out the wrong signal.
“It makes instructors look like they are extreme skiers about to jump off cliffs and ski dangerously,” I was told.
Now, though, ski instructors are encouraged to wear a helmet as it is thought to set a good example.

Whether it is made compulsory or not the death of Natasha Richardson is certain to see more and more people opting to wear a helmet on the slopes.