Hello,
The question of ski helmets has surfaced again with Martin asking if they are needed, or indeed required for winter sports insurance purposes.
We are not aware of any winter sports insurance companies that require the use of a ski helmet, though it would be advisable to check with the insurance company concerned as circumstances and conditions do change all the time.
From a safety aspect, we have seen arms, legs, elbows and wrists, to name but a few, all with various types of injury dressings from pots to plasters on them, but we have seen few if any sore heads, and to be honest if we saw a pine tree heading our way at 30 miles an hour then probably our heads would be the least of our worries, we did however see Lesley Bird fall on her face while trying to get on a double chair lift one year, she ended up looking like a Panda bear for the rest of the holiday (2 black eyes,) we doubt that a helmet would have helped her much that day.
That said we were sat having lunch one afternoon last season when two English lads joined us at our table, both were wearing helmets (they were snow boarders,) the weather outside was not very good, a cold and wet snow was being blown by the bitter wind, the perfect white-out in fact, we passed comment on it, the guys however said they were warm and comfy due to the insulation afforded by their helmets, and on inspection we do have to admit the helmets were light and warm! So maybe helmets do have a place in our sport if only for comfort in bad weather, they do appear to be a trendy fashion item these days with various styles, colours and patterns to be had, so we feel that with so many people wearing them of late its now more of a fashion statement than a safety issue.
The question of ski helmets has surfaced again with Martin asking if they are needed, or indeed required for winter sports insurance purposes.
We are not aware of any winter sports insurance companies that require the use of a ski helmet, though it would be advisable to check with the insurance company concerned as circumstances and conditions do change all the time.
From a safety aspect, we have seen arms, legs, elbows and wrists, to name but a few, all with various types of injury dressings from pots to plasters on them, but we have seen few if any sore heads, and to be honest if we saw a pine tree heading our way at 30 miles an hour then probably our heads would be the least of our worries, we did however see Lesley Bird fall on her face while trying to get on a double chair lift one year, she ended up looking like a Panda bear for the rest of the holiday (2 black eyes,) we doubt that a helmet would have helped her much that day.
That said we were sat having lunch one afternoon last season when two English lads joined us at our table, both were wearing helmets (they were snow boarders,) the weather outside was not very good, a cold and wet snow was being blown by the bitter wind, the perfect white-out in fact, we passed comment on it, the guys however said they were warm and comfy due to the insulation afforded by their helmets, and on inspection we do have to admit the helmets were light and warm! So maybe helmets do have a place in our sport if only for comfort in bad weather, they do appear to be a trendy fashion item these days with various styles, colours and patterns to be had, so we feel that with so many people wearing them of late its now more of a fashion statement than a safety issue.
Regards Gail & Mervyn.
