Bike helmet vs climbing helmet--the real differences!
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Okay, so it's a no brainer that if you climb you should have a climbing helmet, and if you bike you should have a biking helmet. However, the other day I got a bit curious as to the real differences between the two. So I disassembled a few Bell biking helmets and Petzl helmets and found they are both remarkably similar, just one cost $40 and the other cost $100. |
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Climbing helmets cover the back of the head and the sides more to deflect rock fall and save a head bash. Bike helmets are for head bash only. I have actually been thinking about getting a full faced ice hockey helmet, keep on nearly gashing my eyes out with ice picks and keep ripping rocks out right into my face. Sound like a good idea? |
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Have wondered that myself. I had a friend who climbed with his bike helmet for a while. About the only major difference we could ever see was potentially the vent holes in his bike helmet were considerably larger and therefore not as protective against a rock fall of the smaller variety. |
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Craig, I just said that in about 50 less words than you. |
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Gwut, |
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I have a smith vantage for a ski helmet and i actually strip it down to take some weight out but also it becomes a pseudo cross between a ski / climb helmet and just wear a beanie under it. Alot of ski mountaineers go full on / burly UIAA climbing helmet like a meteor 3 or a BD vector, me if I had to choose Id go BD vector as it covers the dome piece a little more. |
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Do you think economies of scale might have anything to do with the price? I am guessing that vastly more bike helmets are made than brain buckets for climbing. |
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It's about the type of activity...Not many folks die biking (that is the perception anyways). Scuba equipment is very expensive. I would not want to buy a regulator for $40. Buying a $20 bike helmet meant for a 5 year old riding a bike with training wheels does not equal the forces generated by a fall of myself, or of a 1/2 pound stone falling 100 feet onto my head. That said, there are some pretty expensive bike helmets, too, that would probably do just fine. Why not just wear a motorcycle helmet? |
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This and you're done! |
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I just stay at home and wrap myself with blankets and cushions while even reading about climbing. |
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I disagree that climbing helmets have more side coverage than bicycle helmets. The new style Black Diamonds and the Petzl Meteor may be exceptions, but these helmets also hold certifications in Europe for impact sports such as kayaking and cycling. My claim about coverage is just m opinion, though. I can say for sure if my head was moving towards something rather than something moving towards me head I would want my bike helmet. |
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It has been awhile since I looked at the specifics on this, but in the UIAA tests they actually use a pointed weight that will puncture the top of the helmet, if it punctures too far (I believe 1 inch is the limit) then it fails. From what I have seen of most bike helmets I think they would fail that. |
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Brady3 wrote:What do people think of construction hard hats?Like a Petzl Ecrin Roc? I have one & never wear that thing. IMO, much of the fit issue w/ climbing helmet is because they need to pass the rock fall test, which end up w/ the helmet sitting rather high on the head and being top heavy. Unfortunately, it means it doesn't offer as much lead fall protection as it could otherwise. |
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Matt Roberts wrote:A related but different Q is what do ski-mountaineers wear? Climbing or skiing helmets?Not that I consider myself a "ski mountaineer", but anytime I snowboard any chutes, peaks, couliors etc. I use my climbing helmet just like a normal snow climb. Besides it being lighter, and more breathable it's meant for rock/ice fall. Plus can you imagine going up with a ski helmet on? Sooo hot. |
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For about 17 years, Bell has been making the Meteor helmet for Petzl. It was in response to complaints that most climbing helmets were heavy and provided little or no protection from impacts that could be sustained during a leader fall. I think that the Meteor is one of the better lightweight helmets on the market, but that's not saying much. The climbing-helmet industry is negligent by virtue of providing pathetically underperforming products that give climbers false senses of security. I have yet to see any climbing helmet that would provide protection during leader falls as well as many mountain-bike helmets would. |
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"Hi everybody, here's some pithy anecdotes that are impossible to really evaluate." |
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Just my two cents. Quite a number of years ago I took a fall in which I flipped upside down and slammed my helmet on the rock. I was happy that I was wearing the helmet. I have also taken some pretty hard wrecks over the handlebars on my mountain bike and always been glad that I've been wearing a helmet. In any of the instances had I not been wearing a helmet I probly would not have died, but would have definelty sustained head injuries. Personally I'd rather get home in one piece and sit on the back porch with a beer or three and wreck my head that way. |
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I'd like to see one of these manufacturers develop a ribs helmet. It's the only part of me I've broken repeatedly. |
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you 2 (above posts) are onto something...ribs and beer. Count me in! |
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Gwut wrote:Bike helmets are made for aerodynamicsCheap ones arnt. Those Wal-Mart Bell helmets are about as aerodynamic as a brick. vs |
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Agreeing with the above but adding....I learned that bike helmets are designed to take one impact and crush while climbing helmets are designed to be better at taking more impacts. All helmets should be retired after a major impact, but climbing helmets have the idea that it might not just be one rock falling, you might still have a couple pitches of chossy ascent to go, or that you might hit your head more than once. |