My helmet saved my life on Sunday

This thread has got far more reaction than I'd have thought. Reminds of the discussions about the ethics of rap-bolting.

I remember reading various safety manuals for construction, and an article about helmet use in a climbing mag, and some old statistics about cycling injuries: From what I remember, there are two basic sources of injury. One is "climber is hit by falling object"; the other is "climber is the falling object".

Apparently, foam-type helmets deal better with "climber is the falling object", and suspension-type helmets deal better with "climber is hit by falling object". Perhaps this information is useful in deciding which type of helmet to use in a given situation (heading to the Canadian Rockies again, or Cannon Cliff I'd choose a suspension type, on Glacier Point Apron, I might go with the foam type). Also, I seem to remember that more head injuries happen on slabs than overhung climbs- if your feet stick, you flip and whack your head, but falling into space... no impact.

After a number of minor head injuries sans helmet while cycling, I wear a helmet at all times. Having been in an end-over-end crash in a car without seat belts, I couldn't wait to get a car with seatbelts. Helmet use was rare when I started climbing, and runners went over our shoulders. Using a helmet almost dictates using quickdraws, which didn't exist then either. I'm oddly having a harder time getting used to using quickdraws than the helmet. I have no hesitation at all about wearing safety glasses while aid climbing, after a brass stopper I was testing shot out of a crack and sliced from cheekbone through ear.

Since I have spent a lifetime dealing with somewhat dangerous situations at work, I have no objection to safety gear. I don't think it typically makes a person more likely to take a risk; I think it makes them more likely to survive if everything goes oranges & lemons.

I think the choice to wear a helmet or not is personal.

Given that I live with the results of what the OT's and PT's call Minor Accumulated Trauma, I'd suggest wearing the helmet...

Gary Busey: "Hello, pants"

Murphy and Darwin seem to always work together, so I usually try to use protection on my head when I encounter some strange crag I want to conquer.

Fixed it for you SexPanther.

Greg D wrote: Actually you did imply that a helmet is useless for grapefruit sized rock when you said: "Pretty sure a grapefruit sized rock hitting you in the dome with any significant velocity is going to wreck your shit helmet or not. " But it is obvious you were just trying to take a cheap shot at me cuz you are still mad about the Jesus thing cuz that statement is quite retarded. If a grapefruit sized rock is coming at you would you say "fack it. I'm taking my helmet off cuz it's gonna wreck my shit helmet anyway". Everyone knows that a destroyed helmet is not a failed helmet. It is one that has absorbed a significant amount of energy. If fact, motorcyclists that survive crashes often have destroyed helmets. Imagine what would have happened to their heads without the helmet. Don't hang onto anger. It's just Internet conjecture anyway.

I think standing on the ground, or on belay ledges under a climber, is the most dangerous spot to be. IN areas with loose rock, this is where I will wear a helmet. Rifle in the spring...