Can I use my snowboard helmet to climb?

I'm just starting to transition from climbing indoors to top roping outside and I was wondering if it's safe and sane to use my snowboarding helmet instead of buying a climbing helmet. Are the structural and design differences significant enough to be a problem? I know I probably should just buy a climbing helmet, but I spent about $300 on gear in the last two weeks already. 

I can’t speak to the actual safety differences but:

-You’re going to die of heat in the summer andI wouldn’t want that much weight on my head while looking up constantly. 

Buy a real helmet.

Boulder if you can't afford it and save some dough.

Yeah, it's fine. Obviously you'll want to remove the liner and earpieces.

The key function of a climbing helmet is to protect against rockfall. That's why most bike helmets aren't so good for it. But snowboard helmets tend to have a very solid top. 

Had a buddy on a wide crack (5.11 OW) run out of big stuff. He used his helmet fro pro, but i would not suggest this for a novice.

Can you? Sure.  Do you want to?  Probably not.

Here is a good resource for sales:
https://blog.weighmyrack.com/all-the-helmets-that-are-on-sale-right-now/

$30 for a climbing specific helmet is not too steep a price to pay.  Plus it will protect the investment you have in your snowboarding helmet, which you probably don't want to get dinged and scratched.
https://www.sierra.com/item~p~184cw/?avad=48299_e153c31a9&utm_medium=Affiliate_Avantlink&utm_source=av_36027&utm_campaign=Affiliate&codes-processed=true

Sign up for active junkie and get a $10 credit and 10% back on the purchase: https://www.activejunky.com/invite/184391
So you are netting $17 for a climbing specific helmet.

You're going to get more into climbing. You're going to continue to climb for a while because climbing's great. You're going to want to wear a helmet because helmets are cool. You're going to get laughed at for wearing a snowboard helmet. Buy one now for 50 bucks or less and you'll thank yourself later.

What size is your head?  I have two extra brain buckets I'll never use, but they are on the small side. My wife doesn't climb anymore and she never even wore one.

It is the Petzl Elios, Gray plastic

I've had the same climbing helmet for 11 years (knock on wood). They are well worth the investment. Even if you never fall or get hit by a rock, you'd be surprised at how often a climber can bump their head while moving upwards.

We understand, climbing gear is not cheap, especially getting started. However, in the long run climbing is cheaper than just about any other adventure sport. If you snowboard, kayak, mountain bike, whatever, that all costs a lot of money as well. It is what it is. Climbing is worth the price of admission.   

I use the same helmet (bern Allston) for bicycle commuting, road biking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and snowboarding. I have two different liners.

You might think a climbing helmet looks dorky (well... Kinda hard to argue that actually), but a snow helmet looks even more so in this context. There are some decent looking helmets if that's a factor for you (mammut El cap and wall rider come to mind).

If you hold a climbing helmet next to a snow helmet, you'll notice a lot more foam on the top of the climbing bucket. There's your rockfall protection. Climbing helmets are also usually much lighter and more ventilated. The one thing a snow helmet has over quite a few rock helmets is side/front/back protection (especially compared to a lot of hard shell rock helmets (as opposed to in-mold)). For that reason I've heard tale of people using skate or snow helmets for bouldering.

My next helmet is gonna be the new Mammut Wall Rider mips. First and only (?) climbing helmet with mips. Expensive, but still cheaper than some mips snow helmets. Your head is worth the money.

I would say it depends on what the helmet is rated/designed for. My understanding is that things like bike helmets are generally designed to protect your head when it impacts something (e.g. smacking your head on the pavement). Climbing helmets, for the most part, are designed to protect your head from things impacting it (e.g. a rock falling onto your head). The difference is whether the former will prevent a sharp object like a rock from puncturing the helmet and then your skull, or if it's just designed to absorb impact and prevent concussions. Some climbing helmets are rated for both of these scenarios, while some helmets are only designed to protect against rockfall and not specifically rated for the concussion-type protection. I'm not sure where snowboard helmets in general, or yours in particular, would fall on this spectrum. I would say it's worth getting a climbing-specific helmet, both for protection and for comfort.

I've been doing some outdoor top rope and sport lead for just a few months now.  I decided to start with my ski helmet, after removing ear cover inserts, with the thought that I might invest as I find myself climbing more.  So far I have loved my helmet for this purpose as well, but it has been cool months and I might change my tune in the summer.

Personally, I find the ski hill stickers to add to the aesthetic appeal!

Gonna hijack this thread...  to ask a somewhat related question (I haven't been able to find an answer online).  I agree with Arroz, helmets protect from rock fall.  But...  as with the number of weekend whippers we see climbers (sometimes) whip with a helmet.  

Do helmets like the Black Diamond Half Dome helmet protect from falls where the side of the head is hit (looking and wearing the helmet makes me want to say "Not Really")?  More specifically, I assume helmets are designed for different types of impacts.  Is there a list of standards used for this?  I assume the ones with a hard shell and foam layering can handle a wider variety of impacts opposed to the Half Dome helmet.  Thoughts?

Cory F wrote: Gonna hijack this thread...  to ask a somewhat related question (I haven't been able to find an answer online).  I agree with Arroz, helmets protect from rock fall.  But...  as with the number of weekend whippers we see climbers (sometimes) whip with a helmet.  

Do helmets like the Black Diamond Half Dome helmet protect from falls where the side of the head is hit (looking and wearing the helmet makes me want to say "Not Really")?  More specifically, I assume helmets are designed for different types of impacts.  Is there a list of standards used for this?  I assume the ones with a hard shell and foam layering can handle a wider variety of impacts opposed to the Half Dome helmet.  Thoughts?

My understanding is there is no specific rating for climbing helmets.

One of the reasons I switched from a Half Dome to a BD Vector is that I wanted the impact resistance of smashable foam. I'm actually less concerned about rockfall than, say, taking a pendulum fall and smashing my head into the rock. Obviously, both are valid things to protect against. 

Señor Arroz wrote:

My understanding is there is no specific rating for climbing helmets.

One of the reasons I switched from a Half Dome to a BD Vector is that I wanted the impact resistance of smashable foam. I'm actually less concerned about rockfall than, say, taking a pendulum fall and smashing my head into the rock. Obviously, both are valid things to protect against. 

Exactly my thoughts and plans to switch over.  However, I would like to gain some form of data to make an informed decision.  For example, there are the light weight foam based helmets that have smashable properties but without the hard shell, I question how resilient it will be to rock fall.  More importantly on a long climb, how many impacts could a foam based helmet actually take?  

I believe foam biking helmets are only good for a few hits (might be one hit but it could be a liability thing on the manufacturers behalf).  

plantmandan wrote: I've had the same climbing helmet for 11 years (knock on wood).

Not to be a negative nancy, but I'd be thinking of retiring that at some point...plastic/foam can degrade due to temps and UV exposure over time. IMHO 11 years seems like it's probably ready for a new bucket soon.

Can you, probably yes, and it will probably provide some good protection,
Will you look totally dumb rock climbing with a snowboard helmet, and have everyone think you're a total jerry,
definitely yes.

Cory F wrote:

Exactly my thoughts and plans to switch over.  However, I would like to gain some form of data to make an informed decision.  For example, there are the light weight foam based helmets that have smashable properties but without the hard shell, I question how resilient it will be to rock fall.  More importantly on a long climb, how many impacts could a foam based helmet actually take?  

I believe foam biking helmets are only good for a few hits (might be one hit but it could be a liability thing on the manufacturers behalf).  

I'm no expert. But I wouldn't trust any all-foam helmet to deflect a falling rock. Any and all crushable foam helmets are only good for a single crush. It's not like that foam heals. The BD Vector seems like a good blend of both to me. 

Greg Kosinski wrote: Can you, probably yes, and it will probably provide some good protection,
Will you look totally dumb rock climbing with a snowboard helmet, and have everyone think you're a total jerry,
definitely yes.

Orrr...  modify the helmet to look like DeadMouse 

For gumbies, a recommend a hard shell helmet.  Just because they can withstand more abuse and still perform their function. Beginners tend to stand up under roofs, and just hit their head more often than vets do. Plus when you clip it to the outside of your pack, and then bash it around on the descent it won't crack and buckle like an all foam one will.

CAMP has Titan, Mammut Skywalker, BD Half Dome etc...makes the most sense for just starting out, and they are about half the price of the race car helmets like the Vector or Sirocco

I have a Mammut Wall Rider helmet, but my head size falls between the two helmet sizes and I'm not super happy with it. The straps rub my ears funny, so I  use my old style Meteor (10+ years old)