Anyone who questions whether or not helmets are necessary while riding your electric skateboard has probably never seen what someone’s head looks like after it bounces off a hard surface and changes shape. Yes, even the best of us will wreck our boards occasionally, that’s part of the life but it doesn’t have to put you in the hospital or worse. It’s all up to the rider of course, one can only hope they choose wisely.
Safety Gear Doesn’t Look the Way It Sounds
Think of it this way, a person’s skull is so easy to crack, and there’s no guarantee that once you heal, you’ll still be you when the bandages come off. Head injuries are no joke, don’t risk one when all you need to keep your brain intact is proper headgear. Never trust your brain to a to helmet on looks alone. Show helmets may look cool, but that doesn’t mean they will keep your head in one piece.
Read the label before you buy and be sure it meets all safety standards plus has been certified by the CPSC [1]. Make sure it fits snuggly against your forehead with no wiggle room. Not saying that functional can’t be cool, it can, and the rest of this blog is dedicated to what’s out there, so you know what to look for. Staying safe is most important but there’s nothing wrong with looking good either. Here are 4 things to take seriously when it’s time to go shop for a helmet.
- A loose helmet is more than irritating—it can be a safety hazard too if it’s too big and won’t stay in position on your head. Properly fitted helmets aren’t just safer, they are a whole lot more comfortable too.
- Pay close attention to sizing charts because they may differ from one brand to another. Trying one on would be ideal but not possible if you’re buying online.
- Sweating is a fact of life for skaters so don’t try skipping helmet sweat liners. Also, don’t forget to keep them fresh or there will be a bacteria farm riding around on the top of your head to go with a very unpleasant odor.
- Keep it cool and make sure the helmet has adequate air flow. Air vent size and number aren’t standard, they vary from brand to brand. Ignore brand hype and just pick the one you see as having the best ventilation possibilities.
What Choices Do Today’s Skaters Have?
Most skaters don’t want anything to do with a helmet, and that includes spending a lot of money on one. However, since some of the best courses say “no helmet, no skate” there isn’t much choice but to cooperate with the rules or live dangerously and skate where rules don’t apply. Except when you skate solo, there’s usually no one around to see when you nail a routine so why not just give in, get a helmet, and go where all the other skaters are hanging out?
Here are a couple good examples of what to look for in a helmet. As long as you have to wear one anyway, it may as well be something worth owning.
- Pro-Tec Classic Matte – Pro-Tec has the kind of reputation you have to earn in the sports gear business. If you’re looking at a helmet with their name on it chances are the price is right and they have several choices available. High impact shells, liners that keep the sweat off your face, and good ventilation are definitely a plus, and so are soft nylon webbed straps, interior padding, and stainless-steel rivets for strength. All in all, considering price, the Pro-Tec brand is worth looking into.
- Triple 8 Brainsaver Rubber Helmet with Sweatsaver Liner – It may have one very long name but that’s because this helmet has a lot going for it. Highly rated as multi-impact, anyone lucky enough to be wearing it won’t have many (if any) safety concerns, and the comfort factor goes way up with its patented moisture-wicking, layered sweatsaver liner. Other than adjustable straps and customized logo rivets that almost make it a skating fashion statement, keep in mind the entire helmet weighs less than one pound. If you’re one that hates wearing a helmet, this is the one for you because you’ll barely know it’s there.
If, after reading this blog anyone is still unsure on whether or not to bother with a helmet, they should go to YouTube and spend a few minutes watching skateboarders crash and not get up. Be warned that some are fairly graphic and gory, but they do get the point across. Unless you are tired of living, helmets are just as important as the board. It doesn’t matter if you “rule” every course you skate, Kings and Queens have fallen before. Don’t be them.
