Hey everyone,

recently had a decent accident with my foil hitting me in the head on a tiny 2 foot wave in white water that caused a fair bit of damage! Multiple skull fractures a collapsed ear canal and damage to my middle ear. Currently recovering, but after this I think it's time for some head protection. I'm looking for something that won't float my head too much and won't suck my head up when duck diving. Here's a pic of my recent efforts. Can happen way easier than I thought so take care everyone.
hoping for some recommendations from people and to see what they have found great and also what to stay away from. Thanks

Very nastey injury^^^
I use the DCM Soft Surf Helmet, very comfortable & gives my immature mate something to laugh about.

www.surffx.com.au/products/2021-dmc-soft-surf-helmet?variant=39483530117260¤cy=AUD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-11&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqKuKBhCxARIsACf4XuHMgIS7WOCK3dZMKDvVGgzWu_DaQdUbVfU6rapnOYdzyC6Lgq5uJREaAoAdEALw_wcB

Whoa, serious amount of damage there. I tried a gath with a visor the other day. It was OK, slightly to big for me so it wobbled a bit. Thefoilshop here just started carrying simba surf helmets. Friend has used them tow foiling in Hawaii and liked them. Got hit with his mast on a big day and had no injury to speak of.

www.instagram.com/p/CUI6QQPh9an/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Very sorry to see & hear. I've always used a Gath helmet since starting my foiling. Love it. Pretty sure it's the surf type without visor.
I think it feels better with it on when punching my head through whitewater as well.
I may even start using it when SUP surfing. Keeps the sun off my head. And I've escaped some serious injury with a SUP landing on my head. But I have also had a fin chop behind my ear. Lucky it missed my artery.
I also use a padded buoyancy vest to protect my body. But I SUP foilsurf so probably more comfortable than prone.
When I comment to others as to why I wear them, I hold one finger up & say ONCE. An accident only has to happen once to change your life. And it can lower the chances.
Good luck & hope you get back in the water soon.

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wicka said..
Hey everyone,

recently had a decent accident with my foil hitting me in the head on a tiny 2 foot wave in white water that caused a fair bit of damage! Multiple skull fractures a collapsed ear canal and damage to my middle ear. Currently recovering, but after this I think it's time for some head protection. I'm looking for something that won't float my head too much and won't suck my head up when duck diving. Here's a pic of my recent efforts. Can happen way easier than I thought so take care everyone.
hoping for some recommendations from people and to see what they have found great and also what to stay away from. Thanks

Thanks for sharing. I have been using a Gath hat when foiling from the start. As I have improved, on small days, I am tempted to dispense with the lid. Your experience has hardend my resolve to keep wearing it.
Many years ago motorcycling with my wife in Hawaii, she wanted to take advantage of the no helmet law. We made a short journey before she decided it was not for her.
I also had a 9 foot sup karate chop me in the ankle, smashing my lateral malleolus, had it hit me in the head I would be dead.

Gath is the way to go, a new model or an older one so see which is a better fit, the vizor model has more side protection, I have prone short board & sup surfed with a vizor less & with a vizor for many years in small & large surf with no problems ever:-)

I had an injury like this, feel like it was kind of a fluke but if I'm alone or in sketchy conditions I'll wear my cap.

my cap is a standard dakine surf hat with the chin strap and I put a bump cap insert(look on Amazon) inside. Bump cap is made to protect against little bumps or nails for people working in attics or crawl spaces or something like that. It's nice and low profile and out of the way but provides just a little bit more protection without being huge.

helmets are made to protect against massive deceleration, like hitting a wall or a car at speed where that foam is going to compress and slow down your head.

I think that's a bit overkill for us(sure, there will be corner cases). The plastic bump cap insert will be just as good against laceration(which is the real issue) and it's low key enough that longboarders aren't going to be popping out like "dID yOu BrINg onE FoR tHE rEsT oF Us?"

I use a Gath HAT NEO and it's great. Super light and comfy. gathsports.com/product/gath-hat-neo/

Use a cheapcheap decathlon soft helmet. Snug fit, doesnt rattle around when hitting water, good sunprotection and light. Not same level of protection as gath but I happily wear it every single sesh.

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toppleover said..
Very nastey injury^^^
I use the DCM Soft Surf Helmet, very comfortable & gives my immature mate something to laugh about.

www.surffx.com.au/products/2021-dmc-soft-surf-helmet?variant=39483530117260¤cy=AUD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-11&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqKuKBhCxARIsACf4XuHMgIS7WOCK3dZMKDvVGgzWu_DaQdUbVfU6rapnOYdzyC6Lgq5uJREaAoAdEALw_wcB

Ouch Wicka.

I've had the DMC for over 2 years and my Gath for many years. Both offer great impact protection. However, my preference is the DMC for it's light weight and comfort. The warmth and swimmer's ear protection in winter are added benefits.

DMC Soft Surf Helmet

dmcfins.com/collections/soft-surf-helmet

warm, lightweight, sun pro, peace of mind

plus Style

Thx for posting this Wicka, i wear the helmet everytime when surfing or winging but this is a good reminder of why.Harsh reality check.

I use a Jobe helmet,it is a bit bulkier than the Gath, i wanted the Gath but i had nowhere to try it on to get the size just right.The Jobe works ok though.

The duckdive headpull can be greatly alleviated in most helmets by putting ducktape on the ventilation holes.It is incredible how much drag and pull a few holes can create.
But the Gath should not have that problem at all.

I also wear a boonie surf hat (like Da Kine Indo) with covered ears and chin strap, and a bump liner. I wish I could find a liner with full coverage as these are designed for a ball cap.

www.ergodyne.com/skullerz-8945-universal-bump-cap-insert.html

I turn the liner so the cutout is facing forward as I figure I'll get hit in the back of the head... after hearing you had fractures as well, maybe a full helmet like a Gath is the call...

Wow sorry to hear it
Gath...I have used one for years but worry it may have contributed to whiplash on hi speed Wipeouts.

Now mostly use the cheap decathlon...goofy looking but it works good enough and is lower profile

We surf with hoods so have been using bumps cap under....not much protection but just a little. Same in a ballcap or surf hat....least dorky option, and better than nada

Konrad has a new one coming out that looks pretty awesome.

I use this soft helmet for winging. Too many whiplashes with my pro tec helmet.

decathlon.com.au/products/helmet-for-surfing?variant=39312846946415#product-information

Thanks to everyone's recommendations. I went to a few local shops and tried on a heap from all different brands.. I didn't rate the dmc soft helmet. I don't think it offered enough protection. May as well just be wearing a hood.

I found by far the lightest and best the wip flex helmet from kite republic. I managed to try it out yesterday on the wing and today prone for my first sessions back and it definitely gave me the confidence I was after. You barely know your wearing it and I'm not a hat or helmet person. Only downside which was expected was when you duck dive it does float a little bit if you don't get under the whitewater but the trade off is well worth it as it wasn't that much of an issue. Heaps of vents so water doesn't get stuck in it either. Glad I found this one.

www.kiterepublic.com.au/product/forward-wip-wiflex-pro-helmet/

Looks like a good melon protector. I'm a helmet fan but found it uncomfortable prone paddling. I know it sounds weird, but holding my head up with the extra weight gave me neck fatigue / pain. For me, paddling capability is the main limitation for session length...so a trade off was needed.

Dmc soft shell $99 @ surffx

I bought a Gath for wingfoiling but now I use it for prone and SUP foiloing also. Forgot it to bring it to my last session and I wasn't feeling as comfortable. Using good protection is good to push the limits a bit more and not hold back.

This would be the ultimate foil helmet "The Baseball Helmet," (be way better than the GATH helmet IMHO). You can buy them at Rebel Sports West Burleigh for like $80 or on line if you live in the USA the whole kit for $26 dollars. I'll be buying the whole kit, when I'm on Maui in 2022. Rawlings Vapor Coolflo Molded OSFM Baseball Helmet, Scarlet (One Size, Black) - Rawlings Baseball Batting Helmt Face Guard, Black

Last Saturday a young Attractive lady whom I'll not name got 2 internal and 11 external stitches across her forehead from hitting the foil "it was only a matter of time" before it was going to happen on the Goldie - I too have had 2 internet and 10 external stitches on the bottom of my right foot and **** that hurt.

Who will be the first one to go down by a Big Tiger Shark when SUP foiling Downwind on the Goldie or in Australia??? remember the foil-wing looks like a BIG FISH LURE I was Downwinding Kihei in 2016 with Jeremy Riggs, Mark Raaphorst and a few other hardcore Maui locals, when Connor Baxter got hit by a 10ft Tiger Shark just of Mumas Fish House just left of Hookipa SUP foiling Maliko. But remember Maliko is a Cafe for Tiger Sharks I've seen many one time in 2012, I was DW Maliko with Kai Lenny, Dave Kalama, Mark Raaphorst, Ralf Sifford, Andrea Moller and Scot Trudon Maliko was the best I have ever seen a 10/10. I was surfing this bump on my 18ft SIC and ran over a Big 8ft Tiger Shark I ****. www.hawaiinewsnow.com/clip/12649765/connor-baxter-fights-tiger-shark/

Rawlings Vapor Coolflo Molded OSFM Baseball Helmet, Scarlet (One Size, Black)
Rawlings Baseball Batting Helmt Face Guard, Black

Baseball helmets will have a lot of drag when you hit the water. Not sure how that shell is going to be any different than the gath helmet shell.

Edit: Good point on the face protection.

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Hdip said..
Baseball helmets will have a lot of drag when you hit the water. Not sure how that shell is going to be any different than the gath helmet shell.

Much of a muchness I think Hdip, the GATH don't protect the face though like a Baseball face shield would.

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Downwinder said..

Hdip said..
Baseball helmets will have a lot of drag when you hit the water. Not sure how that shell is going to be any different than the gath helmet shell.

Much of a muchness I think Hdip, the GATH don't protect the face though like a Baseball face shield would.

That baseball helmet also uses open cell foam. It is not meant for water it will soak it up like a sponge then slowly dribble it all over your face... have fun with that!

First time i used a helmet i almost had my head ripped off in the first duckdive.And the helmet was way more compact and streamlined than those baseball things.
I would getva Gath right now,it is really low profile and lightweight for the protection it gives but i cannot find any L size in EU. Covid i guess.

The wip flex one that I good is really good! It's easily 1/2 the Weight if not more than any of the other helmets I tried. I've prone surfed the last few days in a row and it does float a tiny bit when you duck dive but it takes nothing to get it under the whitewater.

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gorgesailor said..
That baseball helmet also uses open cell foam. It is not meant for water it will soak it up like a sponge then slowly dribble it all over your face... have fun with that!

I concur with what you are saying gorgsailer, True about the open cell foam with baseball helmets. BUT if your on a SUP foil you very-rarely get wet anyway you're 99% dry every session. I've seen many images of SUP foilers in the USA all wear the Baseball Helmet.

My very first day on a Prone-foilboard Nth Burleigh. I wore a GATH, swimming goggles and even a Jet-Ski vest "like who cares if you look like a kook" you're protected from the mast & wing except for your face.

All my mates on Maui said they too wore all the safety gear especially when learning "who cares if you look like a kook.".

My GATH helmet is like over 35 years old already I would only wear that helmet when surfing the big stuff in Indonesia or extremely crowded Snapper Rocks when it's Pumping "Barrel Fest."

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TooMuchEpoxy said..
I had an injury like this, feel like it was kind of a fluke but if I'm alone or in sketchy conditions I'll wear my cap.

my cap is a standard dakine surf hat with the chin strap and I put a bump cap insert(look on Amazon) inside. Bump cap is made to protect against little bumps or nails for people working in attics or crawl spaces or something like that. It's nice and low profile and out of the way but provides just a little bit more protection without being huge.

helmets are made to protect against massive deceleration, like hitting a wall or a car at speed where that foam is going to compress and slow down your head.

I think that's a bit overkill for us(sure, there will be corner cases). The plastic bump cap insert will be just as good against laceration(which is the real issue) and it's low key enough that longboarders aren't going to be popping out like "dID yOu BrINg onE FoR tHE rEsT oF Us?"

Thank you for the idea! Bought a blue construction/bump cap and retrofitted the plastic part in my fcs surf cap

That's a great idea !

Wicka: a month ago I got smacked in same spot, 8 stitches, no concussion or other damage thankfully. Like most sports injuries I've had, it happened so fast I couldn't protect myself, and these things seem to happen in the mellow calm times -- when it's heavy, I think you are more mentally prepared for possibilities.

I am the annoying nerdy helmet advocate at my local. I had 4 (FOUR!) helmets of various types in my van, but wasn't wearing any of them. Complacency. I am back on the program.

I have a cheap bump cap that I use under my hood or in a ball cap. It provides minimal protection, has no padding, just plastic. Would take the edge off a smack but not much more. And for my and wicka injury, it wouldn't have helped, as the injury is below the hat brim line. They are designed only for smacks from above. The open section at back is worrisome, as I figure that's the most likely spot to get it in an uncontrolled white water situation, where you fall forwards. So, that one's not so trustworthy.

My gath provides max protection but it's heavy and has a big profile for duck diving.

Latest best option is a rugby scrum cap over my hood. It gives more protection than bump cap but is lighter and lower profile than gath. I got it for $20 on Decathlon (canada). The surf specific version are more bomber and $100.

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Hdip said..
Whoa, serious amount of damage there. I tried a gath with a visor the other day. It was OK, slightly to big for me so it wobbled a bit. Thefoilshop here just started carrying simba surf helmets. Friend has used them tow foiling in Hawaii and liked them. Got hit with his mast on a big day and had no injury to speak of.

www.instagram.com/p/CUI6QQPh9an/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Saw one those Simba's out in the beginner surf pack last weekend. Seriously kooky, but that's what we said of Gaths when Tom Carrol first made them popular... besides, foilers are aready perceived as villainous kooks anyway!

As I mentioned earlier, I think the bump caps should be worn with cut-out facing forward to protect the back of the head from strikes from the foil, or in my case, a beginner on a longboard who went straight on a closeout and ran right over me as I was about to chip in on the reform. Hurt my foot with his fin, but my bump insert saved my head. Next wave, in pain and flustered, I tried to pop up in too shallow water and landed on the foil.

Anyone have an idea for Kevlar shorts worn over your wetsuit like kiters used to do? Kujira tip destroyed my suit and left me with a very sore arse!