Morning all

Been Sup surfing for 10 years now, never had any major issue, except a broken rib and some more or less broken fingers due to catching the board or the leash in some wipe outs, but overall i believed it was well paid , could have been worst ( still do my beer sacrifice to the god of the sea now and then), and last week on a small day , one of the local kid with his short board landed on my head while exiting an aerial while i was lying flat on the board resting. The result was 3 Stiches on the back of the head .Again could have been worst. But been asking since the question of wearing a helmet while suping for many reasons ( reef, board in the head during wipe out, other people boards in the head..).

Just wanted to know if anyone wear a helmet out there? and why did you start wearing one ? i know if you are not charging on 10 feet tropical reef spot most of us don't need one really, but one bad chance is all you need .

Cheers

Have worn them for sailboarding and SUP surfing. Keeps my head warm in winter and saves my bald head from sunburn in summer. It is a hard shell one and don't even notice it on my head.

I've taken to wearing surf hats off and on over recent years and thought why don't I just upgrade to a helmet? I'll often sup surf on my own away from crew so even more reason to

I wear one in the bigger waves and when there is a strong off-shore wind - on numerous occasions I have had the board get caught in the wind, go straight up, and come straight back at me. I was once surfing and it happened to another guy. He cut his head and hurt his neck.

One problem, I tend to be a little braver with a helmet on...

When the wind is up and the waves are high I will wear one just because having a board launch and come down on your head a recipe for disaster.
Sometimes I just use a baseball insert on my soft bucket hat

Never turn your back on a grommet doing an aerial

As with others, i wear a Gath in strong offshore and large waves. Have put a bit of insulation tape over the ear slots to stop water & wind jetting in.

You can get soft EVA peaked surf hats from outlets like decathlon, but the ear protection isn't good.

I think there's a gap in the market for a helmet with a decent peak and ear protection?

The only problem I have with helmets is its hard to dive under big waves ,it kinda floats ya head .
so I don't wear them much when its big and have to dive .

I've just got one of these. Yet to use it though. The fit is very good, it's light and the protective pads are hard, not soft.

One of the reasons I haven't SUP surfed yet in 2023
Beaches are out of control in Sydney . Might wait till summer ends . I realise this happened in Byron but there is absolutely no etiquette at my local break here in Sydney. People are either stupid , oblivious or totally selfish

www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-10/byron-bay-surfer-injury-legropes-mandatory/101956690?fbclid=IwAR05PNdJ540GVNwBH6wwApKVsmGq7uGduH8hzlhNVuQ1Dormyk4t6YcfLJU

I wear a Gath all the time in the surf. I am out perhaps 75-90 days a year. Every year I get clunked on the head fairly hard and glad that I have it on. I believe the "helmet effect" is real and we charge harder with a helmet on. So perhaps the risk reduction is a bit muted. Our SUP boards have a lot of mass and concussion risk is higher than with a regular surf board. One of the last pipeline comps I watched about one in five were wearing a helmet.

Cheers

Bob

Here's a few pics from the last few years. That's the back of my buddy's head after the rail clipped him. It wasn't much fun stopping that bleed while over a km off shore. He wears a helmet now. The black Gath got split when I got smashed on the reef. Possibly a life-ender that resulted in a mild headache. My leg after a fin got me while getting wadded up in the barrel last September. I was lucky that it was the front of the fin, and it punched the fin into the board. It was a really rough paddle back in, but I was so happy it didn't get me in the head. Since then, I've worn a helmet any time it's head high, or I'm out by myself.

Napnap said..
I've just got one of these. Yet to use it though. The fit is very good, it's light and the protective pads are hard, not soft.

This doesn't look too bad, not that unlike a neoprene hood I wear in winter

02Nudger said..
All this talk of helmets made me go and buy one for an up coming Indo trip. Surfed with it today for the first time.
I hated it.

It kept pushing down on my eye brows making me squint when prone padding. Kept dripping water in my eyes for much longer than I liked causing issue after I had come off. copied a heap of **** from all my mates and had blow ins drop in on my because I thought I was a kook and did deserve the wave. Not happy.

I think it's going to take a while to get use to.
on positive note it felt better and cooler than a surf hat.

What type did you buy?

Have you got a pic so we can also have a good laugh.. .. Kidding (not really)

Funny I have just had the opposite experience. I recently purchased the Simba surf helmet. I wish I had purchased it long ago. I do not notice I have it on while surfing it fits me better than any helmet I have owned and does not move. No water dripping in my eyes and my my sunglasses no longer get pulled off duck diving. I have already had the wind flip the board onto my head. No pain although it was not a hard hit. I will say it is not the best looking helmet I have owned. The padding inside is minimal but it is not for land based sports. It stops the wind from blowing in my ears. Duck diving I do not notice it and falling I am not getting any bucket effect. The real test for that will be falling off my hydrofoil. Have not used it for that yet. I do think with this helmet the proper fit is very important. I was able to use it without adding the foam pieces.