Decided I could use more protection for my head, my current helmet is a NRS Chaos, vents are nice in summer heat, when winds are generally light, but come Fall the winds pick up. Just realized the Chaos is not rated for impact. Looking at either a WRSI Trident or Current Pro, both are impact rated, CE EN 1385. Gath Gedi also looks good, same rating. Usually do not hit much with my head except water, but the mast gave my elbow a hard wack earlier this year during a foiling gybe when a gust hit me just when I flipped the sail, gust picked me and kit up out of the water, heard a loud cracking sound as it hit my elbow bone.

The WRSI Trident in carbon looks really nice, but too hot for the Summer, so probably get boring white.

Have you considered getting these masts of yours charged with assault? Maybe an AVO? Registered as lethal weapons? They seem a lot more destructive than mine, but I suppose you are in America.

Sorry sparky, can not see your post, your on my hidden list!

Ordered the Trident in white, backordered till ~Sept. 30, free ship no tax 25% off list!

Went with the Trident because the shell is made of carbon composites, so a hard impact will crush the carbon shell allowing it to absorb part of the impact and that should lessen how much force gets transmitted to the neck vertebrae, the Current Pro shell is made of ABS which will likely not crush in an impact so "I think" more of the impact force will get transmitted to the neck vertebrae, same potentially true for Gath Gedi.

The Trident is like the front end of a car that is designed to crush absorbing the impact.

If you're willing to do some maintenance (rinsing and drying) which is sounds like you are, high-end ski helmets may offer much better protection. Crushing happens not with the outer shell but in the interior EPS liner, which is more predictable. I feel reasonably happy with my NP helmet for windsurf/windfoil but if I were looking for more protection I'd just use my POC ski-racing helmet which has the merit also of being incredibly lightweight. POC also offer more adjustability and range in terms of sizing (none of the NRS lids will fit on my XXL head)

Select to expand quote

Awalkspoiled said..
If you're willing to do some maintenance (rinsing and drying) which is sounds like you are, high-end ski helmets may offer much better protection. Crushing happens not with the outer shell but in the interior EPS liner, which is more predictable. I feel reasonably happy with my NP helmet for windsurf/windfoil but if I were looking for more protection I'd just use my POC ski-racing helmet which has the merit also of being incredibly lightweight. POC also offer more adjustability and range in terms of sizing (none of the NRS lids will fit on my XXL head)

The Trident has a double layer shell, the carbon outside shell is designed to crush on impact according to the NRS representative I just spoke to on the phone (NRS now owns WRSI). The inner EPS also can press down on the skull, but not due to an object pushing it onto the skull, but the outside shell transferring the impact to the EPS layer. I looked at a Trident in a store, could see the double shell layer with a gap between the outer carbon shell and the inner shell. Outer shell reduces the chance that an object punches through to the inner shell and EPS layer under it.

The WRSI helmets may be larger than the NRS helmets, free shipping and returns if they do not fit. NRS rep. told me they did make some fit changes to the Trident after acquiring WRSI, will see, I also have an XL head, always need an XL hat, helmet. The Trident and Current/Pro have a double layer shell.

So the downside to the Trident construction is with a major impact the helmet outer shell will crush making the helmet unusable, but that seems like a cheap trade off for the alternative. And with a single shell helmet the EPS will get crushed on a major impact making the helmet unusable too.

From Sweet Protection, they also make white water helmets.

CE EN 1385 CLASS I/IV - Helmets for canoeing and white-water sports
There are six major requirements a helmet, for this use, needs to surpass to be certified:
1. Field of vision. Making sure the helmet design does not interfere with the user's field of vision
2. Extent of coverage Making sure the helmet covers all necessary parts of the head
3. Shock absorbing capacity The most important is the shock absorbing capacity of the helmet. This is tested in a specialized instrument where the helmet is dropped with the speed of 2,5m/s onto a solid metal anvil with a 4 kg metal head inside. Inside the metal head there's an accelerometer that measures the forces within the impact. The helmets are tested in four conditions:
High temperatures (+35?C) Low temperature (0?C) After artificial aging, After the helmet has been submerged for 4 hours. Each helmet is tested on several areas (crown, side, rear & front). The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.
4. Retention system performance This test covers the strength of the retention system (webbing), as well as its effectiveness, i.e. the webbings ability to keep the helmet securely positioned on the head.
5. Buoyancy After being submerged for at least 4 hours, the helmet must float to the surface.
6. Durability After all these tests the helmet should not show any damage that would cause any additional damage to the wearer.

Sadman I cannot believe the utter rot and dribble you come up with to post on these forums.
If any of these helmets says mentally deficient knob jockey it's the white one, so quick get it now, other sailors need to know who the loose unit is, so they can avoid you and have a good laugh

Hey rider, can not see your post, but guessing your head is so hard you do not need a helmet!

Id go the white one. Itll stop all the rocks falling on your launch area..

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
Id go the white one. Itll stop all the rocks falling on your launch area..

According to Sandy's last pic , it's a flat anvil that you have to worry about . To be fair I have been in that position once or twice during a savage catapoooolt at high speed . Lucky there was no anvil.

Bit late for a helmet now Sandy.

Anvil, ahhhh silly me.
Thought he was using the helmet to stop the rocks from falling out of his head.

And another hidden hard head!

Excuse me mam', but my helmet is built in, I am a hard head

Select to expand quote

Sparky said..
Have you considered getting these masts of yours charged with assault? Maybe an AVO? Registered as lethal weapons? They seem a lot more destructive than mine, but I suppose you are in America.

Not only is he in America, he is in the southern US, where some states let 18-year old buy assault rifles without a background check, and carry handguns without a permit. Trying to do any of the things you mention would get him laughed out of the police station, beaten up because clearly he must be a communist to try such a thing, or locked up in a loony bin. But then, maybe that's why you suggested them

Select to expand quote

boardsurfr said..

Sparky said..

Ah, did you guys miss the post on Jose, or not see the picture of him in the hospital with a air hose in his throat, because the sail mast hit him on the head and crushed his C4 vertebrae damaging his spinal cord making him a quadriplegic? Seriously, if you did and wrote that anyway, good luck.

Select to expand quote

Awalkspoiled said..
If you're willing to do some maintenance (rinsing and drying) which is sounds like you are, high-end ski helmets may offer much better protection. Crushing happens not with the outer shell but in the interior EPS liner, which is more predictable. I feel reasonably happy with my NP helmet for windsurf/windfoil but if I were looking for more protection I'd just use my POC ski-racing helmet which has the merit also of being incredibly lightweight. POC also offer more adjustability and range in terms of sizing (none of the NRS lids will fit on my XXL head)

+1 ^

High end, or even regular certified Ski/Snowboard Helmets are easily available and offer excellent protection with a possible dual use. I have been using a couple of these for quite a few years and have never bothered washing them or going to any affort to dry them. I had to replace corroded chin strap rivets on one with new ones, bit otherwise it is fine.

For some reason the old Bell motorcycle helmet advert. comes to mind.

"If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet"

I use a gath with a modified sun visor and a sun flap at the back . I look like the sixth village people .

Select to expand quote

sailquik said..

Awalkspoiled said..
If you're willing to do some maintenance (rinsing and drying) which is sounds like you are, high-end ski helmets may offer much better protection. Crushing happens not with the outer shell but in the interior EPS liner, which is more predictable. I feel reasonably happy with my NP helmet for windsurf/windfoil but if I were looking for more protection I'd just use my POC ski-racing helmet which has the merit also of being incredibly lightweight. POC also offer more adjustability and range in terms of sizing (none of the NRS lids will fit on my XXL head)

+1 ^

High end, or even regular certified Ski/Snowboard Helmets are easily available and offer excellent protection with a possible dual use. I have been using a couple of these for quite a few years and have never bothered washing them or going to any affort to dry them. I had to replace corroded chin strap rivets on one with new ones, bit otherwise it is fine.

For some reason the old Bell motorcycle helmet advert. comes to mind.

"If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet"

I have a good snowboard helmet, never thought to use for foiling. But it is a standard single layer shell. I really like the double layer shell design in the Trident, can take a hit and dissipate it without a direct impact to the EPS layer and my head underneath.

Select to expand quote

Sandman1221 said..
Hey rider, can not see your post, but guessing your head is so hard you do not need a helmet!

Ha ha of course you can see my post. With a reply like that, I don't believe you for a second Sadman

The other thing about using a non-water sports helmet is saltwater corrosion (main issue for me, snowboard helmet has metal mesh covering vents to prevent snow from getting inside) and water absorption (maybe not a big issue if helmet uses EPS).

Select to expand quote

Imax1 said..
I use a gath with a modified sun visor and a sun flap at the back . I look like the sixth village people .

This i gotta see,
Picture or it didnt happen !

Head protection is Something to think about in my opinion.

Select to expand quote

Sandman1221 said..
Head protection is Something to think about in my opinion.

Your a yank , should be thinking of a bullet proof vest .

Select to expand quote

olskool said..

Imax1 said..
I use a gath with a modified sun visor and a sun flap at the back . I look like the sixth village people .

This i gotta see,
Picture or it didnt happen !

Even after a year , I'm sure the locals still chuckle behind my back . It's a lot to get used to . I'm hoping it may work as a shark deterrent.

you guys!, just seeing you posted gives me a good laugh

Select to expand quote

Sandman1221 said..
you guys!, just seeing you posted gives me a good laugh

Not as much as your posts give us

Select to expand quote

Imax1 said..

olskool said..

Imax1 said..
I use a gath with a modified sun visor and a sun flap at the back . I look like the sixth village people .

This i gotta see,
Picture or it didnt happen !

Even after a year , I'm sure the locals still chuckle behind my back . It's a lot to get used to . I'm hoping it may work as a shark deterrent.