UKH

Hi All,
I have a climbing helmet (Black diamond vapour) that I was planning on using this skiing season on top of climbing in the UK. However after a quick google I found that all skiing helmets are rated separately and most climbing helmets are not certified for skiing by manufacturers. Is there any reason why I should avoid using my climbing helmet for skiing, I know that I have seen a lot of people skiing in the Alps using climbing helmets?

Thanks for any advice

In reply to HGTS:

side and back impact protection, or lack thereof on climbing helmets.

In reply to Morgan Woods:


Obviously not designed for it but the Vapour looks better than some climbing helmets in that regard.

In reply to HGTS:
I think there may be a climbing helmet which is also rated for canoeing as well, which might offer more side and back of the head protection?

In reply to HGTS:

Not from huge experience (one ski mountaineering trip) but was told ski (touring) helmet is designed to take force of your entire weight going head first into a solid object; so is likely to shrug of any falling objects that are not big enough to knock you off anyway. Climbing helmet designed to protect you from falling objects but not a head first impact. So ok to climb in ski touring helmet but not to ski in climbing helmet.

In reply to HGTS:
Nearly every rope access bod I see has a climbing helmet on. All the other folk on site have 'safety' helmets. May just not be too much of a difference in reality. Yet both will protect you - or should do from small objects dropped on your head or from minor falls.

Many canoe helmets have a peak - to protect from sun and to stop your face getting slammed into rocks when upside down. Does that make them unsafe for climbing then?

In reply to Dave Perry:


Apparently removing peaks from riding helmets has drastically reduced the number of neck injuries. Not sure how that would translate: just sticking to UKC forum rules and confusing the issue.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Indeed, but then again pretty much all brainlids are better than a swedish helmet (ie. beanie).

In reply to HGTS:

My climbing lid is a Petzl Meteor III+ it's rated for climbing, cycling and water sports. It's nice and light (225g) and cool (temperature wise if not looks wise) I don't see why it can't be used for skiing as well. My skiing helmet is a white rock it's heavy (630g) and has a lot of padding around the scalp and the ears. This is nice in the Cairngorms but not so nice in the Alps in spring time.

In reply to OwenM:

I guess anything is going to help stop you from getting a broken skull, and beyond that there possibly isn't so much difference in protection, it would be interesting to find out.

In reply to HGTS:

I have the camp speed which I use for skiing and climbing.

In reply to HGTS: It may be the old cynic in me, but surely the problem is that the manufacturers want to sell you a different helmet for each activity, increasing revenue. I bet testing criteria were developed by the manufacturers to achieve this aim. (Still didn't do Schumacher a lot of good!)

In reply to johncook:
At the speeds good skiers can go at I'm wondering if a motorcycle helmet could be better?

Same goes for cycling too I guess, but it'd be pretty hot, the more I think of a 30 or 40 mph crash the more appealing a motorcycle helmet seems though.

In reply to Timmd:


No thanks! Way too heavy and hot.

In reply to HGTS:

Salewa have just released a dual rated ski and climbing helmet http://www.salewa.co.uk/en/vert-helmet.html Good to see as the one from Grivel seems to be no longer made.

In reply to TobyA:

Doesn't say in the blurb and hard to tell from photos if that takes a headtorch; after I've walked up anything higher than a mole hill I need one.

In reply to HGTS:

if your skiing piste get and wear a real one or not at all. I've never bothered.

Never carried or used one ski touring.

In reply to Hyphin:

Move faster or ski in Arctic Norway in March or April!?

In reply to Timmd:



My ski helmet is way thicker skinned than any climbing, kayaking and climb lid I have, It's a proper layer of plastic rather than a point something of a millimetre over foam etc.. perhaps a little heavier, but not too much and it keeps me warm too, as they have less venting.

Granted you can always be unlucky and head plant into sharp rocks (schmacher style), in which case they may not help you. But, trees or a nugget skier, it's probably quite beneficial.

In reply to HGTS:

Some information here, although not European.

http://www.bhsi.org/other.htm

http://www.bhsi.org/multi.htm

In reply to DaveHK:

I'm sure it would be, I was just struck by how fragile brains & heads can be I think. I think I've not felt the same about risks to my head after being concussed for two and a bit weeks after one bike crash at around 30mph, I had slurred speech like a boxer after a fight which would randomly happen here and there for a second or two, up until the middle of the second week. I still felt a bit 'dumb' near the end of the third week when I went back to Spanish evening classes, & had to write everything down as I knew nothing would stick. Was quite a thought provoking experience.

The view at Surprise View in the Peak District has never look as nice as when I realised I'd broken my cycle helmet and it'd very probably saved my life though, I don't think any view has. It was almost worth doing for that.

In reply to HGTS:

Warmth? Climbing helmets are not thermal lined like skiing helmets, and if you wear a hat under a climbing helmet you affect the fit, which is nothing like as snug as a skiing helmet anyway.

In reply to TobyA:

K2 has a helmet certified for skiing / cycling.
http://k2skis.com/helmets/route

Has also headlamp clips and it´s bit lighter. I´m tempted to get this for skimountaineering where my head always gets hot with ski or climbing helmets. And why not wear it ice climbing too..

In reply to lanari:


I guess as K2 would say that they haven't tested it against climbing norms, so you have no idea how good it would be if a big icicle fell on you while wearing it.

It's funny, for me I can't really see why I would want one helmet for both skiing and biking, but then I don't live in and bike round a ski resort! Having a helmet for both mountaineering/climbing and skiing does seem logical to me though because of ski mountaineering and going on trips where I both do some ski touring and ice climbing.

In reply to lanari:

I've got the route: it's light, comfortable, and can put a head torch on it.
I was looking for a helmet I could tour and climb in: but as had been said above, it doesn't have a rating for climbing, but the skiing bit was more a concern for me. I couldn't find a stockist of the camp helmet, which at the time was the only dual rated helmet I could see.
A bit strangely, the route describes itself as for cycling, skiing, and "other activities on snow".
Is it easier to get a cycling rating, than a climbing one and was it too expensive or technically difficult for them to pursue a climbing one?

In reply to lanari:

The Sweet Igniter Alpiniste is certified for climbing and skiing, looks good too.....

http://www.sweetprotection.com/ski-snowboard/helmets-protection/helmets/?p=...

In reply to TobyA:

Salomon Mtn lab helmet is another dual rated option - and about the same weight (300g) as many climbing helmets.