UKC

It was only a decade or so ago when you hardly saw anyone wearing a helmet, especially at single-pitch crags. New lightweight sporty designs influenced by cycle helmets changed all that. Go to most crags these days, even sport climbing venues and you will see many, if not most climbers wearing a he...

Wild Country have two new helmets to protect your noggin, one, the Alpine Shield, is a modular helmet.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=07&year=2008#n45222

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

The prices look good, but explain to me why this isn't total marketting?

Helmet's that really do do it all are made by Salewa - they're rated for Kayakng and Cycling too.

WC've just matched the product categories that Petzl started, both the Meteor or that cheap budget £30 ish one, and the daft Robocop one with the visor which admittedly they've made `modular' or tinkered with, and gone for a slice of the market with the buy British USP - as BD have already got in on the light weight helmet action for the Us of A for at least a year now

I asume the lack of any data I can find easily, in particular with regards to product weight, is because the Meteor III's still lighter?

And even if the 360 is lighter, then I'm sorry WC, early 2009 is three years too late! As I expect my Meteor will more than last until then (as long as I don't lose it or put it in airport hold baggage which is what happened to my last two).

In reply to Wildcountry: Does seem they've created a product which doesn't need to exist... are you REALLY going to be putting in an extra plate to give you extra protection? Why wouldn't you just use the plate all the time and afford more protection whilst cragging too. If its purely based on weight then surely a few grammes here or there is not going to matter that much? Sorry Wild Country - don't want to put a downer on it but don't quite understand...

In reply to Mike and Paz:

Chaps I think you are both being unfairly critical.

What is the perfect helmet?

Well I think it is one that is as light and airy as the BD tracer or Petzl Meteor, and as robust and with as much top down protection as the Ecrin Roc/Vertex.

Well if you want lightness and side of head protecion for cragging and a hard as tails lid for the mountains it generally means 2 helmets and a £110 investment. Nobody wants to have to but 2 helmets.

I have not seen one of these new WC ones yet so I am going to reserve judgement untill I have. On the other hand I don't believe either of you have seen one either so perhaps you should do likewise. Sneering at inovation does not do anyone any favours.


All the best.

In reply to Richard Hall: Certainly not sneering. Just questioning whether people really buy two helmets and whether there is a real need for their product. I know just as well as you do what real innovation means and how it can affect what we do in the world and somehow I don't see how this helmet is THAT groundbreaking. What its doing is compromising on both specifications and more than likely being master of neither - thats the way of engineering - build one area up and lose in another. However if they really have managed to make the perfect helmet then of coure they deserve congratulations. I'm just sceptical... Now if you were to talk to me about the Edelrid Madrillo helmet, well that really IS innovative - it addresses an actual need...

In reply to Richard Hall:

I sneer at dubious claims of innovation,I celebrat the genuine artticle as much as anyone.

Why do they go to all the effort of telling us you get a free bag for it yet neglect to simply put the prototype on some kitchen scales and tell us its weight? Trade secrets?

In reply to Paz:

Should have the weights by tomorrow Paz. Hope you can wait that long.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I can indeedy. Look forward to them. ta.

In reply to mike kann: I've got two helmets (actually I've got lots more because of older ones) but two I use regularly - one for rock climbing and one for ice climbing. I think having one that could be both is a rather smart idea - particularly as it seems with the cover on its more protection from falling objects rather than just stronger all over. For most of us cragging in the summer, we wear a helmet for it we fall off, rather than for things falling on us. Whilst in winter I regularly get hit on the head from ice falling from above.

Don't know how it will work, but the idea is a good one.