I need a cool helmet for hiking

Solo hikes and taking my boys, about the only thing that would really foul things up is if I were knocked out.
My skiing helmet is too hot, even in the winter. I've got a bike helmet I may try next, but are there any hiking/climbing helmets that you can recommend that are relatively light and cool.
My kevlar brain bucket is chic, but it scares the tourists.

Is there any real danger of being knocked out while hiking? Climbing is one thing, but hiking? I can't imagine any scenerio where a helmet would be a useful safety item.

-dave-

I would love to see the expressions on peoples faces if they saw you strolling by with a helmet on (No offense). Other than that I am rather confused as to why one would ever need a helmet to hike in.

I wear one like this. They're pretty easy to make and it seems to give pretty good head protection.

-Dr. Wu

Now, the fellow asked about finding a 'cool' helmet to wear. I'm not certain he bargained for a big discussion as to why in the world he would want wear it. As his motivation seems to be to protect his children, I don't think we need to invoke insanity or fear of cosmic rays from outer space.

If I'm not mistaken, the gentleman who died on the AT near Madison Hut last year may have had a fairly serious head injury from a fall the day before. I'm not saying it's common.

Now, if the thread leads to a cool lightweight helmet for my 9 month old son, then I'm interested. He falls down with great frequency while climbing or 'hiking'.

David Metsky said:

I can't imagine any scenerio where a helmet would be a useful safety item.
-dave-

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Coming off Bear Mtn into Sages by myself on an overnight in February I slipped with a 45lb pack
and ended up face down between some boulders. This is when the above thought struck me.
I'm young enough to do it and old enough not to care what I look like.

I'm forever whacking my noggin on low branches, especially while descending rough trails. This comes about partly because my bifocals require me to tilt my head down further than normal as I check my footing and partly because I normally wear a brimmed hat that restricts my view. So far I've just dinged up my scalp somewhat, but there is a potential for knocking myself senseless. Maybe a baseball cap with a sturdier-than-usual or padded crown would save me some lumps. Can't see myself with a helmet, though.

Headbanger

Tramper Al said:

Now, the fellow asked about finding a 'cool' helmet to wear. I'm not certain he bargained for a big discussion as to why in the world he would want wear it. As his motivation seems to be to protect his children, I don't think we need to invoke insanity or fear of cosmic rays from outer space.

Click to expand...

I wasn't passing judgement. I've known people who have had bad head injuried and had to wear a helmet for any outdoor activity they did.

But I also couldn't resist putting that picture of Rick Moranis from Ghostbusters. If I weren't so lazy I'd probably design and wear a helmet like that while hiking. Keeps the crowds away!

-Dr. Wu

If we're talking about a serious helmet for adventure, consider the Kong Scarab. I know a few people who are considering them for multisport -- they're euro-rated EN 12492 and U.I.A.A. 106 for climbing on rock and ice, EN 1078 for cycling, mountain bike, skate board, EN 1385 for kayaking, canoeing, hydro-speed, and EN 1384 for horse riding. Not rated for skiing, but the cross-utility for whitewater and mountaineering is what attracts me, especially at only 9 oz. Not outrageously more expensive than single-sport helmets.

I will confess that this all does sound a bit strange. Bushwhacking is one place I usually wear a ball cap, but I do ski in a helmet (always for lift-served, sometimes for big-mountain backcountry, never for touring unless big-mountain is ahead and it's bitterly cold). Likewise, I have worn my climbing helmet on snowy hiking trails after mountaineering when it is particularly bitter or wet ... but I would not do this outside the snowy seasons.

If you're worried about really protecting the face, though, maybe you want a full-face?

dr_wu002 said:

I wear one like this. They're pretty easy to make and it seems to give pretty good head protection.

-Dr. Wu

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Dr. Wu, I think you should wear that baby in an electrical storm just to rearrange a few of those wacky synaptic connections of yours!

Chip, this is what we wore while out in the Rockies. If price is a concern this is a good bet. You can find ones with better ventilation but I'm pretty sure you'd be satisfied with this.
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...&FOLDER<>folder_id=825935&bmUID=1114708883393

And this is what it looked like on my kid:
http://neil.webcentre.ca/outdoor pursuits/rockies/100_0795.html

el-bagr said:

If we're talking about a serious helmet for adventure, consider the Kong Scarab. I know a few people who are considering them for multisport -- they're euro-rated EN 12492 and U.I.A.A. 106 for climbing on rock and ice, EN 1078 for cycling, mountain bike, skate board, EN 1385 for kayaking, canoeing, hydro-speed, and EN 1384 for horse riding. Not rated for skiing, but the cross-utility for whitewater and mountaineering is what attracts me, especially at only 9 oz. Not outrageously more expensive than single-sport helmets.

Click to expand...

Here is a review of the Kong Scarab from Climbing Magazine: http://www.climbing.com/equipment/kongs/

I haven't tried the Kong, but it seems to solve one of my big complaints about most climbing helmets: poor ventilation. This problem would be magnified in a more aerobic activity like hiking. So I would consider most of these inadequate for your purposes.

If you already have a well-ventilated bike helmet, it would seemingly provide adequate protection. The only thing a bike helmet would not do as well as a climbing helmet is protect against falling on hard objects small enough to penetrate within the ventilation holes.

Neil, I've seen the Camp's, the Petzl Ecrin Roc and Scarabs look a little better ventilated.

el-bagr, the Scarab looks perfect, thanks.

I'm surprised this is such a topic. Helmets are default in most sports now, not like when I was a kid.
The only people wearing helmets then, well, NEEDED a helmet.
My wife's a trauma nurse, so if it makes her happy that I'm safer in the woods, that's reason enough for me.
It really cracks me up that someone might NOT wear a helmet because of how it looks !
Well, look for me, I'll be hard to miss. Maybe I'll stencil a big VFTT on it !

How cool is this ?

Multi-Sport Certified In Europe
Ultra Lightweight
Excellent Ventilation
Headlamp Attachment System
Can be used for most Disciplines
Easy to Adjust

I'm not saying I'd ever wear a helmet while hiking, but the need has come up. This past fall while hiking MacNaughton, we were ascending the streambed. I was watching my footing while stepping up, but not looking above my head where a 6 inch diameter tree lay across the split in the rocks I was climbing in. When my head connected, I felt the impact all the way down to my sacrum (tailbone) and heard the CRACK all the way down. That's the only time I can remember whacking my head while hiking, though. (Knock on wood...)

I've never considered the need for a helmet for falls in walking pace activites. I think your risk of a serious injury that a helmet would prevent is extremely low, but that's gut feel, not based on any data. I don't know of anyone who sustained a serious head injury from a fall while hiking, but again, that doesn't mean anything in the long run.

Personally, I think the discomfort factor would be pretty high especially on a hot day or under heavy exertion. A baseball cap makes me noticably hotter. If you feel more comfortable and safe with a helmet, then I'm all for it. I think a bike helmet would provide a good protection/comfort ratio.

-dave-

Chip said:

Coming off Bear Mtn into Sages by myself on an overnight in February I slipped with a 45lb pack and ended up face down between some boulders.

Click to expand...

I think I know exactly where this happened. Did you catch the bottom of your pack on one of the "steps" and have it try to flip you over face first while trying to step down?

I almost had that exact thing happen to me on a solo trip in that spot many years ago.

I have also had my pack almost push me off a cliff when I went to turn around and the pack pushed into the cliff face almost launching me into the void. I was solo on this trip also but for a split second I actually thought that someone tried to push me off the cliff.

Surviving these stupid encounters has now made me wise. I move like a sloth now in dangerous areas.

Keith

SAR-EMT40 said:

I think I know exactly where this happened. Did you catch the bottom of your pack on one of the "steps" and have it try to flip you over face first while trying to step down?
I almost had that exact thing happen to me on a solo trip in that spot many years ago.
Keith

Click to expand...

Yes sir. We are comrades !
It all happens quite quickly and then you're, like, okay my wrists aren't broken and I don't see any blood...

Chip,
I've checked them out and agree that the Petzl Ecrin Roc is the one to get (at least if you're not going too technical).
The adjustments are attached to the helmet as opposed to the strapping plus it allows more head room for a hat in winter, it's well ventilated, and can be used for ice or rock climbing.
The only downfall is the chin strap, so maybe making a felt band to put on it will help with chaffing.
As far as looking cool....nope....everyone looks like they work for the telephone company when they wear one (especially yellow!).
EMS has their 20% sale this weekend so the $78 helmet would be $62.
http://www.ems.com/index.jsp;jsessionid=Cx048Q6wNJ8wbx7nlq29Ws8Sqlqc6dxgn9urNiGDCcA332FbB2gk!-202582874!174391831!7005!8005
Good luck,
Bill

One thing you might want to consider is fitting a headlamp on your helmet if you use it mainly for hiking.

My kayak helmet would be a good match

I don't have the typical military-biker style kayak helmet. It is more like a bicycle helmet but it is very light, made to drain quickly, and is chromed, in order to reflect sunlight and stay cool. It was fairly cheap too, i think I bough it at Dicks.

Mike

I can definitly understand the desire to wear a helmet when hiking. I've hit my head falling while hiking on ice a few times with enough force to get dizzy and see stars. And that has been a relatively small fall of only about 5 feet. I am always falling over when hiking! My tail bone still hurts from when I fell on the Dickey slabs two weeks ago.
What? Where am I? Oh ya..... Helmets....
I have a Scarpo helmet that I used before I gave up rock climbing last year. It wouldn't be a bad choice, but a plastic rock helmet like that intentionally doesn't have much ventilation because it's meant to prevent piercing-type injuries from falling rocks and ice from above. A foam helmet is meant to shatter upon serious impact and obsorb energy, and this is what I would like to have on my head if I ever fell, say 20 feet on the North Tripyramid slide and hit my head.
Given the emphasis that the Solo Wilderness First Aid course places on preventing head injuries, they must happen to people who hike.