Hi team,
Looking for some advice here. I need a helmet for white water rafting, Kayaking, Wingfoiling and possibly surfing.
I came accross this model on the Decathlon website. It seems to be a hard/soft type, Hard when you hit it, soft when you gently squeeze it.
Have anyone tried it before?
I’m an open boater, and I have to admit that most of the hits I’ve had on my head while whitewater paddling aren’t from rocks but from the paddle getting hung up on something and snapping back - it can pack a wallop. I’ve never seen anyone around here wearing a helmet like that on whitewater trips. If I was a kayaker with a roll (which I am not), I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable being upside-down with my head bouncing off rocks with a soft helmet. This looks like it was designed more for surfing. More traditional paddling helmets here:
There are many others. I use the WRSI Current.
So are you really a paddler looking for advice, or are you looking for feedback on Decathlon products. You have two posts and they are both about Decathlon. Just an observation…
A while back, the ACA reported on a study of white water helmets that looked at how much protection they provided from concussions. Here is their report, which contains a link to the study
That said, I have been thinking about whether concussions are a main injury that helmets need to protect against for kayakers, and am not sure it is. Musing out loud here, so take with grain of salt. The wacks I have had when boating have been short but sharp - ones that would make a nice lump if I didn’t have a helmet, but not likely a concussion. Protecting from scraping on barnacle/mussel covered rocks when upside down seems important. Protecting neck/back also seems important. Full face to protect from paddle taking out your nose/teeth. None of these later risks were tested, just concussions.
Decathalon wasn’t tested. If you do get it. let us know what you think.
To be conked on the head enough to be either disorientated or unconscious doesn’t mean you have a concussion. BUT you are still upside down and in the water, not able to breathe air. A soft helmet is no better than a Neo hood for that. Go Hard-shell!