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Wearing helmets 18-Nov-2005 At 1:00:15 PM sticky

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On 18/11/2005 maxots wrote:
>>I honestly don't see why anyone wouldn't wear a helmet? Especially a model
>like the meteor. Its soo light, will take rock fall and head impacts. And
>dont say their too expensive...your safety is worth it...
>
>>Get helmets and wear them ! Please!

I think one issue here is of perception. If you see the top climbers on photo or video, they are rarely seen with helmets on, sport or trad. Have you ever seen a photo of Caldwell or HB or Forestier climbing in a helmet? I'm sure they have, but it's rare. (I'm not trying to get into judging whether that's good or bad, everyone makes their own choices as to risk and benefit). It's just that, from what I see, it seems that the higher grade a person climbs, the less likely they are to be seen wearing a helmet.

The result is that there's an unspoken assumption that if you wear a helmet you're a bit of a gumby. Especially on bolts. No-one really talks about it because it's a stupid reason not to wear one, but I reckon that one of the reasons people don't wear helmets is because it automatically makes you look like a better climber...

I don't always wear a helmet, especially when I'm visiting the Blueys or doing steep bolted routes, but sometimes I wonder whether that's cos the risk to my head is less or cos I'm just kidding myself.

Kyle