My snark-shake brings all the boys to the yard...

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Guyon said:
With two young children to take care of, I'm sort of big on not smashing my skull in. I don't give a shit how uncool I look or who makes fun of me. Because screw them. :p

Same goes for longboarding.
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There's a very interesting change happening in climbing right now. As the sport/activity is being embraced by more recreational users, the use of climbing helmets is also increasing. Some of this has to do with the advances in helmet construction, which allow for lighter, more attractive and more protective helmets, but the change also reflects a change in attitudes; rock climbing and especially cragging do not have to be pursued as the life threatening sport often portrayed on media.
 
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gmoneyluv said:
There's a very interesting change happening in climbing right now. As the sport/activity is being embraced by more recreational users, the use of climbing helmets is also increasing. Some of this has to do with the advances in helmet construction, which allow for lighter, more attractive and more protective helmets, but the change also reflects a change in attitudes; rock climbing and especially cragging does not have to be pursued as the life threatening sport often portrayed on media.
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I have absolutely no problem with people making personal choices about their levels of risk in a sport. I would never tell another adult s/he has to wear a helmet.
That's just my choice. Having taken a header or two over the handlebars of a mountain bike and having catapulted off a longboard, I know how quickly the unexpected/unintended can become a reality.
As I've done more and more reading about climbing the past week or two, I saw where John Sherman, the "godfather of bouldering," even wears a helmet when bouldering. Of course, he needs both hands now to count all his concussions. :p
 
I did some snowboarding for the first time in my life a few months ago. Thank goodness I had a helmet on for a couple of my spills, it's amazing at how quickly you can go from in complete control to tumbling down the mountain.

My hunch is climbing is much the same story.
 
dynamicmoves said:
It wasn't so much a being cool thing, I threw that out the window when I declared my major. Was more that I didn't have money and the thought never occurred to me. When I think safety equipment in climbing I think ropes and biners and stuff.
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My wife and I started climbing in the 80s and helmets were definitely not cool. You would wear them in the mountains, but not while cragging. We were rebelling against the conservative ideals and tactics of the previous generations - concepts that were somehow embodied by helmets. I realize this sounds silly now, but it made sense back then.
 
Guyon said:
I have absolutely no problem with people making personal choices about their levels of risk in a sport. I would never tell another adult s/he has to wear a helmet.
That's just my choice. Having taken a header or two over the handlebars of a mountain bike and having catapulted off a longboard, I know how quickly the unexpected/unintended can become a reality.
As I've done more and more reading about climbing the past week or two, I saw where John Sherman, the "godfather of bouldering," even wears a helmet when bouldering. Of course, he needs both hands now to count all his concussions. :p
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Wow G, you are doing your homework. We've known Sherman since his early days at Hueco (Triggs has some entertaining stories) and we were surprised when he made his decision to wear a helmet while bouldering. I have to say it makes sense, even though in most cases it's not necessary (less necessary?) and is still not a popular option for that aspect of the sport. Sherman's stance on this issue makes even more sense when his passion for highball bouldering is added to the equation.
 
Guyon said:
With two young children to take care of, I'm sort of big on not smashing my skull in. I don't give a shit how uncool I look or who makes fun of me. Because screw them. :p

Especially for longboarding.

ETA: I really like this video. I like the song, and I like pintails. But every time I watch it, right at the solid click at 1:04, I think, "what if that dude didn't have a helmet?"

[video=youtube_share;mXqmRAUsn9U]http://youtu.be/mXqmRAUsn9U[/video]
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Speechless. What a great vid and soundtrack.
 
gmoneyluv said:
My wife and I started climbing in the 80s and helmets were definitely not cool. You would wear them in the mountains, but not while cragging. We were rebelling against the conservative ideals and tactics of the previous generations - concepts that were somehow embodied by helmets. I realize this sounds silly now, but it made sense back then.
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Oh, well, I almost never see helmets except in beginner classes.
Guyon said:
How is that not cool?
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I was weak, I switched from comp sci to math.
Guyon said:
I can read like nobody's business. I just hope I can climb. :D
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you can do it!
 
Guyon, you'd love Orangatang's youtube vids. I used to longboard for years in highschool and a bit after, I even competed in a downhill race or two and spent countless hours online watching youtube vids of riders I liked. Always enjoyed O'tangs vids
 
dynamicmoves said:
Oh, well, I almost never see helmets except in beginner classes.
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Yeah, ten years ago or more, I probably would have thought little about it. Children put things in a different perspective. A longer perspective.
 
Guyon said:
Yeah, ten years ago or more, I probably would have thought little about it. Children put things in a different perspective. A longer perspective.
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How right you are sir :( My wife didn't mind me still taking my sport bike to the track when we had our first. As soon as she was pregnant with our second I had to sell the bike. As soon the last one turns 18 I plan on spending the following day motorcycle shopping.
 
Guyon said:
With two young children to take care of, I'm sort of big on not smashing my skull in. I don't give a shit how uncool I look or who makes fun of me. Because screw them. :p

Especially for longboarding.

ETA: I really like this video. I like the song, and I like pintails. But every time I watch it, right at the solid click at 1:04, I think, "what if that dude didn't have a helmet?"

[video=youtube_share;mXqmRAUsn9U]http://youtu.be/mXqmRAUsn9U[/video]
Click to expand...

Guyon said:
I have absolutely no problem with people making personal choices about their levels of risk in a sport. I would never tell another adult s/he has to wear a helmet.
That's just my choice. Having taken a header or two over the handlebars of a mountain bike and having catapulted off a longboard, I know how quickly the unexpected/unintended can become a reality.
As I've done more and more reading about climbing the past week or two, I saw where John Sherman, the "godfather of bouldering," even wears a helmet when bouldering. Of course, he needs both hands now to count all his concussions. :p
Click to expand...

gmoneyluv said:
My wife and I started climbing in the 80s and helmets were definitely not cool. You would wear them in the mountains, but not while cragging. We were rebelling against the conservative ideals and tactics of the previous generations - concepts that were somehow embodied by helmets. I realize this sounds silly now, but it made sense back then.
Click to expand...
Kinda the same thing with bike helmets, and around here grate bridges. Coincidentally, we had an indoor rock climbing birthday party for my eldest and I was talking with one of the other dads about riding the grate bridges rather than getting off and walking. Up until I had kids, I always rode them. Every year here, about a dozen people go down on these metal gate bridges and ( as you can imagine) it ain't pretty... fingers going into the grates and being snapped is the least of what usually happens, all because people are too afraid ( or lazy) to be seen as "weak" by getting off and walking. Met an EMT (friend now) who saw my LIVESTRONG bracelet and said "please don't tell me you ride those bridges" and proceeded to tell me about the dozens of calls he'd been on. …...no more do I ride on those bridges, I just count my blessings that I was never one of the casualties. Tens of thousands of miles on bicycles and never hit my head once, but I won't ride without a helmet. Bottom line, it can't hurt, and it sure as sh!t could save your life. We don't have a helmet law for motorcycles in NH, and while I respect people's right not to wear one, I still think it's dumb. My brother called it the theory of modern Darwinism.... a brain that isn't smart enough to protect itself maybe won't pass those genes on.....
 
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