Skylark 0 #1 January 11, 2004 Be honest. What sort of protection will this weak piece of bendy plastic give my skull in a 30mph freefall collision? The design doesn't cover one's forehead either. Admit it. You wear it because it looks good. "Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #2 January 11, 2004 ??? Perhaps you meant Gath? It's a surfer's helmet. Some freefliers started jumping them before any skydiving helmet manufacturer had even thought about making "freefly" helmets. Pretty much every "freefly" helmet on the market today was based on the design of the Gath. Check out some early Mindwarps if you don't believe me... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chrisky 2 #3 January 11, 2004 Well, they are a good mount for audibles as well...The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open. From the edge you just see more. ... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #4 January 11, 2004 No skydiving helmets offer really good head protection, so the field of comparison is pretty limited. That said, the Gath helmet offers the least amount of protection of any. Personally, I would avoid them. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #5 January 12, 2004 Quote... in a 30mph freefall collision? You don't get to pick what kind of accident your head is going to have. There are small accidents, medium ones, and large ones. A Gath helmet may completely or partially protect your head in a small accident. Personally, I have a tendency to whack my head against the wing or the door on the 182. I reckon even a Gath helmet or a frap hat would make this hurt less than naked skull. (But I wear a Protec.) -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clownburner 0 #6 January 12, 2004 I don't think a Gath helmet is going to help much. But it would probably provide good protection against having your ear ripped off by a riser, and it gives you a place to mount your audible. I think it falls squarely in the 'better than nothing' category, but I would prefer something a little harder. No skydiving helmet will protect you in a 30-mph collision, although a protec would probably help the most (so long as you didn't hit face-first) 7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rigging65 0 #7 January 12, 2004 Gaths do a great job of keeping your nogin from getting torn up by door frames, the ground whatever. They are limited to abrasion resistance, IMO, but there really aren't many helmets out there right now that give you much in the way of impact resistance. The ProTec is probably the best for that. If you take a 30mph. mid air impact, nothing you wear is going to keep you conscience or unbroken. Do you think you could get out of a car do 30mph. (into a solid object) and come away ok? I'm doubting it. I agree that the Gath is low end when it comes to preventing severe head injuries, but it'll help with those heavy bleeding lacerations! "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyinghuntster 0 #8 January 12, 2004 Having all the info out there on the styles and functionality of helmets. What would a seasoned jumper recomemnd for a "Leg" that is just starting out and wants to buy the correct helmet the first time? All I think that I'll want to do is some free flying and a little formation stuff down the road. When I have jumped in the past I had a BIG kevlar helmet on that prevented the C-130 from beating you up when you don't get out far enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BASE813 0 #9 January 12, 2004 QuoteNo skydiving helmets offer really good head protection, so the field of comparison is pretty limited. That said, the Gath helmet offers the least amount of protection of any. /reply] I saw a guy have a flat fly collison whislt wearing a full face apparent "decent" skydiving helmet - it may have stopped him being killed but it still knocked him out (cypress save) and mashed his face up good and proper. So yes, all skydiving helmets are shit for collision............... with the forces and speeds involved you are gonna get hurt what ever.....most helmets will protect only the odd knock and scrape - thats all........ saying that a Gath is much like wearing your grandmothers dutch cap.............. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rigging65 0 #10 January 12, 2004 IMO, probably the best all around helmet design is a Carbon Composite full face without a lens. It's all about tradeoffs of course... No skydiving helmet is very good when it comes to impact resistance...some are better than others, but not by too much. You could wear a motorcycle helmet for better impact protection, but then you've limited mobility and added weight. Having chin/jaw protection is a pretty good idea as well. A good shot to the jaw will knock you out real-quick...and there are always hands, feet, legs, whatever flailing along out there. You'll never keep track of them all. I prefer not to have a lens in the helmet because it's one more thing to deal with and I don't like to have a large, curved lens in front of my eyes when I land. I jumped a flip-up for many years and it worked fine, except when I had to clean the lens, replace it, whatever. If you choose to leave the lens in front of your eyes, the distortion can cause issues on landing (especially near sunset...as the scar on my knee will attest to...) Now I just jump with tight fitting glasses and an open full face. Goggles would work just as well. You're giving up a bit of protection when you get rid of the large lens...but like I said, it's a trade off. If the lens blows open (or off!) than you've compromised your vision. If you're screwing around getting the lens open and not paying attention to others under canopy, you've compromised yourself yet again. A good set of goggles or glasses that don't have too much distortion work well for me! Most of the big-brand full face helmets available offer at least some padding inside (which helps for harder impacts). Carbon fibre helmets can take a pretty severe beating before they fracture (which absorbs that energy meant for your melon). Of course, anything on your dome will help protect you from scrapes and scratches...which is always good. Keeping your ears covered is a trade off as well: Leave them uncovered so you can hear under canopy leaves them vulnerable to riser slap. Keeping them covered reduces how much you hear under canopy. IMO, keeping your head on a swivel is better protection than being able to hear...especially when you're hauling the mail under a little HP rocketship. IMO, protecting your vision, maintaining as wide a field of view as possible, some internal padding, good abrasion resistance, and jaw and temple protection are what I would be concerned with when buying a helmet. FWIW, I jump a Factory Diver w/o a lens and have for the past 800 or so jumps. I've used it for RW, freefly, AFF and Tandems....works well, all the way around. That's my $.02, take it as you will... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
rigging65 0 #10 January 12, 2004 IMO, probably the best all around helmet design is a Carbon Composite full face without a lens. It's all about tradeoffs of course... No skydiving helmet is very good when it comes to impact resistance...some are better than others, but not by too much. You could wear a motorcycle helmet for better impact protection, but then you've limited mobility and added weight. Having chin/jaw protection is a pretty good idea as well. A good shot to the jaw will knock you out real-quick...and there are always hands, feet, legs, whatever flailing along out there. You'll never keep track of them all. I prefer not to have a lens in the helmet because it's one more thing to deal with and I don't like to have a large, curved lens in front of my eyes when I land. I jumped a flip-up for many years and it worked fine, except when I had to clean the lens, replace it, whatever. If you choose to leave the lens in front of your eyes, the distortion can cause issues on landing (especially near sunset...as the scar on my knee will attest to...) Now I just jump with tight fitting glasses and an open full face. Goggles would work just as well. You're giving up a bit of protection when you get rid of the large lens...but like I said, it's a trade off. If the lens blows open (or off!) than you've compromised your vision. If you're screwing around getting the lens open and not paying attention to others under canopy, you've compromised yourself yet again. A good set of goggles or glasses that don't have too much distortion work well for me! Most of the big-brand full face helmets available offer at least some padding inside (which helps for harder impacts). Carbon fibre helmets can take a pretty severe beating before they fracture (which absorbs that energy meant for your melon). Of course, anything on your dome will help protect you from scrapes and scratches...which is always good. Keeping your ears covered is a trade off as well: Leave them uncovered so you can hear under canopy leaves them vulnerable to riser slap. Keeping them covered reduces how much you hear under canopy. IMO, keeping your head on a swivel is better protection than being able to hear...especially when you're hauling the mail under a little HP rocketship. IMO, protecting your vision, maintaining as wide a field of view as possible, some internal padding, good abrasion resistance, and jaw and temple protection are what I would be concerned with when buying a helmet. FWIW, I jump a Factory Diver w/o a lens and have for the past 800 or so jumps. I've used it for RW, freefly, AFF and Tandems....works well, all the way around. That's my $.02, take it as you will... "...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you long to return..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
