RRC Archives

I couldn't resist. Seems as dumb as any other poll around here.

I don't, only when tradding.

I chose no, but you need an option for "Only when at an event where it is required". So that the guides and impromptu instructors have an excuse for wearing them when clients are around.

Funny, I made a quick edit after I first posted, and the poll options were still there. Now they're not. Is it possible to edit the poll now?

i flipped upside down about a year ago. my foot was not behind my rope when i started falling - but when i barn-doored off, it caught just enough of the heel of my foot to flip me. fortunately my reaction was pretty good and i avoided smacking my head. i now wear a helmet whenever i tie into the sharp end - even on the 5.5 that i did the other day.

i also remember an incident last june where some guy from miguel's needed a belay. he got up past the 2nd and had the rope behind his leg. i kept telling him "watch your leg" and he would say "yeah, i know" but when he moved, he fell - rope still behind his leg. head wounds bleed a lot. even though it was a tiny cut, blood was on me and my rope bag. it was a minor cut and he was fine (or so he claimed) - but what a quick way to ruin your day.

i did some homework and decided to buy the Petzl Meteor III - it's pricey at almost $100 - but it's also very ventilated and so light that i have been known to honestly forget that i'm wearing it (235 grams)

life's short. mistakes happen. besides, i bet my helmet cost a lot less than an ER visit + 12 stitches.

I agree Josephine. My wife did the ol' flip upside down and crack your head open. She has a big scar in the back of her head now. And lost a whole lot of her zeal for climbing. She hasn't lead in two years.

Seems like climbing helmets are mostly geared towards rockfall and not the types of impacts experienced while flipping on lead. I sometimes wear the helmet when tradding but I really feel like it's just another piece of faith pro.
Usually I'm belaying when I'm thinking my helmet would've been a good idea.

You guys need to climb steeper routes. I have fallen head first a couple times, I only hit a lot of air.

I say the belayer is the one that needs a helmet in the red. Especially at new cliffs.

steep routes do not make you immune from hitting the rock if your belay is bad; andrew.

Depends on the place. At the Red, no. But, I've climbed at crags where wearing a helmet is strongly advisable, even for sport climbers, because of the tour-ons knocking stuff down from the top of the cliff.