Helmet notes after the BONK
Having taken a hard head hit on May 9, I have been looking at my helmets again and chewing on what I can do to lower my risk. The helmet I was wearing on the river when I hit my head was an old fiberglass model with a thin foam lining. People criticize my helmet but it has served me well. It's my summer helmet, sparkly and red, chosen because I can wear shades and a hat with visor under it. Protection from the sun is key for my summertime Idaho adventures. That helmet has taken lots of dings and people tell me that it should be replaced, but to me it seems as good now as it was before the first ding 20 years ago. This helmet was the replacement for a sparkly green carbon fiber helmet that actually did show signs for serious breakage.
Still, out of respect for all those who say I should get a new helmet, I ordered a Sweet Stutter. I didn't know when I ordered it that it's the only Sweet helmet that got a 1/5 rating. When it showed up and I felt the shell and the lining my first thought was "this is no better than my old helmet". If I took the same type of blow wearing that strutter, the result would be the same. The strutter lining actually feels stiffer/harder than the foam in my old helmet. The shell would do no different. I've added some foam padding to make the strutter at least as cushy as my old glass helmet.
The Strutter is different off-the-shelf from my old helmet in a few ways. First, it has a stiff integral visor, which will provide better protection for my nose than a ball cap visor. Second, the lining (I can't call it padding) is tight to the temples, improving coverage at a crucial area for facial injuries, but making it difficult to wear sunglasses.
I learned (from reading the instructions, can you imagine?) that if your sweet helmet gets too hot (over 150F) you should replace it. They don't say why. Also, you take a hit wearing a Sweet helmet they'll give you 40% off a replacement. I've taken a lot of hits wearing sweet helmets but never thought they needed replacement. Maybe my brain does but that's a different matter.
My need for sunglasses is partly because I'm a blue eyed European, and partly that I have banged my head on so many rocks that I seem to be permanently sound and light sensitive. It's not a good sign, I know. As soon as I start feeling pretty good without headaches or sensitivities, I bang my head on another rock. I figure taking a few bumps is just part of being a whitewater kayaker; players take hits in most sports. But the brain is a tender, spongy thing...
The question is of course where to draw the line. At this point I suspect I've given myself a case of CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, that brain problem football players and boxers get. I won't be surprised if I experience earlier memory loss and possibly personality change or dementia thanks to my recreation. I have already arranged to donate my brain to the OHSU brain bank. You can say I'm a fool but I have to say, it's been really fun. I'm a fool for wild rivers and all the fantastic people I have met along the way. There's a price to pay for any choice.
My winter helmet is a Sweet Rocker. It's comfortable, warm, and provides great coverage. They stretch a little with age but are IMO the best creeking helmet available. Another neat thing about the rocker is that it floats enough to actually help you get to the surface to fire off a roll--and makes it easier to hand-of-god rescue a person wearing it. The hard plastic visor can break and is replaceable. It has ear pads that you can put in for warmth in the winter, or take out so you can hear better.
There is a full face version of the Rocker. I am not convinced that I would benefit from a full face helmet. The weight of it, and the challenges to communication, are negatives enough. So far I haven't missed the benefit of protecting my chin. I probably should not have written that, or put my boat on the car backwards, ever, but I'm not as superstitious as some.
I have another helmet, stashed in Tennessee. It's a WRSI, an older model with ventilation holes in the shell. It fits OK, allows sunglasses, has a basket-type inner harness for my skull. My main complaint with that helmet is the way it dumps a bucket full of water down my face every time I roll. It takes a couple seconds to clear my vision, and sometimes seconds count.
For those wanting to dig deeper into helmet tech, Boyd Ruppelt recently did a podcast on helmets in which he interviews a football oriented helmet researcher and a Sweet helmet rep. There's a lot of good info in there but it's an hour and 40 minutes long. What I learned: Hair makes a slip layer that functions much like MIPS to reduce rotational forces (good concussion prevention). Hits to the side of the head are more likely to concuss than hits to the front. A big helmet with some wiggle room actually helps reduce concussions (you don't want your helmet to fit tight after all). There's more in that podcast but you'll have to listen to get it.
Also, for those who are interested in the new arrangement of rocks at Boulder Rapid in the Sandy Gorge, Rob Cruser shared his photos and videos. These were taken at a level about 100cfs lower than when I bonked my head.
A different helmet would not have changed the outcome of my May 9 incident, so I am contemplating further ramping down the difficulty of the runs I attempt, taking a more conservative approach to the runs I do attempt, using a more stable boat (though I do love my 9R), becoming a packrafter or even a rafter... It's too soon to say exactly what will change, but changes are afoot.
