Displaying items by tag: ski helmets
Buying a helmet? Look for its certification
If you are choosing a ski or snowboard helmet it should meet the necessary safety certification. In Europe this is CEN 1077 (class A or B – class A helmets, the most common, have soft ear pads, class B use hard ears); in the US this is ASTM F2040. Helmets with these certifications have passed a test that measures the amount of force transmitted during specific criteria. If participating in racing the following rules apply: SL races, the helmet must conform to a minimum CEN 1077 (class A) and ASTM F2040; GS/SG/DH must conform to CEN 1077 (class B) and ASTM F2040, they must also pass additional testing that results in a non-removable sticker being attached to the outside of the helmet stating ‘racing helmet conform to FIS specifications 2013’.
Not wearing a helmet? Check your insurance!
When I started skiing the only people wearing helmets were ski racers. Tourist skiers simply didn’t need to, as speeds were some much lower.
The accompanying comments above from both Dr Alan Griffiths and Steve Wells are full of interesting facts and if you are a racer I urge you to read Steve’s more detailed article. I thank them both for their contributions.