Plummet said..

.. say 85% of these people could potentially still be alive....

lostinlondon said..

...

But, as you stated, it's the times when you launch and land that are the greatest risk. And then there are those times when you come in to shore because it's come up too windy and you need to extricate yourself from it.

Saffer said..
Agree with this.

I think these are common mistakes. I've done the same thing myself and been fortunate enough to tell the tale. Out kiting on a 12m bow kite, 45 squall, kite touching the water at the edge of the window and there was still enough power to drag me to shore on my board standing and square to the kite trying to slow myself. Fortunately when I hit shore someone got to the kite.

The second mistake is not holding their QR in preparation for the worst. Having one hand on the QR means reacting faster than trying to find it when you need to.

The final mistake I've seen is delays in pulling on the QR under the mistaken believe they can recover a kite. Even if you recover it, chances are it will go through the powerzone. I'm not sure why people attach more value to their kite than their own lives, but I've seen that happen more times than I can count instead of people just pulling their QR.

Freddofrog said..



After watching a heap of kitemare youtube videos when first getting into kiting, that was my conclusion too. Almost all serious accidents happen in gusty conditions. So when it's gusty, I go play with one of my other toys, not worth the risk.

Freddofrog said..



That's what insurance is for, and a cab doesn't have $1000's worth of life saving gear, or highly trained professions operating it, or access to support systems, or pretty lights and annoying sirens to get you to hospital quicker etc etc etc etc etc etc



Problem with this is you set a bad example for kids. We parents then have to explain why the guy (it's always a guy) is an idiot for both disobeying the law and not being safe..........and no you can't take your helmet off too....if he jumped of a bridge would you do that too. I don't actually say that but you get my point.

Gorgo said..

I don't think it has anything to do with coolness. The vast majority of kiteboarders are older males. Most of us are beyond caring about cool.

Every other sport that uses helmets has purpose built helmets for that sport, with standards to ensure they are fit for purpose.

The vast majority of helmets used in kiteboarding are adapted from other sports and are not really fit for purpose. They're all too big, too heavy, have too much drag, and too much wind noise. They greatly contribute to the possibility of neck injuries and they're ridiculously uncomfortable.

Think back over the years and think of how many times you've crashed and whiplashed your head vs the number of impacts to your head you've had.

I have owned most of the popular brands and styles (Gath, various Protec) and they are not good for kiting.

The other issue is availability, which I guess really reflects on commitment from the industry. You can go to a board store and try out any number of snowboard helmets. If you're lucky they might have a few sizes of Gath helmets or the odd skateboarding or snowboarding helmet.

Comparing kiteboarding to cycling is not even remotely valid. According to Sandringham Hospital 85% of cycling injuries come from cyclists riding into stationary obstacles such as parked cars, posts and traffic signs. The ,majority of those injuries are to arms but the chances of your head impacting the obstacle are huge, especially if you riding head forward on a road bike. Last time I looked all the posts and signs in the sea and on the beach were easily avoided by just moving somewhere else.

Freddofrog said..



Protect Ace Wake is what I use. More protection than Gath helmets which are only really designed for deflecting surfboards. Also more comfortable, and ear pieces are removable. Around $80 online if you look hard enough.

Plummet said..

Lets face it. The helmet wearers will continue to wear helmets. The none helmet wearers will not. Every now and then an accident will happen. The helmet wearing guy will stand a better chance of living. Though helmet wearing is not the answer to stopping injuries or death.

The answer to that I believe is better knowledge or weather, ensuring we do ride overpowered and having a various well practiced "oh ****" plans if something goes wrong.

kitebt said..
Actually I don't get your point. If as a parent and I am one myself and always wear a helmet when I am with my kids to set a good example I can't explain to them the difference between adults making decisions for themselves and kids not being able to make those decisions then perhaps you need to look at your parenting style. Harshly judging other people in front of your kids and calling them idiots is going to do a lot more damager long term to your kids development. Bottom line is adults are able to assess risk and make informed decisions based on that risk. Kids can not. Maybe explaining that to your kids will give them a much greater understanding about themselves then judging other adults.