What do you wear on your Nogin!

[kayak1]

Just wondering what type of helmets paddlers are wearing these days...are the days of the Strutter, Rocker over.. but quite a few battered ones around .... seeing lots of SR half cut , and the WRSI lids on the river....or is it simply whatever you think your head is worth...My old favorites were the SR Super scrappy, old Struttter..currently using a carbon half cut.

[wezzzy]

Rocker all the way for me.
Took plenty on knocks with various helmets the Rocker has been the best by far.

[Nedders]

Sweat Strutter.

[jakers-]

Rocker!!

[sshearing228]

Rocker all the way

[TheKrikkitWars]

I still have (if two replacements by sweet count) my original half cut rocker, complete with custom foam where the foam forunner of "occi-lock" fell out after some years of abuse. I also have a Holy Diver, which is excellent, apart from still using the fireball fitpads which creat big channels for cold air/water to get in during the winter months... Unlike the battered old rocker which still lets me keep my hair dry if Idon't roll too much.

[clarky999]

Rocker Fullcut and Fullface, depending on day/river,

[slaughter950]

Super scrappy!

[johnny g]

Rocker FC or Trident.

[Randy Fandango]

Rocker full cut, rocker half cut and a strutter.
Dull dull dull I'm afraid.... :-)
Giles

[clarky999]

Sorry, Trooper fullface, not Rocker as above.

[tomdowns]

the vast majority of people still rock the clittoris helmets due to quality fit and protection.

[Simon Westgarth]

the vast majority of people still rock the clittoris helmets due to quality fit and protection.

Rather than your Bob the builder number, made with a paint brush, by a guy in a shed in BC, next to his greenhouse that grows something that clearly affects his colour choice of every helmet he makes......

[tomdowns]

ha, yea colour choice on my lid wasn't so good, think I'm going to re paint it, It's time for the snot green flames to go and be replaced with some kind of glittery number. Not saying the clittoris helmet isn't good Simon, but since they've changed the padding, my massive head no longer fits even the XL.
And it's BC, who doesn't have a greenhouse.

[mattdennies]

Rocker for me too. After it's saved my head on numerous occasions I will always by the best quality helemt on the market in the future, there's no money saving to be had when it involves your only head.

[Jim_MWX]

Another for the Rocker.

Protects my head against anything I've scraped while rolling etc over the last few years.....

Apart from the fact that all the extra padding fell out on the first contact with water and the glues starting to go a little I've never had a better helmet and would buy one again without a second thought.

That, and when the Screws for the peak had been lost, I emailed sweet about where to get some, was asked for my address, and received a set the next day!

[kayak1]

I have heard a lot of stories about the Rocker helmets, very similar to what has been said here..Foam padding falling out, bits falling out and visors breaking etc. does this mean that there is no better out there! and one feels safe with a popular brand...Ok I feel safe wearing the Strutter knowing it carbon and it looks cool!! and that it will provide reasonable protection. But I feel there is a trend that is still in full swing, dispite other helmets out there... that don't fall apart, or need some DIY or parts etc. But I suppose it could be the vast numbers of Rockers that are out there, where some will break and they are the ones that we will hear about...

[Jim_MWX]

To make it clear on my original post,

Yes, I've had a few padding problems but I bought mine not because it was popular, it was the best they had in the shop, and the only one that I felt offered enough protection. I'd say that it was the sheer amount of these around that makes the problems seem exaggerated, I see more of these helmets than any other.

I still don't understand it when I see people on rivers with baseball style helmets that offer no protection for the temples or rear of neck.

I bought mine not because it looked cool, was remotely fashionable, or was the thing, but offered a level of protection that while it may exist, I haven't seen it. Having said that, perhaps I should have bought one of the old white water helmets, they offer a pretty decent amount of protection too.

[kayak1]

I tend to use my SR (black gold) helmet where I think there may be a risk.. say in big or small water or an unfamilier river..but use the Strutter in the Surf, playspot or lower grade rivers.

[Rdscott]

I still don't understand it when I see people on rivers with baseball style helmets that offer no protection for the temples or rear of neck.

I wear mine because I got it as a warenty replacment for a half cut,apparantly sending me a wanderer or a full cut was not acceptable as they cost more than I payed for my half cut, I was very annoyed and disapinted to say the least but beggers cant be choosers,and to be honest I've scrapedmy hear along the river bead and been ghyll scambeling and canyoning in it with no issues it protects the tempals the back of my neck was a worry but onlytime will tell.

[Jim_MWX]

I still don't understand it when I see people on rivers with baseball style helmets that offer no protection for the temples or rear of neck.

I wear mine because I got it as a warenty replacment for a half cut,apparantly sending me a wanderer or a full cut was not acceptable as they cost more than I payed for my half cut, I was very annoyed and disapinted to say the least but beggers cant be choosers,and to be honest I've scrapedmy hear along the river bead and been ghyll scambeling and canyoning in it with no issues it protects the tempals the back of my neck was a worry but onlytime will tell.

Fair enough if it works for you, they just don't seem to offer anywhere near enough protection. Shame they didn't replace like for like though.

[Lancs_lad]

Rocker for 5 years, abused loads but eventually the padding wore down and it became lose/falling to bits. Replaced it with the new shape wanderer which I feel offers just as much protection for less money and still looks good.

[Sickboy]

I'm at the point of replacing my lid, the two face has done a year and a half, had a few knocks and scrapes and now looks a bit rough, it'll be fine for the concrete ditches, but for the river I'm not sure, the rocker doesn't fit my head well enough for me to stump up such a sum, the wrsi is a terrible fit on my bonce so its looking like a full cut, unless someone can point me towards a european stockist of the TDUB?

[janet brown]

... it'll be fine for the concrete ditches, but for the river I'm not sure,

I've heard of two good paddlers with serious concussion on concrete ditches in the last year or less.
One was wearing a Strutter at Cardiff (impact on back of head), the other a Sweet Rocker fullcut (as far as I am aware) at Lee Valley. Maybe use a good helmet on these as well!

Janet

[Joe L]

Shred Ready Standard full cut and full face. Used to have a rocker and trust the standard just as much and its well less than half the price.

[wezzzy]

... it'll be fine for the concrete ditches, but for the river I'm not sure,

I've heard of two good paddlers with serious concussion on concrete ditches in the last year or less.
One was wearing a Strutter at Cardiff (impact on back of head), the other a Sweet Rocker fullcut (as far as I am aware) at Lee Valley. Maybe use a good helmet on these as well!

Janet

I've taken some hefty hits at Cardiff, a lot think it is smooth and just wears the helmet down but look at it with no water and there are raised areas all over the ditch.

[eeonz]

I wear a WRSI helmet, in my opinion, the best of the lower priced helmets and often underrated.

[Sickboy]

... it'll be fine for the concrete ditches, but for the river I'm not sure,

I've heard of two good paddlers with serious concussion on concrete ditches in the last year or less.
One was wearing a Strutter at Cardiff (impact on back of head), the other a Sweet Rocker fullcut (as far as I am aware) at Lee Valley. Maybe use a good helmet on these as well!

Janet

I've taken some hefty hits at Cardiff, a lot think it is smooth and just wears the helmet down but look at it with no water and there are raised areas all over the ditch.

Yep, CIWW is in a different league of pain than the other ditches, the few trips I've done down there have always given a impressive injury list. I've tested the Legacy course features extensively with my bonce and am happy to wear my pro-tec, the Olympic course would be a different matter obviously.

[Big Henry]

I've tried on a few Sweet helmets, and have to say they were so uncomfortable as to be painful, and I couldn't bare/bear(sp?) to have it on for more than a few seconds. There is no way I could manage a trip in one. TBH most helmets I try on seem to be at least uncomfortable (but at least not painful like Sweet helmets). I now wear a WRSI, which has variable and removable padding, which is at least acceptably comfortable, but not as comfortable as my Pro-Tec Ace was (despite their reputations on here!)

People often mention "You can't spend enough when it's to protect your head" but taking this to it's logical conclusion, should I be having a bespoke helmet made for me so as to make sure it's "as good as a Sweet Strutter/Rocker"? Or should I be wearing a motorbike helmet? I say this (which I realise is rather exaggerated) because there seems to be almost a snobbery on here as to those who can afford and like certain expensive brands looking down on those who maybe can't (I'll admit I can't) or who don't have the right head shape. I think this is why most of the posters on this thread seem to be owners of Rockers or Strutters; other have given up being almost looked down on. Whether this is because those who have spent a lot want to justify their expensive purchases to themselves and their friends, and to almost show off to everyone else they see (ie see them) on the river/concrete ditch, I don't know.

You spend what you can realistically save up for, is the best you can afford and that fits you reasonably well. Just because what fits you may not cost £180 doesn't mean we're any less of a person or paddler. But if you're in a £900 boat with £370 paddles, wearing a £500 dry suit, a £180 buoyancy aid and a £20 helmet, then you've probably got your priorities a little askew!

[morsey]

the rocker doesn't fit my head well enough for me to stump up such a sum,

Try the wanderer, it has a different fit to the rocker. The SR is narrower, you may find that is the best option for your head shape. The SR is the helmet that the WRSi claims to be! (Low/Mid point price, good coverage, good straps, good foam).