Non-vented Helmets - Bucket of water effect

[tobym]

How much truth is there in that rolling up with a non-vented helmet tends to empty a helmetful of water into one's face/down neck, or is it completly a non-issue? (apologies for the trivial question!), should I be put off looking at non-vented helmets, because of this?

[clarky999]

Non-issue. I can roll in mine with the majority of hair staying dry.

[Sickboy]

If its a good fit then it'll be a non issue, no room to fill up. I borrowed my mates helmet when I lost mine (MUST have been stolen obviously) with no vents and it felt like rolling with a bucket on my head but he had a freakishly large head compared to my elegant little bonce.

[tc1300]

I get a little bit down the front but not much to be annoying and probs only a tiny bit more than my vented one

[tobym]

cheers guys, will have to try some on, have only used club ones untill now

[TheKrikkitWars]

As with matt, I can take a fast roll with my rocker on and come up with dry hair underneath. The holy diver (which uses the fireball fitpads, like a strutter) has some narrow gaps that let a little water in, but never more than a dribble.

[Andy H]

Your a Kayaker, you are going to get wet. Man up.

Andy

[tobym]

Thanks Andy........ will do

[twopigs]

How much truth is there in that rolling up with a non-vented helmet tends to empty a helmetful of water into one's face/down neck, or is it completly a non-issue? (apologies for the trivial question!), should I be put off looking at non-vented helmets, because of this?

Whenever I used to roll I found my face got wet regardless of how much came out of the helmet.

[swimboater]

Just don't go upside-down?

[morsey]

You don't really need vents on a canoeing helmet.

[Big Henry]

My latest helmet has no vents and I will go out of my way to get a vented one when I get my next one in a few years. OK, you're wet anyway from being upside down, but you then have another few seconds of water pouring over your eyes when you come back up, which can potentially end up putting you in trouble. If nothing else, it's annoying (and my helmet fits me quite well).

[alexpethybridge]

I did a safety course recently and the instructor pointed out the danger of a vented helmet, namely that when you're stuck in a pin situation with water flowing over your head any vents will allow water through the helmet and down over your face, meaning you don't have an air pocket. Just a thought.

[morsey]

but you then have another few seconds of water pouring over your eyes when you come back up

Add some more padding to fill the gaps! Or change the foam, especially at the front from thick soft foam to thin soft foam and add a layer of non absorbing hard foam. You should be able to get the empty space inside a helmet to practically zero. And, having vents will not reduce the problem when you are upright because the vents are higher than where the water, that the vents let in, will be!

If the helmet can't scoop up water, it can't gush down your face!

[Chris Bolton]

Filling the space with foam, particularly hard foam, is defeating the design intent of the helmet. The space is there so that the helmet can flex under impact without transferring the force to your head. Hard foam and/or a small gap can result in head injury - apart from theory, I can confirm this from 100m expedition to explore the rocks of shallow Tryweryn with my head while trying to roll.

Chris

[mark Hirst]

Arghhhhhhhhh

Why are us Brits so bloody obsessed with kit.
Go kayaking get wet enjoy have fun.

[Dave Manby]

How much truth is there in that rolling up with a non-vented helmet tends to empty a helmetful of water into one's face/down neck, or is it completly a non-issue? (apologies for the trivial question!), should I be put off looking at non-vented helmets, because of this?

How do you think the water got in to begin with! Unvented helmets are warmer in the winter too.

[Poke]

Filling the space with foam, particularly hard foam, is defeating the design intent of the helmet. The space is there so that the helmet can flex under impact without transferring the force to your head. Hard foam and/or a small gap can result in head injury

Doesn't that depend on the design of the helmet? If you've got a cheap flexi helmet - some space for it to flex into *may* be a bonus.
If you've got a hard shell helmet (say, FNA), the shell is designed to absorb the impact and transfer it over as large an area as possible. The more foam in direct contact with your barnett, the more area there for that force to be dissipated over...

[Dave Manby]

Filling the space with foam, particularly hard foam, is defeating the design intent of the helmet. The space is there so that the helmet can flex under impact without transferring the force to your head. Hard foam and/or a small gap can result in head injury

Doesn't that depend on the design of the helmet? If you've got a cheap flexi helmet - some space for it to flex into *may* be a bonus.
If you've got a hard shell helmet (say, FNA), the shell is designed to absorb the impact and transfer it over as large an area as possible. The more foam in direct contact with your barnett, the more area there for that force to be dissipated over...

Most foam helmets work on the theory that when you have an impact the foam collapses absorbing the energy of the impact and so protecting your head - bike helmets work on this theory and are a one hit helmet so, if you have an impact, you buy a new helmet. Cradle helmets usually have a better protection rating and are suitable for multiple knocks provided that there is enough separation between the shell and the skull. The helmets we use for kayaking do not rate as helmets if you put them to any real testing station. Many years ago the Road research Laboratory was asked to look into the merits of the helmets that the paddlers had available. They refused to test any of them as for fear of damaging their equipment the helmets were so "inadequate". Since then helmets have improved slightly but I doubt if any on the market would meet any EU/USA/International standard as a "helmet". At the time of this "testing" Ace helmets were ubiquitous and universally condemned as being "too flimsy". That was popular opinion and not backed up by numbers. They were the only cradle helmet on the UK market at the time, 95% of the competitors at the Bala worlds used them. There were no examples of where a paddler had sustained a head injury and the helmet was said to be at fault and was an Ace Helmet. Remember that when you are upside down the chance of a big impact are reduced because the water will cushion the blow. (Obviously this does not apply to hitting overhanging rocks when running steep drops.

All the test results depend on the helmet fitting well and not moving around on your head.

[clarky999]

Arghhhhhhhhh

Why are us Brits so bloody obsessed with kit.
Go kayaking get wet enjoy have fun.

'Cos shiny toys are fun.

[BurrsRunner]

I've recently switched to a helmet that doesn't have vents and the amount of water that runs out after rolling up has reduced to almost nothing. I do feel a bit running out of the back but nothing at the front, whereas my previous vented helmet would dump loads of water over my face.

A big thumbs-up for non-vented from me.

[kayak1]

I use a Black Gold shread ready, it still poors out water after you have rolled etc. for ages and its vented....it seems to be a store or pocket in there somewhere...