Hi all!

Im keen to get into kayaking, having just finished a short kayaking paper as a part of a Certificate in Outdoor Recreation.
Im looking to start buying my own gear, so i can get out on the river and have some fun. First on my list is a helmet.
So i was wondering what other paddlers have to say about helets for beginners.
I dont mind spending a bit of money to make sure i have the safest gear, in fact i would prefer to spend more on a helmet if it means im not going to get my head smashed in by a rock

Input?

-Matt

Price is definitely the biggest factor. For around $75, you can get the Shred Ready Super Scrappy or the WRSI Current. At $100, you can get the Shred Ready Standarf Fullface.At $125, you can get a Shred Ready composite helmet like the Shaggy. At $200, you can get the Sweet Strutter. At $250, you can get the Sweet Rocker. At $400, you can get the Sweet Rocker Fullface. The more you spend, the better helmet you get. If you are just casually boating, get one of the helmets that is $200 or less, but not the Shred Ready Fullface. If you want to get into creeking, get the WRSI Current with the fullface attachment, SR Fullface, Sweet Rocker, or the Sweet Rocker Fullface. Just define "a bit of money" and we could probably help a bit more.

P.S. I started with a Pro-Tec Fullcut, but when you are learning to roll, the adjustment system hits a pressure point behind your ear perfectly. I now use the Shred Ready Super Scrappy.

P.P.S. The main difference in a plastic helmet like the Super Scrappy and a composite like the Strutter is that a plastic helmet will take one hard hit and may be destroyed, but a composite can usually take multiple hits. Still, you should replace a helmet every 3 years, or at the recommendation of the manufacturer. If you hit a rock underwater while upside down, you should be fine. If you go over a 127-ft. water fall upside-down Pedro Olivia-style, and hit a rock, you definitely should replace your helmet.

My price range at the moment is anywhere below $250.
For now i will just be cassually boating, until i can get a bit more experiance on the river, and then i hope to step up a bit a try some new stuff
I have been given a scope by the instructors of my course, which only includes a few grade 2 rivers, but they will reassess me in about 4 months and see if im ready to start trying some harder rivers.
Would the grade of the rivers ill be paddling on change what kind of helmet you would reccommend?

P.S. I have a solid roll on one side and an iffy roll on the other side, so will still be practicing but mainly in a swimming pool where a helmet isnt really required

You only really would need a full-face helmet if you are paddling serious rivers, but I would tell you to check out these 2 links. The first is the Sweet Strutter, the second is the Sweet Rocker.

store.noc.com/store/27100
store.noc.com/store/2832

Also, the WRSI Current is a good helmet for growing with, since you can get an attachable face guard.

www.wrsisafety.com/black_hole_black.asp
www.wrsisafety.com/eps.asp
www.wrsisafety.com/fps.asp

The only disadvantage of the Current is that you have to buy ear pads, which come standard on nearly every other helmet. Try to find a local paddling shop, and they should carry some helmets there.

Cool thanks for your help
Theres a shop in town called paddlerzone ( www.paddlerzone.co.nz/ ) that im going to go and check out on monday. The staff there are all paddlers so i will talk to them as well and see what they think.
I will definitaly keep in mind what you have said though

I wasn't sure where you lived, but it looks like your best bet will be the WRSI Current. The US prices are much lower than they are in New Zealand. According to some random site I found, $250 is the same as 436 New Zealand Dollars, but that doesn't factor in shipping costs and taxes.

Yeah it is quite a bit more expensive over here. But im sure ill be able to work something out.
I get a 15% discount at paddlerzone for being a student

Hey You have some local boys making some great helmets. Most of my crew use the "Bonk". This helmet is full on for creeking with some of the best coverage around. Coverage is good for beginers, if you know what I mean. Check them out. They also shape some pretty cool paddles also. It's always good to support small local manufactures when you can. www.surgekayaking.co.nz

Cheers mate will check them out

Out of those, you should probably go with the Mangahao, since halfcuts are generally more comfortable, you can hear more clearly, and for a beginner you don't really need a full coverage helmet. I would still prefer the WRSI Current, but you can't get as good of customer service for a US company in Australia as you could here. Just try as many as you can on, and go based on what helmet is most comfortable, but make sure that when adjusted it won't roll back, where your forehead is visible. That's one of the reasons that I like Shred Ready. The staff at Paddler Zone should be able to help you find a good helmet.

Just looking around on Paddler Zone's site, I saw a Perception Dancer for $999, which seems to be a good price. I am pretty surprised that you can still buy a new Dancer. It's also 25% of the price of a new Liquid Logic Remix.

One more thing: Kayaking can be pretty expensive, but don't be afraid to spend more for gear that will last longer. I don't know of any kayaking sites in Australia, but you can probably find someone selling a kayaking package that has pretty much everything that you need to get started. I have spent over $2000 USD on gear, and still am not done . $875 for a WW kayak, $400 for a rec kayak, $300 on PFDS, $150 on sprayskirts, $200 on paddles, $130 so far on apparel, $100 on rescue equipment, and $100 on other accessories like a kayak carrier and hip pads. I'm sure that there is more stuff that I didn't include though, like $50 float bags, and some other items that you don't think about.

Haha, im no stranger to big price tags. So far ive racked up about $5000 worth of bills for the course im doing.
Most of the gear ive brought is the kind of thing that will last me for 10years+ (if i look after it ).
As a general rule, the more ou spend, the better the quality of the gear your getting. By the looks of things so far it seems the same in kayaking.

Is there anything specific that you would suggest i avoid when it comes to helmets?

I would say avoid Pro-Tecs, and I am sure that some people would say Predator brand helmets. As a basic test, if you can bend the plastic, don't buy it. If you want something that you'll never outgrow, I would go with the Sweet Rocker, since it is good for creeking, but there is a halfcut option, and it has a good visor. On our local news, I just saw that the rescue team uses Pro-Tec helmets, but it is probably because they are cheap and the rescuers aren't having to worry about going over falls upside down. I can't find the link right now, but Shred Ready has a video comparing their VN and EPP foams to minicell, and the VN and EPP foams clearly absorb impact better than standard minicell. I would like to see other companies do the same test.

Pretty much all helmets should work, but most have a certain application, and can be divided into low-profile playboating helmets like the Shred Ready Super Scrappy, and creeking helmets, which would be full coverage or full face, like the Shred Ready Standard Fullcut or Shred Ready Standard Fullface. If your local rivers are steep and shallow, go with a creeking-style helmet, but if they are deep water, not much elevation change and high flow (cfs) you should probably go with playboating helmet.

by deep how deep do you mean?
the rivers i have a scope for are all deep enough for 2 people to stand on top of each other without touching the bottom...

That should be fine. I mean that if the rivers are shallow enough that if you roll, you hit your head on a rock on the bottom of the river, you probably need a creeking helmet.

Oh thats ok then. Its generally only going through rapids at a low flow level that you have to worry about rolling and hiting your head on rocks.

Some thoughts.

Full corverage helmets are NOT less comfortable than 1/2 cut. In fact they are warmer, come in contact with more of the head surface so are more secure. As for the hearing issue? If you can't hear commands that means you are running rapids that are big enough where you should know river signals and should be wearing a full coverage helmet anyways.

I have paddled a lot of rivers in NZ. They are not all deep. In fact that is not the norm. Even if your local run is deep ALL rapids are caused by something HARD. Anything you need for your kit is made in NZ.

As a beginer you need more protection as you will be upside down a lot. So your choice on helmet is very important.

As for gear lasting 10YRS? Only if you don't paddle mate and kep it all in a closet. The only thig that will last for 10 years is your love of river life.

You have one of the best kayaking schools on the planet only a couple hours away in Murchinson. You should head over and talk gear with Mick and maybe take a class! He is not a salesman trying to sell you what is on the shelf.

good luck

t

Dude go for a sweet strutter. This is the most amazing piece of gear i have ever owned. As soon as one of these baby's touched my head I was like Wowza! I had to have. I saved my allowance for the whole summer for one and in the end it is the best investment i have made. It looks super sexy, feels super sexy and acts super sexy. Possibly the best insurance for your noggin in my opinion. I could go on about this helmet forever but whats the point I've already illustrated how amazing it is. Look after you head and it will look after you so do it the Sweet way!

I can't find any Sweet Strutters in the domain search .co.nz, so I have no clue who in NZ sells them. Do you know of any other kayaking stores in NZ?

This place carries FNA: www.nzkayakschool.com/content/view/18/33/

Check out i-canoe

www.i-canoe.com/

They do free shipping to anywhere in the world for orders that cost over 100 euro and in ireland they cost between 180 and 200 euro. Email the guys there and they will sort you out! They're sound .

Get yourself a Sweet Rocker or Wanderer (when they come out). You may even be able to find a cheap Rocker half-cut somewhere as they are being discontinued. They may be more expensive, but it's for a reason. Those surge helmets don't look half bad either, particularly the Bonk.

I went and had a talk to the guys at paddlerzone today about what they would reccommend. They pointed me in the direction of the WRSI Helmet. Im going to be in Murchison for the rest of the week, which is where the NZ kayak school is based, so im going to try and get in and talk to Mick and see what he has to say before I buy.
At this point in time i think the WRSI looks pretty good. Ive just applied for a few new jobs so once i have some more income ill look at getting something a little more expensive and of a higher quality.
Any major objections?

i have heard nothing but good reviews for the Wrsi. The are reasonably priced, seem safe and allow you to upgrade them to a full face if you feel the need.

Hey Matt, Sounds like you are getting pleanty of good advice.

If you get a chance while in Murch can you please tell Mick and Pam, "Hello" from Terry & Susan of North Idaho!

Thanks

t

Some good advice has been issued already. So I'll just add my 2 cents. A helmet that fits your own head well is vital. Make sure it sits nicely! I've got a Sweet Strutter and a Sweet full cut Rocker. Both are awesome. I've never looked back. What is your head worth to you?

I'll second Adrian... Sweet makes some of the greatest helmets on the market.

I would go for fit first but if you can justify an extra $100 it will go a loooooong way...

Bang for buck the WRSI is a good helmet. It is well designed and about the only plastic helmet I would buy. I have one and I'll pass along one piece of information. I took a severe whack front and center creeking a couple months ago. The hit was severe enough to leave me dizzy for almost a minute after I rolled back up... Now I have taken hard hits in my sweet strutter and wasnt left dizzy, I have since picked up a Rocker Full face, I have taken a few good hits wearing it and no problems so far... Now would the same hit left me dizzy in the rocker? I dont know but its food for thought... I will add, that this was the first hit that left me full on dizzy and the environment I was in was a little more demanding than anything that a newbie will be in...

There are some designs I will tell you not to mess with.

The Pro-Tech helmets are cheap for a reason... Pass if you intend to paddle more than class 2
The Predator Lee is a cheap knock off of the sweet strutter... It will shift and leave your forehead open to business, The retention strap is not a help either... PASS no matter what

Good luck

About a year ago someone accidently (well at least I hope it was accidental) drove their vehicle over my Predator Lee helmet at the put in. The helmet was all good,maybe some slight flattening along the side.
Two weekends ago I saw someone drive their vehicle over a Sweet Strutter helmet. The result was a fairly flat concoction of carbon etc and also became an interesting exercise in inter - personal dynamics.
My point?
Kiwis dont look where they drive?
Not sure what my other point is because the forces exerted in these cases would be very different to a knock to the head.
By all means if you can afford it Sweet helmets are great (just dont leave them lying around the car park), but otherwise the WRSI and Predator helmets are a fair substitute.

Back from Murch this evening. Spent the last 4 days rafting and checking out some nice white water that is within my scope, so will be checking it out in a kayak soon.
Didnt get a chance to talk to Mick while i was there but will be back for a week of kayaking just after easter so will try and catch him then

If i could easily track a Sweet Strutter Half-Cut down i would certainly go for that. I havent brought the WRSI yet, but im going in tomorrow, so i will see if i can order a Sweet in.
For now the WRSI looks like it will do though.

Cheers for all your advice guys!
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