At 02:32 PM 1/25/99 -0500, you wrote: >Can rappelling helmets be used and provide the same amount of protection as >whitewater helmets? My rescue team wants to use various types of helmets and >I had an answer for those who wanted to use bike helmets. I'm unfamiliar >with the construction of rappelling helmets, however. Thanks very much! > >Donna Hi Donna, I have far more experience paddling than climbing, but it seems to me you should use a helmet designed for the particular activity. Climbing helmets are often engineered contemplating a heavy impact from above (dislodged rock), while the impacts to a paddler may come from other directions. The other thing you need to consider is whether the helmet has enough slots to allow water to "vent" in the event of an impact, thus dissipating the transmission of shock via the water. This is a particular concern for your eardrums, which could be broken if you were wearing, say a motorcycle helmet and hit a rock while upside down in water. Air and water behave quite differently under sudden pressure. Philip T. N49°16' W123°08' "The opinions expressed in this posting are not necessarily those of my employer, or indeed, of any sentient being." *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Jan 25 1999 - 12:12:05 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:03 PDT