Talk about accidents.

[SPBFAN]

OK, so two weeks ago a friend of ours brother crashed hard trying a W2W and shattered his shin. See attached photos and you can see the compound fracture just below his knee. I blurbed out is face for privacy reasons. You can only imagine what it looks like from the pain. You can even see his leg going purple from the break.



Then last night.

I am at my son's play and one of the other guys that is in our early morning group of riders comes and tells me what happened to another one of the group when they were behind the Fourth group members boat early saturday morning.

I was not there to see it but was told all the details. He was doing a W2W and messed up somewhere. Crashed hard. SMACKED his head into the water HARD. The day was over. They went to pick him up out of the water he was face down. They got him flipped over and he woke up. He could not remember how he got to the lake, on the boat, on his wake board, and in the water with his life jacket, They loaded up the boat and headed to the hospital. As they pulled out of the lake. He was asking where they were at and could not believe the boat was in the water and that they had wake boarded. When they got to the hospital he could not remember how he got to the hospital.

Anyways his short term memory was gone. I am trying to get in touch with him today to see how he is doing. They ran a Cat Scan and the doctors released him late last night but I have not heard form him at all.

That is enough for me. I have to figure out where I can buy helmets for my family. We all will have helmets now. It is not worth the risk.

It is strange that TallTigeGuy and I were talking about that on the phone the day before on Friday. So now it is time for helmets.

Does anyone have a source on helmets?

[Tequilasun]

Wow, vibes to your friends. I'm pretty good at messing myself up and have been lucky no major injuries.

[Carter13]

The water in the background looks nasty. We get our riding in really early when it is glass. It is just too hard of a sport to do in water that is trashed.

[talltigeguy]

He would probably call you to let you know he is OK....but can't remember what your number is.

I have heard many say that they are not good enough to need a helmet, but honestly the mediocre and beginners are those who need it the most.

[skyski_tige]

I ride with the protec with ear flaps. The ear flaps will protect you from blowing your eardrum.

David

[SPBFAN]

The water in the background looks nasty. We get our riding in really early when it is glass. It is just too hard of a sport to do in water that is trashed.

From looking at the photos it was at best wake surfing time. The wind was probably blowing as it always does and their were a ton of boats on the water as well you can see one of them in the back ground. 5:30am-7:30am and off the water we go for the day in the summer months anyways.

He would probably call you to let you know he is OK....but can't remember what your number is.

I have heard many say that they are not good enough to need a helmet, but honestly the mediocre and beginners are those who need it the most.

He probably forgot I was his Friend and lived in CA near him. I was not on either of these boats when the accidents happened. So all the stuff I tell you is third party and you know how that can get twisted somtimes. I just gave you the things I was told.

[thtrog]

The pro-tec helmets are the only ones I have experience with and they are well made. http://www.pro-tec.net/

[Waterski-Rebel]

One of our friends was at Powell and caught an edge, and ended up in the same situation. They air lifted him to Grand Junction, and kept asking the same questions over and over again. They told him to take it easy for 6 months, and buy a helmet. He had 4 trips to powell planned, just bought 2 jetskis and a houseboat. He can't use any of it till next summer.

[turbonine]

I have heard many say that they are not good enough to need a helmet, but honestly the mediocre and beginners are those who need it the most.

Very, very true.

[dingleberry]

Well, I started wearing a helmet this summer, and I haven't rung my bell yet this year. Unlike the 4 or so near-concussions I took last summer (which is why I started wearing one). Of course, it helps that I haven't been catching an edge as badly, either.

Just to play devil's advocate - some will argue that a helmet won't help any because the larger surface area means that hitting the water will result in a greater deceleration, which offsets the benefits. If nothing else, though, it makes me feel more secure, and I feel that I am doing what I can to protect my health.

[sparky216]

that compound break makes me sick to my stomach....

[whitlock87]

We have Pro-tec helmets
Got them from barts.com
Barts http://www.bartswatersports.com/cata...mets/index.asp

Overtons has BERN http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/search.cgi

[dogbert]

Does anyone have a source on helmets?

Get the Protec helmet w/ ear flaps (might as well since you don't want to be blowing out your ear drum either.

One of the guys we go riding with just got a concussion, too. Not as bad as your friend, but it's nothing to mess around with.

[Fast1911]

Wow, that fracture is unbelievable

This is the helmet we ride with, wear it every time

[dogbert]

Another good one with ear flaps.