Sidemount and helmets in open water

[Storker]

Years back it was like that with skiing ... if you weren't racing, why wear a helmet? It suggested a degree of incompetence. Nowadays it's rare to find a skier on the mountain who isn't wearing a helmet.

I don't think that's a particularly good parallel. While I see the utility of a helmet for skiing - and bicycling, BTW - since that's an activity which carries a significant risk of a high-speed meeting between my head and a very hard and unmovable object, I fail to see any utility of a helmet in open water diving. To me, that'd be like wearing a helmet while driving a car, or watching a movie, or working at my desk .

 

[Razorista]

well that's because you don't actually have any tec cards to show...

How would you know?

Regarding flaunting the helmet, that's just a cry for attention imho based on what you said above.

Yes, it is quite difficult to avoid that impression. Can be done however.

I do not carry primaries into environments like the ones you dive in, because I don't need them...

I do.
I rarely dive with less than 2000 lumens and am rarely the one with the most powerfull lights in the group with those.

Helmet I don't disagree with, putting a canister light on there? I don't see why you would.

To free the hands for other tasks.
It is also useful to always have the light centered where you are looking and closer to the face in restrictions.

Put 2-3 backup lights on there and burn one at a time, saves a whole lot of hassle.

To much weight, not enough burntime or power for open water diving.
On night dives I need at least 4 hours and 300 lumens at maximum on the surface, but up to 3000 submerged.

Only reason mine would come in OW is for the gopro. It's easier than the head strap because it is already mounted to my cave diving helmet, but the primary stays at home in open water.

Something like that would not work for me, I do not like helmet mounted cams, some use I as an excuse for their helmets though (personally I would not do anything for that reason).

My backup lights don't come off of my rig, and two of them don't come off of the helmet now that I've committed to helmets in caves *if the passage won't fit my helmet, then I sure as hell am not going in there*.

Also would not work with my style of diving.
I remove the helmet often and the backup I am wearing on the helmet is removable too and has been removed occasionally.

 

[Razorista]

To me, that'd be like wearing a helmet while driving a car, or watching a movie, or working at my desk .

If you can be hit by 4 kg objects at close to 100mph, wearing a helmet can be useful anywhere.

Model boat enthusiasts take less time from car to water than divers and can appear during any dive.

There are also occasional children throwing stones, etc...

My main fear in the last few years have been teh miniature electric outboard motors everyone is mounting on their former paddle boats now.
You do not hear them coming and they are fast enough to be seen to late.
Steered by people with no marine experience they simply ignore SMBs and I even had one pulled onto a boat by people thinking it had been lost.

 

[nakatomi]

To free the hands for other tasks.

Oh, that explains it

If you can be hit by 4 kg objects at close to 100mph, wearing a helmet can be useful anywhere.

Model boat enthusiasts take less time from car to water than divers and can appear during any dive.

There are also occasional children throwing stones, etc...

My main fear in the last few years have been teh miniature electric outboard motors everyone is mounting on their former paddle boats now.
You do not hear them coming and they are fast enough to be seen to late.
Steered by people with no marine experience they simply ignore SMBs and I even had one pulled onto a boat by people thinking it had been lost.

Are you serious? You're wearing a helmet because children might throw stones at you, a paddle boat or an electric miniature model ship might hit you?
Oh my... LMAO

You do know that where some of us dive we have real boats, ships even, with huge motors. We also have jet skis, (kite) surfers, warships. Some of those are capable of traveling at high speeds and often close to the beach or your dive boat. Not to mention the odd submarine, UW predators like crocodiles, alligators and left over WWII ammo including depth charges, toxic ammo etc.
A helmet is not going to help any, proper planning and execution of the dive is, SMB's help too as does someone watching on the surface.

 

[Razorista]

Real boats are easy to avoid and mostly crewed by people who can identify an smb as something not to use as turn markers nakatomi.
A helmet would also be of very limited usefulness as protection when being hit by a boat. An intact skull does not heal a broken neck.
And no, I am not completely serious. As I said already, I only use it as a light mounting option. I do not ignore other advantages though.

 

[toby43]

is this dead? Please. I can't take anymore.

 

[nakatomi]

Real boats are easy to avoid and mostly crewed by people who can identify an smb as something not to use as turn markers nakatomi.

Oh boy...
No they are not easy to avoid and you are clearly out of your element again.

Sailing boats make no noise at all and some boats or surf boards have keels of 3m and more below the surface.
And yes, sometimes they even sail in waters where the sea floor is only a meter or two below their keel.
Other boats can be very fast, fast enough to not spot an SMB in time. Yes, it happens.
And believe me when I say, my SMB's and even our dive flags have been used as turn markers for quite a number of vessels.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't think that's a particularly good parallel. While I see the utility of a helmet for skiing - and bicycling, BTW - since that's an activity which carries a significant risk of a high-speed meeting between my head and a very hard and unmovable object, I fail to see any utility of a helmet in open water diving. To me, that'd be like wearing a helmet while driving a car, or watching a movie, or working at my desk .

I can think of two incidents on open water dives where a helmet would've come in handy. One was scootering ... hit my head on a piling I failed to notice in time. Second time was ascending into a kayak. Both were avoidable ... but they still left lumps on my noggin ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Real boats are easy to avoid and mostly crewed by people who can identify an smb as something not to use as turn markers

Maybe in Germany. Around here the only thing you need to own a boat is a reasonable line of credit, and the majority of boat owners are essentially morons. In fact, one of the best entertainment opportunities available is the local boat ramp on opening day of boating season. SMBs and dive flags tend to attract boaters like a light attracts insects. This photo was taken at one of our local dive sites ... the dive boat is anchored and there are divers in the water ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Razorista]

...
No they are not easy to avoid and you are clearly out of your element again.

I have a few sailing certs myself. And that's the point, uneducated sailors just run aground or capsize.
Boats and ships normally keep themselves inside certain areas, hobbyists don't.
Model boats, jetskies, surfers and kite-surfers are far harder to avoid than anything larger.
And with those a helmet might actually help at the surface or centimeters below it.

When being hit by a real boat or ship going at any speed a helmet will not make any difference for survival.
But those do not creep up on you soundlessly and can also be seen from a distance.
I avoid diving in areas with large sailing boats and less than about 5m of minimum depth.