On the Gath Sports website they say:

"Gath Helmets Trade Off a percentage of impact absorption for a more close fitting layer of defence to better suit high performance extreme sports."

Obviously if I smack my head hard enough to cause the helmet to break its going to hurt what ever I had strapped to my cranium. I would think there that being hit in the head by a long board would cause more damage then hitting your head on a twin tip board. But what about the kite throwing you onto something.

Anyway just double checking that its cool to use my surf helmet when I'm kite surfing. If all else fails here is my backup plan.

hoskoau said...

If all else fails here is my backup plan.

so what you are trying to say is, that pussies wear helmets...?

If it makes you feel safer to try new stuff, then its good

You can't kite when your dead

Been a few of windsurfing incidents that helmets could have saved people

Hi guys,

If my memory serves me correctly, the Gath helmets have a little sticker in them in red writing that says, not to be used as an impact helmet. They are mainly to reduce cuts from reef and fin chops to the head as well as keep the sun off your dome.

If you want impact resistance then you need to look at a proper helmet designed for that kind of stuff like the Protec water range of helmets.







Nice helmets and have excellent padding.

Good winds,

sci said...

Only get one if you are paranoid about cracking your skull or you are particularly accident prone. The same people who wear gath helmets also tend to wear 2cm of body armour and a reel leash.

I used to wear one when I surfed 10ft offshore bombies in Ireland were you had a good chance of bouncing off the reef.But for kiting why bother?!

Hey in that case why bother with a safety line or even checking the wind strength - just throw up ya biggest kite and hope for the best..

Mate, have you noticed the power a kite generates?

Helmets aren't for everyone but I hope you are kidding with the above comments Sci?? Unless of course you can't boost over 10ft and stay 200m from shore/obstacles at all times..

There has been several times when I have been extremely glad to be wearing a helmet (and vest) from getting smashed on the water alone. I value my melons contents over all else - hey but that's just daggy ol' me.


BTW Hoskoau - I used an original Gath for my 1st few seasons and it was ok for the odd bumps etc (better than nuttin) but now have a Protec Wake Ace and they are 300% better in every respect. As you progress and start to push the envelope for bigger boosts/tricks, I think a helmet is just as releveant as your gumby learning stage. Just to re-iterate - hey but that's just daggy ol' me.

Kitehard said...

Hi guys,

If my memory serves me correctly, the Gath helmets have a little sticker in them in red writing that says, not to be used as an impact helmet. They are mainly to reduce cuts from reef and fin chops to the head as well as keep the sun off your dome.

If you want impact resistance then you need to look at a proper helmet designed for that kind of stuff like the Protec water range of helmets.







Nice helmets and have excellent padding.

Good winds,

That disclaimer is probably more to cover their arse so people don't go riding motorbikes with them and stuff like that. Anyway, wouldn't cuts from reef and fin chops be caused by impacts??

I can't see anything wrong with Gaths for kiting (not that I claim to have any reason to know either way - just a gut feeling).

Maybe Kitehard doesn't sell Gaths?

I don't know why I've suddenly started to join the anti-pimping crusade [}:)] Back in my box I go.

Gath's work well for kiting, nice and light, you forget you're wearing it.
I've been clobbered in the head a few times in the surf when I've goofed a move and they do the job just fine.

I use both gaths and protec (I only wear one at a time) and severall times they have made the difference between saying 'ooh that could of hurt' and hospital. You only have one head so protect it.

Hi Dirty Harry,


You said: "I can't see anything wrong with Gaths for kiting (not that I claim to have any reason to know either way - just a gut feeling).

Maybe Kitehard doesn't sell Gaths?

I don't know why I've suddenly started to join the anti-pimping crusade Back in my box I go."


No pimping, just expressing an opinion. We used to use the Gath's in the school, but they were often uncomfortable and had very little padding, just soft foam to make them fit better, not to protect your nut from impact.

I have a bunch of ex-school 2nd hand Gaths that I am happy to part with for a case of beer if you want em, But i sure wouldn't want to run into anything more solid with em than a surfboard.

Taken from Gath's Website:

"Gath Helmets Trade Off a percentage of impact absorption for a more close fitting layer of defence to better suit high performance extreme sports.

Gath protects against the more frequent sporting head injury caused by glancing blows rather than from a direct head first 'crash' into a fixed solid object, where serious injury is likely to occur regardless of helmet.

Gath provides a lightweight super snug fitting layer of defence against superficial head injury and water pressure induced ear perforation and the damaging effects from sun, wind and salt spray."


Good winds,

I think the ones posted in the pic by kitehard are probably safest. I wear a BMX helmet that is similar to the Ace Wake helmet. (use it on the pushie too). I actually bought a gath after having my tt get picked up by a barrel and spear into the back of my head causing stars, **** loads of blood and a nice big scars. (on an empty beach too so was lucky it wasn't worse, had to get in, pack everything myself while the white sandy beach was quickly turning red and brown with blood.)

Guy who sold me the gath said everyone buys them AFTER and injury. haha.

Anyway, don't like kiting in it at all. visor gets scratched by sand, so never used the visor, ear pieces whistle like its a cyclone from 12knots up and its a hassle to wear sunnies with it as there is no room for the arms, unlike more padded helmets. I reckon the 'disclaimer' about not being suitable to protect from impact or what ever it says is valid because there is only like 2 or 3 mm of padding and becoming unconscious in water is of coarse SOOOOOOOO much more scary than on land for obvious reason. my pushie helmet is perfect for me.

For the safety conscious:
Its said that the bigger wider floatier helmets pose more of a threat to neck injury when impacting with water, which makes sense but I'm personally a bit dismissive of this potential risk as haven't gone close to hurting my neck from this sort of situation yet.
Smooooth holeless outer shells are the safest for falling off anything on land, assuming its padded. This is due to the increased strength of the shell and the lack of snag points for if you slide. (The expensive, light aerodynamic, vented type pushie helmets are ****. (for pushies too) They are made to minimum safety standards with focus on weight and ventilation etc.

To conclude this essay...
If concerned about consciousness get something padded. If you are concerned about cuts only and kinda liked the Mighty Morphin Power Ranger look, go the Gath (but not the one you currently have, its ****. you need to up grade to this awesome one i just happen to have for sale)

I have kiting for about a year now and have worn a gath lid everytime i go out while it may not be the optimum head gear it certainly keeps the sun off your lugs at least, i also self tested water impacts with the back of my head while learning to jump & can attest that i was very happy to wear it i also wear a vest which sucks up a lot pain when you come undone on some jumps. the idea of getting some injury although unlikely and not being able to kite keeps me wearing a lid & vest. i think fashion rules a lot of the outcomes
like boardies& Wetties LOL [}:)]

D_Meredith79 said...

Smedg said...

I wear a BMX helmet that is similar to the Ace Wake helmet. (use it on the pushie too). I

Does it look like this Smedg?

haha. yep goes well with the tall red flag on the back of my bike.

Kitehard said...


No pimping, just expressing an opinion.

An opinion that promotes a product you sell at the expense of another (which sounds like pimping to me?). And a product which I think is reasonably well suited to the job in question.

Granted, the others may offer a greater level of protection. But would you care to estimate the number of kiting head injuries that have occurred to someone wearing a helmet which would not have occurred with a more protective helmet? Or, the number of head injuries in kiting which wouldn't have occurred with the helmets you're promoting but which would have occurred to some extent with a Gath type helmet?

Point being, it's like arguing over differnet quality of an air bag or seat belt in a car. You're that far ahead having one at all that it seems petty to argue about the quality of them.

I actually think you're posts are generally impartial, fair and very helpful and I don't for second deny that you're a positive contributor to the kiting community. But that post was unfair pimping IMO. However, that's just my OPINION

what do you need a helmet for what are you going to hit
just to add to all the acc
helmet
glassers
pdf
any one want to add to the list
reel leash
steamer in summer

sunseeker said...

So in other words, if you expect to hit rocks or a brick wall with your head then the GAth is no good. If you are only going to hit your board or something similar then it is OK.

I think that pretty much sums it up... almost

One other point that I am surprised no one has bought up is whiplash, chuck a big helmet on and the weight of your head increases, therefore increasing the forces on your neck during a water crash.
A simular point is that of displacment, if the helmet it 'fat' you are not gonna part the water as easily as you crash, putting strain on your neck in a simular way.

IMO the basic gath is pretty low profile and very light so not gonna cause much of a whiplash problem, I used mine windsurfing all the time and survived some hairy mast knocks (dont bother now that I kite). as for sea walls and rocks...sounds like a dodgy place to kite.

Pussies might wear helmets,but pussies get 9 lives....purrrrrrrr