I love helmets!

Finally accumulated enough gear where I won't have to bum from friends for sport climbing and pumped to go out this weekend with only my gear for the first time ever!

Only thing is, I don't have a helmet and can't borrow one this weekend, and not sure I can get to the store beforehand..

My question is, will I get laughed off the crag with a cycling helmet?! IMO better to be safe and get laughed at and will certainly wear my helmet regardless, but just curious what y'all would think if you saw a beginner climber climbing in a cycling helmet :)

Thanks!

Cody

I think it is better to have a helmet. who cares what anybody thinks. I would respect that you were out having fun climbing.

I would think "Damn that guy's smart! He keeps himself safe by coming up with the idea of using bike helmet."

Someone may laugh, but its your brain, not theirs so who cares?

On a slightly related note, out-climb them, and the next time you go out there, they may all be wearing bike helmets, swearing that it helps them send harder routes. If it catches on in a few years, the argument between bike helmet wearers and climbing helmet wearers may become as vitriolic as the argument between rappers and lowerers or crag dog lovers and crag dog haters

my partner wears a bike helmet. IIRC it's good for impact but not rock fall?

I've gone with beginners who took a bike helmet, and I've never heard any shit from someone. I don't see the reason to single out a bike helmet to give shit to either. Either you think helmets are silly, in which case it seems you should respect a cycling helmet more than a climbing helmet, since at least the person didn't spend extra money on it, or you think not wearing a helmet is reckless, in which case presumably you're either minding your own business, or failing that, so busy haranguing the majority of people who wear no helmet, rather than quibbling about the type of helmet people wear.

I forgot my helmet when I went to do stolen chimney and very nearly ended up wearing my bike helmet. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do!I'd rather look slightly dorky and be safe

I use one of these for mountain biking and take the visor off for climbing.

rei.com/product/881744/giro…

I wouldn't worry about what anyone else will think or say.
In terms of safety, bike helmets are designed for impact but not for rockfall, and many have such large vent holes there is a risk of small rocks going right through the helmet and hitting your noggin. There are probably other differences in design and testing that will make a bike helmet less safe than a climbing helmet for climbing. Certainly will still be more safe than wearing no helmet at all, so if it's all you've got go for it.

If someone mocks you just say "Hey, if you've got a spare helmet you're willing to loan I'd be happy to wear that instead!"

I'd rather be the climber at the crag with a bike helmet than the climber at the hospital with a TBI.

EDIT: TBI :P

Haha

Em Cos wrote:I wouldn't worry about what anyone else will think or say. In terms of safety, bike helmets are designed for impact but not for rockfall, and many have such large vent holes there is a risk of small rocks going right through the helmet and hitting your noggin. There are probably other differences in design and testing that will make a bike helmet less safe than a climbing helmet for climbing. Certainly will still be more safe than wearing no helmet at all, so if it's all you've got go for it. If someone mocks you just say "Hey, if you've got a spare helmet you're willing to loan I'd be happy to wear that instead!"

I wore a whitewater helmet for a while when I first started. If you are concerned what you look like with the bike helmet you should just complete the look and sport a jersey and padded butt shorts.

I would also wear a PFD and throw bag with my whitewater helmet. Every time someone yelled "rope" I pegged them with a throw bag. Self rescue skills on point!

I wouldn't laugh at you, I forgot my helmet one day and used my friends road biking helmet. Area has an overhanging sport wall were few use helmets, no one said a word. They did give us some weird looks when we climbed a random 10a offwidth (that no one climbs) and I copped a rest with a good helmet scum/jam :)

If you end up leading do remember that most bike helmets cut off farther up the back of your head. If you are leading and step in front of the rope, take a fall and get inverted you won't have as much helmet coverage..........but you shouldn't be stepping in front of the rope anyway.

Seriously?

What's a higher priority to you: avoiding ridicule or avoiding head injury?

Bike helmets are perform better than climbing helmets for many types of impacts.

KrisFiore wrote:I'd rather be the climber at the crag with a bike helmet than the climber at the hospital with a TMI.

Jon Frisby wrote: hahahahahahahahahaha TBI

I've taken out a few new climbers who wore bike helmets, and I've seen other beginners with bike helmets on many occasions. Never heard anybody get any crap for it.

And who cares? It's your brain.

FrankPS wrote: You could be in the hospital with a Too Much Information overdose.

My first trad climb I didn't have a helmet, so I brought my hardhat from work (Forest Service trail crew), and went to an isolated crag a 2-hour hike from the trailhead. Lucky for me, there was a huge group of NOLS students there training or something, and they kept (good naturedly) heckling me from their perch in the meadow below, for all three pitches. Thusly began my feud with NOLS.

Probably not better than a climbing helmet (bike helmets usually have larger vent holes) but if you're going to need a helmet, it will be a whole lot better than nothing.