Blowing Gear, Gear blowing you

I always wonder when someone takes a big whipper, blows a piece and gravity takes over, how damaging can that piece of gear be.
First of I know helmets are cool and we all use them at all times, but realistically what can some gear that’s pulled from the rock at force do to our helmets we are always wearing.
Second, I would think gear that fails would be on the smaller side of things. Ie. small nuts and tiny cams.
What if you blow your #6 cam, Big bro, or god forbid heavy link cam?

Not meaning to be antagonistic here, but if you blow a #6 you need to work on your gear placements.

The only gear I have seen blow consistently in a variety of rock types is a blue X4, likely undercammed.  A tiny bit of rock failure then they invert and pop the trigger wires.  One hit a friend in the ear.  Lots of blood from.a tiny laceration but no permanent damage.

Philip Magistrowrote: Not meaning to be antagonistic here, but if you blow a #6 you need to work on your gear placements.

The only gear I have seen blow consistently in a variety of rock types is a blue X4, likely undercammed.  A tiny bit of rock failure then they invert and pop the trigger wires.  One hit a friend in the ear.  Lots of blood from.a tiny laceration but no permanent damage.

Interesting. I would add that most gear failures are most likely user error, or errors in placement judgment. This case it’s rock quality and could create more falling debris danger. Glad everyone is okay. 

Some people have broken teeth. I've gotten hit in the face and groin by small cams, way less (twice i can remember) with nuts. Usually rock blowing out with the crap basalt here and me being 235lbs, but sometimes it's pumped-place-go's fault.
It'd suck to take a popped #6 to the dome. 

If the piece holds for a little and then pops, the configuration of the rope basically forms a slingshot aimed right in your direction.

Below is a video of a guy whipping on a recalled Alien cam (on purpose) and when it rips out it smacks his helmet and apparently left a pretty sizable dent
rockandice.com/videos/weeke…

The only comment I have on this is I have seen newer trad climbers place cams behind loose flakes, and in that case no pro would have been better.

You fall, the cam expands and pops out at best, at worse there is now the section of the flake following your descent..

But yeah never heard of anyone being hurt by falling gear, sure it has happened tho.

Some people I met at a crag said theyre friend blew 9 pieces on a tiny sandstone finger crack his lip was flapping around and he lost some teeth

There was a guy on here a while back who got one piece in, fell, and got beaned in the head with his piece, and then posted an overblown analysis of how his gear failed. Despite ground falling it appeared his primary injury was actually from the piece hitting him in the eyebrow. I can't seem to find the post.

I had a cam pull a few weeks ago.   it punctured a hole in my shin that went all the way to the bone.