# Protection



## Guest (Jan 19, 2010)

I want to start doing some tricks again but since ive kissed a box 2yrs ago Im a lil scared of hitting that again. I only board a few weeks a years (Im from Holland, no mountains, more of a kiteboarder) so Im not going pro with this. 

What do you guys wear in/out of the park for protection, and what do you recommend wearing when learning?


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## Surrendermonkey (Jan 14, 2010)

dylan82 said:


> What do you guys wear in/out of the park for protection, and what do you recommend wearing when learning?


I would recommend Helmet as bare minimum, personally I use helmet and back-protector, and if you haven't learned to fall properly wristguards would be a really good idea too.

I'm mostly into powder and freeride, but I imagine that crashpants would be quite nice in the park.


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2010)

When I first started hitting the park, I wasn't wearing a helmet but my cousin was. Next thing you know, he goes down while on a box. When he got up, there was a crack down the entire back of his helmet. I've never ridden in the park without a helmet again. Just something to think about, If it was me instead of him, I would have been seriously hurt.


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2010)

Yeah Ive planted my face in the snow once from a box, and ive bounced of the box once with my knee. Both were unpleasant experiences. 

I reckon wearing a helmet in the park is a must. Im wondering tho if you guys wear any protection besides a helmet.


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## stillz (Jan 5, 2010)

No protection at the moment, but I mostly stay out of the park. If I ever get into park riding, I think I'd wear a helmet at least.


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## snoeboarder (Sep 19, 2008)

i wear nothing becuse i am stupid tough




honestly though my back is messed up, i could of used an ass pad, but the impact was very jarring


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

I use just a helmet at the moment. I got a mild concussion a couple of seasons ago while I was jumping. Not fun. I am currently looking for more protection for my tailbone and spine, but they are bit pricey. A lot of people recommend motorcycle padding. Makes sense. If it is built to protect you from motorcycle crashes, it must be better than ones that are designed for snowboarding. :dunno:

By the way, I wear my helmet at all times now. In fact, it saved my ass a couple of days ago. I cleared a steep and began to mess around on a flatter part and ate shit. The top of my helmet prevent my whole face from smashing into the ground.


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## banana420 (Dec 7, 2009)

i rode without a helmet for years. got a black eye and cut up my face a few years ago falling off a rail. ever since than i wanted a helmet for park riding. rocked my head kinda hard riding switch the beginning of this season had a headache for a few days. now i wear a helmet and feel much more comfortable, i know its not a magical crash hat but they definitely help.


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## Birk (Jan 28, 2009)

i usually rock a backprotector with my helmet. It hasn't taken any hits for me yet, and i'm hoping it'll never will! *fingers crossed*


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

I wear a helmet and non shell knee pads. There hasn't been a single day that I wasn't thankful I was wereing my knee pads. I honestly prefer wearing the helmet over a hat. It doesn't work its way off my head and I know I'm not losing my goggles. I'm considering adding shin guards as I advance on jibs. My thighs and butt have plenty of natural padding so no impact shorts unless I got the really really cheap.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

I'm not stupid...but I used to be. I wear knee pads because I only have one set of knees and they need to last me awhile. Suffered a severe Patellar Tendon tear by landing on a rail about 10 years ago. 

And wrist guards after suffering a stage 4 wrist dislocation from flipping backwards off a box. Still don't wear a helmet though....guess I should invest.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Extremo said:


> I'm not stupid...but I used to be. I wear knee pads because I only have one set of knees and they need to last me awhile. Suffered a severe Patellar Tendon tear by landing on a rail about 10 years ago.
> 
> And wrist guards after suffering a stage 4 wrist dislocation from flipping backwards off a box. Still don't wear a helmet though....guess I should invest.


Look at Smith's helmets. I use the Variant. Super light and it protected me very well from a crash that could have been really bad.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks for all the comments so far!

I guess ill be rockin at least a helmet this year. Any advice what looks cool?

The Bern Macon didnt fit me that great, while the RED Hifi was ok. What about the Smith Holt or Maze?


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

*Impact Shorts*

I wear these :










Over padded, mainly I use the but and hip pads. Since I'm still learning I even doubled up the but pad 1" of foam. I won't be needing the extra but pad getting much better so the single pad should be fine. Comfortable pretty decent construction, they are still new so I can't testify to longevity, but super fast shipping from this company.

When I start in the park I am SERIOUSLY thinking of back protection. Cause I read/hear the boxes can get very slick and if you come off wrong and catch one, serious pain maybe even a broken rib. I feel it worth the $75.

This may be over kill but something along this line, I would say depending on your skill level and comfort level of the possiblity of injury:



















-Slyder


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## sook (Oct 25, 2009)

I wear a helmet pretty much all the time and some hard tail crash shorts when I'm trying something new. Although I think I'm going to have to donate my crash shorts to a coworker who wants to learn this season.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2010)

I rock a helmet whenever I go out, partly because I'm just learning and some of those faceplants can give a mean headache. I'm thinking of investing in some impact shorts because I have hurt my tailbone before from gymnastics idiocy so it would probably be a good thing to have protection on that. Thinking about finding some wrist guards after having two friends hurt theirs and having a sore one right now.


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## chubsm (Dec 17, 2009)

I also wear the skeletools shorts, but only have the tailbone part in..I hurt my tailbone last year when I cought a heel edge, never went out again without the shorts. That was one of the worst pains I have felt in a very long time. I sometimes wear a helmet, depends on what I'm planning on doing that day. Most places around where I go require a helmet for park, or they won't even let you in the area.


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## Gnarly (Mar 12, 2008)

On days where I know I'm gona be in the park for most of the day, I wear as much protection as I can stand. Helmet, wrist guards, crash pants & a pressure-suit. I want to pick up some knee pads too, since earlier this season, I fell off a box and hit my knee on a patch of ice.


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## burritosandsnow (Nov 22, 2008)

mouthguards are great for protecting against concussions as well .. just fyi  they like helmets seem to be either love or hate personal preference I guess


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## NYCboarder (Jan 26, 2008)

helmet and biomex level gloves.... had the red wrist guards last year took a spill on a med size kicker an broke my wrist lol so no more of those type of wrist guards


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## NYCboarder (Jan 26, 2008)

Extremo said:


> I'm not stupid...but I used to be. I wear knee pads because I only have one set of knees and they need to last me awhile.Still don't wear a helmet though....guess I should invest.



ummm 2 knees is more then one brain bucket lol just my opinion


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2010)

there wasnt a choice for me lol. i ride with a back protector (broke my back), helmet (had to many concussions), and ass pads/crash pads


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2010)

I wear a helmet and my old volleyball knee pads. I have fractured my skull before - not snowboard related- and the thought of another injury like that is scary. I still catch edges and fall while Im riding and the kneepads kind of take the fear out of riding my toe edge. I dont know if anyone else here has worn volleyball ones, but they are cheap, comfortable and they dont limit your range of motion.


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## twin89 (Jan 21, 2009)

just a helmet for me, for those looking into helmets i would go with smith, i got a smith maze a while back after trying on all these Red Helmets that all felt very non low profile, and you could def notice the helmet, but the smith maze seemed to fit my head really well and was very low profile compared to red.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2010)

somebodyelse5 said:


> there wasnt a choice for me lol. i ride with a back protector (broke my back), helmet (had to many concussions), and ass pads/crash pads


Broke your back?? How did you do that?


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## zakk (Apr 21, 2008)

I always rock a Smith Holt helmet (used it 4 times now, twice on a rock) and really need somethign for my back. I seem to crash on my back excluseively when I catch an edge on a box or rail. I've never hurt anything other than my back in the park.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

dylan82 said:


> Broke your back?? How did you do that?


So many ways to answer this question lol.

He could have wrapped around a tree, landed on his back from a big jump, took a bad spill on a steep, etc...


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## Julian443 (Jan 19, 2010)

I used to rock a helmet, stopped when I got older... I think learning how to fall helps a lot in general but doesnt help in all situations... Choice of pads are personal preference. Try to rent some before you buy that way you can know before you buy.


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