[Dave Flanagan]

Has anyone worn a helmet bouldering? Never seen someone do it, highballing/soloing yes, but never on a average height problem. In John Sherman's bouldering book he talks about helmets and is wearing one in lots of the photos.

The reason I ask is that I'm working a steep (45deg) problem on my own and while the ground is pretty flat and paddable there are other boulders very close by and a bad fall could result in a serious head injury. Would be ok with a spotter but I was thinking of wearing my lid next time, I have one of those fancy petzl ones.

[lagerstarfish]

not done it, but can see why you would

sounds like a good idea - and since you already have a helmet....

[Mike Tyson]

I was once told I had to wear one, even to boulder, when on a Cotswold jolly weekend out at PYB. Didn't fuss me at all. The most amusing and note worthy thing that occurred whilst wearing said helmet, was me really putting a lot of effort into a particular traverse and subsequently farting directly in the face of my spotter. Oops. She may have been the one who benefitted most from a helmet but it would have needed to have  been a full face motorbike one 

[Sasquatch]

If you're asking, then the answer is most definitely yes.

[slackline]

If you're asking, then the answer is most definitely yes.

 

[tomtom]

+1 if in doubt why not.

I've worn a helmet at the wall once (in my prior deviant route climbing days) as I found it distracting/hard to get used to wearing a lid... made it feel more normal etc...

Mind you, the latest ones are so light...

[Dave Flanagan]

How that I have seen that video I really want to rock a helmet.

[rich d]

If it saves you smashing your head open, yes. If you're using it to head bar, no.

[Blunk]

If you feel uncomfortable about the fall wear one by all means. I know of one guy who fractured his skull in a very short fall, hit the back of his head and was basically ruined afterwards. 

It's easy to get launched in unpredictable directions falling off steep problems.

[andyd]

If you're worried about hitting your head on the flood, a bike helmet is probably a better choice. Most climbing helmets are (or used to be) designed to protect you from stuff being dropped on your head.
A balaclava might be a good idea too. This way, nobody will know it's you.

[Fiend]

+ t-shirt with sleeves cut off.

[rich d]

This might be more appropriate

[Fiend]

Fuck yeah. Will keep out the wind better too 

[Sasquatch]

Who needs a wolf t-shirt?
 

[Offwidth]

Anything good enough for the Verm is OK by me. I feel a bit of an 'only one' on problems doing this at times and even I don't bother if I have good spotters and a safe fall zone where inversion is unlikely; its mainly when I'm highballing or on my own on roofs or where there are blocks around I might hit if I spin off. I did get an extra large beanie to put over my lid to stop people worrying.

[SA Chris]

You look like the mekon with the beanie over it?

[Offwidth]

Who gave you that? I thought I'd removed all traces of photos of me without my public mission impossible style plastic face covers on.

[Johnny Brown]

a bike helmet is probably a better choice. Most climbing helmets are (or used to be) designed to protect you from stuff being dropped on your head

I was going a make a similar point - though it's worth noting that most foam climbing helmets also meet the bike helmet standard, and to my eye my Petzl meteor looks a fair bit beefier than my bike lid.

[Dave Flanagan]

The Verminator suggested a skate helmet.

[tomtom]

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/hello-kitty-pink-helmet-id_8187587.html

[Dexter]

how about one of these?

[Ti_pin_man]

I would if the route was particularly precarious but generally I wouldnt.  Most cyclists wear helmets now, its ingrained even though most cycling deaths are head injuries. 

[Paul B]

Take something like Careless Torque though, do you see the risk of head injury as high compared to the risk of ankle or leg breakage? Personally I don't.

You're not very likely to flip upside down and smash your head (well I might) as there's no rope, gear etc. to cause you to do so?

People simply don't throw themselves around when they're at height with reckless, head-endangering abandon, or that's my view of it.

[lagerstarfish]

The Verminator suggested a skate helmet.

makes sense

similar type of fall and they look cool

[Stubbs]

It's struck me for a long time as weird that helmets have been re-adopted for trad climbing yet you never see them worn bouldering, even for high balls or places with dire landings. Doesn't make sense, seems like a pure fashion thing.

It's funny isn't it, anecdotally I don' think I know anyone who has hit their head falling off bouldering, but do know examples of people flipping upside down leading, or having close calls with rockfall trad climbing like Paul says.  THe boulderers I know seem to have a pretty good sense of risk awareness, and don't try anything sketchy without plenty of pads and spotters.