Poler's Poll. Helmets?

[Steve in Idaho]

I don't bother with the helmet on lakes and ponds. Wouldn't wear it in a swamp either. Falling on flat water where the pole reaches the bottom isn't a real concern to me. You can always catch your balance with a pole plant. You might be surprised that you can do a weak rendition of a brace in deep water with a pole too. If you are just learning to pole and not used to standing in the canoe, I can see where the brain bucket might be a good idea though. But when I pole around the perimeter of the local lake, I just wear a nice shade hat.

 

[riverstrider]

I usually don't wear a helmet when poling unless I'm unfamiliar with a river and want to be prepared for the unexpected, or I am familiar with the river and know that it's degree of difficulty or density of rock cover warrants a little extra protection in case my cat-like reflexes and gymnast-quality balance inexplicably elude me. Which happens more and more as I age, it seems.

-rs

 

[Steve]

So I almost always pole and I am not proud to say that I usually don't wear a helmet when poling. I do agree that most of my spills have been into the boat onto thwarts and gunnels, but they have just banged up my ribs and arms. If the rapids are dodgy I wear and if it is a poling class I wear. If I am with other folks wearing I wear. Am I proud... no, but my wife doesn't monitor this site. She busted me last year when she saw a photo of others with helmets and me without, so I promise to get better.

 

[Tsuga8]

I've been sizing up a local stretch of swiftwater as my poling practice (I'd guess below Class I, but lots of volume right now). I haven't worn a helmet poling swamps but it never felt necessary. Now I want to expand into poling moving water.

Two of the 3 times I've fallen out of a boat the last 6 yrs was standing in a boat moving backwards (the third was getting in a new solo without paying due attention).

I feel like I probably should wear a helmet while practicing poling in swift water solo. Not too many rocks, but plenty of overhanging branches, and I could see smacking my head on a gunnel or seat on the way down. I don't really do WW and don't have the gear, so I guess I'll wear the bike helmet for a bit and see how it goes.

 

[lowangle al]

I've never worn one, but I haven't poled in any technical whitewater. I'm pretty sure that if I did get into some technical ww and there were lots of rocks and a chance of falling I'd be wishing I had one on.

 

[MrPoling]

I wear the helmet when around serious whitewater. I normally don't pole in places I'd wear a helmet.

I share Glenn and Unkle Skwid's opinion that any kayak or canoe you strap into requires a helmet. I'm pretty sure I'd have drowned at least once without my helmet. Not that I remember much of the incident.

I wear mine when paddling anything fast or scary, even when I'm in a plain open boat. I suppose if I poled in such a place I'd wear one.

 

[Tsuga8]

OK, so if one did want a helmet, but doesn't run whitewater, what models are good (i.e. safe but economical, for use that will rarely exceed an hour and has yet to involve a swim)? How different are WW helmets from bike helmets, and in what ways?

 

[Tsuga8]

Well, NRS has an answer, but they're biased. It's certainly in their interest for me to buy a helmet. https://www.nrs.com/learn/boating-helmets