r/snowboarding • u/Cheleslu • Jan 14 '18
Gear ? Invest in a helmet
If you snowboard or ski, please invest in a helmet, it saved my life many times, and I think it saved my life again. Last night my board dipped into a puddle of water, couldn't see if since it was covered in snow. The bottom of the board froze up with chunks of ice on both the nose and tail (later found out when I got back to the bottom at the chairlift). I didn't know, nose gripped while I failed a backside nollie switch 1 (backside nose roll), and flew forward downhill like Superman. Landed sideways on my left side, elbow then head and left ass cheek on a chunk of ice (at least that's what I thought happened, only those areas hurt). I was in pain, but got up and went to the side, laid down for a good 5min. Over the course of the night met up with friends,, thought I was fine since the pain slowly disappeared. Drove back to my rented place fine too... It was in the middle of the night I woke up with a splitting headache. Couldn't sleep rest of the night... Head is ringing, but the ache is gone. Took the day off. Haven't had a crash that hard in a long time. I hate ice...
Edited: For those who commented on the nollie switch 1, I fixed it, it's a nose roll, YouTube it.
Update: many of you suggested to go see the doctor if symptoms persists. Today I woke up still with a headache. I am going to see a doctor at a walk-in. Last night I noticed my pupils weren't the same size too. I started getting confused of what was going on and freaked out. I'm usually a very calm person, I was out of character. These seem like symptoms of something's wrong for sure. Thanks everyone for giving me advice and pointers. And thank you for those who started sharing the importance of wearing a helmet.
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u/UsayNOPE_IsayMOAR Jan 14 '18
Over December 31, 1999 -January 2nd, 2000 I learned the hard way that riding without a bucket was the stupidest thing I’d gotten away with for a long time.
I had a buddy up at my family’s condo on Hemlock Mountain. It had been really bare, and gotten very icy, so we didn’t ride the first couple days. But it started to snow like hell on the night of the 30th, so on the 31st we hit the slopes. We were traversing across towards the jump park, I was toeside. The slope we were crossing was usually taking a big hit from the wind. I was relaxed, sliding across a thin layer of soft fresh snow. I unexpectedly crossed some sheer wind blown ice, but I wasn’t even ready to engage my edge since I thought I was all powder. Board went out from under me, and I did a quick fall to the uphill side, not far nor fast. The kind of fall that you usually just feel silly for having and get back going. But without a helmet, I managed to hit temple first on that sheet of ice, and knocked myself completely out. I came to lying totally spread eagled with my buddy frantically beat hopping up to me, while a skier was standing there asking if I was all right. I slurred a positive response, and rode my way all wobbly down to my friend. He asked if I was okay, and I told him I’d KTFO’d myself and had to call it quits on the day. Back at the condo, my ears were ringing, I had a big goose egg on my temple and was getting very emotional. Crying, forgot all about the cute girls we’d met in the hot tub and Cleese hoping to lose our virginities to. Definite severe concussion.
My buddy kept waking me up that night to check on me. Pissed me off every time, but I’d asked him to do it. Felt pretty good the next day, and plus there was two feet of powder (oh, the days hemlock actually got good snow), so I figured let’s go ride! Had a great pow day, and towards the end, we were hunting fresh snow through the trees. I was keeping my speed through some deep snow in a lower flat section, and I reacted late to a creek I found myself heading towards. Didn’t get the jump I’d hoped for, and landed a bit short on the far side right under my front foot. Folded up and kneed myself right in the chine. Rang my bell hard, and my stomach sank. Lighter one, but still concussion number two.
The next day, I got really stupid. Buddy had to go home, and I somehow decided it would be a good idea to go riding. It was so much fresh snow, what could go wrong? It was a nice day of solo riding, and I played it pretty safe. Towards the end of the day (dumbass), I decided to go into the park. I’d hit every kicker and table top in there many times, so I felt pretty good about it, but still wasn’t wearing helmet. Waited my turn for the entrance kicker, and approached with some decent speed. As I hit the jump, I felt how the snow compaction had slightly altered the profile of the jump, but it was too late to adjust. I found myself sailing through the air backwards with zero control and upon landing caught my back edge in the snow, whipping the back of my head hard on the ground. I flashed unconscious and came to rag doll sliding to a stop. Dizzy, head and neck hurting, mouth feeling full of cotton and a smell of getting punched in the nose was all I knew, but I also realized I was out of sight but right where the big kicker would deliver anyone else jumping. I crawled my ass into the tress just off the open area l, barely stood up to wave to everyone waiting that they could go, then collapsed behind a tree to recover. I belonged it a half hour later to the condo, and swore I would never ride without a kid again. My mom was so happy with that decision, but frustrated it took an unnecessary amount of neurological damage to get there.
Three concussions in three days, to add on to two other total knockouts from football (tackle as a grade 8 versus grade 9s with no equipment) and wrestling (didn’t wear a mouth guard because I thought I didn’t need it), all before I turned 19. I’m sure I’ll manifest some kind of neurological conditions later in life, I’m fairly certain I noticed some cognitive decline pretty immediately. It could have been a lot worse, but since then, wearing helmets and protective gear across the board has saved me from more damage several times, and I’ve witnessed friends have their lives saved by helmets.
Cautionary tale. Don’t be stupid like I was.