Children's whitewater helmets - Canoeing / Kayaking

Table of Contents

Children's whitewater helmets - MMF - Dec-01-12 9:22 AM
- You'll have to judge for yourself - g2d - Dec-01-12 12:22 PM
- Look at Skateboard helmets - seadart - Dec-01-12 1:55 PM
  - 2nd the Protecs !!! - onnopaddle - Dec-01-12 5:40 PM
    - ski helmets? - emanoh - Dec-01-12 10:13 PM
      - Another thing while shopping for - onnopaddle - Dec-01-12 10:20 PM
    - Not endangering them -- grand kids - MMF - Dec-02-12 7:28 AM
      - 3 year old - needs very light helmet - seadart - Dec-02-12 10:02 AM
- WRSI helmet - small shell - somalley - Dec-03-12 8:52 AM

Messages in this Topic

  You'll have to judge for yourself
  Posted by: g2d on Dec-01-12 12:22 PM (EST)

because, as far as I know, whitewater helmets have not been developed for very small children.

We never even looked for ww helmets for carrying our kids in our tandem canoe, because we never exceeded class 2+ rapids while taking them along. And those were rapids we knew very well and felt confident of running without difficulty.

I don't agree with the blanket rejection of bicycle helmets for small children. A bike helmet that has only a closed cell foam liner, and that fits well, is good enough for anything small kids should be doing. Cavorting on rocky riverbanks is probably more of a danger to their heads than mishaps on the water.

  Look at Skateboard helmets
  Posted by: seadart on Dec-01-12 1:55 PM (EST)

the kind the kids use on the cement skate parks. There is a brand made by Pro-tec that can be used in water sports. These should be used with caution, and I assume you are not going to expose the kids to high danger kinds of white water, but they work for surf.

  2nd the Protecs !!!
  Posted by: onnopaddle on Dec-01-12 5:40 PM (EST)

  ski helmets?
  Posted by: emanoh on Dec-01-12 10:13 PM (EST)

Look at your local Dick's Sporting Goods. While 3-4 year old kids have no place on whitewater, apparently nobody has any problem strapping a toddler into a pair of boots and pushing them down an ice covered hill.

Actually I was wandering through with my 3 yr old and they do make helmets to fit, because we tried a few. I was thinking maybe next year as a 4 yr old would be best to get him on skis, but the thought of using it for water sports did cross my mind.

If you are looking for a helmet that fits, you could go that route or the bike helmet route. Every time my toddler see's me putting away or organizing gear and see's my ww helmet, he puts on his bike helmet.

  Another thing while shopping for
  Posted by: onnopaddle on Dec-01-12 10:20 PM (EST)

bike helmets is you will find out of your child has a Gyro or a Bell head : )

Try tell your Dr. that ... LOL.

  Not endangering them -- grand kids
  Posted by: MMF on Dec-02-12 7:28 AM (EST)

No...we're (grandparents)not going to put them in class III or higher rapids But we want to get them used to putting on a helmet and PFD when they get into their river kayak. The three year old will be just
putting the helmet on to give her a sense of belonging -- when the kayak is beached. She's the one who fought putting on the toddler's PFD when she was younger -- she noticed the leg strap was missing from her sisters' PFDs. Their nearest paddling venues are mountain streams -- they do the pools, but its just a matter of time before they'll want to try the small rapids before and after those pools. Thanks for the places to look and
what to look for.

  3 year old - needs very light helmet
  Posted by: seadart on Dec-02-12 10:02 AM (EST)

Bell makes very light weight foam helmets for bikes for very small tots. Should be fine for what you want.

  WRSI helmet - small shell
  Posted by: somalley on Dec-03-12 8:52 AM (EST)

WRSI makes a small shell version of their basic helmet. Both of my kids use these. I started with ProTec Ace helmets that I padded out to make them fit better, but even with the customizing, those are awful helmets - cheaply built, hard to keep on the head even with straps adjusted "properly." Threw them away rather than sell or give them to someone else - IMO they are that bad.

The WRSI, on the other hand, are very good helmets. Should have just bought them to start with. My younger started wearing his at 6 or 7 (don't remember now). With full factory padding, it was a tiny bit loose, but not enough to pose a risk. At 9, it fits perfectly.

If you can't find something that fits well enough, a bike helmet will be better than no helmet. Just remember that bike helmets are single impact. One whack, and you should replace it.

	You'll have to judge for yourself Posted by: g2d on Dec-01-12 12:22 PM (EST)
	because, as far as I know, whitewater helmets have not been developed for very small children. We never even looked for ww helmets for carrying our kids in our tandem canoe, because we never exceeded class 2+ rapids while taking them along. And those were rapids we knew very well and felt confident of running without difficulty. I don't agree with the blanket rejection of bicycle helmets for small children. A bike helmet that has only a closed cell foam liner, and that fits well, is good enough for anything small kids should be doing. Cavorting on rocky riverbanks is probably more of a danger to their heads than mishaps on the water.

	Look at Skateboard helmets Posted by: seadart on Dec-01-12 1:55 PM (EST)
	the kind the kids use on the cement skate parks. There is a brand made by Pro-tec that can be used in water sports. These should be used with caution, and I assume you are not going to expose the kids to high danger kinds of white water, but they work for surf.

	2nd the Protecs !!! Posted by: onnopaddle on Dec-01-12 5:40 PM (EST)

	ski helmets? Posted by: emanoh on Dec-01-12 10:13 PM (EST)
	Look at your local Dick's Sporting Goods. While 3-4 year old kids have no place on whitewater, apparently nobody has any problem strapping a toddler into a pair of boots and pushing them down an ice covered hill. Actually I was wandering through with my 3 yr old and they do make helmets to fit, because we tried a few. I was thinking maybe next year as a 4 yr old would be best to get him on skis, but the thought of using it for water sports did cross my mind. If you are looking for a helmet that fits, you could go that route or the bike helmet route. Every time my toddler see's me putting away or organizing gear and see's my ww helmet, he puts on his bike helmet.

	Another thing while shopping for Posted by: onnopaddle on Dec-01-12 10:20 PM (EST)
	bike helmets is you will find out of your child has a Gyro or a Bell head : ) Try tell your Dr. that ... LOL.

	Not endangering them -- grand kids Posted by: MMF on Dec-02-12 7:28 AM (EST)
	No...we're (grandparents)not going to put them in class III or higher rapids But we want to get them used to putting on a helmet and PFD when they get into their river kayak. The three year old will be just putting the helmet on to give her a sense of belonging -- when the kayak is beached. She's the one who fought putting on the toddler's PFD when she was younger -- she noticed the leg strap was missing from her sisters' PFDs. Their nearest paddling venues are mountain streams -- they do the pools, but its just a matter of time before they'll want to try the small rapids before and after those pools. Thanks for the places to look and what to look for.

	3 year old - needs very light helmet Posted by: seadart on Dec-02-12 10:02 AM (EST)
	Bell makes very light weight foam helmets for bikes for very small tots. Should be fine for what you want.

	WRSI helmet - small shell Posted by: somalley on Dec-03-12 8:52 AM (EST)
	WRSI makes a small shell version of their basic helmet. Both of my kids use these. I started with ProTec Ace helmets that I padded out to make them fit better, but even with the customizing, those are awful helmets - cheaply built, hard to keep on the head even with straps adjusted "properly." Threw them away rather than sell or give them to someone else - IMO they are that bad. The WRSI, on the other hand, are very good helmets. Should have just bought them to start with. My younger started wearing his at 6 or 7 (don't remember now). With full factory padding, it was a tiny bit loose, but not enough to pose a risk. At 9, it fits perfectly. If you can't find something that fits well enough, a bike helmet will be better than no helmet. Just remember that bike helmets are single impact. One whack, and you should replace it.