How to Stay Cool in a Helmet
How to select the right helmet for skating in
very hot weather, tips for staying hydrated,
and how to keep your head cool and avoid overheating
when you're wearing a skating helmet or a cycling helmet.
One of the most common reasons adult skaters and cyclists give for not
wearing a helmet is the heat.
On a very hot day, athletes think they
have to choose between wearing a helmet to prevent head injuries,
and keeping their head cool enough to prevent heatstroke.
Here are some tips for keeping your head cool and
comfortable inside a helmet:
How to select the right helmet for skating in
very hot weather, tips for staying hydrated,
and how to keep your head cool when you're wearing
a skating helmet or a cycling helmet.
How to select the right helmet for skating in
very hot weather, tips for staying hydrated,
and how to keep your head cool when you're wearing
a skating helmet or a cycling helmet.
Select the Right Helmet
-
Purchase a helmet with plenty of vents to
allow air circulation.
-
Wear a light-colored helmet that
will reflect the sun. A dark-colored helmet
will absorb the heat.
Stay Hydrated
-
Always carry water, and drink plenty of it.
-
Wear a hydration pack when you skate.
-
Put ice cubes in your water bottle or hydration pack.
(this is easier with the new wide-mouth models.)
How to Cool Off Your Head
-
Pour water over your head through the
holes in your helmet.
-
Wrap a water-soaked bandana around your head,
and wear it under your helmet. When you start to
get hot, soak the bandana in water again.
-
Wear a water-soaked sweat band under your helmet to
keep your head cool and prevent perspiration and
sunscreen lotion from dripping into your eyes.
-
Sometimes baseball players put cabbage leaves under their
baseball caps to keep their heads cool.
-
Avoid skating in the middle of the day when the sun is hottest.
Skate early in the morning or late in the day.
-
Take more breaks on a very hot day. When you
start feeling the heat, sit down and remove your
helmet until you cool down.
You don't have to choose between heatstroke
and a broken head. Follow these safety tips
and you will find you can skate quite comfortably
wearing a helmet, even on warm days.
Some skaters say they actually feel the heat
more if they remove their helmet, because the helmet
shades their head.
If you have tried all of these
ideas and you are still overheating, the best solution
is not to skate at all that day, or find a place
to skate in the shade. Heatstroke is very dangerous, but
don't risk a head injury
by skating without a helmet. If you fall on your head
you could be permanently disabled or killed.
Visit Our Forum and Tell Us What You Think
Anybody have any more tips about how to keep your head cool in a skating
helmet? Any stories about occasions where your head did get overheated
because you were wearing a helmet? Visit our
SKATING FORUM at AskAboutSkating.com and tell us what you think.
