DEWITT -- The use of ski and snowboard helmets is on the rise. According to the National Ski Areas Association, 48% of their study participants say they wore helmets during the 2008-2009 season. It's a trend local ski shops are seeing too. "In the past ten years they've gotten lighter, more comfortable and have more features, open and close vents, removable ear flaps and audio so you can listen to your IPod while you go," says Nathan Fox, the store manager of The Ski Company in Dewitt.
Features like having built in headphones is one way to get more people to wear the potentially life saving gear. Fox says the celebrities that have recently died while skiing is also getting the word out about how important wearing a helmet can be. "Helmet sales have been great over the last few years. The celebrity deaths have really led to a bigger awareness of helmets and the fact that you should wear them," says Fox.
Helmets will cost you anywhere from $60 to $160. As you get closer to the $160 range, you are paying for those extra features like vents and the build in headphones. One thing to keep in mind, if you take just one nasty fall, you will need to get a new helmet. "Buying a used helmet is not a good idea because you never know if there's been an impact or not,"says Fox. "All helmets on the market are rated for only one impact."
