Full Face helmet?

I landed on my face yesterday in Djouce - thanks to those who stopped and passed a sympathetic comment - and now have 20 stitches in my face, a broken left pinkie, a 10 minute silent stare from my three year old boy and a - naturally and understandably - distinctly unhappy wife.

I've bought the bike - anthem x4 - only last december and am completely besotted with this great sport/activity BUT if I have any hope of negotiating a return to the hills I have to have a good story.

A few months ago bought a Met Parachute thinking that this was a good way to protect the face but I was strongly advised on a beginners ride that it was dangerous so I returned to my Hex.

So, is there a full face helmet out there that is reasonably vented, comfortable and give me the protection I need and more importantly satisfy my wife that I am taking my safety seriously?

P.S. Just so you know, I ambitiously tried to jump a stump but landed on the front wheel and went flying face first to the dirt. I think that a bit more coaching from richie is needed before I try anything like that again....if I get out again.

P.P.S. Brilliant care in Vincents, the 160 I dropped in Swiftcare was a waste in all honesty as they just referred me on.

Sounds nasty! The simple answer is no! Full face helmets are very heavy and very hot, they have little or no venting so not suitable for anything other than downhilling.

specialized have good ventilation but at the same time big holes in the helmet will let tree branches through.
http://peakcycles.files.wordpress.co...6/img_4893.jpg

You'd be wasting your time with a full face. Only suitable for DH.
Everyone falls at this game at some stage it's just a fact of life with this sport. What you need to tell your wife is you have to get out more so you can get better and fall less.
With experience you'll fall better anyway :) Falling properly is a skill you know. Take it from the guy who's missed 2 months off work with a broken collar bone.

What..?? Are you mental..?? Do you want to bin yourself good & proper next time...??

I'd say it was Richie's coaching techniques that has you landing on your face in the first place..!!

Hey D (Dave?)

You don't need a full face helmet for trail riding. Your injury was simply caused by lack of experience (trying to jump something you haven't tried/assessed before) and bad luck (landing on your face rather than arms or helmet).
You can't overcome bad luck but you can and definitely will improve your bike skills and risk judgment.
Every sport can be dangerous if you try to go beyond your limits to quickly.

Bad luck can get anyone ..http://www.onlysportsnews.com/2010/h...rash-2139.html

Sorry to hear about the tumble D, especially rough when wife and kids have to share in it. Max is right, experience is the key, and try to ride within your limits for as long as possible.

Now, did I hear there was a cheap Giant to be had...?

thanks folks, you are all correct, I should have stayed within my limits - but where's the fun in that!
Three days in and I look and sound like John Merrick but oddly no pain but the itching is about to start....
And Mac , do you know my mrs, your words and hers are oddly similar!
Deiric
P.S. the friggin' stump was only a foot high, I still can't believe it has me like this!

hang on a minute..I haven't killed anybody..yet ! and if you bin yourself when I'm not there its because i wasn't shouting at you ..and besides..we have to get permission from our wives now to have fun and pick up scars !!
What happened to the sexual revolution?
I'm going to have to run a boot camp for all you metrosexuals !! get your masculinity back for you !!
the state of you people !
and if you ride within your limits then you will never amount to anything !!
i'll give you a free one on one coaching session to fix that falling on your face nonsense !!
as for you Don..your kids and your wife have to share the experience !! that sounds like something Oprah Winfrey would say !!
and thanks Gerry for the endorsement !! I'd hate to think people were believing i was going soft !!

That was a pretty intresting fall

Any time old man... any time...!!

Richie, uncompromising stuff as usual but absolutely true. I hope that I haven't given the impression that it was anything but my own fault. I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone and it backfired.

I sincerely appreciate the offer of the oneonone and I hope that I get to take it up but right now I'm off the bike, you are in a much more privileged situation that you realise or maybe your skin is a heluva lot thicker than the regular...hang on, I think I know the answer to that one. Keep doing what you do and spread the enthusiasm.

My single regret is that I didn't discover mtb 30 years ago.

thanks..I bought that privilege off the Devil..he made me indestructible, morally bankrupt, mostly insane and he gave me the worlds most understanding wife and the biggest ginger micky in the World !! Never have any regrets and remember its much easier to ask for forgiveness than permission or something !