[harph]

Protective gear was always uncool in street skateboarding. Vert (Tony Hawk's main discipline) was the exception. From what I understand it's about being counterculture, punk etc. Today even bowl riders mostly don't wear helmets or pads, and crashing in a concrete bowl is arguably even worse than on a wooden ramp.

[maccard]

There's a big difference between the speeds you travel at in a bowl and in very skating.

[falcolas]

Speed doesn’t matter when you hit your head.

I had a friend who fell while ice skating at the speed of a slow stroll, and hit the back of his head. He was dead a week later.

And just getting a concussion can result in measurably decreased mental capabilities for months.

Dad time: you’ve got one brain for your entire life. Stop relying on luck to keep it in working order.

[dleslie]

> And just getting a concussion can result in measurably decreased mental capabilities for months.

Permanently, not months. All concussions result in some permanent damage, some moreso than others.

[maccard]

But it totally does matter when you fall and smack your elbow. OP mentioned that bowl skaters are wearing no protective gear (pads/helmets), not just talking about helmets.

[comprev]

The distance from 1M air out of the bowl to the bottom is a very long way!