A good friend of mine died after falling 5m, stripping his gear, and hitting his head a rock. He'd brought his helmet to the crag, but hadn't bothered to put it on. If he had, he'd probably still be here today.

A colleague was descending from a route when a football-sized rock slid out from under him. The took a 50-foot tumble, followed by the rock which hit his head. It was coming on to rain so he had kept his helmet on for the descent. But for the deterioration in the weather he would have taken it off, and would probably not have survived. As it was he eventually made a full recovery.

My Dad was wearing his helmet during a rock fall: it saved his life.

I'm a cool dude, so when I wear my helmet I know I'll be back home to see my wife and kids and carry on being a cool dude. x
From Daymo. Love-Rock.co.uk

Seconding a route n Chedder gorge, in the late 80's. leader knocked off large lump, which hit my helmeted head square on. This hurt my neck but not my head. when we inspected the helmet at the top of the route. found it had a huge split..never climbed without one since

I put on my helmet at the end of the walk in.
Watching a helicopter rescue from below in the gorge, a decent-sized tree was blown down on me. A branch as thick as my wrist hit me on the head, knocking me down. All I got was a bashed ear and a small cut on the forehead. My helmet still has a big green and brown stripe on it.

You do seem to see more and more folks at the crags wearing helmets and it does appear to be younger people adopting them. Is this to do with the stricter protocols surrounding safety on the taster session at walls and centres? Just to be completely clear, I'm not at all against more people choosing helmets but I do think it should be a choice. rob-houghton.com

Personal choice whether you wear a helmet or not however even a minor blow to the head could prove serious/fatal. For the sake of putting a lid on (which are mostly light and comfortable these days) I would like to improve my chances should any accidents happen.

I fell 40' when my abseil anchors failed, hitting my head twice on the way down and again on landing. My BD lid is in pieces but my head is not. Now I just need to wait 6-8 weeks for my leg to heal up! I bet you can guess what my next climbing-related purchase will be!

I just don't understand the arguments for not, put a lid on it and save your life, same for cycling, skiing or other sport it could save your life

Not wearing a helmet is stupid and irresponsible. Plain and simple.

"Not wearing a helmet is stupid and irresponsible. Plain and simple."

Really? Do you wear a helmet when travelling in a car, then? Why not?

I find it very frustrating, I know I should wear a helmet, I want to get one, but I have yet to find one that fits. I am blessed with a big head (no pun intended) and every lid I have tried has come short. It's almost a joke now, I walk into a store and ask for a helmet, jokingly warning the clerk I have a 'big head', "not a problem" I'm told, a few minutes later they admit defeat.. I'm about 64cm - the largest anything I've found is 63cm, doesn't sound much but that extra centimeter or so makes all the difference.. Come on manufactures, size in this case is everything, it could mean my life!

Having experienced landing on my helmet from a 10 meter fall and still being here to offer the exact details of a ‘totally unpredictable slip’ you might think I’ll be joining the majority and declare that helmets must be worn when climbing ‘at all times’.

But I’m not going to!

It wasn’t just the helmet that saved me, rope + number 7 nut + judgment.

I believe, with experience it is a matter of personal choice. ‘If in doubt wear it out’, you might say if you’re really cheesy.

For me it comes down to the 6th sense, as soon as I put a helmet on I’ll be hitting it on rocks (not by choice) and my climbing will not be as fluid.

Talking of fluid, I would like to praise the designers and companies who have brought the foam helmets to the climbing market, lighter, cooler, I could have drowned in my old BD Dome.

Anyone who knows me will know I don’t take the decision lightly. Helmet? Or no helmet? Many of the people mentioned in this article made the right choice on the day. Others have not been correct on their day and paid a price.

‘One issue I haven’t seen mentioned is one of my greatest fears’!

You’re pushing your way up a route starting to pump, look down, NO FUNCTIONING BELAYER!! Need I say more?? (Yes that was ‘Functioning’ not .....)

Bandoliers! One other point, whilst I’ve got your attention.

Anything above your waist will make you top heavy and can pull you backwards. The reason I ended up on my head was due to a Bandolier and the only injury sustained was a cut through my t-shirt and into my back from the bandolier. I don’t were one anymore, funny enough.

It could also be advisable for seconds carrying packs to wear a chest harness if they don’t want to test their helmet?

All the very best, Paul www.on-up.co.uk

yer helmets are super duper cool and fun

I fell about 30 feet while [failing to] lead a climb, my gear fell out, I inverted and landed on my head. I'd lent my climbing helmet to a new climber who had come along to our club meet. Luckily I was wearing my cycling helmet, the pieces of which I've kept as a souvenir. I had 2 months off work, and I'm very grateful for it saving my life. I'm still climbing, but I've given up falling.

I took a ground fall on an E1 5b just yesterday, And wasn't wearing a helmet. I was fine, but it made me think 'what if' that fall didn't just end in me landing on my arse on a soft pile of rope... I don't think I'll be heading to a crag again without my helmet on.

After viewing your BMC Helmet Campaign and the comments listed it is a done thing for me to buy a helmet. I want to see my children again and not have an injury that could have been prevented.