Accident due to Sweet Protection Rocker Full Face Helmet, 11/22/2009
On Sunday I was making my second run of the Tallulah Gorge in Georgia with good friends when I rolled in The Gauntlet trying to help a swimmer. The front liner inside my Sweet Protection Rocker full face helmet for some reason slipped down over my eyes. I rolled up and couldn't see. I had on NRS Creek Gloves and could not push this lining back up into the helmet. I could see only a little and after I swam out of a hole I threw off one glove and pushed up the lining a little to see that I was about to go over the right side of Birdal Vail Falls. In the hole at the bottom the lining came down again. It was a terrible hole and I was in serious trouble and considered ditching my helmet and pfd to be able to swim downward to get out. I eventually got out by rolling laterally with my arms extended as you are taught in swiftwater rescue to roll over eddy lines to get into an eddy. My friends retrieved all of the boats & paddles and we made the rest of the trip just fine. I used some safe-T-pins to pin up the lining for the rest of the trip. I had used this helmet for a year and have another one just like it. When I got home I took 3M General Trim Adhesive-clear 08088 and glued the front of the lining to the dome of both of the helmets. I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else. I have notified Sweet Protection and Alder Creek where I bought the helmet. /Hugh Barrow
Sweet Protection Rocker full face helmet, lining up.
Sweet Protection Rocker full face helmet, lining down.