Vids like this is what gets the kids to wear a helmet. Major props to all involved for speaking up! If you're not riding with a helmet, surfing, snowboarding, etc. your one unlucky fall from never being able to ride again. Remember, no one goes home and says "man that one guy was so uncool for wearing a helmet". But almost everyone who wears one gets to go home, and that's the most important thing!
@@Werdna297depends on the spot, sometimes it's over reef or shallow water, most of the really big waves are deeper water so there's nothing to hit your head on other than your own board
I would never think a helmet would be needed surfing but at this level I suppose it makes sense and I agree will encourage the younger gen’s to do it too
@@GalaxyFluke a bunch of popular surf spots have very shallow reefs that can knock you out, this is the main cause of death at these spots. Other spots are much deeper so helmet isn't as helpful but you can always get KO'd by your own board and drown.
@@friedsensei yeah I’m from Alabama lol. We have the gulf and the “surfers” here mainly go out when it’s storming but not lightning to catch bigger waves.
When I saw the life guard ditch the ski to fetch kala before he went under again it really made me realise like snap one you don’t have much time to make that decision cause another wave on the head and you may never find him but to fight every instinct and leave the safety of the ski to go grab him in the middle of all that is quite remarkable. That sums up to me how far these guys are willing to go to get you out of there. Big mahalo and they really get under appreciated by non surfers. Being out there we know how much they are putting on the line to keep us safe and we can never be grateful enough. I think in my retirement I’ll volunteer and spend my days doing the sale u tip my body gives in. Only way to give back.
No, for real. People don’t realize how important and usually how highly trained lifeguards are, especially beach lifeguards. They’re trained in all sorts of things. Extensive life saving techniques are only just the start of it. Not only that, but when it comes to drowning victims, CPR can mean the difference between not recovering and dying, and recovering and being quite normal. And with that, I’d like to take the random opportunity to remind anyone who reads this comment that CPR is NOT about the lungs. You can put as much oxygen into the lungs as you want. If the compressions aren’t compressing the heart, it’s pretty much useless. That’s how blood gets to the brain, once absorbed. You’re pumping the heart, not the lungs which is a shockingly common misconception. You’re giving the person oxygen via breaths, and then compressing the heart to pump the oxygen throughout the body and to the brain.
Very nice Kai, very brave to speak openly about your injury. Also great of you to provide Kala and Eli an opportunity to open up about their struggles post injury
What on earth are you going on about? It's like you are being paid to promote some mental health narrative. Going out there is 'brave' and they are just talking about injuries. It's a documentary ...
@@guitar911rock Even without a shallow reef, there's always the possibility a board or someone else's board can bash you in the head at high speed. It's always a trade-off of "freedom" vs safety if you choose to not wear a helmet when doing extreme or accident-prone sports.
@@Sidkainreally do need restrictions on how many surfers in any particular area. Enforced by safety personnel and the law. Where life guards exist some sort of sign up procedure. Surfing overall very safe and that without head protection in most cases. But these hit the bottom hard spots certainly differ. I will note helmet manufacturers have reasons to push use even when statistics show wearing a helmet makes it more likely to die like snow skiing. Helmets there came into use despite the statistics. Now most wear them despite still little proof they help. Still most areas helmets help. Also matter of is risk high enough to worry on situations. This an individual choice. This not mask wearing with infectious disease where you have no right to endanger lives of other people.
Powerful!!! I had back to back concussions 48 years go, I was cringing the entire time watching this. Big wind kiting/foiling/winging is what still keeps me going at 54. That feeling of floating/flying is what I want 24/7, I can’t imagine being inside one of those monsters, what a gift to even just have one ride! Thanks for sharing and putting this out.
Having done rugby before extreme surfing trust me concussions are the most terrifying injury short of death. Saw a guy take a knee I the face and he was conscious technically but when I saw his eyes it was like looking at a corpse like there was nothing there. He looked like a zombie, the blood gushing on his face didn’t help but his eyes are stuck in my head forever. It’s like his brain just took a vacation and his body was just on automatic. I hit my head at kaiser only time I was ever did and it was a small day. I didn’t even get knocked on impact I got dragged across the reef and my head hit on the second or third rinse cycle so not as much power as if I had gone straight for it with the lip. Still made me feel drowsy and when came up I wasn’t even sure where I was. Literally had my late ask me concussion questions in case like where are you? What day it is? What is your name ? Why did you come here? Seeing I could answer those I felt reassured but definitely shook me pretty bad. Looking back I probably should have taken at least a week or two off any sport but I didn’t. That’s the thing with concussions they get you after, that’s why rugby players get taken out if there’s even suspension of concussion. Even if the doc thinks you good they might not let you back.
I had a very similar post-concussion experience. Crashed on my dirt bike and hit my head hard. I didn't really feel anything in the days after, but after maybe a week my family noticed I was staying in my room and acting really depressed and not like myself. I am back to 100% now but it is really cool to see a video like this from Red Bull. Huge props to Kai
SO impactful and brave for such mega surfers to talk safety & post-injury reality for all the young surfers out there. Cheers to you guys for setting the tone
Just happened to cross this video and it ended up being so assuring, I had a concussion in college that led to depression and anxiety which in turn killed all motivation to get work done, had to drop out of a 4 year degree and basically force myself to still get a 2 year that I’ve always held over myself because it felt the coursework wasn’t that difficult. This video showed that even the best in what they do can be set back so heavily from a concussion and that it’s possible to come back.
Thank you for opening up about your injury Kai and encouraging conversation. I’ve personally suffered from a concussion while biking. Praying got you and the others as you recover
I am really grateful for all of these pros sharing their stories. Also props to the people who filmed this and edited it. INCREDIBLE! Especially at 22:30.
I had a stroke when I was 29 from a chiropractic neck adjustment. Not the same as a concussion but with an acquired brain injury … The comments about initial headache, light sensitivity (and for me sound sensitivity) and later setting in anxiety, depression, feeling isolated in this experience … thanks for sharing this important story.
It’s amazing how this helmet culture at wakeboarding is almost normal and cool. When I started kitesurfing nobody was wearing a helmet but now…. It’s finally getting there, we jump so high and get in dangerous situations. Happy to see this video with the main subject “Helmet in water sports” 🎉
thanks so much kai for thinking about putting on a helmet that day. For all the surfing community you are so inspiring, you are a beautifull person who goes beyond the limits of what is possible.😇❤
Incredible to hear a person is prolific as Kai talk of anxiety and depression. He's like the last person you think would suffer from it but then that's how it goes. Also Nathan is a G. Would love to have a friend like him.
Proud of you for opening up and talking about everything. I had two severe concussions in 2015 about a month apart and still feel different and see dots. Getting a helmet for my skateboard now lol
It’s crazy how a wave can have that much power! The waves near me don’t get very large so it’s never been life threatening to go surfing. Surfing waves like that is definitely a dream of mine!
@@_Jake.From.Statefarm_it entirely depends in how it’s breaking. It’s definitely less dangerous when it’s small and it’s literally that which will get you hurt. Because it’s not as dangerous doesn’t mean it’s safe and you should have your guard down cause a 4ft wave can kill you. Funny enough I learned this one the hard way at Haleiwa and literally saw the light. Not even a dangerous day just decent but just a series of bad decisions made my session from being fun to almost being my last. To this day I’m not over just how fast it got out of hand and it was barely 8ft, perhaps the one I went on was bigger cause it was a bomb but I didn’t charge hard enough and didn’t back out early enough so ended up trying to get up not having really caught it hoping I can land that drop except the wave went vertical doubled up and I fell on my back. All my air got knocked out right there and I didn’t even have time to react that the lip hit me like a truck. It happened so fkn fast I wait straight to instinct mode and knew I had to find that happy place and stay conscious as long as I could hoping it will let me go. Idk how long I stayed under but felt like hours and when it finally let me go I didn’t even know where I was I just knew I had to use the last of my energy and try reach the surface. I knew if I missed and wen the wrong way I was dead. I just took a big breath through the foam and went right under cause I knew there were at least 2 bigger ones coming for me. In that moment I don’t even remember having thoughts, it’s like I was a computer just running a script and my body just did what it knew it had to do. Once I got to safety in the channel somehow I had a panic attack and my whole body started shaking like I’ve never seen it do. Took me a minute to regather myself and every ounce of my being wanted to touch dry land but a voice in my head said F that, I ain’t going out like that. Took le probably an hour to muster the courage to finally go on a wave and go home. Most humbling experience of my life. 10 years of experience and it all came down to one minute and couple poor decisions.
@@LOHAN-it’s more the fact you might relax and think you’ll be fine and then get nasty surprises. 4ft pipe doesn’t have the same power and danger as 10ft pipe but it will try hurt you all the same
Yes, you are right. I remember you since I was young and you a kid windsurfing diamond head on summer with your dad. On those time wearing an helmet, even attempting double forward was a kooks’ thing . Now I’m an old man with a 18 yo kid and I trained him to wear an helmet when surfing in pipe and in dangerous breaks. Thank you for opening up
It's weird hearing some of this stuff as someone without a traumatic injury, but suffering from a lot of the same mental issues, brain fog, fatigue, etc. It seems like it gets us from so many different starting points.
@@chaddavies1032yeah tends to be but I actually had a bright purple rugby scrum cap I’d wear anywhere near pipe or anywhere where it was 10ft and over. Actual helmet would mess with me but I’m more used to scrum caps so I felt safer, no increase in the risk but also should something go wrong it’s better than bare skull. My thinking was more along the line if I get knocked out for any reason at least there’s something on my head that floats and it’s bright purple so it’s easier to find me and fish me out. Especially in big surf where if you get held for too long or your board smashes your head, normally if your leash breaks chances are you’ll never be seen again but with my scrum cap I knew there was something to at least bring me up and being bright purple easy for a ski or other surfers to see it and find me.
@@dreammaker9642 Maybe try the Gamebreaker Pro then? It is a soft shell helmet. I use it for kiting as the flat water head slap can be brutal with enough speed and force on some failed tricks. It's not made for point impacts however I've had the corner of the twin tip hit the helmet. I did feel a little pain but at least it didn't cut my head open. The Pro has d30 which is what they use in bullet proof vests. It's around 2-3 times thicker than a rugby helmet.
@@cyberanswer See when you try get in a barrel or just time a duck dive having something hard and heavy covering your head can be very bothersome especially in barrels cause you gotta fit in a tiny space and a helmet messes with your senses. You get used to it but I don’t like hard helmets hence why I went with the cap. If a wave like pipe smashes you head first helmet or scrum cap won’t make a big difference but it’s better than your skull. I mean both Kai and Makala got violated regardless but my opinion better with it. Some much more experience than me hate it because they argue when you go in massive pipe it won’t stop you from getting knocked out and/or concussed but will increase your chances of actually being in that situation due to the above explained but either way it’s always a gamble to surf these waves so to each to figure out what works best for them. Rather risk skull fracture but less risk of it happening or less risk of skull fracture but increase risk of getting slammed. Personally I chose the scrum cap cause I’ve used them in rugby when I started and they annoying but I wanted something to make my head float. See the biggest danger in Hawaii is we don’t have wetsuits and currents are insane especially in areas like pipe. So if you lose consciousness and don’t come up and your leash happens to break chances are no one can find you. Kelly was on Joe Rohan’s podcast end told this story in a big wave spot in Hawaii where the guy wiped out bad broke his leash and likely ruptured his ear drum cause he came up weird then the next set wave went over him and they never saw him again. That gave me the idea of the scrum cap as a middle ground cause at least if anything happens I could pop up face out or at least I can be picked up by the nearest person. When you look at Kala’s footage see how the ski jumps to get him before the next wave comes? Cause he knows he kala gets caught under might not come back up and might get carried by the rip god knows where so gotta grab him and make him surface asap or you might never see him again. Those waves really don’t mess around and as a surfer you right in middle of it all. We always tune kite surfers cause it’s easy for y’all to escape a bad situation so long as you got some wind and your board but in surfing when you caught inside you gonna have to just take it
Great episode, Kai. If the top athletes speak out and set an example by wearing helmets, many head injuries will be prevented when us mere mortals unselfconsciously start wearing them.
Watched as Redbull rider Tawny Seagrave talk about the same problems after her concussion. These concussions are no joke.... severe depression, anxiety. There's a reason why we wear helmets
It is crazy that helmets are not thought of as a basic equipment out in heavy shallow reef waves, and that they are not mandatory in contest being held in those kinds of waves. Would you imagine that motorbike races or mountain bike competitions would have a rule saying that helmets are optional? It just doesn't make sense.
@@adriane7841 You're right about if someone is knocked out, but I think in any case where a surfer is conscious, a life vest would make things worse. Submerging when a wave is cresting over you and being able to duck dive are important for navigating surf safely.
@@rearct you can dive under a wave with a vest. If it is inflatable you can deflate it a little bit. I use a Patagonia impact vest and it is easy to dive waves with it.. it takes you up faster and does not allow the wave to sunk you too deep.
Hero's journey much? Haha see what you did there but seriously, that was incredible I really love this episode. Feel like I just watched a movie. Good job to everyone involved.
Stoked to Sea You Giving a voice to the Ohana that have to heal from the TBI's, Uncle Mark has been dealing with the battles since 12/91 from bouncing off the bottom at Rockpiles, Cracked Scull & Folded shoulder blade.Took 2yrs. Of recovery before I was able to Surf again. Really Epic to Sea You trying a Handfoil. My favorite Way to He'e Nalu nephew. I will build you One of my FreeFlite HandFoils anytime. StayWet2 StayWell ,Steep and Deep like we do. ALOHA KAKO
Got a head injury and almost drowned at keikis, took me a long time to be in the water, even flat conditions without anxiety. And even to this day I’m terrified of keikis.
If you have an amazing life and family like Kai he is smart for using a helmet who cares what people think anyway, even though they are more accepted than ever in the past. Respect to Kai and everyone who wears and doesn’t wear a helmet, you guys are warriors
Can’t force them cause like with Nate of it messes with your ability to do what you do then you increase the risk. It’s a gamble either way, having worn one helmets aren’t perfect and they will mess with you and in some cases can absolutely get you more beat up. It’s win some lose some and helmet or not do it long enough there will come a day you won’t come back. It can be tomorrow, it can be in 10 years or maybe you had your last sesh there just before it would happen. You can’t know but it’s to each person to make that choice for themselves. End of the day regardless of anything the moment you go out there there’s no guarantee you’ll come back, if you can’t accept that then don’t go out there helmet or not.
.This guy Kai L is a fantastic surfer. Him and Nathan F. And yes Ben G. I watch them all the time. Each has the attitude and positive Surfing Life Vibe. PS: the Helmet? Yes. Please stay safe and keep up The great surfing videos.
Been an urban cyclist for over 30 years and only started wearing a helmet after a family member got ALS and I spent months in ICU with her watching people half my age come in with life changing head injuries.
Reminds me of the helmet debate in the NHL in the early 80s. Passionate arguement on both sides. Ultimately helmets were mandated, but some players were grandfathered in and given the option. Only a few went without. The last holdout was Craig MacTavish. When I look back, it's insane to me that I grew up watching men play professional hockey without helmets in th 70s/80s.
The whole video is about wearing a helmet. Then he comes back from a concussion and doesn't wear a helmet when surfing? I don't understand, is it only reef breaks you need to wear one?
Incredible story! When he got back on that first wave again. Why didn’t he have a helmet on? Is it because the water is deeper so it doesn’t matter at that point?
I grew up in San Diego surfing, but I hadn't moved to Colorado and taken up snowboarding until I was 40 something. A few years in I decided to wear a helmut (hucking cliffs, double black diamonds and whatnot). First day with a helmet I went cartwheel, head, board, head, board, head, board, ARM, head, board etc. Dislocated shoulder yata yata yata. Saved my life.
I have always been a firm believer no matter the sport always were a helmet, because you being "cool" not wearing one is how you become a coloring book artist and not the good kind.
@@BangThaBazie I swear, sometimes people have the most idiotic analogies on the internet. Do you risk hiting your head very hard on the surface while walking ?
@@imhassane Yes, head injuries are very common in pedestrians, because heads tend to hit the hood of cars when cars run into pedestrians, which happens more often when the infrastructure is worse. Head injuries while biking are extremely rare when the infrastructure is good. The Netherlands has the lowest rates of wearing helmets while riding a bike, but also the lowest rates of traumatic brain injury in cyclists. This is the result of separat bike lines. It is not about wearing a helmet or not, it's about how close you are to cars. And when you are close to cars being a pedestrian is just as dangerous as being a cyclist. Helmets are for dangerous activities. The more car centric the infrastructure the more dangerous it is. Riding a bike is not dangerous unless you fuck up your biking infrastructure. The same is true for walking.
Broke my helmet with a slam while snowboarding. Luckily I knew about postnconcussive state and how to recover, since I’m a physio, but it was so hard. This video is much needed. Educate everyone
Insane, pure love for the sport hopping back into water after such a huge slam ! The unstoppable Kai 🌊 the edits and music are immense especially at 22:05, can you share the name of that specific set/song @RedBullSurfing .
I don’t get it. After splitting the helmet, knowing full well it saved your life, concussion, thankful recovery, you proceed to paddle out without one. Sorry Kai, not impressed or what I expected. This from a 68 year old who lived in Santa Cruz surfing from 1972 to 2005 (no helmet) and have competed as a wave sailor AWT, IWT for more than 20 years (retired) as well as a 50+ day a year snowboarder (2 banked slalom events this year). After having my helmets save my brain multiple times, I always wear a helmet now no matter what. You never know what direction it’s coming from… Aloha Braddah, and best wishes to you and your family. James Lundin 🤙
You don't have to hit a rock or reef. I have a friend who hit her head on her board 3 years ago and suffered a severe concussion. She wasn't wearing a helmet. She's now badly compromised and rarely leaves her house anymore. She will likely never fully recover.
@Kwisatz_HaderachXIII: Concussions can occur any time the brain experiences sudden deceleration. In other words, you don’t have to hit your head on an immovable object for it to occur.
did the crack in the helmet simply come from the force of initially hitting the water? or is the water trying to rip the helmet off his head but its strapped under his jaw, how much pressure can the straps take before your helmet cracks, or your jaw... in my head the helmet is almost causing more damage, like the silly arguements for seatbelts being bad. unless obviously the crack in the helmet came from the initial hit, if so that definitely saved him from being concussed and the arguement shouldnt be wether theres reef there or if its shallow, its simply you must always wear one because the forece of the water itself not the rocks
Got 2 concussions playing hockey. In my case it toked time but the symptoms are all gone (or I got use to it, lol). Just do what you always love and things will get tend to their normal state. Hoping the best!
TAKE YOUR BRAIN SERIOUSLY I had a massive concussion in Iraq in 07. Had cerebral spinal fluid coming out of my ears and nose. Every day is new. Some are harder than others. Wear a helmet kids. It can prolong and save your life.
Much of severe post concussion syndrome can be hormone related, and 99% of doctors never catch it. Concussive trauma to the pituitary gland and nervous system fucks up test and estrogen balance. Test levels crash, estrogen levels spike. This causes all sorts of issue. Lethargy, depression, anxiety, general unease, the list is endless. And no one ever catches it. Doctors don’t associate brain trauma with testosterone, and they should. If you have head trauma, and you find yourself experiencing these bizarre symptoms weeks and months afterward, do bloodwork and get a hormone panel. It’s serious. People kill themselves over it. That’s how badly you can feel with your central nervous system jacked up.
this was me today paddling into waves i'll claim as double overhead but maybe were just a little short of double overhead.. and boy the currents today were rough! more paddling than dropping in on anything fr
I had the same experience riding dirt bikes. Hit my head hard then I couldn’t remember my name, where I was, how I got there. It was a trip. For several weeks I couldn’t get motivated for anything and I found myself feeling frustrated about certain things. Thank god I regained my normal brain function but it took a while.
Watching this with my head cut open. I went for surf holidays for 2 weeks in Las Palmas and I got hit in my head with a fin so badly it cut my head open. Now I cannot surf during the holidays so I am watching helmet wearing motivation videos.
great video and story, but considering the message it's kind of surprising that in his first surfing session back @ 23:30 he doesn't actually wear a helmet...
Would love to helmets become popular in all extreme sports and it starts with the Pros to set an example. In skating its becoming more popular but still majority of skaters refuse to wear a helmet. I know I would of worn one if I wasn't the only one at the park and I'd eventually smack my head pretty good against the concreate. Its a cultural thing more than any, you'll never see a mountain biker wearing no helmet. So thank you guys for setting a great example and saving some brains.
Sorry to you brother, and Kala and Billy know that pain of everything you know being taken from you. Unfortunately it’s a part of life and you wouldn’t change anything. At least he went out with a helmet that day.
Yeaaahhhh boiiiiii, its bros like him that change sports,identifying dangers and acting accordingly not just for ones self but boardriders worldwide, Lets get it🤘🇳🇿🏝👉🤙
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Vids like this is what gets the kids to wear a helmet. Major props to all involved for speaking up! If you're not riding with a helmet, surfing, snowboarding, etc. your one unlucky fall from never being able to ride again. Remember, no one goes home and says "man that one guy was so uncool for wearing a helmet". But almost everyone who wears one gets to go home, and that's the most important thing!
But then the next big wave he goes out without a helmet???
@@Werdna297depends on the spot, sometimes it's over reef or shallow water, most of the really big waves are deeper water so there's nothing to hit your head on other than your own board
I would never think a helmet would be needed surfing but at this level I suppose it makes sense and I agree will encourage the younger gen’s to do it too
@@GalaxyFluke a bunch of popular surf spots have very shallow reefs that can knock you out, this is the main cause of death at these spots. Other spots are much deeper so helmet isn't as helpful but you can always get KO'd by your own board and drown.
@@friedsensei yeah I’m from Alabama lol. We have the gulf and the “surfers” here mainly go out when it’s storming but not lightning to catch bigger waves.
Props to Red Bull for making this and giving voices to post-injury life.
I don't even drink red bulls as I'm a hydro homie all about that water, but I do still love Red Bull.
Lifeguards,Firefighters and Water Safety are the real heros. Mahalo for keeping people safe and saving lives.
When I saw the life guard ditch the ski to fetch kala before he went under again it really made me realise like snap one you don’t have much time to make that decision cause another wave on the head and you may never find him but to fight every instinct and leave the safety of the ski to go grab him in the middle of all that is quite remarkable. That sums up to me how far these guys are willing to go to get you out of there. Big mahalo and they really get under appreciated by non surfers. Being out there we know how much they are putting on the line to keep us safe and we can never be grateful enough. I think in my retirement I’ll volunteer and spend my days doing the sale u tip my body gives in. Only way to give back.
No, for real. People don’t realize how important and usually how highly trained lifeguards are, especially beach lifeguards. They’re trained in all sorts of things. Extensive life saving techniques are only just the start of it. Not only that, but when it comes to drowning victims, CPR can mean the difference between not recovering and dying, and recovering and being quite normal. And with that, I’d like to take the random opportunity to remind anyone who reads this comment that CPR is NOT about the lungs. You can put as much oxygen into the lungs as you want. If the compressions aren’t compressing the heart, it’s pretty much useless. That’s how blood gets to the brain, once absorbed. You’re pumping the heart, not the lungs which is a shockingly common misconception. You’re giving the person oxygen via breaths, and then compressing the heart to pump the oxygen throughout the body and to the brain.
Very nice Kai, very brave to speak openly about your injury. Also great of you to provide Kala and Eli an opportunity to open up about their struggles post injury
What on earth are you going on about? It's like you are being paid to promote some mental health narrative. Going out there is 'brave' and they are just talking about injuries. It's a documentary ...
Brave? How is this brave? Its obvious of talking about it he almost died lol
“If I wasn’t wearing a helmet I’d be dead” proceeds to not wear a helmet when he gets back in the water.
I think they mean in shallow reef surfs, but I agree, it must not be all the time i guess
@@guitar911rock Even without a shallow reef, there's always the possibility a board or someone else's board can bash you in the head at high speed. It's always a trade-off of "freedom" vs safety if you choose to not wear a helmet when doing extreme or accident-prone sports.
same thoughts....
@@Sidkainreally do need restrictions on how many surfers in any particular area. Enforced by safety personnel and the law.
Where life guards exist some sort of sign up procedure.
Surfing overall very safe and that without head protection in most cases. But these hit the bottom hard spots certainly differ.
I will note helmet manufacturers have reasons to push use even when statistics show wearing a helmet makes it more likely to die like snow skiing. Helmets there came into use despite the statistics. Now most wear them despite still little proof they help.
Still most areas helmets help.
Also matter of is risk high enough to worry on situations. This an individual choice.
This not mask wearing with infectious disease where you have no right to endanger lives of other people.
Powerful!!! I had back to back concussions 48 years go, I was cringing the entire time watching this. Big wind kiting/foiling/winging is what still keeps me going at 54. That feeling of floating/flying is what I want 24/7, I can’t imagine being inside one of those monsters, what a gift to even just have one ride! Thanks for sharing and putting this out.
Having done rugby before extreme surfing trust me concussions are the most terrifying injury short of death. Saw a guy take a knee I the face and he was conscious technically but when I saw his eyes it was like looking at a corpse like there was nothing there. He looked like a zombie, the blood gushing on his face didn’t help but his eyes are stuck in my head forever. It’s like his brain just took a vacation and his body was just on automatic. I hit my head at kaiser only time I was ever did and it was a small day. I didn’t even get knocked on impact I got dragged across the reef and my head hit on the second or third rinse cycle so not as much power as if I had gone straight for it with the lip. Still made me feel drowsy and when came up I wasn’t even sure where I was. Literally had my late ask me concussion questions in case like where are you? What day it is? What is your name ? Why did you come here? Seeing I could answer those I felt reassured but definitely shook me pretty bad. Looking back I probably should have taken at least a week or two off any sport but I didn’t. That’s the thing with concussions they get you after, that’s why rugby players get taken out if there’s even suspension of concussion. Even if the doc thinks you good they might not let you back.
Good on you, Kai, for speaking out so frankly.
I had a very similar post-concussion experience. Crashed on my dirt bike and hit my head hard. I didn't really feel anything in the days after, but after maybe a week my family noticed I was staying in my room and acting really depressed and not like myself. I am back to 100% now but it is really cool to see a video like this from Red Bull. Huge props to Kai
SO impactful and brave for such mega surfers to talk safety & post-injury reality for all the young surfers out there. Cheers to you guys for setting the tone
Just happened to cross this video and it ended up being so assuring, I had a concussion in college that led to depression and anxiety which in turn killed all motivation to get work done, had to drop out of a 4 year degree and basically force myself to still get a 2 year that I’ve always held over myself because it felt the coursework wasn’t that difficult. This video showed that even the best in what they do can be set back so heavily from a concussion and that it’s possible to come back.
Thank you for opening up about your injury Kai and encouraging conversation. I’ve personally suffered from a concussion while biking. Praying got you and the others as you recover
As always, the content and the message is pure gold, thank you Kai and thank you to all of the other great surfers for supporting you
I am really grateful for all of these pros sharing their stories. Also props to the people who filmed this and edited it. INCREDIBLE! Especially at 22:30.
So good to hear this recovery story from Kai. I had a concussion like that doing downhill MTB and it took me years to feel fully myself again
Went 3 weeks without diagnosing mine, had no idea concussions could affect so many areas of your life, but this video opened my eyes.
Kai is an inspiration to us all. Glad you wore a helmet that day!
Yo whoever chose/edited the music did a hell of a job
So true. Great video
agreed!!
for red bulls production budget, they damn well better have!! lol
That's rad that you showcased the locals. You could tell they weren't of the same level as some of y'all, but everyone supporting everyone
I had a stroke when I was 29 from a chiropractic neck adjustment. Not the same as a concussion but with an acquired brain injury … The comments about initial headache, light sensitivity (and for me sound sensitivity) and later setting in anxiety, depression, feeling isolated in this experience … thanks for sharing this important story.
I ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT THAT THERE WERE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS I DIDNT LIKE .WHEN THEY PUASH DOWN ON HEAD INTO SHOULDERS . I STOPPED GOING
Injuries affect people differently for sure. Much props to you Kai. You are a legend!! You also have a beautiful family!! Stay safe for them!!🤙🏻🤙🏻
So happy you are ok, and it sounds like you are more embodied when it comes to making choices moving forward. Hard lessons to learn, but priceless. 🌊✨
Youre a true hero; Respect from a surfing doctor in California!
It’s amazing how this helmet culture at wakeboarding is almost normal and cool. When I started kitesurfing nobody was wearing a helmet but now…. It’s finally getting there, we jump so high and get in dangerous situations.
Happy to see this video with the main subject “Helmet in water sports” 🎉
thanks so much kai for thinking about putting on a helmet that day. For all the surfing community you are so inspiring, you are a beautifull person who goes beyond the limits of what is possible.😇❤
Incredible to hear a person is prolific as Kai talk of anxiety and depression. He's like the last person you think would suffer from it but then that's how it goes. Also Nathan is a G. Would love to have a friend like him.
Proud of you for opening up and talking about everything. I had two severe concussions in 2015 about a month apart and still feel different and see dots. Getting a helmet for my skateboard now lol
It’s crazy how a wave can have that much power! The waves near me don’t get very large so it’s never been life threatening to go surfing. Surfing waves like that is definitely a dream of mine!
Crazy part is that smaller waves can be more dangerous cause there is less water. Hubbard and JOB went over that on his podcast..
I never thought about it that way. That does make sense especially in shallow waters.
@@_Jake.From.Statefarm_it entirely depends in how it’s breaking. It’s definitely less dangerous when it’s small and it’s literally that which will get you hurt. Because it’s not as dangerous doesn’t mean it’s safe and you should have your guard down cause a 4ft wave can kill you.
Funny enough I learned this one the hard way at Haleiwa and literally saw the light. Not even a dangerous day just decent but just a series of bad decisions made my session from being fun to almost being my last. To this day I’m not over just how fast it got out of hand and it was barely 8ft, perhaps the one I went on was bigger cause it was a bomb but I didn’t charge hard enough and didn’t back out early enough so ended up trying to get up not having really caught it hoping I can land that drop except the wave went vertical doubled up and I fell on my back. All my air got knocked out right there and I didn’t even have time to react that the lip hit me like a truck. It happened so fkn fast I wait straight to instinct mode and knew I had to find that happy place and stay conscious as long as I could hoping it will let me go. Idk how long I stayed under but felt like hours and when it finally let me go I didn’t even know where I was I just knew I had to use the last of my energy and try reach the surface. I knew if I missed and wen the wrong way I was dead.
I just took a big breath through the foam and went right under cause I knew there were at least 2 bigger ones coming for me. In that moment I don’t even remember having thoughts, it’s like I was a computer just running a script and my body just did what it knew it had to do. Once I got to safety in the channel somehow I had a panic attack and my whole body started shaking like I’ve never seen it do. Took me a minute to regather myself and every ounce of my being wanted to touch dry land but a voice in my head said F that, I ain’t going out like that. Took le probably an hour to muster the courage to finally go on a wave and go home. Most humbling experience of my life. 10 years of experience and it all came down to one minute and couple poor decisions.
@@LOHAN-it’s more the fact you might relax and think you’ll be fine and then get nasty surprises. 4ft pipe doesn’t have the same power and danger as 10ft pipe but it will try hurt you all the same
Truly inspiring absolutely phenomenal humans right here! Thank you everyone that created this film! Aloha
thanks Kai for sharing this experience with the world.
Yes, you are right. I remember you since I was young and you a kid windsurfing diamond head on summer with your dad. On those time wearing an helmet, even attempting double forward was a kooks’ thing . Now I’m an old man with a 18 yo kid and I trained him to wear an helmet when surfing in pipe and in dangerous breaks. Thank you for opening up
8:07 sums it up perfectly! Pure adrenaline rush, and straight back to bizness.
It's weird hearing some of this stuff as someone without a traumatic injury, but suffering from a lot of the same mental issues, brain fog, fatigue, etc. It seems like it gets us from so many different starting points.
All that talk about helmets…. Then nobody wears a helmet🤔
I think if the reef is deep they aren't worried. Places like pipe where it's so shallow is where they nervous about hitting their heads
@@chaddavies1032yeah tends to be but I actually had a bright purple rugby scrum cap I’d wear anywhere near pipe or anywhere where it was 10ft and over. Actual helmet would mess with me but I’m more used to scrum caps so I felt safer, no increase in the risk but also should something go wrong it’s better than bare skull. My thinking was more along the line if I get knocked out for any reason at least there’s something on my head that floats and it’s bright purple so it’s easier to find me and fish me out. Especially in big surf where if you get held for too long or your board smashes your head, normally if your leash breaks chances are you’ll never be seen again but with my scrum cap I knew there was something to at least bring me up and being bright purple easy for a ski or other surfers to see it and find me.
@@dreammaker9642 Maybe try the Gamebreaker Pro then? It is a soft shell helmet. I use it for kiting as the flat water head slap can be brutal with enough speed and force on some failed tricks. It's not made for point impacts however I've had the corner of the twin tip hit the helmet. I did feel a little pain but at least it didn't cut my head open. The Pro has d30 which is what they use in bullet proof vests. It's around 2-3 times thicker than a rugby helmet.
@@cyberanswer See when you try get in a barrel or just time a duck dive having something hard and heavy covering your head can be very bothersome especially in barrels cause you gotta fit in a tiny space and a helmet messes with your senses. You get used to it but I don’t like hard helmets hence why I went with the cap. If a wave like pipe smashes you head first helmet or scrum cap won’t make a big difference but it’s better than your skull. I mean both Kai and Makala got violated regardless but my opinion better with it. Some much more experience than me hate it because they argue when you go in massive pipe it won’t stop you from getting knocked out and/or concussed but will increase your chances of actually being in that situation due to the above explained but either way it’s always a gamble to surf these waves so to each to figure out what works best for them. Rather risk skull fracture but less risk of it happening or less risk of skull fracture but increase risk of getting slammed. Personally I chose the scrum cap cause I’ve used them in rugby when I started and they annoying but I wanted something to make my head float. See the biggest danger in Hawaii is we don’t have wetsuits and currents are insane especially in areas like pipe. So if you lose consciousness and don’t come up and your leash happens to break chances are no one can find you.
Kelly was on Joe Rohan’s podcast end told this story in a big wave spot in Hawaii where the guy wiped out bad broke his leash and likely ruptured his ear drum cause he came up weird then the next set wave went over him and they never saw him again. That gave me the idea of the scrum cap as a middle ground cause at least if anything happens I could pop up face out or at least I can be picked up by the nearest person. When you look at Kala’s footage see how the ski jumps to get him before the next wave comes? Cause he knows he kala gets caught under might not come back up and might get carried by the rip god knows where so gotta grab him and make him surface asap or you might never see him again. Those waves really don’t mess around and as a surfer you right in middle of it all. We always tune kite surfers cause it’s easy for y’all to escape a bad situation so long as you got some wind and your board but in surfing when you caught inside you gonna have to just take it
@@chaddavies1032thanks, i didnt understand why he went in the water without the helmet after that trauma😅
Great episode, Kai. If the top athletes speak out and set an example by wearing helmets, many head injuries will be prevented when us mere mortals unselfconsciously start wearing them.
Watched as Redbull rider Tawny Seagrave talk about the same problems after her concussion. These concussions are no joke.... severe depression, anxiety. There's a reason why we wear helmets
It is crazy that helmets are not thought of as a basic equipment out in heavy shallow reef waves, and that they are not mandatory in contest being held in those kinds of waves. Would you imagine that motorbike races or mountain bike competitions would have a rule saying that helmets are optional? It just doesn't make sense.
Same with a life vest. If you get a concussion or are disoriented in the open water, a vest could definitely be beneficial
Exactly
@@adriane7841 You're right about if someone is knocked out, but I think in any case where a surfer is conscious, a life vest would make things worse. Submerging when a wave is cresting over you and being able to duck dive are important for navigating surf safely.
@rearct8844 dude with the life vest comment obviously hasn't surfed before. Specially not in big waves.
@@rearct you can dive under a wave with a vest. If it is inflatable you can deflate it a little bit. I use a Patagonia impact vest and it is easy to dive waves with it.. it takes you up faster and does not allow the wave to sunk you too deep.
how you guys explain not only the prevention to injures but also how its to have a psicological injury at the perfection. 10/10
Everything is by design your a smart man for speaking the truth you will save lives.
What a good wife, she knows him better then himself.
Gotta get back on the bike
Hero's journey much? Haha see what you did there but seriously, that was incredible I really love this episode. Feel like I just watched a movie. Good job to everyone involved.
Stoked to Sea You Giving a voice to the Ohana that have to heal from the TBI's,
Uncle Mark has been dealing with the battles since 12/91 from bouncing off the bottom at Rockpiles,
Cracked Scull & Folded shoulder blade.Took 2yrs. Of recovery before I was able to Surf again.
Really Epic to Sea You trying a Handfoil. My favorite Way to
He'e Nalu nephew. I will build you One of my
FreeFlite HandFoils anytime.
StayWet2
StayWell ,Steep and Deep like we do.
ALOHA KAKO
Got a head injury and almost drowned at keikis, took me a long time to be in the water, even flat conditions without anxiety. And even to this day I’m terrified of keikis.
Helmets are cool! I love the message
Helmets are cool. Thanks to the Surfers for speaking out about TBI.
No mention on Tom Carroll??? ... he was a pioneer of using the helmet at Pipe 30+ years ago!
and then he was injured recently, with a cut and without helmet..
If you have an amazing life and family like Kai he is smart for using a helmet who cares what people think anyway, even though they are more accepted than ever in the past. Respect to Kai and everyone who wears and doesn’t wear a helmet, you guys are warriors
23:48 almost does from not wearing helmet. and then hits first waves back with no helmet 😅
Probably a break where the water is deep enough
Please have a talk with Koa Rothman, someone needs to convince him to wear a helmet
Who cares with koa rothman does lmao
Nate will never wear one either
@kent_kast and he hit the reef a few months back.
Can’t force them cause like with Nate of it messes with your ability to do what you do then you increase the risk. It’s a gamble either way, having worn one helmets aren’t perfect and they will mess with you and in some cases can absolutely get you more beat up. It’s win some lose some and helmet or not do it long enough there will come a day you won’t come back. It can be tomorrow, it can be in 10 years or maybe you had your last sesh there just before it would happen. You can’t know but it’s to each person to make that choice for themselves. End of the day regardless of anything the moment you go out there there’s no guarantee you’ll come back, if you can’t accept that then don’t go out there helmet or not.
sterling spencer also a fellow post brain injury surfer
Red Bull Total Elf Yamaha and Suzuki always happy to provide pure feelings with the ocean
.This guy Kai L is a fantastic surfer.
Him and Nathan F.
And yes Ben G.
I watch them all the time.
Each has the attitude and positive
Surfing Life Vibe.
PS: the Helmet?
Yes. Please stay safe and keep up
The great surfing videos.
Been an urban cyclist for over 30 years and only started wearing a helmet after a family member got ALS and I spent months in ICU with her watching people half my age come in with life changing head injuries.
damn, the quality of the video, and the surfer featured in it. I love it
He has such a lovely and supportive wife.
Reminds me of the helmet debate in the NHL in the early 80s. Passionate arguement on both sides. Ultimately helmets were mandated, but some players were grandfathered in and given the option. Only a few went without. The last holdout was Craig MacTavish. When I look back, it's insane to me that I grew up watching men play professional hockey without helmets in th 70s/80s.
5:49 Red Bull gives you wings!
The whole video is about wearing a helmet. Then he comes back from a concussion and doesn't wear a helmet when surfing? I don't understand, is it only reef breaks you need to wear one?
Yeah If it’s deep there’s much less risk of banging your head but a shallow reef is dangerous
@@jakearmstrong3632How about the board and fins coming after your head?
The lifeguard on 11. 20 looks like Mich Buchanon 😂
Incredible story! When he got back on that first wave again. Why didn’t he have a helmet on? Is it because the water is deeper so it doesn’t matter at that point?
When you start meeting more people in your sport and you can tell they’ve had a TBI, the helmet starts to look cooler and cooler.
😮😮phew...lots to unpack here. Just glad Kai is starting to feel a bit better.
I grew up in San Diego surfing, but I hadn't moved to Colorado and taken up snowboarding until I was 40 something. A few years in I decided to wear a helmut (hucking cliffs, double black diamonds and whatnot). First day with a helmet I went cartwheel, head, board, head, board, head, board, ARM, head, board etc. Dislocated shoulder yata yata yata. Saved my life.
I have always been a firm believer no matter the sport always were a helmet, because you being "cool" not wearing one is how you become a coloring book artist and not the good kind.
Do you wear a helmet as a pedestrian in the streets?
Just numbers wise helmets would have the biggest positive impact here.
@@BangThaBazie I swear, sometimes people have the most idiotic analogies on the internet. Do you risk hiting your head very hard on the surface while walking ?
@@imhassane Yes, head injuries are very common in pedestrians, because heads tend to hit the hood of cars when cars run into pedestrians, which happens more often when the infrastructure is worse.
Head injuries while biking are extremely rare when the infrastructure is good. The Netherlands has the lowest rates of wearing helmets while riding a bike, but also the lowest rates of traumatic brain injury in cyclists. This is the result of separat bike lines.
It is not about wearing a helmet or not, it's about how close you are to cars. And when you are close to cars being a pedestrian is just as dangerous as being a cyclist.
Helmets are for dangerous activities. The more car centric the infrastructure the more dangerous it is.
Riding a bike is not dangerous unless you fuck up your biking infrastructure. The same is true for walking.
Me: Eating a really fkn hot pizza that kinda burns my mouth.
Them: Surfing the hardest waves and almost dying.
💪🙏🤟 Same Brother.
Broke my helmet with a slam while snowboarding. Luckily I knew about postnconcussive state and how to recover, since I’m a physio, but it was so hard. This video is much needed. Educate everyone
The ocean's waves can be so beautiful 🤩
Insane, pure love for the sport hopping back into water after such a huge slam ! The unstoppable Kai 🌊 the edits and music are immense especially at 22:05, can you share the name of that specific set/song @RedBullSurfing .
good that u can talk openly about your injury. hope your ok ❤
9:42 that might be the most badass splash ever
I don’t get it. After splitting the helmet, knowing full well it saved your life, concussion, thankful recovery, you proceed to paddle out without one. Sorry Kai, not impressed or what I expected. This from a 68 year old who lived in Santa Cruz surfing from 1972 to 2005 (no helmet) and have competed as a wave sailor AWT, IWT for more than 20 years (retired) as well as a 50+ day a year snowboarder (2 banked slalom events this year). After having my helmets save my brain multiple times, I always wear a helmet now no matter what. You never know what direction it’s coming from… Aloha Braddah, and best wishes to you and your family.
James Lundin 🤙
The place he was surfing at without a helmet has no reef and is very deep and no chance of hitting your head
You don't have to hit a rock or reef. I have a friend who hit her head on her board 3 years ago and suffered a severe concussion. She wasn't wearing a helmet. She's now badly compromised and rarely leaves her house anymore. She will likely never fully recover.
@Kwisatz_HaderachXIII: Concussions can occur any time the brain experiences sudden deceleration. In other words, you don’t have to hit your head on an immovable object for it to occur.
@@speedyelloco7967 yes good point. Also can hit the board like other person as saying. You are right
did the crack in the helmet simply come from the force of initially hitting the water? or is the water trying to rip the helmet off his head but its strapped under his jaw, how much pressure can the straps take before your helmet cracks, or your jaw... in my head the helmet is almost causing more damage, like the silly arguements for seatbelts being bad. unless obviously the crack in the helmet came from the initial hit, if so that definitely saved him from being concussed and the arguement shouldnt be wether theres reef there or if its shallow, its simply you must always wear one because the forece of the water itself not the rocks
Got 2 concussions playing hockey. In my case it toked time but the symptoms are all gone (or I got use to it, lol). Just do what you always love and things will get tend to their normal state. Hoping the best!
That doesn' happen for everyone, going back to normal.
Y'all should take a kayak out on these big waves. That would be awsome!
It would be awesome for a few seconds until you go in a rinse cycle with the kayak and your joints get spread like jam 😂
@@dreammaker9642 lmao
What a great edit! So much good info and great surfing. Take care of your heads bros.
Wait- why do we end with all these guys going out there with no helmets? What was the point?
TAKE YOUR BRAIN SERIOUSLY
I had a massive concussion in Iraq in 07. Had cerebral spinal fluid coming out of my ears and nose. Every day is new. Some are harder than others.
Wear a helmet kids. It can prolong and save your life.
Thank you for your service. I will pray for healing. Hope you feel better. BUG HUGS 🤗
Much of severe post concussion syndrome can be hormone related, and 99% of doctors never catch it. Concussive trauma to the pituitary gland and nervous system fucks up test and estrogen balance.
Test levels crash, estrogen levels spike. This causes all sorts of issue. Lethargy, depression, anxiety, general unease, the list is endless. And no one ever catches it. Doctors don’t associate brain trauma with testosterone, and they should.
If you have head trauma, and you find yourself experiencing these bizarre symptoms weeks and months afterward, do bloodwork and get a hormone panel.
It’s serious. People kill themselves over it. That’s how badly you can feel with your central nervous system jacked up.
Clip is at 15:24 folks
this was me today paddling into waves i'll claim as double overhead but maybe were just a little short of double overhead..
and boy the currents today were rough! more paddling than dropping in on anything fr
I had the same experience riding dirt bikes. Hit my head hard then I couldn’t remember my name, where I was, how I got there. It was a trip. For several weeks I couldn’t get motivated for anything and I found myself feeling frustrated about certain things. Thank god I regained my normal brain function but it took a while.
I’m so glad you used a helmet 🪖. Take good care and miss all of you 💕
What font is used at the beginning of this video?
Trust Kai to have twins, super stud!
Hi Kai it’s me your friend🎉❤❤❤ Love the vid
How fast are these guys and gals moving on big waves like this in MPH? ..... Amazing stuff!!
Im new to surfing videos but I can't figure out how they avoid those giant rocks?
Watching this with my head cut open. I went for surf holidays for 2 weeks in Las Palmas and I got hit in my head with a fin so badly it cut my head open. Now I cannot surf during the holidays so I am watching helmet wearing motivation videos.
whats the song at 22:00?
great video and story, but considering the message it's kind of surprising that in his first surfing session back @ 23:30 he doesn't actually wear a helmet...
Would love to helmets become popular in all extreme sports and it starts with the Pros to set an example. In skating its becoming more popular but still majority of skaters refuse to wear a helmet. I know I would of worn one if I wasn't the only one at the park and I'd eventually smack my head pretty good against the concreate. Its a cultural thing more than any, you'll never see a mountain biker wearing no helmet. So thank you guys for setting a great example and saving some brains.
Wah mntp indah sekali Kwan trimksh SDH berbagi sukses sllu Kwan
Like catchin' serious waves dude!
I miss the photos of Gerry Lopez at Pipeline and Makaha in the "Surfing" and "Surfer" magazines ( 70's & 80's) Larry Bertleman too !
Sorry to you brother, and Kala and Billy know that pain of everything you know being taken from you. Unfortunately it’s a part of life and you wouldn’t change anything. At least he went out with a helmet that day.
25:30 why arent they now wearing helmets?
I'm glad you're wearing a helmet
Sterling Spencer really opened my mind to this
🌊 "helmets were always cool 'cause helmets save lifes" 🌊
Uncle Dave Gives Facts
Yeaaahhhh boiiiiii, its bros like him that change sports,identifying dangers and acting accordingly not just for ones self but boardriders worldwide, Lets get it🤘🇳🇿🏝👉🤙
20:49 is the most ironic statement in the world... "kinda does your head in", like yea i think hitting ur head on rocks does that to people
that's definitely dangerous out there... glad you're okay Dude...