In some sports, the requirement of a helmet can feel a bit more like an accessory than an actually needed piece of equipment. In both mountaineering and climbing, a helmet won’t protect you much from a fall, but they’ll certainly keep you safe from falling rocks.
This video, shared by Dallas Poulson, demonstrates that concept. The clip was captured on Gran Paradiso’s standard route in the Italian Alps. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but it’s still a good reminder as to why helmets are so important.
If either of the big chunks had hit a person, a helmet probably wouldn’t have done much life saving. But all of the smaller chunks created by the large fall could do plenty of damage, including deadly damage, to someone who wasn’t wearing a helmet.
