“I’ve been wearing a Gath helmet since I was 8 years old — long before I became part of the Gath team.
From Pipeline to G-Land and Greenbush, it’s been with me through some of the heaviest waves on the planet.
I’ve seen what can happen when people don’t wear one, especially at Pipe, and that’s why I never paddle out without it.
For me, it’s just the smart thing — and the right thing — to do.”— Kodin Wau
“I started wearing a Gath helmet after seeing how many close calls happen out at Pipeline.
Since then, I’ve taken a few solid hits—both from my board and the reef—that could’ve easily caused a concussion or worse.
Thanks to the helmet, I was able to shake it off, paddle back out, and catch another wave. Grateful for the extra protection and peace of mind every session.” — Maikai Burdine
“After years of traveling the world as a professional windsurfer, I moved to Australia in 2013 and started spending more time surfing.
Surfing not only improved my style on the wave for windsurfing, but it also pushed me to my limits — especially in places where the reef sits dangerously shallow.
After a trip to Gnaraloo, I realized I needed more protection. That decision changed everything.
Since then, wearing a Gath helmet has given me the confidence to charge bigger, heavier waves and go deeper, knowing I’m protected when things get real.” — Federico Infantino
“It took me three head knocks from my housing before I finally made the jump to Gath helmets – three times too many in hindsight.
The first two weren’t too bad, which is probably why I didn’t take it more seriously. But the third one was quite a serious knock.
I ended up with a massive, tennis-ball-sized bump on my forehead and a gash.
It happened at sunset, and my car was parked far away. I also had a long drive back in the dark – it could have turned into a very bad situation if the knock had been any worse.
Luckily, I managed to get back to my car and make it to my accommodation in one piece, though I was definitely dizzy and in pain.
That’s why I wear Gath helmets now. I swim alone most of the time, and it only takes one hit to the head to knock me out – and that could be the end. I feel much more confident in the water with my Gath helmet on.” — Terence Pieters
“It was another spectacular day in Grand Cayman this past winter when a friend and I decided to kitefoil an epic downwinder from the east (upwind) end of the island to Barker’s Beach 35 kms to the west.
With a steady 15 knot wind, the swells were upwards of 2 meters and there were large waves on top of the swells.
While I was on edge most of the journey being slightly overpowered due to having selected a larger 12m kite in anticipation of a possible drop in the wind,
I managed only a few wipeouts when my hydrofoil breached the surface – each time when accelerating down the swells at a higher speed than I was comfortable with given the rough seas.
On one of these occasions, I was pulled forward as my foil board “tripped”. One second after impacting the water, I was struck in the back of my head by the front tip of my board.
The impact was significant and seriously rattled my cage!
As I body dragged to recover my board, I smiled when it dawned on me that this occurrence was precisely why I had years earlier made a commitment to always wear a helmet when kiting.
Had it not been for my Gath helmet, I’m pretty sure that the blow to my head would have caused serious injury, including the possibility of being knocked unconscious –
a state that would have likely ended with me drowning before my friend could get to me.
While that story highlights the importance of wearing a helmet, I’d like to add that my Gath helmet with integrated full face visor has been an amazing piece of kit with the adjustable visor
being ideal to protect my eyes and at times my entire face from harsh sun, rain and even hail on a couple of occasions.
Thank you Gath! ” — Eric Pootmans
“My worst accident—and the moment I felt truly grateful to be wearing a helmet—actually happened at the beach.
We were in Fuerteventura during the World Cup, and it was between heats, so I still had my helmet on because it’s mandatory during racing.
I went down to adjust the straps on my board when suddenly a sail flew away.
The wind was blowing around 40 knots, and the sail hit my head hard. I couldn’t focus for two days afterward, and it honestly scared me.
Since then, I always wear my helmet, even when I’m just on the beach.”- Blanca Alabau
“In early June if this year I was enjoying a session at one of my favourite waves in Indonesia. Notorious for its sharp and shallow reef with fast barreling sections, this wave can be one of the best on its day.
I frequently visit this place and am very aware of its consequences. Many people get hurt here usually resulting in scrapes and some times broken bones.
On a low tide it is extremely dangerous and it is wise to not attempt to surf.
I knew the swell was arriving on this particular day in the afternoon but decided to go out for a morning session as the crowd was small with some sets starting to arrive.
The tide was not too low so I went for it. On my second wave I took off quite deep and pulled into the barrel . The shock wave exploded under me and I fell into the trough then went over backwards in the barrel.
With quite a lot of force I then impacted the reef with my head. I could hear the coral crunch and crumble as I then got cartwheeled a few more times.
I came to the surface a bit shocked and paddled to the shoulder where a few others were looking at me in shock. You okay, you gota go in man they said. I was like huh and then noticed that blood was running all down my face.
I removed my Gath helmet to inspect and I was In shock. The helmet had split and was covered in deep gouges. I put pressure on the wound and paddled in and went to the doctor straight away.
I received three stitches. I took the helmet with me to explain what happened. The doctor said without the helmet I would be dead.
The reef did not penetrate the inner rubber padding. It was the sheer force that split my head. Without the Gath I would have had very deep coral impact on my skull.
I think about that wave a lot. I have been in very similar and far more heavy situations at this wave but this was out of my control.
We are playing in nature’s unpredictable hands so Its important to remember to take measures to protect ourselves. Gath definitely did its job.” — Jacob Sandwell
“My story is a little bit left field however I feel it is an important aspect of the protection that wearing a helmet in the water can provide.
I have been surfing for approx. 55 years and during my younger days like most surfers I did not provide protection on my head.
In my 30’s my first skin cancer popped up however this was the beginning of a legacy that will last me a lifetime. In my case as time went on, I tried caps and hats in the water but found them problematic and uncomfortable
so I converted to a helmet some 30 years ago for both safety and skin protection of my balding head (Gath helmet 20 years).
In 2023 I was diagnosed with an aggressive skin cancer on my head which subsequently took 5 operations, 4 skin grafts, 25 bouts of radiation and a major rebuild of my scalp using muscle and tissue from my back over an 18mth period.
If only I had been wearing a helmet all of my surfing years this may have been prevented.
I think we all now realize how important sun/safe has become in our lives however those enjoying endless hours in the water place themselves at great risk of these problems particularly in later life.”— Peter Robson
The Day I Learned the Value of a Helmet
It was a clear morning at Barra da Tijuca Beach. Medium waves, a light breeze — perfect conditions for foilsurfing. The board glided smoothly, lifted by the hydrofoil’s blade slicing through the water.
The feeling was pure flight. Confident and comfortable, I entered a series of waves without my helmet, trusting my experience and the board’s stability. Then, while trying to adjust my position on a stronger wave,
I lost balance. I fell forward, and the foil’s mast — as sharp as a metal fin — struck the side of my head.
The impact was immediate, followed by warmth and the rush of blood. Friends on the beach ran to help. I was taken to the hospital, where doctors found a deep cut that required nine stitches.
As the wound was being closed, one truth became clear: on the ocean, confidence never replaces safety. Since that day, my Gath helmet has become a non-negotiable part of my gear.
Weeks later, I was back in the water, fully recovered and once again flying over the waves — but this time with a renewed respect for the fine line between courage and recklessness.”— Gustavo Faria
“I wear the helmet every day, because the visor protects my eyes from the sun, prevents from cold and protects my head – in the picture my board is broken, but not my neck! Really grateful! “— Fehni
“I was surfing huge, maxing out Balangan, in Bali in 2014, and for that break, the surf in the day was as big as it gets..,
and as I was paddling out to the lineup after a hard paddle punching through many huge waves, I was finally almost out the back, when this guy started paddling into a set wave,
that I was obviously going to have to duckdive one last time before I made it out the back and able to take a rest.
Well as that surfer stroked hard for that monster set wave, I did the right thing, and paddled as far to the the inside of the guy taking off as I could , to give him the ‘ right if way’ ,
with enough space and plenty of clearance to cleanly make the drop without me getting in his way. And, luckily also for me, it looked like I was also going to just make the duckdive under the pitching lip before the inevitable whitewater explosion.
But as I was about to sink my surfboards nose under the water to complete my duckdive, the guy taking took off a tad too late but just held it together to stat in his feet, but he was wobbly and out of control,
and he veerwdbstraight towards me at a 45 degree angle heading right, instead of going left as the wave is a left-hander .., and out of control, and at full speed from a huge drop on a rhino-chaser,
he ran straight over my head but thank God I was wearing my gath).
My head bounced and slammed between the fins of his surfboard like a pinball machine, as my head took the full weight of the impact of that human torpedoing out of control, dropping down the face of that monster wave,
but without that Gath, 100% my head would have been splattered like a watermelon hit with a sledgehammer.
I did suffer injuries though from that accident, the Gath couldn’t save me from that, as the force of the hit drive my neck back so hard that left me with muscle and ligament damage which kept me out of the surf for a further six months..,
.., but at least I was still alive, without the gath, I would have been dead for sure.”
— David Levy
