“Probably Would Have Killed Him”- Kelly Slater Once Opened Up About the Protective Gear That Saved His Friend’s Life

Every sport carries a certain amount of risk. This risk is more pronounced in some sports than in others. As such, various protective gears are available to help protect athletes from injury. Kelly Slater understands the requirement for protective equipment because of an incident.

The incident did not impact the surfer directly. However, his friend bore the brunt of the risks with sports like surfing. However, his friend’s injury could have been much more severe had he not worn protective gear.

Kelly Slater looks back to an incident that changed his perspective

People consider Slater the GOAT of surfing, and with good reason. With 11 World titles, he has asserted his dominion in the sport early on. Moreover, he attained his latest victory in the Pipeline at 49. Therefore, the athlete is still going strong.

And as the most decorated surfer, he knows the dangers associated with the sport. The surfer has faced numerous situations and has heard of other surfers’ encounters that put their life on the line. However, he never gave much thought to wearing protective gear for safety.

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Expressing his disdain for surf helmets during a guest appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he said, “I was never comfortable with it.”

But he had one of the most harrowing experiences when one of his friends faced a dire situation while surfing. Recounting the incident, Slater said, “But by surfing with Tom and he wiped out and his board speared him in the ear. And it broke the helmet and broke his eardrum.”

Evaluating the situation, Slater said, “So we were just wondering like what the hell would have happened if he didn’t have his helmet on. Probably would have killed him. It would have definitely knocked him out.”

Does wearing a helmet offer protection for head trauma and injuries?

Helmets offer enhanced safety to the wearer. Therefore, they offer the best protection to one’s head while partaking in an event. Although Slater was not a fan of wearing helmets, he learned the importance of wearing protective equipment through his friend’s ordeal.

It shows the significance of safety equipment in most sports, if not all. These gears ensure the protection of the user. And these gears are not only reserved for newcomers or amateurs. Professionals, too, must use them as they need them the most.

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Pro-level athletes perform in a highly competitive environment. Therefore, they need to perform at their best at all times. However, they are still prone to accidents and must take precautionary measures to keep themselves safe.