Since I am the inventor and sole source of the ARM-GUARD I'll take the liberty of giving you my answer to the question.  Also, bear in mind that the anonymous poster [on the other forum] who initially asked that question joined that forum for the sole reason of questioning the validity of our product.  The following response is identical (except for a typo correction) to the answer I gave on the other board.

[LINK]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HANS_device

If you’re at all familiar with this device you may know that it was designed to prevent “basilar skull fractures” in auto racing. Although the device was invented in the 1980’s, most professional racecar drivers chose not to use one. We’re talking about some very famous names here – Petty, Vukovich, Earnhardt… to name just a few. In fact, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was particularly vocal in his criticism of, and his resistance to any talk of mandating the device. Unlike you, of course, he had the balls to express his criticism using his real name.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. died of a basilar skull fracture in 2001, the same injury that killed [Adam] Petty, Vukovich, and many other drivers. Following Earnhardt’s death NASCAR began requiring the Hans device (or similar) for drivers – the very thing that Earnhardt (and many other professionals) had criticized and fought against.

If you think relying on "what the pro’s use" is a good way to protect yourself against serious, life-altering injury (or death)… then you’re an idiot.

TW

Last edited by Thomas Wayne (Fri, May 29, 2009 8:10 PM)

TW, Do you have a pattern for a 12" RS1 handle yet?

TW,

Got a link to your product info. pic's, etc. ???

Thanx!

me too Garn.  That's why I posted this - I'm a little disappointed neither Chris or Wade has 'weighed' in on this yet.

ChrisRossi wrote:

Thomas, do you have a link to your products?

How about some PSC  "Promotional Group Pricing"???

Pardon my ignorance but what is the arm guard? I assume (?) it is a device to stop anything other than your hand from going through the handle?

The more controlled your hands are with the handle the better you will ski. If you are not very balanced on your ski yet then maybe a device like this is necessary but people have been waterskiing for 80 or so years now and the total number of injuries due to body parts through the handle is not very large to compared to the safe number of uses.

WadeWilliams wrote:

[...]

The more controlled your hands are with the handle the better you will ski. If you are not very balanced on your ski yet then maybe a device like this is necessary but people have been waterskiing for 80 or so years now and the total number of injuries due to body parts through the handle is not very large to compared to the safe number of uses.

Yeah?  I guess you figure French skier Patrice Martin (for one) must have had terrible balance on a ski, huh?

The actual incidence of body-part-through-handle injury runs around several dozen per year worldwide, which is  relatively small compared to the  total number of skiers.  It happens at ALL skill levels, however, and if it happens to YOU the "statistic"s probably won't seem so significant any more.

TW

Last edited by Thomas Wayne (Fri, Jun 5, 2009 2:51 AM)

Blair, TW has shown all that multiple times on different forums.  I've seen pictures of his part, as well as multiple pictures of people who's arms had become trapped in the handle on a fall. Not pretty at all.

TW, You really do need a website. Even a simple one.  You say you're busy, but you have to post all these long posts on threads. That takes time out of your day too.  With even a simple website, you could just post a link.

Thomas Wayne,

I am still waiting to hear exactly what this device is? Am I correct it blocks body parts other than your hand from going through the handle?

As to the general superior tone of your post I would prefer if you could refrain from using such mater of fact language. You are welcome to post information and pictures about your product. However, making hasty generalizations towards people who read this board -- making broad statements about how we will get injured in a specific type of way -- is ridiculous and will not be tolerated in the future.

http://skiowsa.com/content/view/115/2/

WadeWilliams wrote:

Thomas Wayne,
[...]
As to the general superior tone of your post I would prefer if you could refrain from using such mater of fact language. You are welcome to to post information and pictures about your product. However, making hasty generalizations towards people who read this board -- making broad statements about how we will get injured in a specific type of way -- is ridiculous and will not be tolerated in the future.

Wade Williams,

I am truly baffled by what you are saying, and would very much appreciate it if you can provide an exact quote (or quotes) of what you feel I've done wrong here.

It IS a matter of fact that in October of '08 Patrice Martin suffered a high-profile arm-through-handle injury.

It IS a matter of fact that several dozen skiers suffer similar injuries each year worldwide.

It IS a matter of fact that statistics become unimportant to the person who is actually injured in such a fall.

So how would you have me make those statements in a way that you'd find less offensive?  I'm asking this sincerely, because I don't understand what hasty generalizations you think I've made here.  The facts are out there, and one of those facts is that body-part-through-handle injuries do happen to skiers of ALL levels of skill (and balance), from beginners to pros.

I've received correspondence from many skiers about this issue, and there are a lot of names you would probably recognize.  In fact, the most discouraging part of this project is the large number of skiers who contact us AFTER they (or someone they care about) has suffered such an injury.  The first order of business here is to recognize that these types of injuries DO happen, and they can happen to anyone.  What skiers choose to do about that fact is entirely up to them, but for any particular skier to believe that he or she is "immune" from such an accident is a bit unwise, in my opinion.

Again, Wade, I am speaking sincerely here, and I would truly like to know what you feel I've said or done that is inappropriate or out of line.

Thomas Wayne

Thomas Wayne wrote:

Yeah?  I guess you figure French skier Patrice Martin (for one) must have had terrible balance on a ski, huh?

TW

Just don't be a message board dick, Tom, and you're welcome to hang around.

I don't think I ever said anything about Patrice Martin so this sounds non sequitor, like very much of this thread does.

I'm sure he would agree he probably was not very balanced when this fall occurred that caused the inujury.