Tag: Helmet

Does Hockey Need a Better Brain Bucket?

Much has been written about football helmets and whether enough is being done to stop the increasing number of concussions among players? Well, now that football season is winding down, attention is being turned to hockey, which has also seen an increase in the number of professional players suffering from hits to the heads.

It was noted recently that Bauer had released the 9900 Helmet for hockey this season, which is the first to utilize PORON XRD technology. This feature is designed to absorb maximum impact without adding stiff or constricting bulk to the helmet. Moreover this is helmet is actually 10 percent lighter than the 9500 model. But the question remains is it enough?

Some don’t think so, and this includes Danny Crossman, an Ottawa entrepreneur and British Army veteran, who served in Iraq, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Crossman is now chief executive of Impackt Protective, and he’s working to develop a sensor that could be used on hockey helmets. Continue reading Does Hockey Need a Better Brain Bucket?

Bern Rolls Out Winter Commuter Helmet

Winter is coming, and for bicycle commuters that means either having cold ears or trying to fit a cap under a typical cycling helmet. But Bern has another solution, as noted by our friends at BikeRadar. At Interbike, while it was still warm and mostly sunny, the helmet maker showed off its line of winter-friendly brain buckets, which are now available.

The men’s G2 and women’s Cougar 2 feature Bern’s Zip Mold in-mould construction process that includes a detachable soft-peaked liner. The helmet features three-position air vent slider on top as well, so on a warm day the vents can be left open so the wearer doesn’t get too heated, but on the colder/wetter days the vents can be closed up. These weren’t actually developed with cyclists in mind, and were actually first used on the slopes – so whether it is for snowboarding or cycling through the winter these will keep the head warm! And while we’d like to think that this could prevent brain freeze but that’s not something effected by weather! Continue reading Bern Rolls Out Winter Commuter Helmet

Riddell Calls Time Out For Equipment Inspection

With football you can only be protected if the equipment is doing its job, and for this reason Riddell, the official helmet of the National Football League, is calling for an in-season time out to make sure that coaches, players and parents are properly inspecting the equipment including helmets and shoulder pads.

“Between regular practices and games, a player’s equipment experiences hours of use,” said Dan Arment, president of Riddell. “Inspecting equipment throughout the season helps ensure it’s prepared to perform its job – protecting players on the field.”

Riddell’s five-point, checklist is designed to keep proper fit and protection top of mind for all young football players and includes: Inspecting the helmet shell for cracks and dents; checking hardware and internal helmet padding; ensuring proper helmet fit; accessing the chin strap; and making sure shoulder pads fit properly as well. Video after the jump

Louis Garneau Intros Carve Helmet

Each year helmets get lighter, but they also get stronger. Technology lends itself to a higher degree of protection using lighter-weight materials. However, even when you’re going to get down and dirty off road you’ll still want to look good doing so. For 2012 Louis Garneau will release the Carve helmet, which will offer that higher degree of protection without sacrificing style.  This new helmet promises to be lightweight, highly ventilated and totally geared toward mountain bikers.

Continue reading Louis Garneau Intros Carve Helmet

Are Football Helmets and Other Protective Gear Still Short of Goal Line?

Football season – including Professional, College and High School – is well underway, and beyond upsets and surprising victories, much of the talk this year continues to be about the helmets. NBC Sports noted last week that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was looking to have his helmet re-fitted by Riddell, shifting from a Schutt helmet, possibly the version he wore when he suffered a concussion against the Atlanta Falcons.

Vick reported looked to have his helmet re-fitted by Unequal Technology, which would use Kevlar to “disburse the effects of a blow to the helmet.” It was also reported that while this technology is new to the gridiron it has been used in hockey helmet and of course in the military.

This reporter, who has experience as the author of books and articles on actual military helmets, can attest that there is a difference in what Kevlar is designed to do. Kevlar is typically used in ballistic helmets, namely those meant to stop a bullet on a battlefield to save a wearer’s life (where a concussion would be preferable to death), and not for the brunt force trauma that one might experience on the playing field. Continue reading Are Football Helmets and Other Protective Gear Still Short of Goal Line?

Knock on Wood(en) Helmet

There is an old saying that “X doesn’t grow on trees.” This is becoming less and less true as many fitness related products are using sustainable materials. We’ve seen bikes made of wood, and shirts made of bamboo. Now Coyle Wood Design is looking to introduce a line of sports helmets that will rely on wood as well.

These brain buckets are handmade in Oregon and are the brain child of Dan Coyle, who has a personal interest in woodworking and sports. He’s reportedly made his own clothes and fitness gear by hand, and this year began to make helmets that are a natural alternative to the traditional ABS plastic and foam. The helmets are created using a patent-pending status designed for “natural fiber helmet shells’ that works with his CNC machining tools. Continue reading Knock on Wood(en) Helmet

New “Impact Indicator” Being Added to Football Helmets for 2011 Season

Football season officially kicks off in a few weeks, and players in the United States and Canada will be taking to the field with the Impact Indicator as part of this season’s newest additions to the protective equipment. Fittingly it was developed by Battle Sports Science USA, as a way to measure the G-force and duration of hits (impact) sustained by an athlete’s head during play or activity in sports. It uses highly sophisticated technology and proprietary software, embedded in a helmet chinstrap, to signal the possibility of a head injury. This revolutionary new product will alert parents, referees, players and coaches to get a player off the ice or field for a medical assessment – maximizing treatment, recovery and possibly preventing subsequent brain injury.

In addition to making its way to the gridiron the Impact Indicator is being introduced as a safety device for use in the sports of hockey as well. Now players can keep their head in the game and protect it too!

Battle Sports Science USA Official Website

Cycling That Could Make You Think

No doubt everyone who has gone out on a long ride has probably thought I need to shift, but something happens and you just don’t move the fingers in time. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could think about shifting and actually shift gears?

Parlee Cycles have reportedly developed a carbon fiber concept bicycle that actually uses brainwaves to do the shifting. The PXP bicycle also requires a special helmet equipped with neurotransmitters that read a rider’s brainwaves, while a wireless receiver on the seat post can receive the signals. It could open up a whole new concept – we think therefore we shift.

[Via Dvice.com: Change your bike’s gear shift with your brainwaves]

Louis Garneau Introduces Europcar Pro Cycling Styled Brain Bucket

Louis Garneau has always taken helmet design very seriously, and while function remains key, the line of helmets has a excellent form as well. This is certainly the case with the Quartz line of helmets, which were introduced last year.

The Quartz helmet allows the rider to keep cool even when things heat up, thank to the enormous ventilation channels made possible by the MSB technology – a monocoque structural base at the base of the helmet that reinforces the perimeter for enhanced protection. This is further enhanced by the Composite Reinforcements that spread the shock of impacts, provide support, and are lightweight. Finally, the Patented Spiderlock Elite Retention has been hailed as one of the best in the cycling industry, and this allows the user to adjust the helmet with only one hand to ensure safety while on the bike. Continue reading Louis Garneau Introduces Europcar Pro Cycling Styled Brain Bucket

Helmet Mohawks Cool, But Cautionary

There’s a new trend in modding bike helmets to give the headgear a Mohawk. Craftzine has a great post on this activity. We applaud the individuality. We don’t mean to be nervous nellies either, but before you attach a ridge of spikes to your helmet, you should think about a few guidelines.

A few bodies including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and SNELL regulate helmets. Manufacturers follow these guidelines for safety. Modifications can potentially change a helmet so it won’t perform its function of protecting your head in the unfortunate event of a crash.

If you attach fabric or materials without changing the structure of the helmet, then go for it. We’re certainly not one to stand in the way of individuality and creativity. But don’t do anything that could reduce the effectiveness of the helmet.

Continue reading Helmet Mohawks Cool, But Cautionary

American Military Looks at More Padding in Helmets

ast week FoxNews.com noted that the researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Labs have been testing the current issue helmet, the MICH, which is used by the U.S. military. It was noted that just a quarter-inch, or even an eighth of an inch of additional padding would helmet greatly reduce the force to the skull when there is an impact to the helmet. The findings suggest this could be as great as a 24-percent reduction.

The researchers also looked to the helmets used by professional football players, as concussions are a big concern amongst the players. It was noted that a thicker foam system is used by the NFL players’ helmets than the spongier pads used in combat helmets, and that the NFL’s helmet padding worked better. Continue reading American Military Looks at More Padding in Helmets

Helmets for Urban and Even Non-Urban Commuters

Everyone who rides a bike on public roads probably knows that having a light isn’t a bad thing. You can’t always count on being home before the sun goes down, and a blinky can help let the cars – as well as other cyclists – know to share the road.

And for commuters, there is a good way to make sure you’re seen as well. Lazer, the maker of cycling and motorcycle helmets, has a line of bike hard hats in its Urbanize line that include integrated lights. Among the helmets offered by the company are those that include a light rig with front and back lighting for optimal visibility for the rider – so you can see and be seen as well.

The helmets are available in models that are rain protected, meaning water won’t cause damage, while winter padding and insect nets are also available. There are helmets that look good for race day and for long daytime training rides, but for the daily commute to the daily grind, the Lazer will help point the way.

Lazer Urbanize Helmets

New Brain Bucket Developed for Little League, Introduced at “The Dome”

 

For years batters have walked up to the plate whilst wearing protective headgear. Now soon pitchers may be required to take the mount with helmets on as well. This wee Easton-Bell Sports announced the development of new headgear at the Helmet Technology Center, internally known as “The Dome.”

Easton-Bell Sports CEO Paul Harrington, along with Little League International President Stephen Keener, California Interscholastic Federation Executive Director Marie Ishida and Marin County high school baseball player Gunnar Sandberg in Scotts Valley, introduced a new helmet prototype. The Easton-Bell Sports pitching helmet prototype uses lightweight energy managing materials to provide protection to the most vulnerable areas of the head, without compromising comfort or performance. The helmet is made of expanded polystyrene polycarbonate, which is attached to a comfortable liner and elastic strap. Continue reading New Brain Bucket Developed for Little League, Introduced at “The Dome”