This New Football Helmet Promises to Reduce Head Injuries | Highsnobiety

 

With all the scrutiny the NFL has come under for its concussion protocol, player safety has never been more paramount. Vicis, a startup from Seattle, has focused its efforts into developing a new football helmet that promises to reduce the risk of head injury. With funding from the NFL itself, Vicis CEO Dave Marver is relieved to hear that the league is addressing existing problems.

 

Unlike the rigid shell of a typical helmet, the Zero1 features a soft, deformable outer skin with a harder plastic core inside, which spreads out any incoming energy while absorbing impact. Additional details include a memory-foam liner and chin straps that attach to the inner shell so as to curb energy flowing through the jaw.

 

Visit the Vicis website to learn more.

 

What do you think?

Seems like a pretty cool idea. It also seems like something that they are going to put a $1500-2000 price tag on and limit the availability.

It will be really expensive at first but as with most products as more people buy it and demand goes up the price will go down. I love this idea.

It's interesting. I'm curious about durability..It seems like the cushioning system will be the weak point as to how long the helmet will last. If it works though, I'm ok with replacing helmets more often.

Anything to make the game I love safer, I'm all for, BUT coaches HAVE to train the players in the proper techniques of tackling as well starting at the youngest level.

Sell them for $500 and give teams the option to purchase multiple at a lower cost.

 

Few can pay $1500-$2000.

Sell them for $500 and give teams the option to purchase multiple at a lower cost.

 

Few can pay $1500-$2000.

 

Have they announced a price?? Has this moved beyond the prototype stage??

One article said they are $1,500 each. That limits their market to NFL and power conference teams. And they haven't mentioned warranty, expected life, and cost of reconditioning.

Right now current 5 star top rated helmets cost $200-$300 (that Is our bid price for JCPS from Shively Sporting goods covering over a dozen models from 4 different manufacturers, Schutt, Riddell, Xenith, and Rawlings) and annual reconditioning is another $32 per helmet. Warranties from all is 5 year shell warranty and 10 year life. One note is Rawlings shut down their helmet division.

Edited January 20, 201610 yr by Pete W

Wasn't there a guy that used to play for the 49'ers that used to have an extra "shell" that went over his regular helmet? Sort of looked like a bicycle helmet atop a football helmet. The thinking, I believe, was the same...the softer, outer layer would help absorb some of the energy from a hit. But, I think I read/heard somewhere that, in truth, they found out it actually made it worse. Wonder how this design differs.

Man, I should have been a helmet designer...I had a very similar idea a while back. I think it will work and will be where they NFL and DI football go next...think it might take a while for the cost to come down for it to get down to the lower levels, but I can see many a parent shelling out the cost to get one.

 

I would also say that it would have to come with some sort of "wear" or "impact" indicator. When something deforms that much there comes a time it won't "reset" and loses it's efficiency. I can see where maybe taking 2 or 3 big hits could possibly damage a helmet enough to warrant a new one.

Wasn't there a guy that used to play for the 49'ers that used to have an extra "shell" that went over his regular helmet? Sort of looked like a bicycle helmet atop a football helmet. The thinking, I believe, was the same...the softer, outer layer would help absorb some of the energy from a hit. But, I think I read/heard somewhere that, in truth, they found out it actually made it worse. Wonder how this design differs.

 

My question exactly. The ProCap was supposed to have absorbed all of the energy from the blow into the player's head rather than allowing some of it to be deflected away.

 

What do you think?

 

How hot are these things? Memory foam, thinking my mattress, is like sleeping on a volcano during the summer. won't this increase heat stroke risks?

How hot are these things? Memory foam, thinking my mattress, is like sleeping on a volcano during the summer. won't this increase heat stroke risks?

 

Now that's an excellent question.

A company Guardian makes these padded helmet covers. They set up at all the coaches clinics but all the helmet manufacturers say not to use them and the "experts" laugh it off as the equivalent of putting an airbag outside your car.