With opening day for Major League Baseball just weeks away fans might not notice a big difference that might help keep players safe. This year will see the widespread introduction of a new batting helmet. Rawlings, the official provider of helmets to the MLB, is providing teams with the S100 Pro Comp.
This is the latest helmet designed for batters, and it is just a fraction of an inch larger and about an ounce heavier than traditional helmets, but its carbon fiber shell promises to be about 300 percent stiffer and 130 times stronger than helmets made of plastic. It is designed to provide protection against balls thrown at speeds up to 100 miles per hour – compared to the 68mph of the older helmets. Continue reading Baseball’s New Helmet
The Nutcase Crossover helmet, which is distinctive for its glittery gold finish, will make the transition and let users cross from winter to summer. This bicycle helmet features removable fleece ear flaps, which can provide plenty of warmth during the cold winter commuters, but can also be removed as the weather turns. While it probably doesn’t offer enough ventilation for summer riding, it is ideal for those cooler days.
Much has been made about concussions and football helmets, but now the Virginia Tech – Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences is looking to expand its ground-breaking research to include hockey, baseball, softball and lacrosse. The five year plan will look to rate helmets worn in those sports and determine the ability the helmets have to lessen the likelihood of a concussion resulting from head impact.
At the SIA Snowshow in Denver last week Giro introduced a new “soft-shell” helmet for the snowsport industry that can survive multiple impacts and still keep the wearer protected. The Combyn helmet can flex and bend under pressure and like “Stretch Armstrong” return to its original shape.
Helmet maker Bollé introduced its Osmoz help, which is actually a fully-integrated helmet and goggle system that allows offers a click-to-fit system to ensure it will fit any head. Interchangeable lenses can help protect the wearer even as weather conditions change. This smart looking brain bucket is lightweight, and provides a sleek, more aerodynamic profile as well.
We’ve seen numerous cameras that can mount to a helmet, but now the Video Head is a camera system built into the helmet. This solves the problem of ensuring that a camera is positioned correctly, and also helps reduce the risk of injury from wearing a camera on top of a helmet.
The Brain Injury Association of Canada is calling for new standards for helmets used in alpine sports, and that helmets imported and sold are not currently meeting safety standards set by the Canadian Standards Association. This comes following the tragic death of a 16-year old boy this past holiday weekend.
pleased to see the near constant innovation and the accompanying evolution that comes with it in the realm of athletic head protection. Much has been made with sensors that can determine if an injury has occurred or even call for helmet when the wear suffers a head injury.
We’ve seen a number of snowboard helmets that speakers built in, and POC continues to dominate the slopes with its line of helmets. Now for this winter the POC Receptor BUG Communication helmet will deliver the tunes via integrated Beats by Dr. Dre headphones that are built in the neck roll. This could give new meaning to the concept of head banging, as it provides a bass-heavy speaker into a snug fitting brain bucket.
For the holidays season and even towards St. Patrick’s Day the Little Nutty Snow and Bike Winter Wonderland helmet will show the holiday and winter spirit. Riding with it in the summer will certainly seem nutty, but once spring springs put this themed brain bucket away until next season.