Interesting New Helmet Design from Vicis

Christopher Walker · January 14, 2016

http://www.wired.com/2016/01/the-zero1-flexible-football-helmet-may-save-players-brains/#slide-x

It takes its cue from the automotive design world with essentially reflexive crumple zones that will bend and snap back into place.

forevereagle · January 14, 2016

That is interesting. I believe that is similar technology that NASCAR is using on the railing in their venues. Also, unlike some other new designs, the helmet is a similar size to the ones used today.

Tyler Maryak · January 14, 2016

8 minutes ago, Christopher Walker said:

http://www.wired.com/2016/01/the-zero1-flexible-football-helmet-may-save-players-brains/#slide-x

It takes its cue from the automotive design world with essentially reflexive crumple zones that will bend and snap back into place.

You know when you have a great idea in your head but you explain it terribly and then someone much smarter than you says, "or we could do this..." and makes your idea twice as good. This is a lot like that...

FirefightnRick · January 14, 2016

I like it. I've never understood why the outer shell was hard instead of made of a soft, spongy surface. This design is certainly headed in the right direction.

Rick

oldguystudent · January 14, 2016

$1,500 a pop? Dude. Better get on my collection of full sized replicas and right quick!

meangreendork · January 14, 2016

It's cool that this is compared against the Speedflex helmet, which seems to be the best one on the market these days. It's the same general concept of the Speedflex, but they went all out on making the whole of the shell flex. I also like that they made a pretty OK looking helmet since some of the more conceptual designs tend to look weird or end up looking like the helmet cap things.

SilverEagle · January 15, 2016

On 1/14/2016 at 9:24 AM, oldguystudent said:

$1,500 a pop? Dude. Better get on my collection of full sized replicas and right quick!

If my grandson wants to play football 8 or 9 years from now, I'd consider this cheap. And I'd pay for one every year if that's how often they update/improve them.

Edited January 15, 2016 by SilverEagle

ChristopherRyanWilkes · January 15, 2016

9 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

If my grandson wants to play football 8 or 9 years from now, I'd consider this cheap. And I'd pay for one every year if that's how often they update/improve them.

Better helmet technology is going to have to save football. Pop Warner participation has been down about 10% almost every year last I checked.

SilverEagle · January 15, 2016

12 minutes ago, ChristopherRyanWilkes said:

Better helmet technology is going to have to save football. Pop Warner participation has been down about 10% almost every year last I checked.

And after the latest news stories and the release of "Concussion", it's going to drop even more. This new technology will be an absolute "must" for the purpose of saving football. I wouldn't be happy if my grandson played "pop warner". I think that's too soon for "collision football". My son didn't start playing organized football until he started attending public school in the 8th grade. He never got over 155 lbs while playing all the way through school, and I would have been terrified if some coach had put him on the kick-off coverage squad.

greenjoe · January 16, 2016

I used to have an employee that was a very big man. He played scholarship football at Oklahoma State. He came form a small town in West Texas and his high school did not have a helmet big enough for him. His family, so I was told, bought a motorcycle helmet, added a face guard, and painted it it match the school issued helmets.

Is there anything that would prevent an individual from buying his own high tech helmet and using it in high school and if it still fit and would pass inspection, in college ?

GO MEAN GREEN

KRAM1 · January 16, 2016

31 minutes ago, greenjoe said:

I used to have an employee that was a very big man. He played scholarship football at Oklahoma State. He came form a small town in West Texas and his high school did not have a helmet big enough for him. His family, so I was told, bought a motorcycle helmet, added a face guard, and painted it it match the school issued helmets.

Is there anything that would prevent an individual from buying his own high tech helmet and using it in high school and if it still fit and would pass inspection, in college ?

GO MEAN GREEN

Probably not. But, would seem it would release the school from liability related to concussions and would place the family squarely in the crosshairs for increased medical risk and liability lawsuits. I am no lawyer, but that is my guess.

Back in my day....long ago and in a far away Galaxy, when I was still on the JV team at Bryan Adams in Dallas, I bought and installed my own cage face mask as they were just coming out, the school was not buying them as yet, and I was getting tired of playing linebacker, tight end and deep snapper with a single bar face mask. Yep...took my helmet home, drilled holes in the thing and installed the new cage mask. Darn heavy it was, but sure was "super cool" and it worked!

GMG24 · January 16, 2016

5 hours ago, greenjoe said:

I used to have an employee that was a very big man. He played scholarship football at Oklahoma State. He came form a small town in West Texas and his high school did not have a helmet big enough for him. His family, so I was told, bought a motorcycle helmet, added a face guard, and painted it it match the school issued helmets.

Is there anything that would prevent an individual from buying his own high tech helmet and using it in high school and if it still fit and would pass inspection, in college ?

GO MEAN GREEN

So long as they meet whatever state or governing body of that school mandates (typically schools follow nfhs guidelines) the kids can wear whatever helmet they want. In TX it has to be certified and tested to meet requirements. Lot of levels to what is the minimum requirement.

El Paso Eagle · January 16, 2016

IMO -

I hope this does not become something the “haves” are able to get and use as a recruiting tool against the “have-nots”. Safety is too important. The NCAA needs to use some of the big $$ they make to ensure this is something available to all schools that would want to use them.

oldguystudent · January 16, 2016

Meanwhile, Lawrence Phillips' family has agreed to donate his brain to the concussion study. Something's going to give eventually.

Army of Dad · January 17, 2016

15 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

Meanwhile, Lawrence Phillips' family has agreed to donate his brain to the concussion study. Something's going to give eventually.

Eh, his brain damage may have nothing to do with football.

GMG24 · January 17, 2016

16 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

Meanwhile, Lawrence Phillips' family has agreed to donate his brain to the concussion study. Something's going to give eventually.

I think the concussion issue is very sensitive. I had Docs writing notes for concussions this past year just because they don't want to be sued. Kids that I have coached in my 8 years now, 1 has had a concussion where he didn't know where he was etc, it was scary for sure. I think this issue has been semi sensationalized and while I know it's very important and can have lasting effects if my children want to play a sport I'm going to let them. Part of that is possibility of getting hurt etc. I'm a rant so I'll stop. Just don't jump to conclusions that football is the only sport dealing with them, last study I saw soccer lead the nation in all Lvls of the sport.

Quoner · January 17, 2016

5 hours ago, GMG24 said:

Just don't jump to conclusions that football is the only sport dealing with them, last study I saw soccer lead the nation in all Lvls of the sport.

My daughter just started playing soccer this year. We got a long letter in season telling us the issue was important and rules were being changed at a national level to begin addressing it. Meanwhile, football just keeps scoffing at the same issue.

GMG24 · January 17, 2016

1 hour ago, Quoner said:

My daughter just started playing soccer this year. We got a long letter in season telling us the issue was important and rules were being changed at a national level to begin addressing it. Meanwhile, football just keeps scoffing at the same issue.

I would hardly say scoffing at the issue is what's being done. They've made several hits illegal and ejectable elements in the game. They penalize, and coaches spend hours teaching proper technique (which is also beginning to change) to take the head out of tackling. See Seahawks Hawk tackling videos. I just get tired of hearing how unsafe a sport is, sure it's unsafe every sport is in their own way. Soccer headers and head butting going for headers, basketball dunking on someone and being hit while in the air, baseball getting pinked with a 98 mph fastball in the head or line drive off the face. Anyway, there are many steps being taken (costly steps) my school district bought 15,000 dollars worth of brand new helmets for my school and we are one of 15 MS in that district. They did this because they found out there were hundreds of unsafe helmets being used throughout the district.

Edited January 17, 2016 by GMG24

Quoner · January 17, 2016

52 minutes ago, GMG24 said:

I just get tired of hearing how unsafe a sport is, sure it's unsafe every sport is in their own way. Soccer headers and head butting going for headers, basketball dunking on someone and being hit while in the air, baseball getting pinked with a 98 mph fastball in the head or line drive off the face. Anyway, there are many steps being taken (costly steps) my school district bought 15,000 dollars worth of brand new helmets for my school and we are one of 15 MS in that district. They did this because they found out there were hundreds of unsafe helmets being used throughout the district.

My coaches were teaching those same tackling lessons 2 decades ago. I know you have a bias here and even I wouldn't trade my pointless HS time on the field for anything, but come on here. US soccer eliminated headers for kids under 11...they didn't make some training tapes and offload the responsibility to coaches at lower levels. Are headers cool to watch? Eff yeah they are, but safety came first. Baseball and basketball also keep evolving rules as well, but you're right that no sport can ever be guaranteed totally safe. However, call me when we're doing CTE scans on dead volleyball players.

I'm also not sure if finally paying to replace shoddy equipment really helps your football cares case, but it is a nice start.

One edit: I'm not doubting the coaches and people involved in the trenches care, but more the people in the administrations and front offices pulling strings. Also, I say that this all and still have playoff games on in the other room.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Quoner

oldguystudent · January 17, 2016

9 minutes ago, Quoner said:

My coaches were teaching those same tackling lessons 2 decades ago. I know you have a bias here and even I wouldn't trade my pointless HS time on the field for anything, but come on here. US soccer eliminated headers for kids under 11...they didn't make some training tapes and offload the responsibility to coaches at lower levels. Are headers cool to watch? Eff yeah they are, but safety came first. Baseball and basketball also keep evolving rules as well, but you're right that no sport can ever be guaranteed totally safe. However, call me when we're doing CTE scans on dead volleyball players.

I'm also not sure if finally paying to replace shoddy equipment really helps your football cares case, but it is a nice start.

I just read on another forum that soccer is getting rid of headers. I mean, I get it, but it's so strange to me to remove what for me was such a fundamental part of the game. I scored one beautiful goal from a corner kick off my head in high school. Not the only goal I ever scored, but that one, I still remember like it was yesterday. It's an unfortunate reality that this too must pass.

meangreendork · January 18, 2016

20 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

I just read on another forum that soccer is getting rid of headers. I mean, I get it, but it's so strange to me to remove what for me was such a fundamental part of the game. I scored one beautiful goal from a corner kick off my head in high school. Not the only goal I ever scored, but that one, I still remember like it was yesterday. It's an unfortunate reality that this too must pass.

In soccer, I didn't know that headers were so likely to cause injuries. Something new everyday, right?

In football, I get the idea of making head impacts safer since that happens at least once on every play. And since a head injury is the sort of thing that will impact long-term quality of life, that's worth the effort, especially for younger players.

Mean in Gruene · January 18, 2016

With the concussion issue, and computer graphics getting so good I think we'll see completely computer generated CGI games within our lifetime.

Cerebus · January 19, 2016

On 1/18/2016 at 1:00 PM, meangreendork said:

In soccer, I didn't know that headers were so likely to cause injuries. Something new everyday, right?

To be good, you have to go take several thousand headers every year. That the same sort of high impact, non concussive hits that scientists think are frying those brain proteins in football.

The football players most likely to display symptoms are linemen, not a lot of concussions, but a ton of high impact non concussive helmet to helmet hits.