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Background:
Founded in 1939, Riddell introduced the first plastic suspension football helmet. After years of outfitting thousands of football players, Riddell has used the same forward thinking, combining new technology with cutting edge design to produce The Riddell Revolution.
Research:
Football is responsible for approximately 100,000 concussions in the United States each year. Using a study conducted by Biokinetics & Associates, Riddell set out to develop a helmet to help reduce the risk of concussion or Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI). Biokinetics & Associates, an independent engineering consulting firm in Canada, used footage of on-field collisions and recreated these impacts in a controlled laboratory to better quantify human tolerances to concussions, or MTBI. The research showed that seven out of ten on-field concussions occur from blows to the side of the head as opposed to the top or front. Riddell then used this research to create the first helmet designed with the intent to reduce the risk of MTBI, the Riddell Revolution.
Product:
The design and development of the Revolution was a four-year project. Using the research as the backbone for development, the Riddell Revolution features three key design elements focused on the intent of reducing the occurrence of MTBI, including:
- Side and Facial Protection — a majority of head trauma is caused by blows to the side of the head, face or mandible areas. Riddell designed the Revolution Z-Pad to disperse the force of impact in these areas for MTBI protection.
- Increased Shell Offset — the distance from the helmet shell to the wearer's head gives the Revolution room to manage the types of impacts that cause MTBI without compromising its response at higher impact levels.
- Tru-Curve Shell Shape — not only does The Revolution's shell extend into the mandible area, it has been computer designed around the head's anatomical center of gravity.
The stability of the helmet on the wearer's head is critical to keeping the protective system in its intended place, where it can best protect the athlete:
- Mid-Hook-Up Chinstrap — provides the best helmet stability in laboratory and field test conditions
- The Notch — at the lower edge of the shell provides stability in roll-off testing
Player Comfort:
- Ventilation — the Revolution uses Riddell's traditional Aero-Cell liner design along with 6 elliptical top vents in the shell to allow air to circulate around the head and heat to escape
- Ear Channel — the new design of the Z-Pads and the Back/Neck/Side Liner allow for much easier donning and doffing than traditional football helmet designs
- Lightweight — Riddell maintains its commitment to producing a lightweight product for the athlete without compromising protection
More Information:
To find out more about the newest in football head protection, parents or players should ask their coaches or athletic directors, call 1-800-275-5338, or log onto www.riddell.com.
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