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Background:
Founded in 1929, Riddell introduced the first 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 Youth
Helmet.
Research:
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 helmets designed with the intent to reduce
the risk of MTBI, the Riddell Revolution Helmet and the Riddell
Revolution Youth Helmet.
Product:
The Riddell
Revolution Youth Helmet, designed for children who play football below
the high school level, is modeled after the widely praised Revolution,
which was introduced last year for high school, college and
professional players. Using the research as the backbone for
development, the Riddell Revolution Youth Helmet 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 Youth Helmet'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 Youth Helmet 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 — this is critical
for cooling the head during hot summer practices
- Ear
Channel — the new design of the Z-Pads and the Back/Neck/Side Liner
allow players to easily put on and remove the helmet than traditional
football helmet designs
- Lightweight — Riddell
maintains its commitment to producing a lightweight product for the
athlete without compromising protection. The Revolution Youth Helmet is
15 percent lighter than the adult version and offers improved
peripheral vision over traditional helmets.
More Information:
To find out more about the newest in youth 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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