Xenith Football Hemets

[fkaKrock5cent]

I've noticed an ad above the ccslc for some time now about Xenith Football Helmets and I finally bit and checked it out. Turns out its a hemet model that's being researched by the NFL and used by High Schoolers and NCAA players throughout the country. What is unique about the helmet is it's lack of foam padding. It uses "little air bags" (best way I can describe it) and a custom fitting system to even out the severity of impact. Very cool stuff. Anyone have any thoughts?

Here's a link to the website where you can see a video about how it all works

http://www.xenith.com/

[The_Admiral]

Not sure it really matters too much which way you pad the helmet's interior if the brain is still slapping up against the inside of the skull. I mean, something is better than nothing, but using air instead of foam doesn't really diminish the rotational force, does it?

[Brave-Bird 08]

NC State has a lot of players wearing these. They are the first team I noticed with those helmets on, and probably 40 percent of their team was wearing it.

I noticed Dallas Clark wearing one as well. I think it's kind of cheap looking.

[CDixonDesign]

Interesting design, looks like a mix of the Revolution, and Schutt DNA, the padding is pretty neat as well, but it comes with a heftier price tag, the Adult is $450...

But then again, that noggin is priceless!

Edit: Fantasy Eligibility Post!

[Gothamite]

Not sure it really matters too much which way you pad the helmet's interior if the brain is still slapping up against the inside of the skull. I mean, something is better than nothing, but using air instead of foam doesn't really diminish the rotational force, does it?

That's my understanding, and that's why I'm starting to think that the NFL should mandate less protection, not more.

When plastic helmets were first introduced, there was a backlash against them. The NFL actually banned them for a couple years. The thinking was that they would encourage players to lead with their head and cause more injuries than they prevent (I've made the same argument in baseball - so long as players can wear body armor on the arm and leg facing the pitcher, they're going to crowd the plate).

If the consequences of head contact weren't masked and passed down the road, but were felt immediately, perhaps we wouldn't be seeing the kind of long-term head trauma we see today in former players.

[BlueSky]

Maybe this helmet can address the issue of players wearing their helmets too loosely. You see helmets flying off left and right now. Watch a guy take his helmet off - there's no effort needed, they can do it with one hand lifting the facemask. That really doesn't seem like a properly fitted helmet to me.

[slapshot]

I think the players should be protected from others who abuse the new padding and such. We do know that players are more likely to lead with their heads due to the new feeling of invincibility that the new helmets provide, but those getting tackled and hit are still prone to injury from these "supermen" making the play.

While the helmets may not protect the perpetrators of violent hits, they should be able to protect the victims of them.