Safety and concussion prevention are the two big buzz words surrounding football today. With over 100 Gs of force expelled during your average hit, the likelihood of concussions in football is very real, which is pushing brands and manufacturers to develop safer equipment. Riddell has been a leader in football equipment for years, and after heavy testing Virginia Tech believes the SpeedFlex is the one for them.
Virginia Tech has tracked over 300,000 impacts on it's football team to gain further knowledge and target exactly what will help limit concussions during play. Using a simple testing process and several new helmets on the market, Virginia Tech was able to mimic what players actually felt on the field and gave each helmet a grade based on 1-5 stars. Of the three they tested, all came out with a 5-star rating, but the SpeedFlex from Riddell reigned supreme for several reasons.
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The SpeedFlex helmet features multiple new technology features including the Sideline Response System, which monitors and records every significant incidence of head impact sustained during a game. The system runs off a monitoring system within the helmet known as the HITS system, which relays messages to trainers and staff following a hit that registers as a "Suspect Impact Profile". While all these new breakthroughs and technology advances don't guarantee concussion prevention, it's a step in the right direction towards ultimately making the game safer for athletes on the field. Check out the testing video below, and keep an eye out for Virginia Tech this weekend when they hit the field against the Miami Hurricanes.
SRS batteries charged up and ready for tonight! RiddellSports HITS System pic.twitter.com/74oAUUO3QU
— VT FB Equipment (@VTFBEquipment) October 23, 2014
