Reduce the Risk of Concussions With the Best Football Helmet
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Schutt Sports Vengeance A11 Youth Football Helmet -
Riddell NFL Kansas City Chiefs Full Size Football Helmet -
Schutt DNA Pro Youth Football Helmet -
Rawlings NRG Quantum Youth Football Helmet -
All-Star Youth Catalyst Football Helmet -
Riddell NFL Phildelphis Eagles Full Size Football Helmet -
Schutt Sports F7 LX1 Youth Football Helmet -
Rawlings Quantum Adult Football Helmet with Unattached Facemask -
Rawlings Adult NRG Football Helmet -
Schutt Sports Vengeance VTD II Football Helmet -
Buyer's Guide
All the talk of concussions in the sport of football has helped bring to light just how critical the right football helmet can be. Regardless of age, speed, or skill level, every player on the field needs to have a helmet that fits properly in order to stay healthy and safe.
Before you jump on the field this fall, make sure you review our list below to find the most appropriate and best football helmet in 2022 for you.
Comparing the Best Football Helmets of 2022
Schutt Sports Vengeance A11 Youth Football Helmet - Best Football Helmet Overall
Schutt is a company that is at the top of the heap when it comes to football safety equipment. Its efforts like the ION 4D football helmet that will certainly help to keep them there. This high quality helmet features TPU cushioning in place of the customary foam padding that has been used in football helmets for years. TPU is much more effective in absorbing impact than the foam traditionally used in helmets and it creates a more comfortable and healthier environment for the player wearing it. TPU manages heat more effectively than traditional foam padding and fights the development of fungus, mold and bacteria. This rock solid effort is head and shoulders above the competition, which is exactly where you want to be when it comes to a helmet.
Riddell NFL Kansas City Chiefs Full Size Football Helmet - Runner Up
Riddell has made an effort to reduce on field concussions with the technology in their Revolution series of helmets. In addition to the impact resistant cushioning this helmet features extra protection around the jaw to minimize the potential damage from impact on the field. The Revolution series helmets feature an adjustable liner that ensures an appropriate fit to keep each player as safe as possible on the field. Riddell has also taken hygiene into consideration with their Revolution helmets with their anti-microbial liner. If you are looking for a safe and comfortable piece of equipment you can’t go wrong with the Riddell Revolution helmets.
Schutt DNA Pro Youth Football Helmet - Honorable Mention
The DNA is another incredible piece of protective equipment from Schutt. This helmet features the same TPU cushioning to provide the ultimate in impact protection for all players on the field. Another great feature of the DNA Pro Plus is the inflatable air liner that helps to ensure the best possible fit. This SUREFIT liner is anti-microbial and allows for a custom fit feel at a very affordable price. This is a top quality helmet in every sense of the word but should fit into the budgets of teams/parents who can’t afford to spend what most “pro quality” helmets cost.
Rawlings NRG Quantum Youth Football Helmet - Consider
The Rawlings NRG Quantum allows for a customized fit to make it an ideal helmet for youth players of all ages. This helmet is designed to deliver the necessary protection by dissipating force at the point of impact keeping the player as safe as possible during play. Rawlings has rounded out this top notch effort with stainless steel hardware, a durable outer shell and a rugged face mask. This helmet is designed to protect players during the roughest hits on the field while keeping them as comfortable as possible above the shoulder pads.
All-Star Youth Catalyst Football Helmet - Best Youth Football Helmet
The Youth Catalyst helmet is ultra light and has great vision making it one of the most comfortable helmets on the market. The positive here is that the decrease in the weight of the equipment doesn’t diminish the protection you get on the field. This high quality helmet also features removable liners that can be replaced and mixed and match to provide the best possible fit for any youth player. The padding in the Youth Catalyst is designed with comfort in mind as well and the material is hypoallergenic and anti-microbial for the cleanest environment for the player. This helmet is loaded with all of the safety and comfort features your players need but not priced so highly that it will break the bank.
Riddell NFL Phildelphis Eagles Full Size Football Helmet - Best Adult Football Helmet
Riddell has been at the top of the heap when it comes to producing safety equipment for football players of all ages. Their Revolution helmet is a piece of high tech equipment that will help keep them there for the foreseeable future. In addition to the rugged exterior and high quality protective padding, Riddell has also added a unique inflatable jaw pad to their Revolution helmet. This provides additional protection where other helmet manufacturers have overlooked and further decreases the risk for concussions during play. The Revolution also features an adjustable liner to customize the fit to each individual player. This helmet is high tech, highly protective and very comfortable – the perfect combination for a good adult football helmet.
Schutt Sports F7 LX1 Youth Football Helmet - Best Adult Football Helmet
Schutt may not be as common a name as Riddell but just about everyone who has stepped on a field knows what kind of equipment they produce. The Schutt Air XP Elite is an upgraded version of a helmet that was already one of the best pieces of protective that you could buy. The Air XP Elite features the same rugged shell and quality face guards that Schutt has become known for but this model has a few additional features that make this helmet even more attractive. Like the Riddell Revolution the Air XP Elite has put additional focus on jaw pads making this both a safer and more comfortable helmet than many others on the market. Another feature that Schutt brings to the table is a two piece, inflatable liner that creates a custom fit feeling without the outrageous price tag. This high quality liner also helps with hygiene – it is anti-microbial and resistant to mold and mildew.
Rawlings Quantum Adult Football Helmet with Unattached Facemask - Best Adult Football Helmet
Rawlings may not be the first name you think of when it comes to football protective gear but they do have a long standing reputation for producing top quality sports gear. While Riddell and Schutt may be the first manufacturers people think of when it comes to football helmets, the Rawlings Quantum is certainly a worthy consideration. The Quantum features an inflatable liner to create a super comfortable and customized fit for any player. This helmet also has features designed to optimize temperature control to create the highest level of comfort regardless of the weather conditions you are playing or practicing in. In addition to maximum comfort, Rawlings also stepped up their efforts to keep players well protected. The Quantum is designed to dissipate force during even the heaviest of impacts to keep players at every position as safe as possible.
Rawlings Adult NRG Football Helmet - Best Adult Football Helmet
Rawlings has stepped up their game enough to crack the top five with two of their professional quality adult football helmets. The Adult NRG helmet may only come in at number five on our list, but this helmet has features that truly make it stand out against the multitude of helmets available from other manufacturers today. The Adult NRG features incredible impact absorption due to high tech XRD foam and dual air bags. This multi level protection system keeps players at all positions safe from injury stemming from heavy impact. Like the Quantum, the NRG also features Rawlings unique air exchange system to help keep players comfortable no matter what the temperature or weather conditions happen to be. This is a top quality helmet in every sense of the word and an excellent choice when looking to protect yourself on the field.
Schutt Sports Vengeance VTD II Football Helmet - Best Adult Football Helmet
The Vengeance is another incredible piece of safety equipment from a company well known for its high quality efforts. Schutt has retooled this effort to create a safer, more comfortable helmet that is perfect for players at any position. The helmet is designed to absorb more of the impact from the heavy collisions that occur regularly on the football field. Both the liner and the jaw pads feature TPU cushioning to minimize the risk of concussion and keep you as safe as possible while playing at full speed. If you are looking for a helmet that was built with both safety and comfort in mind, you can’t go wrong with this effort from Schutt.
Buyer's Guide
Football helmets are mandatory protective equipment for football players; they shield the player's head from the impact that could cause concussions, severe head injury, and possibly brain damage. These helmets are made up of a visor, face mask, cushioning, outer shell, and chin strap; these different parts have various functions to make sure the player's head is protected throughout the game. There are so many options to choose from when buying the best football helmets, and deciding on the best headgear could be quite the task. This guide will cover everything you should know before you purchase the best football helmet on the market.
Factors to Consider Before Buying the Best Football Helmet
Chinstrap adjustability
The size of each chin strap is dependent on the mechanism of adjustment that the headgear operates on; opt for a brand that has a buckle chin strap instead of the ones that do not have the adjustable buckle. The buckle allows the player to adjust the strap to the required fit, keeping the headgear in place. The buckle's advantage over any other is that the belt will not lose its tautness regardless of how long it is being used.
Shock absorbing capacity
The ability of protective headgear to absorb shock is an invaluable quality that every good helmet should possess. The outer shell is made of polycarbonate, a tough thermoplastic material that can withstand shock on impact; you should watch out for shells made of only polycarbonate and not just any kind of plastic.
Lightweight
When it comes to football helmets, they should be as lightweight as possible; carrying a ton of weight on your head is no assurance that you'll be safe from harm. One invaluable feature of good headgear is that it weighs as little as possible.
Cushioning
Sufficient padding helps reduce the impact of force on the head, therefore protecting it from injuries. Foam has been used over time for padding in the headgear, the foam sourced from polyethylene is processed into pressed foam used as the padding in the helmet. They’re mostly detachable and should be replaced as often as possible.
Ventilation
There is supposed to be adequate ventilation in the helmet to help with blood circulation and to prevent players from overheating. Most football helmets have at least two openings on each side for the passage of air to the player's head; without sufficient air, players can overheat. The ventilation outlets must be present in the helmet for players to play comfortably and at their best all game.
How to Care for Your Football Helmet
Cleaning your headgear is very important to your health and safety as a player; you should ensure that you tend it after every game so that dirt, grass, and sweat don't sit too long in the helmet, leading to a stinking mess. We can all attest that the game is usually very rough; there is a lot of sweat, dirt, grass, and grime involved, so you need to clean up appropriately. You can clean it by following these steps.
Dissemble
To make cleaning easier and more effective, you should disassemble the helmet as much as possible so that there is easy access and more room for cleaning. Remove the face mask, unhook the strap, take out the visor, and clean each part separately. Take out the cushioning pads, too, and wash them gently in warm water before rinsing them and drying them.
Wipe properly
Wipe the dirt off your helmet with a warm washcloth dipped in soapy water until the dirt comes off and you can no longer see grass or grime on it. After cleaning with soapy water, rinse it off with warm water and leave it out to dry.
It's very important to care for your football equipment; it lasts longer and serves you better the better you take care of it.
Benefits of Using Good Headgear
It's extremely necessary to have your full football gear as a professional player; this reduces the risk of injuries that could be sustained from being careless about safety precautions. There are lots of benefits of using the appropriate equipment.
Reduces risk of injuries
Having the right gear reduces the risk of getting injuries that lead to temporary or permanent health problems.
Absorbs shock on impact
The cushioning or padding made of foam or elastic material in the helmet protects the head from shock on impact and helps to distribute heat throughout the protective headgear evenly.
Protects
Generally speaking, the function of protective headgear is to shield the player's head from the external force exerted by other team members or from falls on the field. Over the years, the evolution of football helmets has been rather significant; the outer shell used to be made of hardened leather, which was quite uncomfortable because of the amount of heat that the leather generated. Polycarbonate was discovered and used as the source material for the headgear because of its tough, hard, and durable nature.
They are relatively cheap.
You could purchase them for as low as 15 dollars at any sports store; choose from various colors, styles, and sizes. For a safe and high-quality helmet though, you'll likely be spending $100 and more. But, for the price of safety, this isn't a bad cost.
Best Football Helmet FAQs
Q. Is a football helmet necessary?
A. Yes, it’s necessary to wear a helmet at all times while playing football to prevent concussions and other head injuries.
Q. Can you sustain some injuries even when you wear the helmet?
A. Headgear does not automatically make you immune to injury; your headgear protects only your head. Even while wearing a helmet, you can still get a concussion.