Football Helmet Buyers Guide

Our intention is for you, the football helmet buyer to answer questions you may have regarding what arguably is the most important piece of football equipment you will buy.

If we've missed something, left your question unanswered or made it to confusing please feel free to call us, our knowledgeable Customer Service staff will be happy to assist you. If we don't know the answer we will do everything we can to get it for you.

Buyers Guide Information Links

Buyers Guide Information Links

Modern Football Helmets
Helmet Sizing
Getting The Proper Fit
Football Helmet Air Systems
Football Helmet Padding
Football Helmet Chin Straps
Facemasks
Facemask Protection & Style Abbreviations
About the NOCSAE
Helmet Shell Materials
Helmet Pricing
Future of Football Helmets
Helmets, Facemasks & Chin Straps Links

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MODERN FOOTBALL HELMETS:

Modern football helmets are available in a wide range of sizes, materials and features to fit different size heads, provide the lightest helmet possible without compromising safety, and allowing a certain degree of customization to fit ones personal needs. The modern football helmet provides superior protection from earlier helmets due to ongoing research and quantum leaps in materials used in the manufacturing process. Todays football helmet manufacturer's, in conjunction with the NFL, Colleges, independent testing facilities such as Biokinetics and Associates LTD and the NOCSAE are continually searching for a better product to reduce, if not eliminate, concussions commonly referred to as Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) from the game of football. Make certain the football helmet you purchase meets the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment). The helmet will have the NOCSAE seal which shows the manufacturer has met the standards in place at the time the football helmet was manufactured.

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HELMET SIZING:

There are two ways to determine your football helmet size. If you know your hat size you can use this number to translate into helmet size. If you don't know or are unsure of your hat size use the following method to determine your helmet size. Dampen your hair slightly to simulate sweat and have someone measure the circumference of your head one inch above your eyebrows using a cloth tape. This number is your head circumference and will translate into your helmet size. The chart below is a general guide for finding the right size football helmet. Please read "Getting the Proper Fit" beneath the chart to help determine the procedure to ensure getting the best fit possible. It is best for your hair length to be the approximate length you will keep during the season when measuring or fitting a football helmet. The chart below is intended as a guideline only.
Keep in mind helmet makers typically don't size the same.

Football Helmet Sizing Chart Adult Helmet Size Hat Size Head Circumference Small 6 1/8 - 6 3/4 19 5/8in - 21 1/4in Medium 6 1/2 - 7 20 1/8in - 22 3/8in Large 7 - 7 1/2 21 5/8in - 23 1/4in XL 7 1/4 - 7 1/2 23 1/2in - 25 1/2in XXL 7 1/2 - 7 3/4 24 1/2 in - 26 1/2in Youth XS 6 3/8 - 6 5/8 20 1/8in - 20 1/2in Small 6 5/8 - 6 7/8 20 5/8in - 21 1/4in Medium 6 7/8 - 7 1/8 21 3/8in - 22in Large 7 1/8 - 7 3/8 22 1/8 - 22 3/4 XL 7 3/8 - 7 1/2 22 7/8in - 23 1/2in Return To Top GETTING THE PROPER FIT: Getting the proper fit on your football helmet is critical if the helmet is going to provide the level of protection the manufacturer intended. When putting the helmet on the edge should be approximately one inch above the eyebrows. You want a "snug" fit which is neither too tight or too loose. Try to rotate the helmet, it should not "slip", forehead skin or hair should move with the helmet and the helmet should move in concert with your head movements, not independently. If your helmet has an inflatable air suspension adjustment system use it now to get the "perfect" fit. If your helmet does not have an air suspension system the maker of your particular football helmet also makes helmet inserts usually available separately which are available in several sizes and are designed to provide the best fit possible. 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. Helmet manufacturers strongly suggest you maintain a moderate to short hairstyle during the season. Severe changes in hair length will often require a new fit. Return To Top FOOTBALL HELMET AIR SYSTEMS: One of the major improvements in todays football helmets is the advent of an inflatable air system liner which may be built into the helmet or can be purchased separately for helmets designed to accept the liner. The basic concept of this inflatable liner is two-fold, first is the idea of cushioning the head better to absorb more of the impact from the helmet being hit, secondly is to put more distance between the helmet shell and the head allowing this space to absorb some of the impact. Additionally, the inflatable air system liner helps promote a more "perfect" fit of the helmet. Return To Top FOOTBALL HELMET PADDING: Inflatable air system liners are a relatively new development in football helmet manufacturing. The majority of helmets made today use a foam pad system with specifically engineered liners which contain special foams and energy reducing elastic materials. Like air, these materials are designed to absorb kinetic energy of movement and slow or decrease the impact of a blow to the head. These foam based liners are designed to further cushion the head, jaw and nose and are made in several pieces, one is for the back, neck and sides of the helmet while another is for the crown. These pads usually come standard with any helmet you buy and are generally designed for a specific helmet. Manufacturers offer these pads in different thickness's, ranging from 1/2 to 1 7/8 inch depending on which helmet pad your looking at, you may also have the option of selecting the firmness of the particular pad that you prefer. Over time these foam pads get worn down or discolored from sweat and need to be replaced. All helmet manufacturer's sell replacement pads. Make certain you replace your worn out pads with new pads designed for your helmet and be sure the new pads meet the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standards for thickness. Return To Top FOOTBALL HELMET CHIN STRAPS: Football helmet chin straps are designed to keep the helmet securely anchored to your head as well as protecting your chin. To help ensure "proper" helmet fit and get the maximum safety benefits designed into your helmet its important you keep the chin strap centered on your chin with no slack. All football helmets come with a standard chin strap. Should you not like the original equipment chin strap manufacturer's offer a wide variety of chin straps in either 4-pt or 6-pt hookups (the number of snaps on the chinstrap which must correspond to the number of posts on the helmet), a variety of materials, several sizes and a veritable rainbow of colors. Return To Top FACEMASKS: In today's age of specialization most football helmets do not come with a "standard" face mask. Simply put there is no such thing as a "standard" face mask. Generally speaking face masks are designed for specific helmet models and for specific positions, i.e. a quarterback would not wear a face mask designed for an interior lineman and vice versa. There are two types of face masks, the open cage and the closed cage. The open cage usually is preferred by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backfield players because it has two or three horizontal bars and no vertical bar above the nose allowing for better visibility. The closed cage usually is the choice of linemen because it has a vertical bar running the length of the mask over the nose with two, three, or four horizontal bars which helps to keep other players' fingers and hands out of their eyes. Obvious considerations when looking at face masks are the player's protection needs usually based on the position played i.e. does a wide out need the same protection as a tackle?, secondly how does the face guard affect the player's field of vision? Helmet makers do a good job providing the information you need to make the correct decision to fit your needs. Today's facemasks are made of Titanium, Stainless Steel or Carbon Steel and generally coated with a rust proof coating in a color of your choice. Return To Top The following abbreviations are used by the helmet makers and give you the information you need to determine the protection level and style your position on the field demands. OPO: Oral Protection Only NOPO: Nose and Oral Protection Only EJGOP: Eye Glass, Jaw and Oral Protection EGOP: Eye Glass and Oral Protection JOP: Jaw and Oral Protection NJOP: Nose, Jaw, and Oral Protection ROPO: Reinforced Oral Protection Only RJOP: Reinforced Jaw and Oral Protection You will also see the following abbreviations for face mask styles DW: Double Wire Configuration SW: Single Wire Configuration R: Reinforced UB: U-Bar Attached K: Kicker / Punter Return To Top NOCSAE: In the 1970s, a group known as NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) established performance standards for football helmets, as well as prescribed verbiage to go on the helmet itself. The NOCSAE warning label states that the helmet should not be used to strike an opponent. Such an action is against football rules and may cause severe brain or neck injury. Playing the game of football in itself can cause injury, and no helmet can prevent all such injuries. The warning also alerts players to use the helmet at their own risk. This NOCSAE warning was required to be placed inside every helmet. In 1983, the NOCSAE warning began to appear on the outside of every helmet. Return To Top HELMET SHELL MATERIALS: Today's adult, college and high school football helmets outer shell is made of GE Lexan molded polycarbonate alloy, the same plastic material used in astronaut helmets. These are "high end" helmets from several helmet makers. Others use a non-branded molded polycarbonate for their shell. The molded polycarbonate alloy has proved to be the best property to date for football helmet shell use because it spreads the force of impact over a greater area of the head thereby reducing trauma to the cranium and is very durable. Youth football helmets outer shell is typically made of ABS plastic manufactured by several companies. ABS plastic is a common thermoplastic used to make light, rigid, molded products and is used in football helmet shells for its excellent shock absorbent properties. HELMET PRICING There is a fairly minimal range of prices for today's football helmets. The low end youth football helmet is usually priced in the $45.00 to $65.00 range. Mid range pricing levels are in the $70.00 to $90.00 range with the higher end helmets for both youth and adults ranging from $110.00 to $160.00. As we've stated previously fit and NOCSAE approval are the key elements to making the appropriate purchase. FUTURE OF FOOTBALL HELMETS RELEASED: May 11, 2006 FROM: The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) LINK: The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) TITLE: The Bionic Football Helmet: Measuring Heart Rate, Body Temperature, and Force of Impact Hollywood, Fla. ? Football helmets that measure the force with which a player is hit, as well as read vital signs such as his body temperature and heart rate, may someday become standard equipment for football players, says Tony Egues, Head Equipment Manager for the Miami Dolphins professional football team. Return To Top At a presentation given today during a meeting of NFL and NCAA team physicians and athletic trainers in Hollywood, Fla., Mr. Egues estimated that in the next three to five years helmet design and safety standards are likely to change. This may include helmets which read core body temperature and measure heart rate in real time. These are currently being developed and tested in NCAA Division I teams and in several high school teams. "But much more research needs to be done before we will adopt that technology in the NFL," says Egues While the technology exists, Egues and other teams' personnel prefer to take a cautious approach. "Our job is to protect management?s most important investment: its athletes," Egues says. "We have a responsibility to find the best equipment available and put it on our players. Although we want to incorporate the latest technology, we must make sure it is sound technology. We need scientific evidence to prove to us that it is a necessity to have this technology inside our players? helmets." "Sideline Response System" technology ? measuring the impact to a player?s head ? has been available for approximately two years, according to Egues. It is a small monitoring device within a player?s helmet that measures the G-force sustained by the head and sends that measurement to sideline personnel for evaluation. "Although the machine might tell you that a player sustained a significant impact," Egues says, "you can?t rely solely on the machine?s read-out. You don?t want to take an athlete off the field just based on what a machine is telling you. You must still allow the team?s physicians or medical staff to monitor the player's reactions and symptoms." Return To Top Helmet manufacturers have partnered with the NFL to conduct studies on helmet safety, specifically as it relates to mild traumatic brain injury (concussion), notes Mr. Egues. With more sophisticated research leading to better helmet design, safety and function, Egues believes, we will see helmet changes in the very near future. He theorizes we will see specific helmets for specific positions and helmet designs based on a player?s special needs. "But evolution is slow, and players are creatures of habit," he says. "Over the last decade we have made great strides in helmet design and safety. As research becomes more sophisticated, so, too, will the ability to make better helmets, and all football equipment, for that matter." As head equipment manager, Egues works hard to satisfy every player?s desire for comfort. "In my opinion, comfort takes a back seat to safety," he says. "I?m more interested in how their equipment is going to protect them. When you compromise protection for the sake of comfort, you?re asking for trouble." Mr. Egues gave his presentation at the conference, "Sports Medicine & Football: The 2006 Perspective," co-sponsored by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and the National Football League Physicians Society, and supported by the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the National Football League. AOSSM, based in Chicago, Ill., is a membership organization of orthopaedic surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists and other health professionals who specialize in the care and treatment of athletes and active individuals. Over 90% of the Society's members serve as team physicians on the pro, collegiate or high school levels, and many serve as team physicians for Olympic sport teams. Return To Top LINKS TO Football Helmets, facemasks and chin straps AT HIT! RUN! SCORE! For your convenience we've included links to all of the football helmets, facemasks and chin straps we carry at Hit! Run! Score!. For the latest in football helmets click the appropriate link below: Football Helmets Schutt Football Helmets Adams Football Helmets For the latest in football helmet facemasks click the appropriate link below: Football Helmet Face Masks Schutt Football Helmet Face Masks Adams Football Helmet Facemasks For the latest in football helmet chin straps click the appropriate link below: Football Helmet Chin Straps Schutt Football Helmet Chin Straps Adams Football Helmet Chin Straps Return To Top