Product Spotlight: Schutt Vengeance DCT Hybrid Youth Football Helmet

Vengeance!The health and safety of youth football players is paramount to players, coaches, parents, and us at Sports Unlimited.  At the core of the safety concern is the helmet; the one piece of equipment that is designed to protect the brain.  Using an improperly-sized helmet is just as detrimental as wearing a helmet that does not provide great protection from cushioning systems and advanced shell construction.

As safety is the most important portion of the decision-making process for buying a football helmet, price and style still have their place because gearing Junior up for football season is time-consuming and cash-consuming.  With all exaggerated grandeur, I do now present to you the new Schutt Vengeance DCT Hybrid Youth Football Helmet!

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With Schutt’s mastery of helmet design and construction, the Vengeance DCT Hybrid is built with advanced protection technology in the most critical areas at an affordable price.  The front, crown, and back parts of the helmet are strategically protected with Dual Compression TPU (DCT) technology that has elite protection against high and low velocity hits.  This is accomplished with one layer of hard TPU supplemented by one layer of soft TPU to maximize the absorption of shock from impact.  Schutt’s extensive research and development have determined those areas (front, crown, and back) as the highest levels of impact, needing the most advanced defense.  The sides of the helmet are lined with a vinyl nitrile padding that supports and protects the rest of the player’s head. The comfort liner allows the DCT Hybrid to rest properly on the youth player’s head for a snug fit, which is not only important for comfort, but also for safety through proper fit.Back of Vengeance Hybrid

The immediately noticeable difference from this helmet to others is the brand new Vengeance shell design.  The largest standoff of any helmet manufactured, the Vengeance shell provides greater impact absorption as well as strength.  The shell is made of ABS plastic, which is lightweight and is featured on all Schutt youth helmets to bolster protection for any young player on the field.  Another impact of the new shell design is a redesigned Faceguard Line with offset eyebrow bars to augment impact absorption. Along with the face mask change, Schutt introduces the Twist-Release System to aid in the event of injury.  This allows the facemask to be removed quickly and easily.

AiR Maxx Jaw Pads TPU

Schutt is really pushing their TPU technology, which is yet again in the AiR Maxx Jaw Pads to protect the youngster’s face.  TPU is the same material used to make United States Armed Forces fighter pilot helmets.  The advanced protection of this helmet through Dual Compression TPU, Vengeance Shell design, and new Faceguard Line is truly shocking at the $84.95 price.

Expertly designed and packed with new protection technology, this helmet is one that we recommend with great fervor.  You can’t beat the price at Sports Unlimited and don’t forget that we’re rooting for the overall safety of all players and of course, your team!

I leave you with a video of  the Doug, our Web Team Leader and the DCT Hybrid…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXeeI3x_pKc]

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.

New Football Helmet Sensor Uses Smartphone App For Instant Impact Report

Check out the new Shockbox football helmet impact sensor, designed to sync to your Smartphone, to deliver instant impact and injury reports to parents, coaches, and trainers, after ever hit.

Other than getting the win, today, most football players and parents are focused on one thing; their safety and health on the field. From the NFL to Pop Warner, players, coaches, and parents are more aware than ever of the short and long-term affects of single or multiple concussions and other brain injuries, and with research coming out everyday, it’s not surprising that players are concerned for their futures and the future of their favorite game.

Using the Shockbox Smartphone AppOver anything, I’ve found that parents and players are hungry for information! How helmets are performing, how hard their players are getting hit, how many hits they’re taking during a game, how they hold up all season long. They want to see how the game is affecting their players and children, and these days, nothing is more important than accurate information. After all, the more informed parents and coaches are, the safer their players, and the better and more effective their decisions are on game-day.

So, during the game, what if it were possible for coaches, trainers, and parents to know exactly how many hits a player took, how hard he was hit, from what direction, and if he should be checked for injuries…all on their Smartphones, and instantly after every hit took place? That kind of data would be invaluable!

Shockbox Helmet Impact SensorEnter the Shockbox Football Helmet Impact Alert Sensor; one of the most advanced, practical, informative, and long-lasting helmet sensors in the game today! Designed to install directly into the football helmet, this helmet impact sensor is built with Bluetooth and LED technology, and not only records the energy, acceleration, direction, and force of an impact, but then sends that information to any synced mobile device or laptop, where it’s easily read and displayed for parents, coaches, and trainers, immediately after the hit! Brand new to the market, we at Sports Unlimited were incredibly impressed by this technology, and are proud to be one of the first distributors of this advancement in the game! Always focused on protecting players, we’re excited to see how Shockbox helmet sensors change football for the better.

Football Helmet Impact Sensor SystemAlready used by pro wide receiver Laurent Robinson, the Shockbox is a long and thin helmet impact sensor that attaches securely to the inside of the football helmet shell, and is compatible with almost every modern helmet from Riddell, Schutt, and Xenith, except the Riddell 360. The football helmet sensor comes with a free download of a specially designed Smartphone App for your Blackberry, iPhone, or Android, and quickly syncs to any device with the touch of a button. Once synced and installed, the Shockbox will record and report any impact over 50 g of acceleration, directly to your phone, up to 325 feet away.

Helmet Sensor iPhone AppThe App itself is incredibly user friendly, and utilizes data based on over 40,000 individual sets of tests over multiple helmet types, and over 18 months of live data, to give you the most accurate information possible. Its features let you monitor the health and progress of up to 128 players (more than enough for any coach or trainer). You can easily see how many hits a player has taken during a game, a season, or a career, how hard each hit was (on a color-coded scale from light to severe), and even record and update symptoms and treatment if injuries take place.

In addition to being an all-important hit-counter, the App also includes a mini SCAT 2 concussion assessment tool, which allows you to record player symptoms, track health, and determine the likelihood of a concussion. With this data, coaches and trainers can make more informed and faster decisions to take players out of the game, and treat them if necessary.

In today’s football world, information saves lives. So stay informed, and know when a hit is too hard, with the most advanced and innovative helmet sensor system out there today; the Shockbox Alert Sensor!

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

New Justin Tuck Facemask Revealed

New Justin Tuck Facemask Revealed! With five horizontal bars and 12 diagonal bars, the new facemask is a total beast!

New Justin Tuck FacemaskSo apparently, having the baddest looking facemask in football wasn’t enough for Justin Tuck. Last year, the New York Giants defensive end made headlines with his six horizontal bar facemask. The custom job was built to keep fingers out of his facemask, when he suspected opponents of attempting to get their hands inside and yank his helmet, after word of a neck injury got out. Some called it ridiculous…some called it amazing. Regardless, after Schutt designed them for the public, it became one of the best selling facemasks of the year!

Now, he’s taking the ridiculousness to a new level, and anyone who dares put their fingers anywhere near his facemask this season is going to be picking them up off the turf! Tuck’s new facemask reduces the horizontal bars to five, but the 12 diagonal bars he adds more than make up for the loss. These cross bars turn Tuck’s facemask into a gloried cheese grater, or more accurately, a face fortress from which there is no return!

I’m not sure if these will be available for purchase by the public, but as soon as they are, I’m getting one just to wear around the house! What do you think?

By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.