2012 Archives | Sports Unlimited Blog

A Merry Christmas To All!

A big merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy New Year to everyone, from all of us here at Sports Unlimited!

From everyone here at Sports Unlimited, have a merry Christmas, and a happy and a healthy new year! Thanks for stopping by, sharing your thoughts, and making us the place to get all of your favorite sports gear and apparel this year. We hope to see you again in 2013…and I promise you, we have plenty of surprises, incredible new products, and great articles coming your way in the new year! See you then!

-Brandon, and everyone here at the Sports Unlimited family.

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

Today’s Best Football Helmets: Riddell 360 vs. Schutt Vengeance

Compare the design and features of the Riddell 360 and Schutt Vengeance football helmets, to decide which is the best football helmet today!

A lot of people have been asking, lately, what is the best football helmet; the Riddell 360 or the Schutt Vengeance, and I’ve found it a really tough question to answer!

Both of these helmets are the absolute pinnacle of performance and protection, from two companies at the top of their game. Schutt and Riddell have spent decades dominating the football equipment industry, and each of their next-generation football helmets are the end result of vast experience, endless experimentation, advanced research and development, and countless hours of on-field testing and hit-analysis. They both not only protect the player better, but with the latest facemask and shell designs, create a more aggressive look than ever before. And while it’s hard to say which the best football helmet is, what I can say is that both are really impressive!

To give you a better idea of what each football helmet offers, and help you decide which the best football helmet is for you, we’ll delve deep into each new helmet, investigate their advanced features and technologies, and review their designs. So without further ado, I give you the Schutt Vengeance vs Riddell 360:

Riddell 360

In a Nut Shell:

After analyzing over 1.4 million helmet collisions with their HITS impact-severity recording devices, Riddell concluded that many of the impacts that result in concussions are caused by massive forces to the front of the head. So with major re-designs and improvements to the traditional helmet, the 360 utilizes new features and technologies to not only protect the entire head, but shifts the focus of protection to the front of the helmet and the jaw area.

Most Interesting New Features:

Flex Impact System: To improve frontal protection, Riddell’s new Flex Face Guard, combined with new facemask hinge clips, absorbs more impact force, reducing the shock felt by the player and the force transferred to his head.

Enhanced Facial Frame: Expanded to protect more of the front and jaw areas, Riddell improved the face frame of the polycarbonate shell, reducing impact force from side hits.

Hexagonal Liner System: One of the most noticeable new features of the 360, the unique hexagonal helmet liner not only looks cool, but is made of energy-managing foam that absorbs more impact force, while improving and securing helmet fit, and delivering comfort and stability to the helmet. This liner is extended around the sides of the football helmet and the jaw areas, adding even more protection to the front of the head.

Occipital Lock: Placed in the back base of the helmet, this new feature cradles the back of the head, creating a more secure fit, and improving comfort and helmet stability. It also helps protect the head in the case of backward falls and tackles.

All-Points Quick Release Facemask System: You saw the Quick-Release face guard system in the Revo Speed. Now the 360 steps it up a notch, giving you quick-releases at each of the four facemask attachment points, letting you remove the new facemask faster and more easily than ever before.

Our Impressions:

This is a serious helmet for serious players. If you liked the Revo Speed, you are going to love the 360. It is definitely heavier than the Revo Speed, but the new liner and frontal protection, along with the lightweight facemask make up for the added weight. It delivers a stiffer, more secure fit inside as well, so you’ll feel almost indestructible. The increased shell offset and more aggressive shell detailing are really impressive too, and give you a great look on the field. Because of its price and weight, I’d suggest it to high school, college, and pro-level players, although it also comes in a lighter-weight youth 360 version, which is great for really serious younger, middle school players.

Schutt Vengeance

In A Nut Shell:

Three words; Dual Compression TPU! Years of clinical and on-field research showed that football concussions can result from consistent low-impact collisions, as well as less-frequent high-impact, violent collisions. So Schutt went about improving the popular TPU cushioning system, found in the ION 4D and DNA, to protect the player from both levels of impact force. DCT adds a second layer of less-dense TPU, on top of the traditional stiff TPU cushioning, designed to protect you from both the typical, low-impact hits, and the infrequent hard, high-force collisions, changing helmet protection forever!

Most Interesting New Features:

Two-Layer TPU: An outer layer of stiffer, harder TPU cushioning, and an inner layer of softer, less-dense TPU, protects the player from every type of impact on the field. TPU never compresses, cannot be cracked, won’t break down, and resists heat, mold, mildew, and bacteria.

Mechanically Attached Padding: Different than any football helmet before it, the Vengeance TPU cushioning system is now attached directly to the helmet shell with screws instead of Velcro. These mechanical attachments stabilize the TPU cushioning and keep it exactly where it needs to be, even after hard hits.

Aggressive Mohawk Shell: With the largest shell offset of any Schutt football helmet, the Vengeance packs more Dual Compression TPU in, for enhanced protection without a significant weight or profile increase. The aggressive shell also features a new Flexural Resistant Shelf, which makes for a stronger, more impact-resistant back-of-the-head.

New Vengeance Facemask: In a radical move, Schutt completely re-designed the traditional football facemask, creating one of the most innovative, high-performing, and aggressive-looking facemasks ever seen. Its larger offset, flexible design and arched brow take the place of the popular Energy Wedge system, and absorb even more impact force than before, while also providing an incredibly wide field of view. Also, by not using the energy wedges, Schutt lets you use existing DNA and XP XL facemasks on the Vengeance as well as the specially designed face guards.

Fit Liner System: High-impact foam inside the football helmet’s liner increases impact protection to the front and crown, helping to improve force-absorption in critical and vulnerable hitting areas.

Our Impressions:

The Vengeance is a bold, aggressive, and unique looking helmet, that delivers inside and out. The new two-layer TPU is incredibly cool and seems to really absorb a wide variety of impact forces, while the new liner and foam system cradle the head and feels secure and comfortable. The new facemask takes some getting used to, but it looks sick, definitely absorbs more force, and gives you crisp and wide field visibility. Overall, it’s a heavier helmet, but with the aggressive new look and vastly improved protection features, absolutely perfect for upper-end high school, college, and pro players.

There you have it, my review of the top two helmets in football today. I hope this has helped you gain a greater understanding of what these helmets have to offer, and maybe answered the question for you, which is the best football helmet.

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

Colorful Kinesio Tape Stands Out at 2012 Summer Olympics

Kinesio tape is the colorful, bright, neon athletic tape seen on tons of Olympic athletes in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Designed to promote blood flow, support muscles, reduce fatigue, enhance performance, and lessen injury, this advanced, evolved, and stylish athletic tape has taken hold among the world’s top athletes.

Beach Volleyball Olympian Kerri Walsh Kinesio Tape The 2012 Summer Olympics captured the hearts and attentions of spectators and fellow athletes across the entire planet. The pageantry, athleticism, and determination of this year’s athletes have left the world in a state of wonderment. But mostly, I’ve found people just wondering, “What’s with all the colorful neon tape the Olympic athletes were wearing?”

I saw them too, on Olympic divers, sprinters, javelin throwers, and even draped across the shoulders of U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh. This bright neon athletic tape called Kinesio tape, or Kinesiology tape, made Olympic headlines this year, on athletes from almost every country, across almost every discipline! Their interesting colors and unique styles gave the athletes an extra bit of flair that couldn’t be ignored. The funny thing is, this innovative and stylish athletic tape has actually been around for decades!

Developed in the mid-1970s by Japanese chiropractor and acupuncturist Kenzo Kase, Kinesio tape is athletic tape evolved! Designed to mimic the thickness, weight, and elasticity of human skin, Kinesio tape, like those produced by SpiderTech, works with the body’s sensory system to promote blood flow, lessen muscle fatigue, improve rehabilitation, and reduce injuries. With their pre-cut and muscle-specific construction, you can target areas and muscle groups much more easily with SpiderTech Kinesiology Tape, than with any other type of athletic tape, zeroing in on the problem, and keeping specific muscles loose and in working order. Perfect for training or competition even at the highest levels, as our Olympic athletes aptly proved.

For years, Sports Unlimited has offered Kinesio tape by SpiderTech, for almost every area of the body, in all of the coolest neon colors available.

Ankle Kinesiology Tape helps to prevent shin splints, ankle sprains, and arthritis, and is perfect for runners, sprinters, jumpers, and team-sport athletes.
Lower Back Kinesiology Tape stretches up and across the lower back, preventing joint strain, disc injuries, muscle pulls, and painful spasms that can come from overuse in almost every sport out there.
Elbow Kinesiology Tape gives you relief from tennis or golf elbow, and muscle strain without restricting your movement in some of your favorite sports or activities.
Groin Kinesiology Tape extends down the muscle group, helping with groin pulls, weak or torn adductors, and muscle imbalance, perfect for runners or cyclists.
Hamstring Kinesiology Tape can be placed directly on the back of the leg for instant muscle support for strained or weak hamstrings, improving feedback and muscle timing.
Total Kinesiology Knee Tape is the ultimate leg and knee support system, designed to surround the knee cap with the supporting tape, to reduce arthritis, patellar tendinopathies, patello-femoral joint instability, ligament strains, and meniscal degeneration.

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

How to Buy a Baseball Glove

Buying a new baseball glove can be a confusing process. Most gloves look the same to the layman, so learn how buy a baseball glove, tell gloves apart, and find the one that works for your needs, and fits into your budget.

Handing down your old baseball or softball glove to your kids for a game of catch in the yard can be a loving rite of passage…and something moms and dads look forward to for a long time. But when it comes to serious little league games and beyond, that worn out old glove just isn’t going to pass muster. At some point, your kids are going to need a new glove, and hey…you might need one too! But to most new baseball moms and dads, all gloves look exactly the same.

So how do you tell baseball gloves apart, let alone find one that meets your needs and fits into your budget?

Glove Features:

Even I’ll admit that almost all baseball gloves have a similar look. But there are three main features of a glove’s build that make it unique, and determine its use and performance in the field. Recognize them, and an entire world of differences will open up before you:

Webbing – This connects the thumb of the glove to the fingers and expands the catching area well beyond the hand. There are many, many different types of webs, each with their own cool name (like the Modified Traz-eze web!), but they all generally fall within two categories:
- Closed Webs feature tight woven patterns of leather that create a solid, strong web.
- Open Webs use loose cross patterns of leather or leather lacing to create spaces between each piece of leather webbing, for a web you can see through.
Pocket – The indentation in the palm of the glove where the ball rests when it’s caught. Pockets range from shallow to deep, and pocket depth can affect your hold on the ball, as well as determine how long it takes to retrieve it from the pocket.
Back– The wrist closure of the glove.
- Open backs have a space above the Velcro adjuster for more flexibility around the wrist.
- Closed backs have no space for more strength and support.

Glove Patterns:

Every baseball glove on the market uses these three features in various combinations to create a unique glove “pattern.” This pattern, along with the size of the glove, tailors its performance to meet the needs of players at different positions around the diamond. For instance;

Outfielders need a longer reach, wider catching area, and added support to catch pop-flys. To meet their needs, outfielder glovestypically feature:
- A closed back for strength and wrist support
- An open web to see through when catching fly balls, filtering out glare from sunlight or stadium lights
- A deeper pocket for better hold on the ball
Infielders need to stop hard hit shots and make fast throws. To get that kind of performance, infielder gloves generally feature:
- Shallower pockets for faster catches and quicker throws
- Open backs for added wrist flexibility and faster movements
- Open webs for 3^rd basemen, to help field hard hit balls down their baseline,
- Closed webs for short stops, 1^st, and 2^nd basemen, for faster transfers from glove to throwing hand
Pitchers are less specific in their needs, and generally rely on personal preference in a glove pattern. But almost all pitching gloves use a closed web to help hide the ball and grip from the batter.
Catchers have a very specific role behind the bag, and all they’re typically worried about is catching the ball and not breaking their hand. That’s why catcher’s mitts are unique and finger-less, designed to protect the hand with heavy padding. A shallow pocket provides easy access to the ball for fast throws, and a closed web snaps shut when catching pitches.

When choosing a new baseball glove, it’s also important to consider the leather it’s built with. Leather quality has a dramatic affect on the glove’s durability, longevity, softness, performance, look, feel, and break-in time. It also happens to be a central factor in its price! High-end gloves with pro-stock, pro-choice leather, like the Wilson A2000, are definitely worth the price as they practically last forever, and can dramatically improve your game. However, if you’re looking for a youth baseball glove for your son or daughter, who is just starting out, playing in smaller leagues, or still growing rapidly, it’s not practical to buy such an expensive glove. Instead, check out Mizuno Prospect Series baseball gloves or Franklin baseball gloves, for a more affordable, but still high quality option.

This is a great year for baseball gloves, and there are tons of new 2012 baseball gear and gloves that you and your kids are sure to love! So look around, and use all of your new-found baseball glove knowledge to find something perfect. And if you still need some more help, be sure to check out our complete Baseball Glove Buying Guide.

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

New Easton Lacrosse Helmet Debuts Adjustable Tilt

If you’re a lax fanatic, then you know how it feels to get the perfect tilt out of your lacrosse helmet; to hit the field with your helmet sitting low, like an ancient gladiator staring down a hoard of enemies…and maybe a tiger. You strive for it, rip apart your helmet for it, and adjust chin straps, buckles, and padding to get it to sit just right for the perfect tilt…that sick, intimidating look.

Thankfully though, some lacrosse players grow up to design lacrosse gear. If not for that, then Cort Kim, Blake Kim, and Doug Appleton would never have inspired Easton Lacrosse and lead designer Genia Harbenova to finally create the world’s first lacrosse helmet with adjustable tilt!

Enter the Easton Raptor Helmet! This baby is the end result of decades of lacrosse experience meeting genius design skill, blended together with Easton’s ridiculous resources and a drive to flip the game on its rear. And we have to say, they did one hell of a job! The Raptor is everything lax players have been dreaming of in lacrosse helmets. Its shell is made of a single piece of polycarbonate, with a single-piece, impact-absorbing EPP foam liner heat-bonded to the inside. What does all that jargon mean for you? Well basically, the Raptor Helmet is the lightest lacrosse helmet in the world (1.8 lbs / 28.8 ounces). That’s feather light. Leaf-in-the-wind light. Obscenely, should-be-illegal, outright ludicrously light! And that’s just the first thing you’ll notice when you pick up the Easton Raptor Lacrosse Helmet.

Put it on, and you’ll feel the difference immediately. First, you can barely feel it on your head. Second, it’s crazy comfortable. Let me repeat that, because it bears repeating. There’s actually a comfortable lacrosse helmet out there!

The difference with the Raptor, over any other helmet in the game, comes down to fit. Since the dawn of the modern game, lacrosse helmets have come in one size, with adjustable buckles, straps, laces, and maybe a micro-adjuster in the back…maybe. Easton Lacrosse threw that tired old model in the wood chipper and designed three different sizes (S/M, M/L, and L/XL). Then they went ahead and made each helmet completely customizable and adjustable…in every dimension. Get the best fit around your head with an In-Form Fit micro adjuster, the easiest-to-use fit band in the game. Adjust the helmet up and down, for the first time, with an innovative tilt system, to get the perfect helmet tilt, and avoid middle bar syndrome…all without going crazy adjusting chin straps and whatnot, or exposing the back of your head and chin to injury and impact. Heck, even the cheek pads come in two different thicknesses to give you that perfect, customized, comfortable fit!

But don’t think it’s all style and no substance here! When it comes to strength and performance, this Easton helmet doesn’t hold back either. Inside, the EPP foam liner delivers the maximum amount of thickness without adding weight. This way, it distributes impact energy over the widest possible area, reducing the risk of concussions and injury.

The chin bar is a separate piece, made of rigid fiberglass-filled nylon, for a stiffer, stronger construction than other injection-molded bars.

Easton tapered back the sides and top of the visor as well, intentionally shifting the steel facemask back and away from the face to improve facial protection, giving it a strikingly different look than other helmets out there.

We know it’s new, we know it looks cool…but trust us when we tell you; it’s so much more than that! The Easton Raptor Lacrosse Helmet is the future of lax gear, finally giving players the style, the tilt, and the safety they’ve been screaming about for years now. Also check out our lacrosse bags to store you new helmet, along with the rest of your lacrosse gear.

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