football helmets Archives | Page 2 of 3

New Schutt Big Grill 2.0 Facemask Now Available to the Public

The new Schutt Big Grill 2.0 football facemask is available for immediate sale at Sports Unlimited! The single most intimidating facemask ever created by man, the Big Grill 2.0, made famous by a certain New York Giants defensive back, will transform your game! Available in a wide variety of colors and styles, including the new Aqua Tech specialty color designs.

The wait is over and one of the most insanely aggressive football facemasks ever devised is finally available for sale to the public! That’s right, the infamous Big Grill 2.0 facemask (made famous by a certain New York Giants defensive end) is here and ready for immediate purchase (at Sports Unlimited).

We all remember where we were the first time we saw the original Big Grill on TV. It was unlike anything else out there; 6 horizontal bars and three vertical pegs made it look like a dangerous Darth Vader mask of intense football aggression. Then the guy goes ahead and one up’s himself…starting the 2012 NFL season with a completely new and even more ridiculously intimidating facemask!

The new Big Grill 2.0 revamps the original grid design, creating something completely unheard of. A modified ROPO (Reinforced Oral Protection Only) facemask with a 5 horizontal bar structure, and 12 diagonal bars cutting across the face, literally daring any opponent to just try and get his fingers in there. It’s intense athletic aggression sharpened to a razor’s edge!

Available in a wide variety of colors, Schutt has released the new Big Grill 2.0 in DNA and Super-Pro styles. The Schutt Big Grill 2.0 DNA facemask will fit on your youth or adult Schutt DNA Pro +, and the Big Grill 2.0 Super Pro will fit your youth or adult Schutt AiR XP, AiR Advantage, or XP Hybrid. XL versions of both of these Big Grill 2.0 facemasks are also available for players, to fit your extra large helmets.

For those of you with a brand new Schutt Vengeance, don’t fret; the The Big Grill 2.0 is designed to fit the Vengeance as well! An XL Super Pro Big Grill 2.0 will fit on any Schutt Vengeance helmet easily. But if you’re more interested in the DNA Big Grill 2.0, that will fit as well, with slight modifications. All you’ll need to do is drill holes in the pre-marked spots on the Vengeance shell, and the DNA facemask should fit perfectly.

For an even more intimidating and unique look, check out the exclusive Schutt Big Grill 2.0 DNA Aqua Tech or Super Pro Aqua Tech Facemasks! Designed with permanent specialty coloring effects, Aqua Tech graphics turn your face guard into something sleek, beautiful, and dangerous on the gridiron.

Buy your Big Grill 2.0 today, and protect yourself with the single most impressive and aggressive football facemask on the planet!

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

Go As Your Favorite Sports Star This Halloween!

Grab the best NCAA, MLB, and NFL uniform sets for the best Halloween your kids have ever had! Dress up as your favorite sports star this year!

As a kid, the highlight of my year was always Halloween night. But there was no way, no how that I was leaving the house unless I was dressed as my favorite sports star! Since I grew up in Philadelphia in the 90’s, that meant I could be Randall Cunningham for a night, and to me, there was no greater honor.

This year, give your kids those same feelings of joy and distinction, as they run through the neighborhood in search of free candy. Get them a Halloween sports costume, and see their faces light up as they take on the roll of their favorite NFL, NCAA, MLB, or NHL all-star. Skip the same old scary ghost, bored bouncing goblin, tired super hero, and trendy zombie costumes this year, and give them someone real to idolize, with a sweet youth uniform set from Sports Unlimited.

No matter your favorite team, we’ve got a full line of NCAA and NFL Youth Uniform Sets by Franklin, complete with a football helmet, chin strap, pants, and pads! The polyester mesh jersey comes in your team’s colors with an official logo, and even includes iron-on numbers to complete the look. Sized for 4-6 year olds, and 7-9 year olds, we have a Halloween football uniform set for every kid on the block.

Have a little baseball fan in the house? We offer a full array of MLB uniform sets by Franklin, each complete with a team baseball jersey, wristbands, and batting helmet. Now your little ones can emulate their favorite major league sluggers with pride this Halloween…even if they’re, say, a Pittsburgh Pirates fan!

High quality, and made to look just like the real thing, these kid’s uniform sets make great gifts, and even better Halloween costumes. And thankfully, they’ll last longer than my fleeting love for Cunningham and the Eagles of the early 90’s.

Check back soon for our collection of kid’s NHL hockey jersey sets!

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist 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 App Over 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!

Enter 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.

Already 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.

The 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.

Retraction: Football Helmet Weights

An update of the most accurate football helmet weights, in pounds and ounces, including facemask weight, to give you the most consumer information possible, to find the best football helmet for you!

In July, I posted an article, “How Much Does a Football Helmet Weight?” which listed the weights of almost every football helmet we carry at Sports Unlimited. Upon further review, it became obvious to me that our original findings were not presented as clearly as they could have been, and may have been inadvertently misleading. Also, we did not include the weights of other facemask options, such as stainless steel or titanium facemasks.

To correct this oversight, I have re-weighed every helmet and facemask, and have updated our list of football helmet weights. The new findings are listed in lbs/oz, for more weight accuracy, and to make it easier to see just how much, or little these adult and youth football helmets differ in weight. They can be found listed below, and in the previously published article.

I hope these more accurate football helmet and facemask weights help you find the right helmet for you and your child! Please let me know if you have any questions at all.

Please Note: All weights are measured in pounds and ounces. Total weight includes either the attached facemask shipped with the helmet, or the standard ROPO facemask designed for that helmet, as well as chinstraps and all hardware. All helmets weighed were size Large. Other sizes will vary slightly.

Helmets Shipped Without Attached Facemasks:

Helmet	Weight (lbs / oz)
	Helmet Alone	Total w/ Carbon Steel Facemask	Total w/ Stainless Steel Facemask	Total w/ Titanium Facemask
Schutt ION4D Adult	3lbs, 6oz	4lbs, 8oz	—	4lbs, 1oz
Schutt Vengeance	3lbs, 8oz	4lbs, 10oz	—	4lbs, 1oz
Schutt AiR XP Adult	2lbs, 13oz	3lbs, 15oz	3lbs, 13oz	3lbs, 5oz
Schutt DNA Pro + Adult	3lbs, 2oz	4lbs, 6oz	—	3lbs, 12oz
Schutt AiR XP Elite	3lbs, 2oz	4lbs, 4oz	4lbs, 2oz	3lbs, 10oz
Schutt DNA Pro + Elite	3lbs, 5oz	4lbs, 9oz	4lbs, 10oz	3lbs, 15oz
Schutt DNA Pro + w/ Titanium Facemask	3lbs, 8oz	—	—	3lbs, 8 oz
Schutt AiR Varsity Commander	3lbs, 6oz	4lbs, 11oz	—	—

Schutt ION4D Youth	3lbs, 6oz	4lbs, 8oz	—	4lbs, 1oz
Schutt AiR XP Youth	2lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 13oz	3lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 3oz
Schutt DNA Pro + Youth	2lbs, 15oz	4lbs, 1oz	—	—
Schutt Recruit Hybrid	2lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 10oz	—	—
Schutt Recruit Hybrid +	2lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 10oz	—	—
Schutt XP Hybrid	2lbs, 8oz	3lbs, 7oz	—	—
Schutt XP Hybrid +	2lbs, 8oz	3lbs, 7oz	—	—
Schutt Air Standard II	3lbs, 10oz	—	—	—
AiR Youth	2lbs, 9oz	3lbs, 1oz	—	—

Helmets Shipped With Attached facemask:

Helmet	Weight (lbs / oz)
	Helmet w / Attached Facemask
AiR Team Youth	2lbs, 9oz
Riddell 360 Adult	4lbs, 8oz
Riddell Revolution Speed (Revo Speed)	4lbs, 2oz
Riddell Revolution	4lbs, 4oz
Riddell 360 Youth	4lbs, 6oz
Riddell Revo Speed Youth	3lbs, 12oz
Riddell Revolution Edge	3lbs, 14oz
Riddell Revolution Attack	3lbs, 4oz
Riddell Revolution Youth	3lbs, 14oz
Rawlings Quantum Adult	4lbs, 7oz
Rawlings Quantum Youth	4lbs, 2oz
Rawlings Momentum	3lbs, 13oz

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.

How to Buy a Facemask: A Football Video Buying Guide

Find the perfect football facemask for your football helmet, your game, and your budget! Watch this football video guide to learn what to look for in a new facemask, and find the best football facemask for you, in no time!

The best football helmet is nothing without equally great football facemasks. They protect your face from impact and the hands of other players, reducing injury and the likelihood of concussion. But they can also give the opposition more to grab onto, and can be the heaviest part of the helmet, weighing you down and holding you back. That’s why it’s so important to get the right facemask for your helmet, and your game! But with such a wide selection, and so many options out there, finding the best football facemasks can be tough, and confusing!

To guide you through the jungle of football gear, and help narrow your decision down to the perfect football face guard, we at Sports Unlimited put together this short instructional video. Follow along with Doug as he explains the best way to weed through our vast selection of football facemasks, including the latest custom football facemasks like the Big Grill (similar to the Justin Tuck facemask) and the Big Grill 2.0 like you’ve seen on Ray Lewis, to find the one that’s perfect for your helmet, your game, your skill level, and your budget! And for even more information, check out our latest football facemask buyers guide at SportsUnlimited.com!

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

How Much Does a Football Helmet Weigh?

Know the weight of football helmets, to find the right helmet for your game! Each helmet from Schutt and Riddell weighs between3 and 5lbs, but even the difference of an ounce can drastically change your performance on the field. So know before you buy.

Recently, we’ve received more than a few inquiries from customers wondering how much does a football helmet weight, both for themselves and for their children, and I found it strange to learn that football helmet weight isn’t readily available. Helmets these days can radically range in weight, from about 3lbs to almost 5, and the difference of a few ounces can dramatically affect player performance. Especially in the case of younger players with developing skills and strengths, a heavy helmet can really slow a youth football player down and even strain his neck muscles. So, I can see why it would be so important to players and parents to know how heavy a football helmet is going to be before purchasing a new one. That’s why I thought it’d be useful and helpful to all of you, if we provided a list of football helmet weights, so at a glance, for instance, you’d have a general idea of what a Schutt ION 4D weighs or what that new Riddell 360 weighs.

Keep in mind that more advanced helmets with the latest protection systems, padding, and technologies generally tend to weigh more than more economical helmets, and that the following information has nothing to do with how a helmet will perform or protect on the field. For instance, the best youth football helmet on the market will probably weigh more than a moderately performing one. This is simply a list of helmet weights, to give you, the customer, the most amount of information on the best helmets, so you can make the right football helmet decision for yourself or your kids.

Football Helmet Weights

Please Note: All weights are measured in pounds and ounces for accuracy. Total weight includes either the attached facemask shipped with the helmet, or the standard ROPO facemask designed for that helmet, as well as chinstraps and all hardware. All helmets weighed were size Large. Other sizes will vary slightly in weight.

Helmets Shipped Without Attached Facemasks:

Helmet	Weight (lbs / oz)
	Helmet Alone	Total w/ Carbon Steel Facemask	Total w/ Stainless Steel Facemask	Total w/ Titanium Facemask
Schutt ION4D Adult	3lbs, 6oz	4lbs, 8oz	—	4lbs, 1oz
Schutt Vengeance	3lbs, 8oz	4lbs, 10oz	—	4lbs, 1oz
Schutt AiR XP Adult	2lbs, 13oz	3lbs, 15oz	3lbs, 13oz	3lbs, 5oz
Schutt DNA Pro + Adult	3lbs, 2oz	4lbs, 6oz	—	3lbs, 12oz
Schutt AiR XP Elite	3lbs, 2oz	4lbs, 4oz	4lbs, 2oz	3lbs, 10oz
Schutt DNA Pro + Elite	3lbs, 5oz	4lbs, 9oz	4lbs, 10oz	3lbs, 15oz
Schutt DNA Pro + w/ Titanium Facemask	3lbs, 8oz	—	—	3lbs, 8 oz
Schutt AiR Varsity Commander	3lbs, 6oz	4lbs, 11oz	—	—

Schutt ION4D Youth	3lbs, 6oz	4lbs, 8oz	—	4lbs, 1oz
Schutt AiR XP Youth	2lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 13oz	3lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 3oz
Schutt DNA Pro + Youth	2lbs, 15oz	4lbs, 1oz	—	—
Schutt Recruit Hybrid	2lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 10oz	—	—
Schutt Recruit Hybrid +	2lbs, 11oz	3lbs, 10oz	—	—
Schutt XP Hybrid	2lbs, 8oz	3lbs, 7oz	—	—
Schutt XP Hybrid +	2lbs, 8oz	3lbs, 7oz	—	—
Schutt Air Standard II	3lbs, 10oz	—	—	—
AiR Youth	2lbs, 9oz	3lbs, 1oz	—	—

Helmets Shipped With Facemask Attached:

Helmet	Weight (lbs / oz)
	Helmet w / Attached Facemask
AiR Team Youth	2lbs, 9oz
Riddell 360 Adult	4lbs, 8oz
Riddell Revolution Speed (Revo Speed)	4lbs, 2oz
Riddell Revolution	4lbs, 4oz
Riddell 360 Youth	4lbs, 6oz
Riddell Revo Speed Youth	3lbs, 12oz
Riddell Revolution Edge	3lbs, 14oz
Riddell Revolution Attack	3lbs, 4oz
Riddell Revolution Attack-i	3lbs, 5oz
Riddell Revolution Youth	3lbs, 14oz
Rawlings Quantum Adult	4lbs, 7oz
Rawlings Quantum Youth	4lbs, 2oz
Rawlings Momentum	3lbs, 13oz

UPDATE – Schutt Youth Vengeance Helmet Weights:

3/6/13

Since publishing this article, Schutt has released new Youth Vengeance DCT football helmets, including Hybrid, and Hybrid + versions. Below are the average weights, with and without a Schutt Vengeance Youth Facemask, for these new football helmets.

Similar to the above measurements, each helmet weighed was size Large. The facemask used was a Youth Vengeance ROPO-DW.

Schutt Youth Vengeance DCT Helmet – 3lbs, 2oz. With facemask – 4lbs, 6oz.
Schutt Youth Vengeance DCT Hybrid – 2lbs, 8oz. With facemask – 3lbs, 12oz.
Schutt Youth Vengeance DCT Hybrid + – 2lbs, 9oz. With facemask – 3lbs, 13oz.

UPDATE – Schutt Air XP Ultralite Helmet Weights:

3/25/13

Below are the average weights of the new Schutt AiR XP Ultralite helmets. With the Air XP design, a titanium faceguard and stripped down hardware, this is the lightest helmet system in the game .

Similar to the above measurements, each helmet weighed was size Large. The facemask used was the Titanium EGOP-II included with the helmet (youth and adult respectively). A Titanium ROPO-SW is also available with the Ultralite helmet shell.

Schutt Air XP Ultralite Adult w/EGOP II Titanium Facemask – 3lbs, 7oz.
Schutt Youth AiR XP Ultralite w/EGOP II Titanium Facemask – 3lbs, 7oz.

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

How To Size a Football Helmet

How to size a football helmet, and get the most accurate head size measurements. A properly fitting helmet will protect your and reduce your risk of concussions better than a loose or poorly fitting helmet. Follow these simple steps to get the most accurate head measurement, for the highest-performing football helmets.

Football parents have enough to worry about, with the constant flow of news and statistic on concussions, the rising costs of good helmets and gear, and the changing rules in youth football. Thankfully though, one of the most influential things a parent can do to protect their child on the field is also one the easiest, and cheapest. Simply determining your child’s proper helmet size, and finding the football helmet that fits him best, instantly reduces his risk of concussion exponentially…and it only takes about 5 minutes!

A snug fitting helmet that cradles and supports the head has been proven to protect, and reduce the risk of concussions better than a poorly fitting one. That means even the most expensive, best youth football helmets on the market are next to useless unless they fit properly. It also means even a moderately priced helmet is going to protect your little guy if it’s fit well. So be sure to take a few minutes and get the most accurate head measurements, so when you go shopping for a new helmet (at Sports Unlimited of course), you’re getting the best fit, and most protection out of your helmet!

Check out our latest video, starring SU’s youth football star Zach Neff, to learn how to properly and accurately find your helmet size:

These simple steps will help you size a helmet, whether you’re looking for a Riddell, Schutt, Adams, Rawlings, or any other type of football helmet:

1. Find a friend or parent to help you measure
2. Use a flexible measuring tape
3. Find a spot about 1″ above the eyebrows (where the forehead of the helmet will rest)
4. Measure around the circumference of your head
5. Record the measurements in inches and centimeters
6. Consult the size chart of your favorite helmet to find the proper size helmet

Football Helmet Pump If you buy a helmet with an adjustable air liner, you can use a specialized helmet pump to inflate the jaw pads, crown, and side of the head, to get the best, customized fit!

Once you can try on the helmet, make sure it fits comfortably on the head. Then, check to ensure there is no extra space between the temples and the helmet padding or liner, and no space between the jaw and the jaw pad. If this is the case, and it feel comfortable, you’ve got yourself a great fitting and protective helmet!

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

Pop Warner Limits Contact During Football Practice

New rulings in Pop Warner leagues restrict contact drills to 1/3 of practice time, ban full speed, head-on tackling and blocking drills at 3 yards, and forbid head-to-head impact. All of these rulings are designed to protect young players during practice, and prevent repetitive and high-force head impacts, which can cause concussions and brain injuries over time.

In an effort to spark changes in football from the bottom up, Pop Warner is introducing new rulings which will officially limit contact between players during practices. The first of their kind across a nationwide football league, these changes go into effect at the beginning of the 2012 season, and are three fold;

Pop Warner Football

Coaches must limit contact drills to no more than 1/3 of weekly practice time, or no more than 40 minutes during a single practice.
Full speed, head-on blocking and tackling drills, where players line up more than three yards apart, are officially restricted – angled hits are still acceptable.
All head-to-head contact is banned.

All designed to prevent brain injuries, concussion, and long-term health issues, Pop Warner is working with coaches to ensure each ruling is followed.

As the oldest and largest national youth football organization, Pop Warner has over 83 years experience training kids age 5 to 15, in the art of football. Leagues exist in 43 states, and stretch abroad to Germany, Russia, Japan, and Scotland. It’s also estimated that over 70% of all current NFL players started in Pop Warner programs. So needless to say, a change of this magnitude, in such a powerful and influential organization, was not made lightly, or without purpose.

“There are times when people and organizations have to evolve, and this is that time,” said neurosurgeon and chair of Pop Warner’s Medical Advisory Board, Dr. Julian Bailes. “For the future of the sport, we need to morph it now and take the unnecessary head contact out of the game.”

These rule changes seem to be the natural reaction to a slew of research, studies, and media exposure revolving around the long- and short-term effects of concussions in football players. Major impacts and minor repetitive hits caused by players of all ages and sizes, have been shown to have serious negative effects on the brain, especially those of developing children. Sub-concussive forces are even believed to cause degenerative brain disorders such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), the disease found in the brains of many former NFL, and even some teenage players. Research into the area has also found that most concussions, in youth and adults, occur during practice.

So is it surprising that organizations like Pop Warner are seeing a slight decrease in enrollment? Is it shocking that, with all of this information gracing the headlines, parents are becoming more and more reticent to drop their kids off at football practice?

Dr. Bailes believes that “if parents were considering allowing their child to play football, this (rule change) should assure them.” But he and Pop Warner are also hopeful that these rule changes will trickle up, making the game safer for players over time. After all, if players are trained from an early age to rely on their hands and bodies, instead of leading with their heads in constant contact drills, they’ll take those skills into high school, and on to college. Some may even take them on into the NFL.

“We’re not trying to fundamentally change the game.” Bailes said of the rulings. “We’re trying to ensure its survival by reducing the potential for injury in practice.”

With more and more information surfacing on the long-term effects of concussions, the serious lawsuit brought by high profile players against the NFL, and in light of the recent suicide of former NFL linebacker Junior Seau, it seems that changes like these are becoming increasingly necessary, if our favorite sport is going to last.

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 Facemask So 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.