Top 10 Best Football Helmets for Concussion Prevention

Football is a sport that includes the most intense physical pressure and possibilities of concussion. Needless to say, the concussion may lead to a serious injury, especially if it happens to your head. Well, that’s where safety precautions and related wearables come into play. And when it’s about safety wearable, a heavy duty impact preventing helmet is the first thing to consider.

However, getting the Best Football Helmets for Concussion Prevention isn’t as easy as getting other safety gear. Your head is the most important part of your body that you never want to get a scratch on. We’ve taken things into account and found the most concussion-resistant helmets in the market for you.

Why Is Picking the Right Helmet Important?

We’re going to discuss how to pick the right football helmet in a later section. But for now, we want to put emphasis first as to why YOU NEED to pick the RIGHT HELMET before we go to our product reviews.

Reduce the risk of any head injury

As they say, always err on the side of caution. Helmets are your best bet as an additional layer of protection when it comes to oftentimes life-threatening head injuries.

We’re talking about injuries such as concussions, facial fractures, or even facial lacerations. While we’re not saying that helmets will prevent them but they will for sure given that you wear a reliable one can tremendously help lessen the damage.

Helmets are worn and recommended for a lot of other sports aside from football. They wear it in baseball, hockey, skiing, skateboarding, and snowboarding to name a few, and for a lot of good reasons.

With the right helmet for the right activity, you are assured of having that level of protection like no other and for sports, it can greatly enhance performance so you are always on top of your game and will produce desirable results.

Comfort and Style

Helmets aren’t only for protection, they also bring about a certain level of comfort to athletes especially in football. For pros, it’s where headsets are installed for proper communication between a team.

Proper constructed, fitted, and made helmets are the best when it comes to adding that layer of comfort that athletes need. It is also to ensure that even casual gamers (even backyard or park football games) are protected and comfortable no matter the intensity of the pickup game.

Helmets are also always used as the bearer of a team’s emblem and style. It’s almost an extension of a team’s battle cry to enhance their confidence. It is where the team’s logo and what makes them iconic are designed into so it would be memorable and leave an imprint on their opponent and the audiences’ minds.

So always be sure to wear a helmet no matter what you do that might put you in harm’s way.

Best Football Helmets for Concussion Prevention

Getting the Best Football Helmets for Concussion Prevention can be a daunting task if you have to do all the research. So, we’ve done that part and compiled a list of the most promising helmets that can keep you safe on the field:

Different Types of Football Helmets

There are a few types of football helmets and knowing which one you need can go a long way for your protection as well as comfort and style.

Top Brands

We can’t talk about football helmets without talking about the biggest brands that manufacture them. There’s no doubt about it as listed above, Schutt and Riddell are two of the biggest brands that will dominate in 2021.

This is especially true for professional football. Riddell has been the NFL’s partner for helmets since the late 80’s up until the conclusion of the 2013 season. While that partnership may have ended, Riddell is still one of the industry’s leading brands in terms of the safest football helmets there us topping a lot of tests conducted.

Currently, A Seattle-based brand has been stealing the show named Vicis. Their Vicis Zero1 helmet is widely used for NFL players and teams today as well as in the amateur ranks both high school and college. Xenith is also quite a popular brand and is definitely top 5. All of these brands are considered the best football helmet for youth.

Football Helmets for Concussion Prevention

Not all helmets are made equal or there is no one type of helmet for all of your needs. That’s why certain manufacturers are trusted to create helmets that are best for football only.

Football has a lot of safety requirements and of course, you only want what’s best for everyone pros or not alike. Given that in football, players are at high risk of head injuries then manufacturers create helmets that can protect from concussions. If you run a team then you’d only want the best concussion prevention football helmet for your players.

These are helmets that find the sweet spot between support, padding, and protection. Oftentimes though, football helmets that are best when it comes to concussion protection are a bit uncomfortable. To be honest, it’s such a fair trade to keep you out of harm’s way.

Innovative Football Helmets

Sports are ever changing, the dynamics of the game change through time and so you should expect the same with the protective gear. Helmet manufacturers innovate from time to time to keep up with this demand.

Some of the innovative designs for football helmets include very dense padding as well as cushion to protect one’s head against impact. Some brands like Xenith produces helmets with specialized air cells that will expand and collapse relative to the amount of pressure applied to it.

There are even helmets especially the ones made by Riddell that features onboard wireless software that has the function to record the velocity of the hits you incur during playtime.

Youth vs Adult Football Helmets

Some of the best football helmets for youth are usually made of ABS plastic for they are both durable and lightweight. These helmets should be made so younger players can handle its weight and still perform accordingly.

As expected, football helmets for adults are what we generally know of and are heavier but more durable as it is expected to take on much more impact.

More about the different aspects of a football helmet you need to know in a later section.

The History and Anatomy of a Football Helmet

Let’s get to know the football helmet better, how they differ from other helmets, and some types of helmets for other activities so you’d appreciate this piece of headwear even better.

It’s important to take note that the first ever inter-collegiate game of football was played in 1869. But helmets were not introduced until 30 years later. From 1890 onwards, players and organizations alike started experimenting on the vastly used headgear today.

At first look, these football helmets may all look like the usual plastic headgear we are familiar with. But through time, the innovation of what’s underneath the said helmet has since evolved tremendously.

To date, the parts of a modern football helmet have always been the hard outer shell followed by multiple layers of padding, face mask, and then the chin strap. Brands or organizations will feature different varieties of these parts but the core concept generally stays the same.

It is important to take note that the design of which to reinforce or modify for a football helmet differs on the player’s (or wearer’s) position.

Outer Shell

The part that you see from the outside, the outer shell which is the hardest part of a football helmet is usually made of molded polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a very hard shell meant for protection and for football helmets it is usually about 3.35mm thick.

Polycarbonate is the material of choice for it’s not only enough to take on even the most massive impact for football but at the same time, it is lightweight so it’s comfortable to wear.

Brands though are exploring the possibility of using softer top layers that are successful enough to absorb energy even better.

Padding

Of the vital parts of a football helmet or helmet in general, the padding is not only the most complex but has the most number of layers overall. We’ll quickly scan through them.

Polyurethane, polypropylene, and nitrile foams are what’s commonly used for this layer. These layers and materials are usually lightweight, elastic, as well as durable enough to withstand the brunt of hits during a football game.

Usually, a vinyl nitryl foam which is a very stiff form of foam for protection is right underneath your outer shell. Then followed by a layer of polypropylene, then a soft spongy foam liner for comfort, an inflation port to inflate the airliner, an airliner which is an inflatable rubber for additional comfort, and then followed by a jaw pad and a front pad.

The latter parts promote good fit as well as comfort for the user.

These intricate layers of padding are designed to direct hits players incur normally in a game of football that would otherwise be catastrophic for the user.

Face Mask and the Chin Strap

The earlier versions of face masks when it was added for football helmets only consisted of a single bar that’s usually made of plastic, metal, or with the earlier versions leather.

(Earlier versions of helmets too were made of leather)

Today, the NFL implements the use of multiple bars for face masks that are made of better materials such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and titanium.

Chin straps are then meant to keep the helmet on your head. It can be made of Velcro or a buckle so choose whatever fits your style and what you’re going to use the helmet for, in short, the intensity of your games.

Visors

Visors are some of the latest installment for a football helmet. They have a simple but very useful function, to block out the sun or any sort of visual distraction for the player.

They can be tinted too however the NCAA and the NFL deemed that visors may only be clear so injuries underneath the helmet will be noticed right away.

Football Helmets Buyer’s Guide

Let’s watch a video to know more 

Knowing what to look for in a football helmet ensures that you are well protected on the field. Whether it’s just some casual game or pro-jousting, you need to make sure that you are 100% confident that what you wear won’t let you down.

Durability, Fit, and Weight

You already know which materials make a helmet durable based on our discussion above. Most of the time, when you say football helmet durability then it has to be the outer shell first.

Sometimes even badly fitted can cause discomfort and in extreme cases facial injuries. So the helmet you choose must fit you perfectly.

The usual way to measure for a helmet is to wrap your head about 1 inch above your eyebrows with a measuring tape and list down the circumference for a great helmet fit.

Weight is compromised because of durability sometimes but with current innovations that are starting to be a thing of the past. Due to the vast array of materials that can be utilized for football helmets, you can often get a good lightweight one with reliable durability for the right price.

Price and Brand

Safety should always be our priority and not just in football. Generally, football helmets are reasonably priced and if you know that the brand is worth it then the price should make you think twice and you should invest in it if you can.

We’ve listed helmets from some of the most trusted brands arguably top 3 so they should be worth it.

Other features to consider

If you can, get a helmet with known great features. Features with TPU cushioning that are practically indestructible, Helmet stabilization system for added protection from head-to-head impact, airliners for improved fit, easy-to-detach ones with great facemask material and design to fit your facial features.

You must take time to choose the right helmet and match all the specifics to you or your team’s needs so you’d all perform better and be out of harm’s way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you still in search of answers to some questions about the helmets that keep you safe from concussions? Then follow these common questions and their answers:

How to take good care of your football helmets?

As per NAERA or the National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association, a good quality football helmet has an integrity run of about 10 years. But if you can’t buy a new one just yet then you may recondition your helmet every 2 years. But for safety purposes, it is recommended that you get a new one every year.

If your helmet has some hairline cracks or significant damage on the internal parts, especially the padding then a replacement may be due.

Cleaning your helmet should not be that complicated. You should just use a rag, warm water, and a mild detergent for it. Just remove all the accessorial parts and then use your soapy solution to clean accordingly.

Is pumping air necessary for football helmets?

Not generally. The only time that you need to pump air into the helmet is if it is actually required. Some helmets have airliners and inflatable jaw pads.

Can football helmets assure 100% concussion protection?

No, not entirely but they would otherwise protect you from devastating head injuries. This is as long as your helmet fits all the right parameters like fit, weight, and support. Most of the time, helmets especially the ones utilized in football are shed in a bad light because of the user themselves not knowing the right helmet for them.

So be sure to follow our comprehensive guide and get the right helmet for you.

Final Thoughts

If there’s any risk of a head injury, no matter what you do, you wear a helmet. We hope that you’ve got the right helmet from the list above to keep your head safe. If you want our editorial choice of the best football helmets for concussion prevention, we’d suggest you get the Schutt Sports’ Vengeance A3+ Youth.

With a heavy-duty carbon outer material, this helmet will keep you safe from heavy impacts. the raised design and interlinked jaw pads will give you both comfort and ease of use. Besides, the soft chin strap and lateral inside liners alongside the ear cut-out will help you wear it for hours.