You might be wondering what football helmets are made of? Here you can go through the comprehensive details. These sports helmets are generally made of molded polycarbonate shells.
In addition, they are accompanied by foam padding. This padding can be made of polyurethane, and polystyrene. At times, it is composed of polypropylene or ethylene-vinyl acetate. Plastic helmets ensure player safety and bring gameplay to new scales and heights.
We know that the ball of this sport is made of leather, and helmets are composed of plastic material. For several decades, such a construction material has been one of the top choices for the sake of minimizing head injuries.
The football sport often experiences lots of scary collisions among players. Players at times fight and stumble on each other. Besides, some smash or hit the other player with their helmets. Thus, a lightweight and plastic-constructed helmet is always a better choice to avoid such situations.
The Importance of using Plastic Football Helmets
Unquestionably, plastic football helmets endorse player safety. They have become one of the most significant advancements in the football helmet innovation niche. The advent of such a new resin material launched the first plastic helmet in 1939.
Most importantly, such helmets remain to stay stronger, lighter. They are comparatively more durable than using a helmet made of leather. You might have remembered that leather helmets got obsolete within ten years, yes it is true!
Plastic football helmets are composed of molded polycarbonate shells. They are further embossed with foam padding inside. Many companies are coming up with more engineered and innovative designs so that the number of concussions and injuries can be reduced in today’s game.
The Latest Football Helmet Design
The latest football helmet design resembles a lot with early plastic helmets. It is just the technology that has been evolved a little bit. In the current times, manufacturers try making such football helmets that ensure utmost safety and endorse impact protection, thus making this game safer to play.
It is recommended that players put on safety gear that is certified and approved by the Football National Operating Committee and fully meets the standards for Athletic Equipment. The best-designed helmets tend to reduce the likelihood of head, neck, and skull injuries.
The Anatomy and the basic structure of Football Helmets
Plastic helmets have replaced leather helmets, and the basic anatomy and structure of this safety gear have also evolved. Modern-day football helmets are composed of a hard shell, loads of inner layers of padding. In addition, it is accompanied by a face mask and chinstrap.
Some players prefer adding extra elements to their helmets. Like, they emboss additional padding to make it extra protected. The latest models are more weather-resistant and ensure increased communication.
The basic principle while designing a football helmet is to ensure whether it can absorb energy, impact, shock, and hit. Its construction principle and mechanism minimize the likelihood of head injuries.
Parts of a Football Helmet
Below you can see how many parts a football helmet is composed of:
1. Outer Shell
The outer shell comes in the form of thin and harder form. This is the most visible part of the helmet that one can see. Most importantly, the exterior side is composed of a molded polycarbonate material, measuring up to 3.35mm.
Indeed, it is an ideal material while constructing the outer shells of football helmets. Polycarbonate is a lightweight material and protects your head from massive impact and shock. On the other hand, a few companies use hard plastic to enhance energy absorption while the player is on the field.
2. Inner Layers
The inner layers of football helmets are composed of different padding. Besides, the common padding material includes polyurethane, or some prefer using nitrile foams. Overall, the inner layered padding must be lightweight, durable, and 100% elastic.
Such foam padding withstands immense shock, impact, and force. The ongoing advancements have encouraged companies to make helmets that ensure more safety. Like, the latest designed models have air pockets and shock absorbers.
3.The addition of Face Masks in Football Helmets
The face mask has become a new and exclusive addition while designing football helmets. In the past, face masks came in the single bar form and were generally made of plastic, metal, or leather. But now advancement is made!
The face mask design has been improvised and upgraded. It consists of more bars and loads of plastic visors. The presently designed facemasks are constructed of metals, and the preference is given to materials like stainless steel, carbon steel, or titanium.
4.Visors – The newest addition to Football Helmets
Visors have become the newest addition to the football protective gear niche. Their main purpose is to block out the sun’s rays. These are just plastic add-ons that play a vital role in the football gear.
In the past, we used to spot visors coming in the colored, darkened, or tinted version. Those got obsolete because such visors made the head injuries unnoticed underneath. The latest designed visors are clear and no longer tinted.
Conclusion
That is all about the comprehensive discussion on what are football helmets are made of! Undoubtedly, football helmet designs, structure, anatomy, and construction have changed dramatically. They have become more modern and safer to use.
With the facilitation and support of technological advancements, loads of improvements are seen in the football protective gear niche. These days, high-quality helmets are designed that ensure the safety of the player and game. Their robust construction brings low rates of head and neck injuries.
Indeed, designing and constantly evolving the construction of football helmets will always be a challenging task. Companies are trying to develop a design that withstands multiple shocks and impacts. You can share your feedback on what kind of football gear you prefer and like to get introduced in the future.
It was a 50cc motorbike that started my motorbike addiction at the age of seven. My teenage years were spent riding motocross, and I continued to do so into my 20s while working as a mechanical engineer. As a result, I developed a passion for light sportbikes and cruisers. My name is James Dean and I have been riding motorcycles for 15 years. Motorcycling is my passion and I wish to be a part of the motorcyclist community forever. I also enjoy riding snowmobiles. In the winter I ride as often as possible on trails and in the backcountry.
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