D3O and Gamebreaker have announced a new partnership that will undoubtedly continue to help evolve soft shell protective sports headgear by implementing new smart material for increased shock absorption. With the recent emphasis on head protection & concussion awareness, a need was developed to create better head gear and protection not only in American football, 7on7 and flag football but international sports such as women’s lacrosse, rugby and soccer among others. Team sports athletes, regardless of age or gender will be better protected if they have Gamebreaker headgear on during a game, practice, training or rehab where any collision or hit can a serious or minor blow that leads to a brain injury, skull fracture or bleeding.
Gamebreaker Partners with D3O
Gamebreaker plans to create innovative protective sports headgear with D3O® technology integrated into game-changing products for athletes to feel safer from head trauma both short and long-term. The governing bodies of flag football and women’s lacrosse do not have firm rules in place requiring helmets or protective headgear. D3O and Gamebreaker will enter the space together and manufacture new protective headgear for adult and youth US non-contact sports that do not mandate wearing headgear.
Michael Juels, Managing Director of Gamebreaker, said, “Partnering with D3O takes our soft shell protective sports headgear to a whole new level of protection previously thought not reachable. It solidifies our best in class position and promises to our athletes that their safety is our top priority.”
D3O invented patented tech based on non-Newtonian principles. According to D3O, “in standard conditions, the raw material’s molecules flow freely allowing the material to remain soft and flexible, but on impact, they lock together to absorb impact energy and reduce the force transmitted. The molecules instantly return to their flexible state. The raw material (dilatant fluid) is strain rate sensitive which means the stronger the impact, the more the molecules react, and the better the protection.”
Non-Contact Sports
Ever take a volleyball spike off the forehead? Have you fallen backwards while playing some type of sport and hit the back of your head? I have been around lacrosse as a player, high school lax men’s head coach, and youth, men’s and summer league official and find it unreal and outrageous that women’s lax does not require head protection gear for the 2015 season and beyond. If you are a female in a girl’s or women’s lacrosse league, do you wish head gear was mandatory for better protection against non-contact stick, ball and body or helmet-to- helmet blows involving the head?
The answer is probably near 100 percent unanimous for making head protection standard equipment. It is simply in the best interest of women’s lacrosse, rugby, 7 v 7 football, men, women and kids flag football, soccer, field hockey, mixed martial arts (MMA), volleyball, water polo, and other non-contact sports, to begin requiring some type of sports headgear for added protection. It really is a no-brainer.
Kids are most vulnerable to the effects of head shots that can lead to concussions, TBI and even CTE. Because people in general are living longer and staying more active, more seniors are playing team and individual sports at older ages and need improved protection from stumbles, trips and accidents while walking with the dog or hiking a mountain, as well as playing outdoor and indoor sports.
Marcus Hoenig, Head of Advanced Concepts for D3O, said, “D3O® impact protection materials and technology are combining with Gamebreaker’s design expertise to meet a real need in the US team sports market. Whether in sport or defense, D3O is committed to applying its technology to help reduce the risk, incidence and severity of brain injuries. D3O® technology in Gamebreaker complements the protection solutions we are already providing for American football players and further strengthens our offering and opportunities in new markets.”
Gamebreaker Headgear Warning
No helmet or sports headgear like 7v7 helmets or flag football headgear can protect the wearer against all foreseeable impacts. Head injuries can cause serious, permanent damage and may even result in death. For maximum protection, the headgear must be of good fit and the retention system must be securely fastened to retain the headgear. The headgear, when fitted and fastened should be easily removed. This headgear is so constructed that the energy of an impact may be absorbed through its partial destruction, though damage may not be visible. Make no modification. Fasten your headgear securely. If it receives a severe impact return to the retailer or manufacturer for inspection or destroy it and replace it. Contact us today if you have any questions about our equipment like soft padded football helmets and other products.
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