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</h1>This is the first time I remember reading about this helmet or the company that makes it. We'll see if it catches on.
<h1 ="article_line entry-title">X-Generation of football helmets has arrived</h1>
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X1 Helmet
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X1 Helmet
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J.D. McGee cut back to catch a screen pass, turned to head down field
and immediately crashed â€" helmet to helmet â€" into the cornerback
covering him during a St. Edward's football game last spring.
The hit remains clear in his mind because it sent him to the ground,
rolling in pain. But to his surprise, his head wasn't hurting â€" instead
he was clutching his stomach and struggling to catch his breath.
Ever since that play, McGee has become an unofficial spokesperson for the new Xenith helmet.
Instead of traditional foam padding, the helmet features 18
shock-absorbing, air-filled disks designed to adapt to the hit, minimize
sudden movement of the head and prevent concussions.
"When I used to get hit head-to-head, you would just feel it in your
head, like a headache," said McGee, a St. Edward's senior. "When I got
hit (that game), it wasn't a concern. It was more my stomach, because I
got the wind knocked out of me. I didn't feel a thing in my head. I
would have had my bell rung with any other helmet.
"I think the helmet definitely helped me not get a concussion."
St. Edward's is one of a handful of area schools to recently purchase
the $350 Xenith helmet, buying 26 for the entire varsity squad last
year through parent contributions and donations to the football budget.
The helmets were bought instead of new uniforms.
Most area teams still use the latest products from Riddell and
Schutt; however, Sebastian River, Martin County, Okeechobee and Vero
Beach also have some Xenith helmets.
Fort Pierce Westwood coach Gene Clemons and Fort Pierce Central
interim coach Josh Shaffer both said their programs hope to look into
the Xenith in the future.
"I have seen the Xenith helmet in action, and I think it firmly sits
as the top-of-the-line helmet and has the greatest opportunity to reduce
concussions across the board," Clemons said. "I've had discussions and
eventually I will begin to phase in the Xenith."
Sebastian River offered parents the opportunity to go in 50-50 on the
cost of the helmet last year, with the stipulation the helmet would
stay with the program â€" with 21 athletes fitted for a Xenith.
A total of 14 parents and players at Vero Beach also decided to
purchase the product after a regional sales representative conducted a
presentation at a recent team meeting.
Martin County coach Chuck Kenyon said he has started phasing Xenith
helmets into his collection that also includes the Riddell, Schutt and
Bike brands, and Okeechobee coach Myron Jackson said a few of his
players decided to get Xeniths themselves.
Xenith baseball and softball helmets are also finding their way into area dugouts.
Michael Stutzke, athletic director at Sebastian River, said what
piqued his interest in the Xenith helmet was that the military uses the
same technology in combat helmets.
"If what is being used there (in the military) is being transferred
to football and baseball and softball, it's foolish not to look into
that," Stutzke said.
"You can see the pockets the way the cushioning is positioned
throughout the helmet, it's designed to collapse and inflate itself on
impact. You look at it and the explanation makes sense. Because it fits
so snuggly around the head, you can see where it is fully encasing the
head, you couldn't help but benefit from how it's structured."
Stutzke said from a liability standpoint, it makes sense to at least
educate parents about the Xenith helmet, as studies show 10 to 50
percent of high school players each season sustain concussions.
South Fork coach Dennis Lavelle wants to see more proof the helmet is
actually as safe as it sounds before he would suggest it as an option
to parents. He doesn't think it has been on the market long enough to
see the impact.
For now, he is satisfied with the Riddell Revolutions, which make up almost his entire inventory and cost almost half the price.
"Like everyone else, I got caught by a (Xenith) salesman, and it
sounded reasonable to a layman, but it really hasn't been on anyone's
head long enough and it is very expensive," Lavelle said. "There's
nothing else on the market other than (the Xenith) that claimed to have
better success than what's out there now."
POPULAR HELMETS ON THE TREASURE COAST
RIDDELL REVOLUTION
Introduced in 2002, the Riddell Revolution features a polycarbonate
shell, inflatable back/neck/side liner and crown liner, standard or
inflatable Z-Pads (jaw pads which use engineered energy management
materials to manage impacts to the side of the head and face), six vent
holes, "no rust" stainless steel hardware, soft cup chin strap and
push-in valve retainers and plugs
SCHUTT DNA'S
First introduced in 2003, this helmet uses Thermoplastic Urethane
(TPU) Cushioning, which was designed to provide better heat management,
better hygienics and better impact absorption by not taking a
compression set like traditional foam padding. It offers a two-piece air
liner with inflation ports, a hook-and-loop attachment system to lock
the inflation valves into place, titanium faceguards and oversized
ventilation holes in the crown.
XENITH X1
Introduced in 2007, this helmet features 18 shock-absorbing,
air-filled disks designed to adapt to the hit and minimize sudden
movement of the head. It uses a "shock bonnet" that pulls tight to the
head and the shell is polycarbonate with vents to facilitate air flow
from front to back to cool players as they move. The chin cup features a
protective polycarbonate shell with vents to provide breathability and
made of slip-resistant antibacterial silicone with insert molded
moisture-wicking fabric.
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http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/may/06/no-headline---tc_spt_helmets_c1/
Here is the Xenith
website.