Schutt Sports' Helmets: Protecting the Yolk

With player safety a leading concern among football players at all levels of play, Pro Football Weekly devoted an in-depth three-part article to the football helmet industry: manufacturing challenges, the major industry players, and NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) testing. Platinum Equity portfolio company Schutt Sports is one of the four companies profiled for its innovative approach to impact absorption and its TPU Cushioning.

Concussion prevention is among the NFL’s primary concerns, an issue being taken seriously by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Helmet manufacturers are working to improve their products and to better protect players’ heads, and Schutt helmets—worn by over 30 percent of NFL players, making it the second-most popular helmet in the NFL—are designed to perform optimally in three key areas: impact absorption, strength and weight, and air flow (for cooling).

“We believe we have the most dynamic and best-performing protective system on the field,” said Glenn Beckman of Schutt Sports. The TPU Cushioning used by Schutt in helmets since 2003 is better at “absorbing impact more consistently than traditional foam padding,” Beckman explained. Schutt is now manufacturing its fourth generation of helmets using TPU Cushioning.

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