Equipped with cutting-edge technology, Texas State football will gear up this spring with Riddell Axiom, a helmet that aims to better protect athletes from head injuries.
Each helmet is custom-made with the help of a scanning application that captures a 3D image of an athlete’s head. The Riddell Axiom is produced on an athlete-to-athlete basis rather than a position-by-position basis, making each helmet cater to the safety needs of each athlete’s unique head shape.
While the Riddell Axiom is to be released on the market this winter, select schools have been granted access to the helmets for spring practices. Texas A&M, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Tulsa, the University of Texas, the University of North Texas and Texas State are a few schools that have been scanned and fitted for their Riddell Axioms. These select schools have access to test out the helmet before deciding to order more for the fall season.
Although some Texas State football players are excited just to have new equipment, Football Equipment Manager Andrew Johnson said the new helmets will help with the safety of the players.
“It’s one of the highest-rated helmets out there right now,” Johnson said. “The guys call it their swag and their drip … they’re always happy to get new stuff in here and try it out.”
According to the Brain Injury Research Institute (BIRI), football injuries associated with the brain occur at the rate of one of every 5.5 games. In a given season, around 10% of college football players will sustain a brain injury, resulting in football accounting for over 60% of sports-related concussions.
The Axiom is designed to have a custom-created flexible shell that conforms around the athlete’s head. This shell helps improve impact response and in turn, protects the athlete. The new face mask also provides additional flexibility than a traditional helmet which creates a softer impact response and a better view of the football field.
Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Riddell Sports Thad Ide said the Axiom is the new industry standard for player safety.
“This helmet is the product of new design methods, materials and technologies,” Ide said. “We don’t want to call it a crowning achievement, we get up every day and try to improve player protection … but we do feel Axiom is a very different helmet platform than we have seen before, and potentially a great leap forward.”
The helmet also comes with InSite Smart helmet technology, which collects head impact data from the football field in real-time. Football programs will receive periodic reports with analysis on the HIE (head impact exposure) their athlete’s experience.
CEO of Riddell Sports Dan Arment said the launch of this new technology is an exciting moment for football players and coaches across the nation.
“The Riddell Axiom introduces new technologies that will fundamentally change what the football community expects in a helmet,” Arment said in a statement. “Reaching this development milestone is rewarding and will benefit the football community for years to come.”