The Riddell® Revolution Product Fact Sheet

Background:

Founded in 1929, Riddell introduced the first plastic football helmet shell and was responsible for the suspension helmet worn by millions of soldiers since World War II. After years of outfitting thousands of football players with protective equipment, Riddell used the same forward thinking by combining new technology with cutting edge design to produce The Riddell Revolution.

Research:

Estimates vary, but Football may be responsible for 150,000 – 250,000 concussions in the United States each year. Using a study conducted by the NFL Subcommittee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Biokinetics & Associates, an independent engineering and consulting firm, Riddell set out to develop a helmet to help reduce the risk of concussion or Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI).

Biokinetics & Associates studied footage of on-field collisions and recreated the impacts identified in the footage in a controlled laboratory to better quantify human tolerances to concussions, or MTBI. The research showed that most of the concussion-causing impacts were to the side of the head, face or jaw of the struck player. Exhaustive testing and careful evaluation of new materials and protective concepts helped Riddell to create the first helmet designed to reduce the risk of concussion, the Riddell Revolution.

Product:

The design and development of the Revolution was a four-year project. Using the NFL and Biokinetics’ research as the backbone for development, the Riddell Revolution features three key design elements focused on the intent of reducing the occurrence of MTBI, including:

• Side and Facial Protection – a majority of head trauma is caused by blows to the side of the head, face or mandible areas. Riddell designed the Revolution Z-Pad to disperse the force of impact in these areas for concussion protection.
• Increased Shell Offset – the distance from the helmet shell to the wearer’s head gives the Revolution room to manage the types of impacts that cause concussion without compromising its response at higher impact levels.
• Tru-Curve Shell Shape – not only does The Revolution’s shell extend into the mandible area, it has been computer designed around the head’s anatomical center of gravity.
• The stability of the helmet on the wearer’s head is critical to keeping the protective system in its intended place, where it can best protect the athlete:
• Mid-Hook-Up Chinstrap – provides the best helmet stability in laboratory and field test conditions
• The Notch – at the lower edge of the shell provides stability in roll-off testing

Player Comfort:

• Ventilation – the Revolution uses Riddell’s traditional Aero-Cell liner design along with 6 elliptical top vents in the shell to allow air to circulate
• Ear Channel – the new design of the Z-Pads and the Back/Neck/Side Liner allow for much easier donning and doffing than traditional football helmet designs
• Lightweight – Riddell maintains its commitment to producing a lightweight product for the athlete without compromising protection

The Revolution family of products also includes the Revolution Youth and Revolution Little Pro which are based on the same design principles as the adult version of the Revolution.

More Information: To find out more about the Riddell Revolution family of products, parents or players should ask their coaches or athletic directors, call 1-800-275-5338, or log onto www.riddell.com.

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