Virginia tech helmet ratings review Sent an Update with the new ratings.
Virginia tech helmet ratings review. While the right helmet can reduce concussion risk, Fox Speedframe RS helmet review: a well-vented lid that tops the rankings for safety, if not comfort New Speedframe RS is rated number one in Virginia Tech’s independent helmet-safety rankings Earlier this month, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released a memorandum explaining an update to its STAR rating score thresholds for bicycle and football helmets. It's packed with features, and has a five-star Virginia In time for peak ski season, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has added snow sports to the list covered by its nationally Fox’s open-face helmet has reached the coveted heights of fashion fame. A total of 35 varsity football helmets have been evaluated using the STAR testing system. 0 recorded a 5-star rating in the Virginia Tech Performance Helmet ratings, with an extremely high performing score of 1. edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings. Helmet Lab research will have big impact on equestrians | Virginia Tech News | Virginia Tech Also interesting that polo and equestrian are separate studies I wonder if many wide-brim helmets would test the same as polo helmets? I don’t know much in that regard, so simply throwing out an observation and a question. After a few years of success, the brand has brought a long-awaited and Lighter than the Aether, safest of them all. Covering 57% of the head and 78% of the headgear contains padding. The Giro Fixture that damn near everybody in the world bought is probably more than enough for average riding. Find out how Virginia Tech’s new standards could impact your next helmet purchase. Three of MET’s road helmets boast this top rating, but I selected to review the Rivale MIPS model due to its more accessible price point. Since 2011, Virginia Tech has been testing helmets in sport-specific conditions. 7, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released the results of its first-ever rating of equestrian helmets. The helmet ratings are the culmination of over 10 years of research on head impacts in sports and identify which helmets best reduce concussion risk. Out of Earlier this month, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released a memorandum explaining an update to its STAR rating score thresholds for bicycle and football helmets. They’re now set to begin testing for safety helmets with the project expected to conclude in 2025. The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is upping its standards, making it a little harder for products to earn a five-star rating. Outside of CPSC and VT’s STAR, most reputable helmet makers have their own in-house test protocols. Explore top-rated models from Shut, VIIs, Shopping for a new hockey helmet? We've researched the best hockey helmets for all players and ages. However, not all helmets are created equal and two helmets that meet the standard may offer different levels of impact protection. Virginia Tech Helmet Lab expands beyond sports to develop ratings system for safety helmets June 25 2024 Safety, Safety and Health, Standards By Virginia Tech News Thirteen years after releasing the first independent safety ratings for varsity football helmets, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is expanding beyond the field of athletics. A total of 73 bike helmets have earned a 5-star rating for concussion protection from Virginia Tech since the ratings were launched in 2018. The university encourages consumers to only consider helmets that have been deemed a 4 or 5-star rating. Virginia Tech's testing lab has evaluated helmets on safety for years. We researched and tested the best road biking and commuter bike helmets and only included helmets that received the Best Available Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars on the Virginia Tech Helmet safety study. We are writing this in the order starting with the very highest rated helmet first. Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings has been testing the safety of helmets since 2011 and has become the leading source of bicycle helmet Virginia Tech's helmet safety testing exceeds standard industry tolerances, measuring the real-world concussion risks of both rotational and linear forces. Virginia Tech Helmet Lab only recommends players wear helmets that receive a 5-star or 4-star rating. The testing includes a drop tower designed to match helmet-to-ground characteristics in cycling, which is used to test bike helmets. The helmets VT tests fit their test heads better than almost every helmet you've seen in use fits the person wearing it (especially considering that the helmets are designed with these heads in mind). When the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab unveiled its equestrian helmet ratings in 2022, they were lauded as groundbreaking but also criticized by Virginia Tech, arguably the most trusted independent voice in helmet testing, just made it harder to earn a five-star rating. Claiming the top spot in the Virginia Tech ratings is impressive but is there more to this helmet? The Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings provide an independent, objective resource to help consumers make informed decisions about helmet performance. Having worked in that lab, the thoroughness, quality, and analysis of each helmet is really cool and it shows how much force can be reduced by wearing a helmet. ” Our rigorous testing methodology prioritized Virginia Tech Helmet Lab safety ratings. Virginia Tech ranks first published in the January 2023 Equiery On December 7, 2022, Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab released the findings of its research into This new offering takes ventilation inspiration from road bike helmets while simultaneously offering top-tier We tested 16 models from top brands, including Giro, Specialized, Lazer, and more, to find the best road bike helmets. The LOOP secured a STAR value score of 0. Related: Best Road Bike Helmet In 2023, the Met Downtown Mips was one of the least expensive helmets to make Virginia Tech’s top-25 list; the average price for a helmet on that list was $180. In the Youth Football Helmet category, the VICIS ZERO2 Youth earned a 5-star rating, placing it in the top tier for impact protection. Editor's Note: Our mountain bike helmet review was updated on July 24, 2025, to clarify some of the details of our testing process. Virginia Tech Helmet Safety Study Did you know that Virginia Tech does extensive reviews of all Sport helmet ratings based on the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab's research Virginia Tech updates their tested helmets The top thirteen star-ranked helmets all feature MIPS Brain Protection System. The LOOP has achieved a 5-star rating from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, underscoring its superior performance in mitigating head impact forces. html At the time of publication, the Speedframe RS is the #1 safest tested by Virginia Tech, with the Speedframe Pro being close behind as the On Dec. helmet. Revised our helmet ratings page with new Va Tech ratings. Kask's Protone Icon helmet is the latest in the lid's near 10 year history, and it still performs well across all metrics What are the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings? And why should you care as a helmet consumer? The short answer is the reduction of concussion risk. Virginia Tech has announced a new partnership with Dick's Sporting Goods aimed at prioritizing player safety by providing helmet safety rankings for athletes. Trek uses the latest version of WaveCel technology, featuring 10% larger cells for increased airflow. Helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk for these impacts compared to helmets with less stars. Are these the new safest bike helmets? We spotted 2 new, never-before-seen helmets in the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings list over the The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab's updated equestrian ratings incorporate head impacts during falls at high speed. The star rating system, developed by researchers in the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, rates a helmet’s ability to reduce the risk of concussion in the event of a head impact. 03, ranking #3 out of 38 helmets evaluated in the flag football category. The Schutt F7 2. Otherwise, click through to the technical documents to learn more I think this is skewing the data for newer helmets. See how the top helmets score and which offer the best concussion risk reduction. . The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab recently updated its rating system for bicycle, youth and varsity football helmets. Leading the Global Standard in Helmet Protection Backed by Data Were proud to share a groundbreaking achievement: the P2R A20 cycling helmet has secured a 5-star rating and climbed to Top 5 globally in the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings one of the worlds most rigorous and respected independent safety evaluations. Photo by Craig Newcomb for Virginia Tech. We focused exclusively on helmets achieving top-tier protection standards for rotational impact protection systems including MIPS, SPIN, and WaveCel technologies. It published the first independent safety ratings for varsity football helmets These safety credentials have been assessed by an external tester, Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. At $199, it is the least expensive of the three, making it an excellent choice for many RBR readers. I met with Dr. Virginia Tech has updated its 5-Star helmet safety rating system. The list below includes helmets that received both Excellent or Very Good impact protection ratings (5 or 4) from Consumer Reports and Virginia Tech's Five Star and Four Star helmets for preventing concussions. MIPS scores high, mountain bike helmets score high, skateboard type helmets score low and price barely matters once you reach the MIPS threshold. Taking the top spot in the rankings is the $460 Virginia Tech researchers are leading efforts to ensure helmets provide the concussion protection promised by manufacturers. What caught my attention was their booth signage touting a 5-star Virginia Tech rating caught my eye. If you want to pick a helmet using lab test data, we have a page up listing the top helmets rated by Consumer Reports and the top Virginia Tech ratings, with The annual helmet ratings have been released Doug Samuels 1/15/2024 3:48:57 PM Virginia Tech has been putting football helmets through Helmet safety is improving, so the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is adjusting its STAR rating system to help differentiate the top performers. These tests assess each helmet’s ability to reduce both linear and rotational head acceleration from The most trusted helmet ratings system just got tougher. The most trusted helmet ratings system just got tougher. (Riddell SpeedFlex: 3-star helmet) The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab STAR rating logo is visible on football helmet packaging now available at all Dick's Sporting Goods locations. Here, you can navigate What are the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings? Virginia Tech is widely regarded as the best third-party, independent testers of helmet impact severity at the high Check out Virginia Tech’s bicycle helmet ratings to see if your helmet has been tested and how it ranks. This subtle half-shell mountain bike helmet received a 5-star rating when Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings - Youth football helmets have been tested to evaluate their ability to reduce brain injury risk. The ratings have been developed by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, Virginia Tech rates the helmets with a 1-5 star rating, with a 5-star rating being the highest, and best at reducing concussions. Researchers at Virginia Tech University developed the STAR system in 2011 as a means to compare performance capabilities of the various helmets available in PSA: In the market for a new helmet? Virginia Tech has independently tested nearly 150 popular bike helmets for safety, and gives them a rating accordingly. A Virginia Tech Helmet Rating provides comprehensive, sport-specific helmet safety insights through both a STAR score (0-10) and 5-star And just so you are aware, this article has affiliate links. ” So, they felt this threshold adjustment was needed “to restore the ability of our system to differentiate. S. I just make sure it scores well on the Virginia Tech scoring system. If you compare the thickness of the padding in CCM's FitLite FL500 helmet (VT's highest rated helmet) and A first look at the all-new POC Cularis MTB helmet for trail riding. Since 2011, Virginia Tech researchers have been providing unbiased helmet ratings that allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing An update to star rating thresholds for bicycle, varsity football, and youth football helmets. Updated equestrian helmet ratings system adds racing and high-speed events Building on previous research, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab Representatives of Mips, the Swedish company behind the patented MIPS (multi-directional impact protection system) technology used in many modern sports helmets, has issued a statement questioning the testing methods behind riding helmet rankings released last week. It was awesome, and I always highly recommend people use the VT Helmet Ratings to find a Bike Helmet Ratings Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings - Bike helmets have been tested to evaluate their ability to reduce brain injury risk. Helmet safety is improving, so the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is adjusting its STAR rating system to help differentiate the top performers. All the Virginia Tech tested helmets that received five-star ratings use either MIPS or WaveCel for additional protection beyond EPS foam Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings - Ski and snowboard helmets have been tested to evaluate their ability to reduce brain injury risk. The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab supplements these standards with sports-specific impact testing and rates helmets on a 5 star scale. Each year both sides partner to put together a panel of Two years after the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab published its first set of ratings for hockey helmets, a new release has just earned top marks. But all of these helmets were rated 5 star, which is the safest rating that Virginia Tech offers. It goes beyond biking and climbing helmets — all the way to the Virginia Tech helmet ratings have been regarded as a reliable resource for sports and athletes searching for the best helmet protection. A range of helmets featuring MIPS, Here’s what Virginia Tech has to say about the change: To receive a 4- or 5-star rating, a helmet must perform within the top 50% based on its New #1 Virginia Tech Rated Helmet: POC Cularis 8 All-new helmet from POC achieves best-ever safety score See our Helmet Ratings page for the short list of helmets with the highest Consumer Reports ratings for impact protection and also scoring best on the Virginia Tech STAR concussion ratings. 0 Helmets Shine Under New Tougher Safety Standards Designed to Help Better Protect Athletes at All While all three Fox Speedframe helmets land a 5-star rating from Virginia Tech, their overall score is calculated beyond the 5-star rating with the Virginia Tech subjects each bicycle helmet to 24 impact tests to calculate the safety rating. Sent an Update with the new ratings. Learn why 139 helmets were downgraded and what this proactive change means for your safety. The new Fox Speedframe lineup has a 5-Star safety rating from Virginia Tech in all three versions, even the $109 entry-level model. The Virginia Tech system looks at the most common impacts and crashes when wearing helmets and tests each helmet in six different places to It’s now a little harder to earn a five-star rating from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. The NFL and NFLPA have recently released their annual helmet performance rankings. Its helmet This week, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab recalibrated its helmet testing protocols to better reflect how well helmets manage impacts tied to concussion risk, and both VICIS and Take a look at the top 3 bike helmets currently rated on Virginia Tech's Bicycle Helmet Ratings page shown below. ” How is the score calculated? Virginia Tech helmet lab updates safety ratings system, goal to reduce head injuries by: Michael Doti Posted: Jul 19, 2025 / 03:41 PM EDT Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab has announced a change to its rating system, resulting in 139 bicycle helmets being downgraded from 5-star status. ” The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is developing a system using a scale of one to five stars to determine which helmets will reduce injury risk. The best e-bike helmets have commuter-friendly features and extra protection for higher-speed, higher-momentum crashes The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab's updated equestrian ratings incorporate head impacts during falls at high speed. The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has released its first set of ratings for bicycle helmets, representing more than two years of dedicated research Falling from a horse at high speed changes the impact to the rider’s head and the parameters for quality head protection, according to new Virginia Tech is widely regarded as the best third-party, independent testers of helmet impact severity at the high school and youth levels. One of the highest reviewed and safest mountain bike helmet franchises on the market receives a significant update for 2025, making it safer and better ventilated than ever before. Some helmet manufacturers are using these test results to drive innovations in helmet design and materials. If you seek more coverage and protection than a half-shell helmet, we have also tested downhill helmets and a wide variety of other top bike helmets. We’ve also covered the safest helmets here previously. The Cytal road helmet and Cularis MTB This memorandum serves to reiterate the goals of the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings,1 discuss the hockey helmet ratings, and announce an update to the exposure weightings and star thresholds used to rate hockey helmets. Explore the 2025 Virginia Tech STAR ratings for varsity football helmets. 35. The lab recently updated its helmet rating system to include new thresholds for bicycle, varsity football, and youth football helmets. The rankings, produced by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab as a result of a three-year research Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings - Flag football headgear have been tested to evaluate their ability to reduce linear and rotational acceleration of the head. The VT Helmet Lab tests and rates sport helmets for concussion risks in football, youth football, flag football, soccer, ice hockey, cycling, snow sport and equestrian helmet ratings are currently in the research stage. The Tipperary Devon MIPS Wide Brim Helmet is the best MIPS horse riding helmet, and the safety ratings and product reviews back our New Falconer 2Vi® Mips Helmet and Bushwhacker 2Vi® Mips Helmets Among Leaders Since 2011, Virginia Tech researchers have been In fall 2022, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab researched and tested various helmet covers on the market. beam. According to Virginia Tech, “More stars equate to better protection, with 5 stars representing the best available helmets. Virginia Tech only recommends helmets that receive four or five stars. Barry Miller to learn The Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings Lab rates each bike helmet based on the results of 24 impact tests conducted in its laboratory. If you want to pick a helmet using lab test data, we have a page up listing the top helmets rated by Consumer Reports and the top Virginia Tech ratings, with Safety is the whole point when it comes to helmets, and two models in Fox’s Speedframe lineup are now This advanced safety technology has earned the Speedframe RS and Pro top ratings in independent Virginia POC's new road and MTB helmets have been ranked as the safest Virginia Tech's Helmet Lab has ever tested. When it comes to independent helmet safety testing, few institutions hold as much authority as Virginia Tech University. Every helmet we test has already passed the relevant certification standards, which ensures a low risk of severe or fatal head injury during the specific impacts defined in those standards. After undergoing testing the Hudson earned a 5-star safety rating, which is the highest rating possible. Read reviews from HockeyMonkey today! After two years of research, the Virginia Tech's nationally renowned helmet lab has released ratings for equestrian sports — which are responsible for more emergency room visits for head injury than any sport in the U. We've seen helmets with two layers or a ball in socket-esque design grow in popularity due to their increased safety at varying impact The new helmet, the Bauer RE-AKT 200, is the first to earn more than three stars. https://www. The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has released its much-anticipated equestrian helmet ratings. Rowson is now director of Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab that has reached national acclaim for its testing and studies. The Giro Aries Spherical carries the highest safety rating ever given to a helmet by independent tester, Virginia Tech, and offers lightweight Discover the safest football helmets of 2024 with our comprehensive reviews and recommendations. The Virginia Tech testing evaluates “a helmet’s ability to reduce linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head resulting from a range of head impacts a cyclist might experience. With stricter thresholds, only helmets with exceptional performance now earn the highest 5-star designation. Updated equestrian helmet ratings system adds racing and high-speed events Building on previous research, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings - Ski and snowboard helmets have been tested to evaluate their ability to reduce brain injury risk. Credit: Lee Updated equestrian helmet ratings system adds racing and high-speed events Date: April 30, 2025 Source: Virginia Tech Summary: Falling off a horse at high-speed changes the impact to the rider's Sweet Protection, an industry leader in high-performance helmets, goggles and technical clothing, announced that both the Wanderer II and The new Specialized Search helmet is the brand's mid-tier offering aimed at gravel riders. The star of the show is the WaveCel safety technology from which the Blaze gets its namesake and a 5-star safety rating from the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings. Turns out, helmets are getting safer, and the helmet test team felt “the 5-star label had become diluted. This price point makes it one of the most affordable VICIS ZERO2 and Schutt F7 2. vt. Please contact the Helmet Lab with any questions about this The ratings show that some helmets are better than others at reducing head injury risk. ” So, they felt this threshold adjustment was needed “to restore the ability of our system to The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is renowned for their independent ratings of helmets for various sports, including football, hockey and cycling. A 2009 phone call from the football team's equipment manager led an injury biomechanics expert to launch a helmet ratings program that, 10 years later, A Virginia Tech Helmet Rating provides comprehensive, sport-specific helmet safety insights through both a STAR score (0-10) and 5-star But the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings lab results back up POC’s claims of safety as a priority. Certainly, it The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab allows researchers to provide unbiased helmet ratings that allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing helmets. sxtulqmtugsnzydhwiswjinkhbakjmjhcvcgppafgbatjaa