Just to provide a little background information, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment established the performance standards for football helmets. They also assigned specific verbiage to go on all helmets produced.
PROPER FIT
The helmets edge should be about one inch above the eyebrows. You simply want a snug fit, which is neither too tight or too loose and does not slip when you rotate your head. If your helmet has an iNFLatable air suspension adjustment system, be sure to try it out and make sure it can provide a good fit for your head. If you are looking at traditional helmets, see what inserts are offered. These come in all shapes and sizes and can really assist in achieving the best fit. Although it seems a bit obvious, if you undergo a dramatic hair style change after purchasing a helmet, you will most likely have to get refitted.
AIR SYSTEMS
Along with promoting a snug fit, these provide more cushioning to absorb the impact from the helmet being hit, and put more distance between the helmet shell and the head, which allows for additional impact absorption.
PADDING
Being typically designed in multiple pieces, there is the back pad, neck pad and side padding of the helmet while a pad for the crown can be found in the roof of the helmet. Manufacturers offer these pads in different thicknesses and sell replacement pads. Make certain you replace worn out pads with new, NOCSAE approved ones designed for your helmet specifically.
CHIN STRAPS
Chin straps are designed to keep the helmet securely anchored to your head as well as protecting your chin. It is crucial to keep the chin strap centered on your chin with no slack to help ensure proper helmet fit and maximum safety benefits. All football helmets come with a standard chin strap, but if that one does not suit your needs, many manufacturers provide chin straps of all varieties and colors that are suitable to replace your initial one.
FACE MASKS
Since face masks are designed for specific helmet models and for specific positions (i.e. a quarterback would not wear a face mask designed for a kicker), there is no "standard" face mask model. However, there are two types of face masks, the open cage and the closed cage. The open cage usually is preferred by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backfield players as it has two or three horizontal bars and no vertical bar above the nose allowing for better visibility. The closed cage usually is the choice of linemen since it has a vertical bar running the length of the mask over the nose with two, three, or four horizontal bars which helps to keep other players' fingers and hands out of their eyes. It is safe to say that the position you play should determine the type of face mask you need as players must keep in mind how the face guard affects their field of vision.
These abbreviations (established by the NOCSAE) are used by helmet makers to give you the information needed to determine the type of protection you need.
OPO: Oral Protection Only
NOPO: Nose and Oral Protection Only
EGJOP: Eye Glass, Jaw and Oral Protection
EGOP: Eye Glass and Oral Protection
JOP: Jaw and Oral Protection
NJOP: Nose, Jaw, and Oral Protection
ROPO: Reinforced Oral Protection Only
RJOP: Reinforced Jaw and Oral Protection
These abbreviations are used to indicate face mask styles.
DW: Double Wire Configuration
SW: Single Wire Configuration
R: Reinforced
UB: U-Bar Attached
K: Kicker / Punter
SHELL MATERIALS
Adult, college and high school football helmets outer shell is made of the same plastic material used in astronaut helmets, GE Lexan molded polycarbonate alloy. These are considered to be high end helmets and are seen as they best as they spread the impact over a larger surface, thus reducing impact to the head. Some manufacturers however use a unbranded molded polycarbonate for their shell. Youth football helmets outer shell are typically made of ABS plastic.This common thermoplastic is used in football helmet shells since its known for its excellent shock absorbent properties.
HELMET PRICING
First and foremost, fit and NOCSAE approval are the key elements to choosing the right helmet. It is not the best idea to put a price on the item that is going to protect your brain! Low end youth football helmets typically range from $45.00 to $65.00, while mid range pricing levels are in the $70.00 to $90.00 category. High end helmets for both youth and adults fall anywhere from $110.00 to $160.00, but the prime leaders in high end helmets tend to price their helmets from $200.00 and up.
Need I remind you that we are talking about your BRAIN! This is not the piece of football equipment to cheap out on. So find a good fit, make sure your helmet meets NOCSAE standards and make sure it is composed of high quality material. Don't risk serious injury!
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