In its first release of a five-star ratings system for hockey helmets, Virginia Tech only found one of 32 helmets it tested to be “good” and six to be “adequate” in preventing concussions. The rest were rated poor or weren’t recommended.
The first-of-their-kind ratings are three years in the making and follow Virginia Tech’s ratings of football helmets that came out four years ago and caused a stir.
Stefan Duma, head of Virginia Tech's Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanic and the Harry Wyatt Professor in Engineering, spent a decade perfecting a ratings system for football helmets. While football can be hazardous, hockey’s ice rink presents more opportunity for injury, researchers found. Players can suffer head injuries from high-speed contact with other players and can be slammed into boards surrounding the rink or fall onto the ice.
Hockey helmets share the same basic plastic shell and interior padding of football helmets, but are much smaller and adjustable.
“Hockey has the highest rate of concussion of all sports. Football has more, but more people play football,” Steven Rowson, an assistant professor with the department. “By rate, hockey is the highest, especially for female hockey players. They have a range of bodily injuries, but we are focused on brain injuries and reducing the risk of concussion.”
In the new report, the hockey helmet that tested best with three stars was the Warrior Krown 360. Earning two stars – a rating deemed “adequate” – was the CCM Resistance 300, Bauer 5100, Warrior Krown LTE, Reebok 11k, Bauer 2100, and CCM Resistance 100. A host of helmets earned one store, a “marginal” rating: CCM V08, Tour Spartan GX. Reebok 4k, Bauer IMS 9.0, Easton E300, Bauer 7500, Easton E700, CCM Resistance, Mission M15, Bauer Re-Akt 100, Bauer Re-Akt, Bauer IMS 11.0, Easton E600, Reebok 7k, CCM V06 and Mission Inhaler.
Earning zero stars – “not recommended” – were the Bauer 9900, Bauer 4500,
Reebok 5k, Reebok 3k, Reebok 8k, Easton E400, Tour Spartan ZX Pro, Bauer IMS 7.0 and CCM V04.
Since first releasing safety ratings data on football helmets, manufacturers have sought to improve their products. In spring 2014, all five of the new adult football helmets to hit retail shelves earned top marks under the football portion of Virginia Tech's STAR Evaluation System.
Ratings of youth football helmets, baseball, softball, and lacrosse helmets are expected to follow in the next decade.
In response, Bauer said it welcomed any efforts to advance research around head injuries, but also noted that it works with leading researchers and medical experts and also conducts exhaustive testing on every helmet it develops. It urged caution in “simply accepting” Virginia Tech’s findings. Bauer said in a statement, “There may be some aspects of the Virginia Tech research that could positively influence future product development. However, it is important not to dismiss the results of decades of significant scientific research conducted by other academic institutions, Bauer Hockey, other manufacturers and members of the medical community.”
