Helmet Testing Video: Multiple Impact Helmets

Dan McCashin in the lab testing Roller Derby Helmets.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE  http://vimeo.com/82142899

Helmet Testing Video: Multiple Impact Helmets  

Is your helmet really a "Multiple Impact" Helmet? 

Alot of helmets are marketed as "Multiple Impact".  So we took a soft foam helmet (EVA foamed wrapped with Terry Cloth), a hockey helmet (with triple density eva foam) and an S1 Lifer Helmet (EPS Fusion Foam) and put them to the Multiple Impact test.

What are parameters of the Multiple Impact Test (ASTM F 1492) ?

The helmet is dropped to achieve an impact velocity of 4.57 meters per second. This is equivalent to a 10 MPH impact or a 4 ft. drop height. The same helmet is tested 3x in the same location. The helmet must reduce the peak acceleration of the impact to under 300 G's.

Why 300 G's?

The brain does not like G's. Anything over 300 G's is very bad for the brain and will cause a severe concussion and/or Traumatic Brain Injury or even death. A helmet's job is to reduce the amount of G's that hit the brain. 

Test Results:

SOFT FOAM HELMET w/ EVA Foam (FAIL)

1st Impact: 852 Peak G's 

HOCKEY HELMET w/ Triple Density EVA Foam (FAIL) 

1st Impact:  248 Peak G's 

2nd Impact: 339 Peak G's 

3rd Impact:  381 Peak G's 

S1 LIFER HELMET  w/ EPS Fusion Foam (PASS)

1st Impact:  170Peak G's 

2nd Impact: 219 Peak G's

3rd Impact:  249 Peak G's 

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE  http://vimeo.com/82142899

the triple 8 brainsaver is not a multiple impact helmet