How should you compare sports headgear if concussion risk is the concern?
Not all sports headgear is designed for the same purpose. Many products are designed to reduce cuts, abrasions, ear injuries, or surface impact, while concussion risk reduction depends more on whether the product is designed and tested to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain during head impacts [1, 2, 3, 4]. A useful comparison should therefore look beyond padding and ask what the product is designed to do, how it has been tested, and whether those design protection choices fit the sport you play.
When people shop for a headguard, sports headgear, or rugby headguard, they are often shown broad category pages that group very different protective products together. That can make unlike-for-unlike comparisons feel normal. But if the concern is concussion, sub-concussion, and brain injury, the key question is not simply how padded a product looks or what sporting body has approved it. It is whether the product is designed to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain [1, 2, 3, 4].
Why broad headguard shopping can be misleading
A headguard is a broad shopping term, not a precise brain-protection category. In rugby, conventional soft headgear is primarily intended to help reduce cuts, abrasions, and ear injuries. World Rugby states that properly fitted headgear can help prevent soft-tissue injuries to the head and ears, but that approved products are not intended to offer any protection against brain injury [1, 2].
That is why the comparison needs to change. If a player, parent, or coach is choosing headgear because brain protection matters, products should not be compared as if all padding serves the same function. The better comparison is whether the product is designed around the forces most associated with brain injury, especially rotational force transmission. Rezon Halos® is deliberately engineered to reduce rotational force transmission, with patented Rotection® technology and published biomechanical testing focused on rotational-force reduction [5, 6, 7, 8].
What should you compare when choosing sports headgear?
What is the product actually designed to protect?
Some products are mainly designed to reduce cuts, abrasions, ear injury, or visible impact to the head. Others are designed around brain-injury mechanics. Those are different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable. This distinction is especially clear in rugby, where governing body guidance does not present standard soft headgear as concussion protection [1, 2].
Does it reduce rotational force transmission to the brain?
This is the core comparison point across all sports headgear. Headgear that is designed to protect the brain needs to be focused on rotational force reduction. Rotational forces are a key biomechanical factor of concussion and brain injury. Rezon Halos® reduces rotational force transmission by up to 61%, addressing the central biomechanical driver of brain injury in sport [5, 6, 7, 8].
Is there independent testing?
Claims are more useful when the testing method is disclosed. Virginia Tech describes its helmet ratings as a consumer tool based on sports-specific impact testing. Rezon Halos earned a 5-star rating with a STAR value of 0.26, equating to a 74% reduction in concussion risk. No World Rugby approved rugby headgear has publicly declared a 4- or 5- star Virginia Tech rating [3, 4].
Is it certified as protective equipment where relevant?
Certification is not a substitute for performance data, but it matters where a product is sold as CE/UKCA PPE. UK government guidance explains the framework for PPE conformity assessment and UKCA marking. Equipment sold as protective headgear, offering protection beyond cuts and scrapes, should display the relevant CE/UKCA Category II PPE certification, indicating conformity with rigorous independent testing requirements [5, 6, 7, 8].
Why impact reduction is not the same as brain protection
A product can reduce some surface impact or visible injury without necessarily being designed to reduce the rotational forces associated with brain injury. That is why broad safety language can be misleading if it does not explain what was actually measured or what the design is intended to reduce [3, 6, 9, 14].
That difference is especially important in soccer. Virginia Tech’s soccer headgear ratings assess both linear and rotational acceleration. So when a brand makes a percentage claim, the right question is what that percentage refers to: linear force, rotational force, a composite risk score, or something else. Some products claim to reduce “head injury risk”, but this is not the same as reducing brain injury risk [3]. The most significant metric to consider is the reduction of rotational force transmission, as it is these forces that are strongly associated with concussion and brain injury.
Watch: Rotational forces and Rotection® Technology.
How the comparison changes by sport
Different sports create different head-impact scenarios, but the most important brain-protection question stays the same: whether the product is designed to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain [3, 5, 6].
When comparing headgear, it is important to separate governing body approval from CE/UKCA PPE compliance and qualified brain protection performance.
| Sport | Common head impact patterns | Core considerations | The most important question | Further Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rugby Union | Tackles, collisions, repeated contact. | Most conventional rugby headgear was designed mainly to reduce the risk of cuts, abrasions, and ear injury rather than brain injury. Rugby headgear is not typically designed to reduce the rotational forces associated with concussion and brain injury risk [1, 2]. | Does rugby headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | Best Protective Headgear for Rugby Players |
| Rugby League | Fast collisions, repeated impacts. | Products marketed as protective are not necessarily designed to protect the brain. Look for evidence of brain-protection design, rotational-force reduction, independent testing, and CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification [5, 7, 8, 10]. | Does rugby league headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | What Is the Best Concussion Protection for Rugby League Players? |
| Soccer / Football | Heading, clashes, falls. | Products marketed as protective are not necessarily designed to protect the brain. Look for evidence of brain-protection design, rotational-force reduction, independent testing, and CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification [5, 7, 8, 10]. | Does soccer headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | Does Soccer Headgear Prevent Concussion? |
| Field Hockey | Collisions, heavy ball impacts, stick incidents, falls. | Protective equipment in field hockey has traditionally focused on goalkeepers and short corners. Headgear for outfield players needs to be practical enough for consistent wear throughout play and should be assessed for its ability to reduce rotational force transmission [6]. | Does hockey headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | What Is the Best Protective Equipment for Field Hockey Players? |
| Netball | Collisions, falls, head knocks. | Netball players need to compare product design intent. Most padded headgear focuses on linear or impact forcres, rather than the more relevant rotational forces. Look for CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification to confirm rigorous independent testing, and protection beyond cuts and scrapes [6]. | Does netball headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | What Is the Best Head Protection for Netball Players? |
| Basketball | Collisions, falls, incidental contact. | In basketball, practicality matters. Full-coverage headgear can interfere with hearing, vision, comfort, and normal play. Any product intended for brain protection should still be assessed on whether it is designed to reduce rotational force transmission [12]. | Does basketball headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | Best Brain Protection for Basketball |
| Flag Football | Player collisions, falls | Parents and youth buyers should look beyond generic safety language and ask whether the product is actually designed and tested as brain protection, rather than simply marketed as protective [11]. | Does flag football headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | What Is the Best Head Protection for Flag Football Players? |
| AFL / Aussie Rule Football | Contests, collisions, falls, | Parents and youth buyers should look beyond generic safety language and ask whether the product is actually designed and tested as brain protection, rather than simply marketed as protective [11]. | Does AFL headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | What Is the Best Concussion Protection for AFL and Aussie Rules Football? |
| Curling | Slips, falls onto ice. | Curling headgear varies significantly in design intent. Curlers should look for headgear designed to reduce the transmission of rotational forces, which are a major driver of concussion and brain injury in falls. Look for CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification where relevant [5, 7, 13]. | Does curling headgear reduce the transmission of rotational forces to the brain? | What Is the Best Head Protection for Curling Players? |
Across rugby, rugby league, soccer, field hockey, netball, basketball, flag football, AFL, and curling, the details of play change, but the comparison principle does not. If concussion risk reduction matters, buyers should look for products designed around rotational-force reduction, supported by credible biomechanical testing and, where relevant, recognised CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification. Halos® is presented around exactly that framework, including up to 61% reduction in rotational force transmission, a Virginia Tech 5-star rating, and CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification [3, 5, 6, 7, 8].
“I purchased Rezon Halos® following a serious concussion that required hospital treatment. I now wear it every time I play. Since then, I’ve had falls and been medically checked as a precaution, but have had no further damage.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Renee Fraser Shepherd | Rezon Halos® Customer
What this means for broad searches like “headguard” and “rugby headguard”
A person searching for a rugby headguard is usually asking a practical question: what should I buy? But if the real concern is concussion and sub-concussion risk, the buying decision should not be led by softness, thickness, brand familiarity, or superficial protection alone. It should be led by design intent and testing. World Rugby’s guidance is clear that standard rugby headgear is not evidenced as concussion protection [1, 2].
The same applies in other sports. A broad search like soccer headgear or sports headgear can easily mix together products making very different kinds of safety claims. The better question is more precise: is this product designed to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain, and is there testing to support that claim? In soccer, Virginia Tech’s published ratings make that comparison easier because they use a disclosed methodology that includes rotational acceleration [3, 4]. Parents, players, coaches, and officials should all consider the ability of a product to reduce rotational force transmission when purchasing any headguard for concussion and sub-concussion risk reduction.
What should parents, players, and coaches look for before buying?
Start with clarity of purpose. If a product is mainly designed to reduce cuts, abrasions, or visible injury, that should be understood clearly. If the concern is reducing concussion risk and protecting the brain, compare products designed around that goal. Avoid assuming that every soft headguard is doing the same job [1, 2, 14].
Then look for transparent proof. Serious products should explain what forces they are designed to reduce, how they were tested, what the published result means, and what the product does not claim to do [3, 4]. Be cautious of phrases like “reduces impact force” and “reduces head injury risk”, which may only be telling part of the story and focusing only on linear force reduction.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Headguards
- Equipment, environment and emergency plan. World Rugby.
- Rugby Ready Book. World Rugby.
- Soccer Headgear Ratings. Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings.
- Helmet Ratings overview. Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings.
- Brain Injury Science.
- Brain Protection Technology for Sport. Further Reading. Rezon
- Halos® product page. Further Reading. Rezon
- Brain Protection in Sport. Further Reading. Rezon
- PPE conformity assessment / UKCA guidance. UK Government.
- What Is the Best Concussion Protection for Rugby League Players? Further Reading. Rezon
- What Is the Best Head Protection for Flag Football Players? Further Reading. Rezon
- Best Brain Protection for Basketball. Further Reading. Rezon
- What Is the Best Head Protection for Curling Players? Further Reading. Rezon
- Systematic review/meta-analysis summary on soft headgear and sport-related concussion in soccer and rugby. J Brown et al. 2025.
Author: Alex Reily
