The World’s Most Advanced Martial Arts Headgear

Independently proven to reduce rotational forces in concussions and sub-concussions, and reduce brain injury risk.
  • Reduces concussion risk by 74%*
  • Reduces rotational force transmission by up to 61%*

  • Reduces linear force transmission by up to 64%*

Virginia Tech 5-Star Rated
CE Categoty II PPE
UKCA Category II PPE
British Safety Industry Federation approved
*Based on independent testing in the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab – Halos® is 5 Star rated.
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Rezon Halos®: Protecting Your Brain in Martial Arts

Halos® is a groundbreaking martial arts headguard that protects the brain in Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai and sparring. It’s the only headgear of its kind that is designed to reduce your risk of concussion and developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) from the accumulated damage of sub-concussions.

Why Halos®?

  • Reduces concussion risk by 74%*
  • Reduces rotational force to the brain by up to 61%, and linear force by up to 64%*
  • Internationally recognised Virginia Tech 5 star safety rating
  • CE/UKCA Category II PPE-certified
  • Sleek, lightweight, flexible and hypoallergenic
  • Water and tear-resistant
  • Machine washable

*based on independent testing

As seen in

What is the best martial arts headgear for sparring?

  • Rezon Halos® is martial arts and sparring headgear designed to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain during concussive and sub-concussive hits.

  • Halos® uses patented Rotection® technology and has been independently tested to reduce concussion risk by 74%, rotational force transmission by up to 61%, and linear force transmission by up to 64%*.

  • Halos® is the only non-helmeted head protection to be both Virginia Tech 5-Star rated, and CE/UKCA Category II PPE certified.

Rezon Halos® brain protection worn in taekwondo.

Why Head Protection Matters During Martial Arts Sparring

Repeated head impacts during sparring are a significant risk to long-term brain health in striking martial arts. In Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai and other striking disciplines, sparring exposes participants to repeated punches and/or kicks to the head. Most head impacts will not cause a concussion, but they still transmit damaging forces to the brain.

These smaller-force impacts are known as sub-concussions. Unlike a concussion, a sub-concussion produces no symptoms, meaning a fighter can continue training without knowing that the brain has experienced an injury. The effects of repeated head impacts accumulate over time.

During a strike to the head, both linear and rotational forces are produced. Rotational forces cause the brain to move and rotate inside the skull. This is associated with tearing of tiny blood vessels and brain cells resulting, over time, in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and the creation of damaging neuro-inflammation.

This is why brain injury in martial arts is not simply about avoiding a knockout or diagnosed concussion. The cumulative exposure to repeated sub-concussive impacts during years of training and sparring is an important brain injury risk.

“I had 7 rounds of sparring today and I had the Halos® on.
Before I would have a small headache, even after 2 rounds.
But today, no headache after – it’s amazing!”

Matthew
Rezon Halos black

Purchased:
Halos® Hexo Black | Extra Small

The best mitigation is to reduce the transmission of rotational and linear forces to the brain.

Rezon Halos® is designed specifically for this purpose. Patented Rotection® technology has been independently tested to reduce rotational force transmission by up to 61% and linear force transmission by up to 64%.

Learn more about brain injury in combat sports.

Patented

Rotection® Technology

Engineered to reduce rotational forces, which are the primary mechanism of brain injury.

Rotection® is a proprietary, nine-layered, comfortable, lightweight protective system to protect the brain across contact, collision, and combat sports. Independently tested at Virginia Tech, Halos® with Rotection® technology demonstrated up to a 61% reduction in rotational forces*. Deliberately designed to protect your brain.

*based on independent testing.

Why Halos® is different.

Rezon Halos® is the only non-helmeted head worn protection to hold both CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification and a Virginia Tech 5 Star safety rating.

Conventional headgear in sport is designed to only protect from surface injury, cuts and abrasions. Halos® is different, it is brain protection.

Halos® is engineered to protect your brain by reducing the transmission of rotational forces in sub-concussive and concussive impacts. By lowering exposure to these forces, Halos® is focused on reducing neuro-inflammation and lessening the risk of triggering longer-term neuro-degenerative consequences, including CTE, motor neurone disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

Rezon Halos® Martial Arts Head Guard

Every head impact creates rotational forces to the brain.

This is associated with the tearing of tiny blood vessels and brain cells; and over time, in the breakdown of the protective blood-brain barrier and the creation of damaging neuro-inflammation. This increases the risk of longer-term neurodegenerative consequences, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is an early onset-dementia that typically occurs in ages 30-50 but can occur in teenagers and is a condition almost unique to contact and collision sports players.

Taekwondo fighters wearing Rezon Halos® martial arts headgear to reduce rotational force transmission.

The Brain is Vulnerable

In sports, the brain is vulnerable to rotational forces from both concussions and sub-concussions.

Sub-concussions are small force impacts that damage brain cell function, but do not produce evident signs or symptoms of concussion – so they go unnoticed. Sub-concussions are over 500 times more common than concussions in sport.

Repeated sub-concussions impact memory and attention, suppress brain function, and contribute to later life mood and behaviour problems including CTE. The risk and severity of CTE is caused primarily by the cumulative damage of multiple sub-concussive impacts, and not by concussions.

How does Halos® protect the brain?

Halos® protects your brain from rotational forces – this is where your brain rotates within your skull on impact, and is a lot more common than you think.

And that’s the biggest issue in brain injury: the undetected damage of rotational forces from repeated sub-concussions goes unnoticed, yet they’re progressively tearing brain cells and blood vessels, damaging the protective blood-brain barrier, and causing brain inflammation.

Halos® has nine protective layers, wrapped around the most critical areas of your head. On impact, each of these layers move over each other, reducing the transmission of rotational forces to the brain. Also three specific layers deform, further reducing impact energy.

Without wearing a Halos® in sport, your brain is subjected to damaging rotation. Halos® has been proven to reduce rotational forces by up to 61%. That’s a significant reduction for every player at every level, with the intention of reducing the risk of neurodegenerative consequences, which only start to be seen when the damage to the brain is already done.

Award-Winning Brain Protection for All

Rezon Halos® is suitable for use by all ages, players and sports in schools, universities, clubs and leagues.

Halos® gives every athlete the option to protect their brain, with a medically endorsed and legal protection product.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Protection in Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing and Martial Arts Sparring

For athletes concerned about concussion and repeated sub-concussive impacts, it is important to consider whether head protection has been independently tested for both rotational and linear force transmission.

Rezon Halos® is head-worn brain protection for martial arts designed specifically to reduce these forces. Halos® has been independently tested to reduce rotational force transmission by up to 61% and linear force transmission by up to 64%, and has achieved a Virginia Tech 5-Star safety rating alongside CE/UKCA Category II PPE certification.

Conventional padded headgear is intended only to reduce risk of cuts, scrapes and bruising. Rezon Halos® is brain protection.

Martial Arts head protection that reduces the transmission of rotational forces before they reach the brain can reduce brain injury risk by lowering cumulative exposure during training, sparring and competition.

Conventional padded headgear does not meaningfully reduce concussion and sub-concussion risk in combat sports because it does not reduce rotational force transmission to the brain.

Halos® is a low-profile alternative to a conventional martial arts headguard, designed specifically to reduce rotational and linear force transmission during head impacts. It is a CE/UKCA Category II PPE-certified and Virginia Tech five star rated protective headband designed to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain.

Learn more about head protection in combat sports here: Does head protection work in combat sports?

Yes. For long-term brain health in martial arts and combat sports, the primary concern is repeated exposure to sub-concussive head impacts. Sparring can expose a martial artist to multiple blows to the head in a single session.

Repeated sub-concussive impacts have a cumulative effect on the brain over time. Rapid movement of the head, particularly rotational acceleration, stretches and shears brain tissue, disrupts neural networks, damages axons and disrupts the blood–brain barrier, contributing to neuroinflammation. Research into repetitive head impacts has associated greater cumulative exposure with changes in brain structure and function, while long-term repetitive head trauma is associated with increased risk of neurological and neurodegenerative disease, including CTE, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neurone disease.

Research examining routine boxing sparring has found acute changes in brain function following repetitive sub-concussive head impacts, demonstrating that blows which do not cause an obvious concussion can still affect the brain.

The best protective strategy in sparring is to reduce the transmission of the rotational and linear forces to the brain in each hit.

Rezon Halos® is designed specifically for this purpose. Its patented Rotection® technology has been independently tested to reduce rotational force transmission by up to 61% and linear force transmission by up to 64%.

Learn more about the science of brain injury and rotational forces.

When considering taekwondo headgear, it is important to assess whether the head protection has been independently tested for both rotational and linear force transmission.

Rezon Halos® is head-worn brain protection for taekwondo designed specifically to reduce these forces. Halos® has been independently tested to reduce rotational force transmission by up to 61% and linear force transmission by up to 64%, and has achieved a Virginia Tech 5-Star safety rating alongside CE/UKCA Category II PPE certification.

Conventional padded headgear is intended only to reduce risk of cuts, scrapes and bruising. Rezon Halos® is brain protection.

When looking at karate headgear, athletes concerned about concussion and repeated sub-concussive impacts should consider whether head protection has been independently tested for both rotational and linear force transmission.

Rezon Halos® is head-worn brain protection for martial arts designed specifically to reduce these forces. Halos® has been independently tested to reduce rotational force transmission by up to 61% and linear force transmission by up to 64%, and has achieved a Virginia Tech 5-Star safety rating alongside CE/UKCA Category II PPE certification.

Conventional padded headgear is intended only to reduce risk of cuts, scrapes and bruising. Rezon Halos® is brain protection.

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