Batting Helmet performance

DD got hit in head this weekend and got a headache from it(probably minor Concussion). She plays highschool ball. Pitcher was mid 50's. She was wearing Demarini Helmet. She has been hit several other times within the last two years but was wearing Mizuno helmet. She had no effects from prior hits.

Has anyone else's dd had any impacts with side effects?

Any helmets better than others for impact? It appears from looking at the two helmets she has - the mizuno had more padding

I saw a lot of comments about fit and looks but nothing about what happens when actually hit.

I have never seen any impact data on the various helmets.

It would be nice it there was and someone could point me to it.

This made me think of another question. Bike helmets, upon an impact or accident, are not supposed to be used again. I think ski helmets are similar. However, I've never seen similar instructions on a batting helmet. I wonder if batting helmets fall in the hockey/football re-use category or in the biking/skiing category.

#7sDad said:

This made me think of another question. Bike helmets, upon an impact or accident, are not supposed to be used again. I think ski helmets are similar. However, I've never seen similar instructions on a batting helmet. I wonder if batting helmets fall in the hockey/football re-use category or in the biking/skiing category.

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I was wondering same thing since my daughter was hit earlier in the week and had no issue. The first hit was with a harder pitch. Seems like getting hit with a pitch is similar impact as bicycle or ski incident.

Go to the NOCSAE website and read how they actually test these helmets for standards. Everything I've read says that the protection is based on many factors such as angle of impact, position of impact in relation to the head, angle of the head, impact area, padding, helmet shell material, age, health etc.etc. as well as velocity. It also says that the same identical impact may affect one person and may not affect another in the same fashion or, at all.

However, after hours of research, the only test data/results I could come up with were either for bike helmets, motorcycle helmets, cricket helmets and Lacrosse helmets. The only results that actually listed the manufacturers was for the Lacrosse and Cricket helmets. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

I have often wondered about their helmets. My ten year old took a hard pitch to her Mizuno helmet in Saturday, causing it to dent. I am now wondering if she needs a new one, which I will more than likely do anyways.

Same thing I have wondered about her catchers helmet. How many blows to the head does it take to weaken here helmet?

Proudmumof2 said:

I have often wondered about their helmets. My ten year old toom a hars pitch to her Mizuno helmet in Saturday, causing it to dent. I am now wondering if she needs a new one, which I will more than likely do anyways.

Same thing I have wondered about her catchers helmet. How many blows to the head does it take to weaken here helmet?

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Is the shell of the batting helmet damaged or is it the mask that's bent? If it's a mask, that can be replaced easily enough. If it's the shell of the helmet itself, then the entire helmet needs to be replaced. As far as the catchers helmet goes, it is manufactured to take multiple hits similar to a football helmet. Both, the batting helmets and catchers helmets are recommended to be sent back to a NOCSAE certified facility or the NOCSAE itself for recertification and refurbishment every 2 years or be replaced completely. I think for football helmets, it's actually law that they do this beyond a certain age level in most states.

I may be wrong but the impact from the ball, with or without the helmet, can jar the head enough to cause a concussion. A concussion is caused by the brain lamming into the skull from the inside as well. So at 50 mph that could be enough to shake the head violently enough to cause one. I have never replaced a helmet after a hit to the head, but I definetely look for cracks and only use a helmet for one season only.

Cannot comment on whether one helmet is better or worse than others, but a proper fit is important. A lot of manufacturers sell "fit kits" that allow you to add padding or exchange thicker padding for thinner. The helmet should fit snugly with very little play. The location and angle of the ball hitting the helmet will have a big influence on the severity of the impact. Since a helmet is rounded there are a lot of glancing blows that do not hit squarely.

YOCOACH said:

Is the shell of the batting helmet damaged or is it the mask that's bent? If it's a mask, that can be replaced easily enough. If it's the shell of the helmet itself, then the entire helmet needs to be replaced. As far as the catchers helmet goes, it is manufactured to take multiple hits similar to a football helmet. Both, the batting helmets and catchers helmets are recommended to be sent back to a NOCSAE certified facility or the NOCSAE itself for recertification and refurbishment every 2 years or be replaced completely. I think for football helmets, it's actually law that they do this beyond a certain age level in most states.

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It actually dented the shell, not a huge amount but enough to make me nervous. I will pick her up a new one before her game this weekend

We just got her a new catchers helmet last Christmas. Her old one had taken a few hits in the last three years and the mask kept coming unscrewed at the top. It was ok to use during lesspns but I didn't want her using it in games any longer.