Testing Reveals that One in 32 Hockey Helmets Earn Three Stars

If you think that wearing a helmet while playing contact sports will keep you safe, think again, as a new study shows that not all helmets are created equal.

Virginia Tech engineers released new information that shows only one in 32 hockey helmets tested earn a three star rating. The five-star ratings report of hockey helmets judges their abilities to help prevent concussions, but the results are far from five stars. The first-of-their-kind ratings are three years in the making and follow Virginia Tech's ratings of football helmets.

Photo Credit: Virginia Tech

The research was co-directed by Stefan Duma, head of the university’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics. The team purchased 32 pairs of new models of hockey helmets and put them to the test.

"Our focus is to improve the safety of the sport, and we have spent a great deal of time developing the methods and relaying these to the manufacturers so that they can optimize their designs," Duma said. "Our hope is to see new helmets come into the market with improved performance."

Photo Credit: Virginia Tech

The findings are published in the April 2015 issue of Springer journal Annals of Biomedical Engineering. The helmets were tested in four directions at three energy levels twice, with a total of 48 tests per model. The entire evaluation process included more than 2,000 impact tests done both on an ice rink and inside a laboratory at the Institute of Critical Technology and Applied Science at Virginia Tech.

Despite the low ratings of the helmets tested from such manufacturers as Warrior, Reebok, Bauer CCM, and Eaton, Duma said he wants his findings to be used as a way to help, not hurt, hockey. In total, six helmets earned two stars, 16 helmets received one star, and nine had zero stars. The helmet that tested best with three stars was the Warrior Krown 360, according to the report.

Photo Credit: Virginia Tech

Duma and his team worked for more than three years on the project, forming the STAR (short for Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk) Evaluation System exclusive to hockey helmets. The team spent a decade perfecting a ratings system for football helmets.

Since first releasing safety ratings data on football helmets four years ago, manufacturers have sought to improve their products, Duma said. In spring 2014, all five of the new adult football helmets to hit retail shelves earned top marks under the football portion of the STAR Evaluation System.

Photo Credit: Virginia Tech

Ratings of youth football helmets, baseball, softball, and lacrosse helmets are expected to follow in the next decade.