In an exclusive partnership with Gamebreaker Helmets, a manufacturer of performance protective softshell headgear in the USA, D3O’s unique shock absorbing technology will be integrated into Gamebreaker’s protective headgear. Athletes of all ages and genders who play a variety of non-contact sports where helmets are not mandated will now have access to D3O’s soft protective headgear that is lightweight, flexible and washable.
“D3O impact protection materials and technology are combining with Gamebreaker Helmet’s design expertise to meet a real need in the US team sports market,” said Marcus Hoenig, Head of Advanced Concepts for D3O.
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
D3O is a smart, rate-sensitive material that has stress vs. strain characteristics built into it. This means the harder the impact, the greater the resistance to the force. D3O uses patented technology (D3O’s global patents ensure that no other company can offer the same type of protection) to engineer a number of materials and incorporate them into polymer structures. It offers a range of material formulations, and manufactures and licenses its own unique materials to produce high performing, shock absorbing polymers.
D3O engineers material formulations based on varying temperature environments for maximum impact protection that include the D3O ST, XT and Shock+. The D3O Aero is designed specifically for applications where weight is the primary material characteristic requirement. The D3O Decell is designed for strain rate sensitivity, reacting to each impact by giving the wearer shock absorption that traditional EWA’s aren’t able to match. The D3O Lite is the newest D3O engineered cushioning material. It is for lower impact sports, with other high performance properties.
Hello World!! Welcome to the best collaberation in sports safety history!! GameBreaker Helmets and D3O. https://t.co/F0mbG2DCYY
— GameBreaker Helmets (@GB_Helmets) April 27, 2015
D3O materials in their raw state flow freely when moved slowly, but on shock, lock together to absorb and disperse energy, before instantly returning to their flexible state. In layman’s terms, the way D3O reacts to shock is counter intuitive, meaning the greater the force of the impact, the more the molecules lock together, and the greater the protection.
Michael Juels, Managing Director of Gamebreaker Helmets, said, “Partnering with D3O takes our helmet to a whole new level of protection previously thought not reachable. It solidifies our best in class position and promises to our athletes that their safety is our top priority.” D3O has also engineered a range of footwear with the same performance and cushioning impact technology as the protective headgear.