VICIS is now making its top-rated Zero1 helmet widely available to high school players for the 2018 season through a newly opened online marketplace.
The Zero1, which a joint NFL/NFLPA study deemed best for reducing head-impact severity, made its debut on NFL fields earlier this year, with high-profile players such as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith and Seattle Seahawks teammates, quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Doug Baldwin, among the early adopters. In all, more than half of the NFL teams and 20 college teams have players wearing a VICIS helmet.
“Though we started with NFL and NCAA players, our goal has always been to protect players of all ages,” Dave Marver, VICIS CEO and co-founder, said in a press release. “We’ve launched our online store to make the world’s most technologically advanced helmet more widely available, particularly to parents, grandparents and boosters who want to better protect high school athletes.”
The multi-layered, force-mitigating helmets are all fully customizable and will include the Edge Shield created with Oakley Prizm lens technology. This next step of VICIS’ incremental release targets high school players although, due to pro and college demand, the website says only “a limited number” are likely to be available to individuals. (Currently, the helmets are designed for players who are at least 150 pounds; versions for smaller athletes are expected in the future.)
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
Concurrent with the wider distribution is the announcement that Wilson has become an inventor in the company; he and The Peregrine Group led a $7 million round of funding.
“My experience wearing the ZERO1 this season has been exceptional. The custom fit and wide field of vision have allowed me to perform at my best,” Wilson said in a statement. “I invested in VICIS because I believe in our mission and I want to help all the kids playing sports have access to the best available technology.”
Added Baldwin, “Football is a violent sport, so it’s important that we have access to the best protective equipment. The ZERO1 is a game changer – I believe the helmet will save the game of football.”