Detroit-based football equipment manufacturer Xenith has introduced what it says is the first headgear designed exclusively for non-tackle football.
Called the Xenith Loop, the new product is based on “an unprecedented level of research into non-tackle football,” according to the company.
“Non-tackle football” includes flag football, 7v7, passing league, and other forms of touch and non-tackle football,” explains Ryan Sullivan, CEO of Xenith. “Schools and tackle football programs across the country are increasingly requiring non-contact practices as part of their season, and according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), participation in all forms of non-tackle football are on the rise.
“With the growth of non-tackle, football is more present in an athlete’s life than ever before. Creating a protective solution specifically engineered for non-tackle is a necessity for athletes and a challenge we were excited to take on. Xenith Loop is an important part of the Xenith portfolio of products which elevate the athlete’s pursuit in playing, training, and living.”
The company says the Loop’s halo form was informed and developed through research including video tracking that allowed the Xenith team to analyze the incidental impacts taking place on the field of play, as well as the placement, frequency, and speed of these impacts. On-field tests were conducted at multiple indoor and outdoor facilities during competitive play.
Xenith worked with material science experts BASF to develop KINETIX, Xenith Loop’s proprietary protection solution, which was designed and engineered for the non-tackle field. KINETIX custom forms to the athlete’s head for all-game comfort, but adapts its stiffness to control energy across the range of impact speeds measured on the field. Combined with the VersaKnit exterior, Xenith Loop is a lightweight, breathable, comfortable, and high-performing protective solution.
“Our team at Xenith conducted an unprecedented level of research utilizing industry-first video capture and tracking technologies to reconstruct the incidental contact observed on the non-tackle football field,” says Grant C. Goulet, vice president of product innovation at Xenith. “By developing such a deep understanding of what the athlete needs on the field, we were able to create the first purpose-built headgear designed and engineered specifically for this sport; from the silhouette, to the protective material, to the knit, we started with a blank slate to create the best possible product for the non-tackle football athlete.”
Xenith Loop, which retails for $79, will make its on-field debut at the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl Presented by Xenith in December. The company is based at Renaissance Global Logistics at Fort and Clark streets.
