Development of the First Safety Chinstrap
The First Ever Safety Chinstrap. Guardian Chinstrap Powered by SoftShox.
The Guardian Chinstrap was developed to address one of the most overlooked gaps in helmet protection. While helmet shells and Guardian Caps absorb impacts to the head, blows to the facemask transfer force directly to the chinstrap. This area has historically been designed to keep the helmet in place, not to protect athletes. By integrating SoftShox’s innovative hydraulic technology, the Guardian Chinstrap was engineered to absorb and dissipate impact forces in a way no other chinstrap has.
Hydraulic Technology
The Hydraulic technology is what makes the Guardian Chinstrap different from every other chinstrap on the market and reduces ‘HARM’ up to 35%. Traditional chinstraps are static; they do not absorb impact, they just keep the helmet on the athlete’s head, and all of the energy is pushed straight to the chin and jaw. Hydraulics change this. Instead of a static response, the hydraulic system compresses and moves within the chinstrap, which dynamically disperses the force over time and space. That means, less energy spikes to the athlete’s chin, jaw, and head. Instead, the impact is absorbed and dissipated like a shock absorber.
Testing & Clinical Studies
Wearable Hydraulic Shock Absorber with Efficient Energy Dissipation
- Achieved an absorption ratio of 100% across a range of impact loading conditions
- Maintained a stable energy dissipation across a wide range of temperatures
- Significantly mitigates brain injury risk when implemented into a full helmet system
- Demonstrates the promise of a wearable hydraulic shock absorber
Why Teams Want the Guardian Chinstrap
Teams are beginning to wear the Guardian Chinstrap powered by SoftShox because it solves a problem that has been recognized but has yet to be solved. When athletes take hits to the facemask, the helmet’s padding and shell are not engaged, leaving the chinstrap as the only line of defense. This product provides a real, science-backed protection where one has yet to exist.
- Closes critical gap in protection by absorbing and dissipating energy from facemasks
- Enhances player safety in one of the most vulnerable, overlooked areas of the helmet system
- Builds confidence among athletes, parents, and coaches that they are doing the best they can to enhance athlete safety
