Worth Helmets suck

[Dugout Dad]

I have seen a ball hit a Worth helmet and shatter the facemask off. I have also seen cracks develop around the holes were the face mask attaches.

[thetruth]

You guys can tell me how much your daughter loves her worth-less helmet but I am telling you I saw it first hand. When your daughter is in the emergency room with a concussion you can thank yourself for not listening. The pitcher who hit her was no Jenny Finch, 52 mph and she is out for 3 weeks with a concussion, ya what a great helmet

[UmpSteve]

None of them will protect the player if not properly fitted, secure on the head, and held in place with a chin strap.

After multiple concussions, his career ended prematurely. But to less than casual fans, he is best remembered for claiming not to know that the helmet had inflation fittings to conform to his head, and that adjusting it to his head and fastening the straps would help protect him!!

Most/many softball players want to avoid the helmet affecting their hair; and chinstraps (at about $1.79 each) are clearly too much trouble, unless required (yes in ASA, no in NFHS, NCAA, and PGF; NFHS actually said they didn't think the schools needed the added expense!!). And, after all, isn't the path of least resistance the best way to deal with your child's safety?

[PDad]

None of them will protect the player if not properly fitted, secure on the head, and held in place with a chin strap.

After multiple concussions, his career ended prematurely. But to less than casual fans, he is best remembered for claiming not to know that the helmet had inflation fittings to conform to his head, and that adjusting it to his head and fastening the straps would help protect him!!

Most/many softball players want to avoid the helmet affecting their hair; and chinstraps (at about $1.79 each) are clearly too much trouble, unless required (yes in ASA, no in NFHS, NCAA, and PGF; NFHS actually said they didn't think the schools needed the added expense!!). And, after all, isn't the path of least resistance the best way to deal with your child's safety?

ASA Rule 3.5.E only requires JO batting helmets be equipped with chin straps - it doesn't require them to be worn properly.
NOTE: Chin straps are mainly helpful when worn properly and kids rarely do that. Kids don't like snapping/unsnapping them, so they usually have them hanging loose so they can put on their helmet and take it off without undoing the snap.
EFFECT: Not much.

[Comin2getcha]

Aside from the fact that they are one size fits all ..... does anyone notice how fast the foam inside breaks down and crumbles? A few years ago I bought Worth helmets for my team and with in 3 monthes the foam padding inside was crumbling. I called Worth and asked if they replace the foam and the answer was no. They did replace a few helmets that had broken down the worst but by the end of the season they were all like that. I am assuming because of the sweat and the dirt.... but YUCK. From then on all the team we had been on wore Schutt helmets. Those pads can be cleaned and/or replaced. The newest team now has Worth again. I tried to talk the coach into getting something different but he insisted on buying the Worth helmets...... I am doing the I told you so dance........

[SouthPaw_Dad]

You guys can tell me how much your daughter loves her worth-less helmet but I am telling you I saw it first hand. When your daughter is in the emergency room with a concussion you can thank yourself for not listening. The pitcher who hit her was no Jenny Finch, 52 mph and she is out for 3 weeks with a concussion, ya what a great helmet

TheTruth - my daughter currently wears a Worth "Liberty" so this thread got my attention. As you might expect all Consumer Products especially safety equipment adhere to some standard. I let my fingers do the walking and it looks like the standard that Worth is manufacturing to appears to come from the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment).

Here is what they say about Concussion Prevention as it relates to the General Standard

A helmet certified to a NOCSAE standard provides a substantial level of protection for serious head injuries, including concussions, but the NOCSAE helmet standard is not a concussion standard, and no helmet can prevent all concussions, even those certified to the NOCSAE standard. Currently there are no helmet standards in existence that are concussion specific. NOCSAE has been and is currently dedicating millions of dollars in concussion specific scientific research to try and identify criteria that could be used in a concussion specific helmet standard.

When you go to the Specific Standard related to Baseball/Softball this warning is provided

WARNING:
DO NOT USE THIS HELMET IF THE SHELL IS CRACKED OR DEFORMED; OR IF THE INTERIOR PADDING IS DETERIORATED. SEVERE HEAD OR NECK INJURY, INCLUDING PARALYSIS OR DEATH MAY OCCUR TO YOU DESPITE USING THIS HELMET. NO HELMET CAN PREVENT ALL HEAD INJURIES OR ANY NECK INJURIES A PLAYER MIGHT RECEIVE WHILE PARTICIPATING IN BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL.

Also of interest testing is done at 55 MPH. I am bit surprised since this is 12U unless you are Ray Ray then I think she hit that first year 8U.

When I look at Worth Helmets it says MEETS NOCSAE standard when you look at Schutt Helmets it says EXCEEDS NOCSAE standard.

It sounds to me like either the standards should be raised OR you get what you pay for?

I wish the injured player a speedy recovery......

[rbi]

All i know is whomever is spending the "millions" to improve the safety, better pick up the pace, as their testing sucks and so do the standards. I wonder if the CEO of a un named sporting good co would let his grand daughter wear one of those so called protective devices he puts on shelves, and get in the box against someone throwing 70mph. I bet not cuz he knows they are garbage.

[MTR]

ASA Rule 3.5.E only requires JO batting helmets be equipped with chin straps - it doesn't require them to be worn properly.
NOTE: Chin straps are mainly helpful when worn properly and kids rarely do that. Kids don't like snapping/unsnapping them, so they usually have them hanging loose so they can put on their helmet and take it off without undoing the snap.
EFFECT: Not much.

Simply not true.

3.5.E.Offense clearly states the player must properly wear the helmet. The chin strap is part of the helmet by attachment.

3.6.Uniform All protective equipment should be worn properly.

In clinics, umpires are routinely instructed to insure the equipment is worn properly specifically noting the chin straps.

Then again, you would think the coach would actually instruct their players to wear their equipment properly.

[MTR]

Those 1/2" wide elastic bands do almost nothing to keep the helmet on. If that is all it takes to pass the ASA standard the ASA rule is a total joke.
Just as effective as the NFHS.

No doubt that was one of the reason the rule was put into place. If the helmet is properly fitted, it will keep it in place. Then again, why would someone want to go cheap on their DD?

Just like everything else, people demand something they claim is necessary and then do whatever they can to skimp or avoid it altogether.

[tcannizzo]

As I recall it, one of the motivations behind the ASA chin strap rule was to cut down on runners removing the helmet either accidentally or intentionally. I think the chin strap rule has been effective in this. I can't remember the last time a player had to call time at 3B to retrieve her helmet from the ground near 1B. Even the skimpy 1/2" rubber band has pretty much eliminated what used to be a rampant issue. The safety implication is pretty clear too as it relates to a thrown ball to a base, rather than a pitched ball to batter. But it also has gone a long way to improve the pace of the game.