These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
In college and pro football, offensive and defensive linemen crash helmets when the ball is snapped, resulting in more than twice as many head impacts during games as other players sustain. The Zero2 Trench from VICIS is the first position-specific helmet approved for in-game use in the pros. Engineers added an extra layer of protection, a force-absorbing outer shell made of deformable plastic, to the front of the helmet, where linemen are more likely to get hit. In its annual ratings of a football helmet’s ability to reduce concussion risk, Virginia Tech gave the Zero2 Trench ($799–$999) its top score. VICIS says some 50 to 60 top college programs, and 30 out of 32 NFL teams, have put in orders for the helmet. —Sean Gregory
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Donald Trump Won
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- 22 Essential Works of Indigenous Cinema
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
