Thousands of baseball players every year get injured due to lack of protective equipment especially without a baseball helmet. Hence in a good game of baseball to keep oneself protected is equally important as having a great hit. Like any another game, baseball players often face certain dangers and risks due to which it is important that they protect themselves.
It is vital for the safety of players to be wearing a baseball helmet to prevent themselves from any potential injuries that might occur. Research has shown that injuries to head are the most common in baseball than any other part of the body.
This guide includes the best baseball helmets and all other information you need for your head safety during your favorite game of baseball.
Who Needs To Wear a Helmet?
Unlike batting gloves, pertaining to the rules of baseball, wearing a helmet is absolutely essential for certain players during the game. A player while batting or running the base needs to wear a protective helmet.
Whereas players in the National Association League need to wear a good quality double ear flap helmet while they are batting. Players are not allowed to run or bat on the base without wearing a double flap ear helmet. Those in the major league need to wear a single flap helmet, while all catchers and base coaches must wear a protective helmet.
Why Are Baseball Helmets so Important?
Despite the fact that traumatic brain injuries are less frequent in baseball and softball, if they do occur, the effects are very long lasting and devastating.
Many players in baseball even today do not wear helmets and few of them do not even comply to the guidelines. This can have serious consequences. A lead neurosurgeon at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto said:
"Some of these injuries can be quite catastrophic, and a helmet would prevent things like a skull fracture or bleeding in the brain."
Talking about professional baseball in the USA, batters are mostly at risk of getting hit-by-pitch and a concussion with each pitch they face. The exact concussion rates in Major League Football are unknown but approximately 51% of concussions which occur in high school and college baseball are due to hit-by-pitch.
Even at high school and collegiate level, baseball players often have poor compliance for helmets which leads to several traumatic brain injuries, amongst which only 6.7% of them wear a helmet during a game.
Baseball helmets not only provide protection against brain injuries but also prevents open skull fractures and intracranial hemorrhage.
Owing to all potential dangers, it is essential that all parents, baseball players and coaches need to be educated regarding the importance of wearing baseball helmets and preventing any potential injuries.
What Are The Different Types of Baseball Helmets?
Taking into account the dangers of not wearing a helmet , it is best to are aware of the different options of baseball helmet which exist in the market today and which is the best one that you need to buy.
Batting Helmet
The first option when it comes to baseball helmets is a batting helmet, which is often made of plastic and it is to be worn on the head by all the players on the offense side while on the field.
Rawlings are the official manufactures of MLB batting helmet. It is known to be best batting helmet and it is 130 times stronger than the average plastic as it is made from authentic carbon fiber.
It is popular due to the single earflap design which provides protection to the face and jawline. Aesthetically the helmet is preferred as it matches the uniform of the team members as well.
With Face Guards
Today, baseball helmets with face guards are also gaining popularity due to its benefits of reducing injuries to the eyes, nose and mouth. This is why you will find a lot of such helmets in the markets having flap extensions. Currently, the MLB uses S100 PRO COMP series batting helmet. It can withstand the impact of 100 mph speed on the pitch due to the aerospace grade carbon fiber composite construction.
Flap Extensions
The variation in baseball helmet can also be seen in terms of flap extensions. There is a single flap extension and double flap extension.
Double flap extension is mostly worn by professionals. Younger and novice players are not recommended to wear helmets having a single flap extension since they offer way less protection than double flap. Experts may also sometimes choose single ear helmets since they weigh less and players can hear everything more easily.
Three Types of Batting Helmets
There is an option to choose from 3 types of batting helmets. Either open face, fastpitch and jaw guard.
Open Face
Open face helmets are the ones which provide minimal protection specially for the front of the face. But the benefit of these helmets is that they provide greater visibility. These types of helmets are best suited for little leagues where pitching speed is rather slow.
Fastpitch
Secondly, fastpitch helmets also provide lower face protection but the have a metal coated guard which covers the face and also protects the jaws and teeth. Fastpitch helmets are best to be used by softball players. This helmet matches the throwing style of soft ball players.
Jaw Guard
Lastly, jaw guard helmets are the only ones which come with a plastic deflator on the side of the face. Before choosing this helmet the player needs to take into consideration his batting stance. As these batting helmets only provide protection on one side of the face. If the player has a line of on the left side of the plate, then the jaw guard needs to be on the left side as well.
How to Choose the Right Size and Fit for Baseball Helmets?
Since helmet is the most important piece of protective gear a baseball player can wear, make sure to choose the best batting helmet for your level.
The pricing of the baseball helmet will be determined by the material its made of. Baseball helmet which is made from high impact padding is good for energy consumption is likely to be on the higher end. Whereas a basic baseball helmet is only going to have a soft padding for comfort which is likely going to be cheaper.
Baseball Helmet Sizes
One of the most important things which you need to taking into account for your baseball helmet is its fitting. In order for it to be effective it needs to be of the correct size and fit.
Helmet sizes often tend to vary with each brand. It is vital to check out the brands fit and sizing chart to find out which size is an ideal fit for the baseball player.
General Fit
A batting helmet ideally should be fitting snugly all around, there should be no space between the players head and between the pads. When choosing the correct size , do remember not to wear a baseball hat or anything underneath the batting helmet.
Head Size
In order to find out the head size of the baseball player, wrap a soft measuring tape around the head which should be just above the eyebrows and ears. Ideally the tape should be wrapped around the head 1 inch above the eyebrows. The tape needs to stay at level from the front and the back. Incase of unavailability of the tape, a string can also be used. Cut the string and straighten it out next to a ruler to get the circumference.
Feel
It is recommended to ask the player how the helmet feels on their head; it should have a snug fit but if its too tight it can cause headaches as well.
Hairstyle
It is recommend that the player wears the helmet with the hairstyle which they are going to keep for practices and games. If the hairstyle differs significantly it can have an effect on the helmet's fit. For instance, a player having thick, dense and long hair gets his head shaved will need to adjust the fit of the battling helmet.
Coverage
An ideal fitting helmet will be aligned just above the eyebrows. If the batting helmet is titling backwards, or large parts of forehead are visible it needs to be adjusted.
To check for an ideal fitting, see if the players ears are aligned with the ear holes in the helmet. When the baseball player is looking straight ahead, the bill of the batting helmet needs to be parallel to the ground. Bottom pad which is inside the front section of the helmet also needs to be 1 inch above the eyebrows.
Vision
A good fitting baseball helmet will ensure that when the helmet is worn the player has a clear vision straight ahead and from side to side.
Look For These Labels in Batting Helmets
The batting helmet should say "Meets NOCSAE standards" either by the manufacture of the SEI. This label ensures that the batting helmet which you are buying has been thoroughly tested and meets the protection and safety standards given by NOCSAE.
Also look for whether the batting helmet can be re-certified. If incase it cannot be re-certified determine the expiry date of NOCSAE certification.
It is essential to also look at the date of manufacturing for that particular batting helmet. This information can be useful for the baseball players as it informs about the average lifetime of the helmet.
Incase of buying used helmets do check for a label which has the date when these helmets were either repaired or approved for further usage.
Should You Buy Batting Helmets With Masks?
Some battling helmets come with masks while others do not. Most of the times these masks are removable and they are varying in designs.
Having a mask with your batting helmet not only provides extra protection to your face but also an addition layer for preventing infections reaching inside your body. Batting helmets with mask also reduce the likelihood of injuries to the face, eyes and teeth.
Choosing batting helmets with or without mask is often a personal preference as for some it impairs their vision whereas for others the mental peace in knowing the face is protected during the game only increases their confidence even more.
Batting Helmet With Chin Straps
Even though chin straps aren't seen on the professional level, but you will find some leagues which require chips straps for their batting helmets. It's better to keep in mind that chin straps have to be bought separately as they do not come with the batting helmet. Similar to the face mask, its better to buy a chin strap by the same manufacturer of your batting helmet.
Attaching the chin strap to your batting helmet is not much of a task. It contains two button snaps on the front of the helmet and one on the lower corner of each side. Once the chin strap snaps into these buttons its gives you added protection.
One thing to keep in mind is that the chin straps which are used in football helmets contain extra straps hence they are not the same as the ones used in baseballs or softball batting helmet.
The 7 Best Baseball Helmets
It is absolutely essential to choose a good baseball helmet, with the wide variety of types of different helmets available in the market this can become a tough choice.
Read ahead to make the correct choice when it comes to choosing the best helmet for yourself.
1. Paradox Protege Batting Helmet by DeMarini
Without a doubt the DeMarini Paradox Protege batting helmet is one of our top picks and there are no shortage of reasons for it. Not only does it have a lot of practical features but also second to none asthetics. DeMarini Paradox Protege helmet has everything you would ever want in a baseball helmet.
It has a high quality design and the helmet comes with the best materials which can be used in the market. Once you try the helmet on, you will notice the superior comfort which the helmet offers. It has a matte finish and dual density foam. The venting system on the helmet is placed very strategically as well.
This DeMarini Paradox helmet meets NOCSAE standards, and it is available in two different sizes with an option of large and extra large to choose from.
Pros
Cons
This helmet features a very distinctive Rawlings logo in the center and a choice of 4 colors to choose from. The Rawlings Coolflo baseball batting helmet is certainly an eye catcher. It weighs 1.5 pound and has a moulded finish. The helmet comes with a high quality ventilation system.
This helmet also complies with NOCSAE standards and it also has pre drilled holes in order to attach a face guard if anyone needs.
Pros
Cons
If one of your concerns of not buying a budget baseball helmet is that its going to lack quality, then this Easton Z5 helmet would not disappoint you. It only costs 25 dollars and comes with a variety of features.
It uses high quality Biodri pads, which ensures that any moistures leaking during the play can be absorbed. The makers of this helmet have kept in mind the security of the players as it is made by abs plastic.
Pros
Cons
If you are looking for a catchers helmet which offers great performance and best quality then you cannot go wrong with Mizuno G4 Samurai Catchers helmet. Not only does it have an adjustable jaw pad but also has moisture control technology.
The helmet also features strong steel frame and it also meets NOCSAE standards.
Pros
Cons
Now Lets also look at baseball helmets for Youth and Junior players as well.
5. Rawlings R16 Velo Series Matte Batting Helmet
This Rawlings R16 batting helmet should be an ideal choice for young baseball players. Only priced at $34.99 it offers a lot of features.
Rawlings r16 has matte paint finish along with wrapped jaw pads for high comfort and safety.
Players can choose from a variety of colors. The outer material is made of abs plastic to offer high durability.
Pros
Cons
If you are on the lookout for best helmet which provides one size which can fit all then this Under Armour batting helmet has to be your choice. What separates this helmet from the other brand is its unique design and interiors designed to remove bacteria. This ensures the helmet remains free from bad odor while the costumers remain comfortable.
Pros
Cons
This batters helmet has high quality vent holes for strong ventilation. It also has an AIR-XE shell for an optimal fit and durability.
The helmet also features D30 Aero impact dual density padding which is designed to disperse energy and reduce the force transmitted.
Pros
Cons
How To Care For Your Baseball Helmet
Make sure to clean your helmet frequently inside and out with warm water and mild detergent. Keep in mind to not soak any part of the helmet in the water as it can destroy the material and reduce longevity.
Best to store the batting helmet in a clean dry place with no direct sunlight. And before each game check for any missing padding or parts and get them repaired from the manufacturer if need be.
Frequently Asked Questions
What brand of helmet do MLB players wear?
Rawlings if the official helmet of the major leagues.
Why do MLB players wear one flap helmets?
Firstly, because they are more practice and its easier to take them off than standard two flap helmet.
Secondly, they are also more comfortable and lastly because they make communication from fellow baseball players easier.
How long are baseball helmets good for?
A good quality baseball helmet can last you up to 10 years but make sure to check the manufacturing date as well as its recertification entity. Never continue using a helmet that has not been certified by a license NAERA conditioner.
Some baseball helmets also have a label which indicates that it cannot be reconditioned. Such a helmet would also have a label indicating on its average years it can last. However some helmets may need to be replaced earlier depending on its wear and tear.
Conclusion
In the end, after going through a list of the best baseball helmets, the best of the best would have to be the DeMarini Paradox batting helmet. As it covers all bases and provides comfort , style and performance. Without a doubt this is the best batting helmet out there!