Barry Miller, Director of Outreach for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, hosted a webinar via YouTube Monday to answer questions about the recently released Equestrian Helmet Ratings.
The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, which has already tested helmets in the sports of football, hockey, cycling, snow sport, soccer and whitewater sports, added “equestrian” to its catalogue with the support of Jacqueline Mars, USHJA, USEF and USEA. The VT Helmet Lab rated 40Â equestrian helmets using its STAR evaluation system.
According to the Helmet Lab, its “impact tests evaluate a helmet’s ability to reduce linear and rotational acceleration of the head from a range of head impacts a rider might experience. Helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk for these impacts compared to helmets with fewer stars.”
When the ratings were released, there were some surprises, with results varying significantly from Sweden’s Folksam study. Moreover, the widely regarded safety standard MIPS did not necessarily rate highest.
Miller spent more than 90 minutes discussing the results and answering questions. Watch the seminar on demand here:
