Helmet maker rounds out football portfolio with new headgear

SEATTLE — The company that produces the top-rated helmet for NFL players and introduced a youth version of the headgear is rolling out a version for flag football.

Seattle-based VICIS already produces the helmet that rated best for three straight years at reducing head impact severity, according to testing conducted by the NFL and the NFLPA. The company unveiled a youth version of the helmet last year with an influx of funding, including contributions from Aaron Rodgers.

Next up is a rapidly growing area of football with little innovation to date in the area of head protection.

“It completes our football portfolio,” VICIS CEO Dave Marver said.

The latest product from VICIS is the ULTIM Cap, announced on Monday, intended for use with youth flag football and the quickly expanding competitive 7-on-7 football played during the offseason for youth and high school programs. The target audience is youth and high school football players in those specific areas, but Marver noted some high school programs are considering the ULTIM Cap for non-helmeted, in-season practices.

It was the goal of VICIS when it first developed its Zero 1 helmet to eventually fill out its entire portfolio by adding the youth helmet and eventually a product for flag football.

“When we first started the company, we realized not everyone was playing tackle football, especially the kids. And we wanted to be able to protect as many athletes as possible,” Marver said. “That’s our mission. That’s what drives us. We started at the professional level because we really could prove the technology, and as quickly as possible we wanted to cascade down into the younger reaches of the sport.”