Wilson Shock FX Catcher’s Helmet

Wilson Sporting Goods, a worldwide-leader in sports equipment, selected Design Concepts to design a helmet that improves safety for catchers – a helmet that not only works, but instills confidence that it works with a strong, bold aesthetic.

Baseball catchers are especially vulnerable to head injuries. Design Concepts improved safety for catchers by designing a new helmet with technology to better absorb impact force without compromising comfort. The team created an aesthetic that underscores the strength of the new system within the small “real estate” of a helmet. The Shock FX catcher’s helmet uses 4 pistons to diffuse the energy and reduce by 50% the impact force of a baseball hitting a catcher’s face mask. The pistons connect the face mask to the helmet and isolate the mask, absorbing the impact and significantly reducing force on the head and neck.

This revolutionary system was chosen as the official 2008 catcher’s protective gear of Major League Baseball. The design is used by catchers and umpires alike.