Batting helmets are designed to protect baseball players' heads. Helmets must fit properly so they stay properly attached and protect players at all times. There are specific head measurements that correspond to helmet sizes so you can ensure the proper fit now and in the future.
Importance of Proper Fit
It is important to have a properly fitting batting helmet, because helmets are designed to protect based on the fit. For example, padding will not be in the proper place if you are wearing the wrong helmet size. In addition, baseball players must run with helmets, and the helmets need to stay on while you run to protect your head when you are not batting. Losing your helmet while running is dangerous because you could be hit with a ball, fall on your head or even be kicked in the head.
Methods to Adjust Helmet Size
Some players do not fit a particular helmet size, meaning they are in-between sizes. In other cases, teams may not have a size small enough, or you may purchase a helmet at a larger size, assuming you will grow into it. There are a couple of methods players use to make sure a helmet fits securely. The most common is to wear a hat under your helmet to make it fit more tightly; this can fix some helmets that may be too big. In addition, some manufacturers sell padding and Velcro sets that fit inside of helmets to make them smaller.
Proper Fit
According to helmet manufacturer Schutt Sports, helmets should fit snugly, and the bill of the helmet should be parallel to the ground when you look straight ahead. The helmet should not be too tight, but it should not wobble or fall off when you run, either. Schutt Sports also explains that the lowest edge of the front pad should be approximately 1 inch above your eyebrows. The helmet should not sit too high or the padding will be in the wrong place, while sitting too low can obstruct your vision and also put the padding in improper places. Helmet sizes are determined based on the circumference of a player's head, which is measured just above the ears, retailer Coastal Athletic Uniform and Supply notes.
Extra-Small and Small Helmet Sizes
Extra-small and small helmets are the smallest helmets most manufacturers produce. According to Coastal Athletic Uniform and Supply, extra-small helmets fit heads that range from 20 to 20 1/2 inches in circumference; this is equivalent to a hat size of 6 3/8 to 6 1/2 inches. Small helmets, meanwhile, fit heads that range from 20 3/4 to 21 1/4 inches. This size is equivalent to a hat size of 6 5/8 to 6 3/4 inches, Coastal Athletic Uniform explains.
Medium and Large Helmet Sizes
Medium and large are the middle sizes of helmets, and the majority of people have a hat and helmet size in these categories. According to Coastal Athletic Uniform, medium helmets fit heads from 21 1/2 to 22 inches in circumference --- equivalent to hat sizes from 6 7/8 to 7 inches. Large helmets, meanwhile, fit heads from 22 1/4 to 22 3/4 inches in circumference. Coastal Athletic Uniform reports that large helmets are equivalent to a hat size of 7 1/8 to 7 1/4 inches.
Extra-Large and XXL Helmet Sizes
Extra-large and extra-extra-large helmets are the largest made. According to Coastal Athletic Uniform, extra-large helmets fit heads that range from 23 to 23 1/2 inches in circumference --- equivalent to a hat size of 7 3/8 to 7 1/2 inches. Double-extra-large helmets fit heads that range from 23 3/4 to 24 1/4 inches in circumference --- equivalent to a hat size of 7 5/8 to 7 3/4 inches, Coastal Athletic Uniform explains.
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