Baseball/Softball T-Ball Batting Helmet (N.O.C.S.A.E Standards)
All-Star designed the BH6110 Cool Lids helmet specifically for youth
players. The high impact resistant ABS molded shell is significally smaller
than standard baseball and softball shells. It also features a dual density
foam liner with super soft fitting foam that conforms to the player's head.
Wide channel in back allows for pony tails. Super soft UltraCool fabric cover
over the foam wicks away moisture and increases player comfort. Liner is
treated with Aegis Microbe Shield that effectively stops the growth of mold and
mildew for the life of the product. Black face mask attached. Meets NOCSAE standard...
- Rank: #154725 in Sports & Outdoors
- Size: Youth Ages 4 to 8 (5 7/8" - 6 3/4")
- Brand: All-Star
- Model: BH6110
- Hat Size Under 6 3/4
Baseball is among the most popular sports in the world, played by children as young as 5 and adults past age 60. What every player has in common is the need for adequate head protection when batting or playing catcher. Helmets must meet strict standards for safety and protection. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, or NOCSAE, was founded in 1969 to set those standards.
Size and Fit
A baseball helmet must fit different head sizes and be adjustable for slight variations between standard head sizes. Properly fitting a helmet must involve allowing for required padding. The helmet must stay in place at all times without the need for repositioning or adjustment. A helmet manufacturer must pass tests for NOCSAE standards on three product samples in order to be approved.
Muzzle Distance
This standard is based on the approved testing procedure in which a pneumatic ball launcher fires a baseball or softball with the release point, or muzzle, positioned 24 inches from the point of impact on the helmet. This assures that the helmet can withstand a direct impact, not only the lighter pressure of a glancing blow.
Baseball Impact
The safety standard states that a baseball helmet, whether for a batter or a catcher, must withstand the impact from a standard baseball or a softball. A standard, approved helmet must withstand an impact by a baseball that weighs between 5 and 5 1/4 oz., or 142 to 149 g, has a circumference of 9 to 9.25 inches, a Coefficient of Restoration (CR), a measure of hardness, of 0.5 to 0.55, and a construction as specified by Major League Baseball. Respective softball parameters are 5 7/8 to 6 1/8 oz., or 155 to 174 g, circumference of 10.875 to 11.125 inches, and CR of 0.43 to 0.47. No softball construction standard is specified.
Velocity
A helmet must withstand a hit from a ball traveling at about 58 to 62 mph. The impact must not crack or shatter the helmet and the helmet must be able to remain in place. It should not fit so loosely that it can be knocked off the player's head by an impact. Standards apply at 67 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, an average range of playing temperatures.
Impact Position
A helmet must meet a standard for impact from any of five directions. A ball must produce no damage when striking the helmet from exactly the front; the back; 90 degrees from the front/back axis, regarded as the side or the position of the required ear protector; from 45 degrees between the front and side; and from 45 degrees between the back and side.
Drop Test
A batter and a catcher need durable headgear if they collide in a home plate pileup with a runner and a hard-thrown ball, or if they fall while dodging or chasing a wild pitch. NOCSAE relies on a helmet drop test to assure safety in such situations. When dropped from head height, a sensitive instrument inside a test helmet must record an acceptable value called a Safety Index to show that a player's skull and brain are protected.
Purchase
Check the flier produced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Which Helmet for Which Activity?" for the proper equipment. A batter's helmet must adhere to the NOCSAE ND022 standard and a catcher's helmet must adhere to NOCSAE ND024. The same helmets are recommended for use in softball and T-ball.
