American Football is one of the more extreme contact sports in the world of professional sports, and so all players are required to wear American football helmets when playing semi- and professionally in order to prevent serious physiological damage to their heads and necks. American football helmets can often be the difference between a neck strain suffered on the field to paralysis or even death due to the aggressive nature of the sport.

American football helmets come in various sizes, colours and different manufacturers have slightly different design approaches to their helmets. All American football helmets used in the NFL have to meet the strict safety requirements set out by the NFL to ensure a high quality product is used at all times. After all, American football players are worth millions of pounds to their franchises and for them to be insured they need to be wearing the right safety gear. Along with shoulder pads, American football helmets are crucial in protecting the player on the field.

One of the most popular and successful manufacturers in the American football market is Schutt. Prices for adult Schutt American football helmets range from £115 to £200. Indeed their ION 4D model was voted product of the year in 2008, costing £195. A variety of face guards are also available, with different cell arrangements and material being the main distinguishing features here. Face guards can often suffer considerable wear and tear over the course of a season so it is often recommended that you either purchase a few spares or fork out for an expensive American football helmet initially as these will have more durable face guards.

More American football equipment: American football shirts