Sports Gear

Soccer shin guards

Soccer players have to wear shin guards but very few really like them because of the weight, rigidity, and bulk of traditional models. The flexibility of DEFLEXION™ impact protection textiles offers a new era in football shin guards - comfortable, streamlined and protective.

Several products in the DEFLEXION™ material range satisfy the European soccer impact standard EN13061:2001.

Knee, shoulder, hip, and elbow pads

Traditional protective gear such as knee protectors, are hard and bulky and generally uncomfortable. With the DEFLEXION™ line of protective textiles, you have the ability to design gear that minimizes transmitted force but moves with the body and is breathable. Depending on the application either the S-Range flexible textile or the perforated TP-range materials can add significant levels of protection while remaining comfortable, durable and breathable.

Back protection

Sports or recreational activities with the danger of high speed falls require significant injury-preventive gear and protective apparel. Motorcycling, skiing and snowboarding are classic examples.

Typical hard shell back protectors are bulky and uncomfortable. With the S-Range or TP-range protective fabrics, freedom of movement is enhanced without lessening the level of impact protection. Unlike other sport textiles, DEFLEXION™ products maintain protective performance when wet and at low temperatures.

Case study: RodeoTech™ rodeo vest

RodeoTech™ is well known for its innovative design and manufacturing of quality orthopedic supports, braces, and compression gear. Seeing an opportunity to expand their product focus, they worked with Dow Corning to design an innovative rodeo vest using the DEFLEXION™ shock absorbing material.

"They had this material that we really got very excited about," said David Pearson, CEO of RodeoTech™. "It had the nature of being flexible yet be able to take a hit and return to its natural form. It had a lot of great things going for it so we thought that this would be a perfect market for that material."

Rodeo riders agree with the results. "The engineering on the vest is fabulous," says Bobby Welsh, rodeo pro. "Most other vests are hard plastic, so you lose a lot of mobility. With this vest, you can still move in it."

Even more important, the flexibility comes with top quality protection.

"I've been hooked three times with the vest on," says J.T. Stevens, professional bull rider. "It absorbed the impact so well I didn't feel a thing."

Learn more about RodeoTech™.
Watch our video about the RodeoTech™ rodeo vest.