GLEN MILLS, Pa., March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The sport of lacrosse’s leading industry publication, Inside Lacrosse, is out with a new article on NOCSAE’s updated ND200 standard for player protection. In a post dated March 2, “What’s the New Shoulder Pad Standard and What is Unequal?“, the editorial board tackled the difficult topic of player safety, health, and product development – determining that only Unequal’s lacrosse-specific shoulder pads ensure that the heart is fully protected. At stake for players is mitigating the grave risk of Commotio cordis, a rare but sometimes fatal direct blow to the chest that disrupts the heart’s natural rhythm. Inside Lacrosse cautions that many popular Commotio cordis shoulder pads on the market today could expire, requiring players to buy updated equipment in Jan. 2023.
“Eliminating the risk of Commotio cordis incidents is an issue that’s been at the forefront of our research, technology, and product testing,” states Rob Vito, CEO of Unequal. “No other protective sports gear manufacturer has gone further in ensuring that lacrosse players can safely play the game. Unequal’s line of HART CC pads is the world’s only protection thoroughly tested at Tufts Medical Center, NOCSAE ND200-certified, and granted a claim by the FDA.”
20 years of work went into drafting a standard for protective player safety, with manufacturers carefully following updates and new standards. The culmination of this work was the new ND200 standard, adopted by NOCSAE in January, which goes into effect for all players on Feb. 1, 2023. Product certification is handled by the Safety Equipment Institute, who evaluate different manufacturer’s equipment. And while five brands have met the criteria under the previous safety standard, only Unequal has met the new ND200 2021 standard, which includes 13 different chest protective products certified as safe.
As of March 1, a new lacrosse season has begun for players at the collegiate level, which includes tens of thousands of players. “Our concern was that some certified shoulder pads only cover the sternum and not the entire heart that extends over to the left nipple,” stated Vito. “This unprotected area can expose the player’s heart to commotio cordis. This vulnerability is the reason for the new NOCSAE ND200-21 standard. It ensures that the entire heart is protected.”
About Unequal
Invented by company founder and CEO Rob Vito, Unequal is military-grade protection that has been modified for sport. With over 100 patents in the U.S. and internationally, Unequal is fortified with protective technology like no other. From the World Cup to the NFL to collegiate, high school and youth league players, Unequal protects.
Unequal’s military-grade composite is built with DuPont™ Kevlar®, TriDur, Accelleron, Airilon and ImpacShield. This ultralight, ultrathin athletic gear works differently than virtually every other traditional foam and plastic of equal weight and thickness on the market. It absorbs, disperses, and dissipates impact energy away from the body to provide the ultimate in protection. Unequal does not impede mobility and bolsters user confidence, allowing athletes to play at the top of their game. Visit http://www.UNEQUAL.com.
Media Contact
Jeff Cheatham, Creative Content, LLC, +1 972-961-6171, [email protected]
SOURCE Unequal
