All-New ION4D™ from Schutt Sports Hits the Market

Game's Best Performing Football Helmet Already in the Hands of NFL®, College Teams and Team Dealers

When you put the ION4D™ together with the AiR XP™ - with both helmets packing the same TPU technology - we give players a real choice in what helmet they want to wear. Now, there's no reason every football player shouldn't be wearing helmets with TPU Cushioning.

Litchfield, IL (PRWEB) July 17, 2008 -- The football helmet that played a major role on football's biggest stage is ready to hit the fields across America. The ION4D™, worn by six players on the New York Giants team when they won the Super Bowl in February, is speeding off the production lines at Schutt Sports (www.schuttsports.com), headed to players and teams across the country.

Many college and pro teams have already had the chance to put some playing time on the new ION4D™ helmets, as they were a part of the field-testing program that began last fall. Recently, at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana, nearly a thousand of the game's best high school quarterbacks and wide receivers had the opportunity to try the ION4D™. Their reaction was overwhelmingly favorable.

"There is nothing like this product in the market, in terms of comfort and performance," says Kip Meyer, Vice President and General Manager for Schutt Sports. "We expect some big numbers this year, as it has taken a tremendous amount of hard work to get them to market and then onto the field, but the response has made all our efforts worth it. Now that we're shipping the ION4D™, we're going to be able to tell our story to more players, coaches, parents, equipment managers, trainers and everyone else in football."

The ION4D™ is one of two new helmets introduced by Schutt Sports since late 2007 - a feat unprecedented in the football industry. Most new helmets are introduced every couple of years, with some helmets needing 5-6 years to receive minor tweaks. But Schutt has rocked the industry with these two new helmets, both featuring TPU Cushioning in the form of SKYDEX2®. The ION4D® is a large standoff helmet shell featuring TPU Cushioning, while the AiR XP™ is a traditional helmet shell. According to test results from independent research labs, the ION4D™ absorbs up to 55% more impact than a Riddell® Revolution®. As opposed to the foam padding found in older traditional helmets, TPU Cushioning performs equally well at higher temperatures, does not take a compression set, eliminates the break-in period for the helmet and, unlike, is highly resistant to mold, bacteria and mildew.

Schutt began shipping the AiR XP™ several months ago with unprecedented success. Now, with the ION4D™ going out the door as well, the company's two-pronged attack on the market is ready to take shape.

"We know the ION4D™ is the best helmet on the market right now," says J.C. Wingo, Executive Director of Football Development at Schutt. "When you put the ION4D™ together with the AiR XP™ - with both helmets packing the same TPU technology - we give players a real choice in what helmet they want to wear. Now, there's no reason every football player shouldn't be wearing helmets with TPU Cushioning."

With the AiR XP™ and ION4D™ football helmets shipping right now, players anxious to get them in their hands will soon be given the opportunity.

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