2025 Virginia Tech Football Helmet Ratings
Virginia Tech’s Helmet Lab has tested varsity football helmets using their industry‑leading STAR system, which evaluates helmets on how well they reduce concussion risk. Here’s how it works:
- Each helmet undergoes 48 impact tests across four zones (front, boss, side, back) at three impact levels (low, medium, high).
- Linear and rotational accelerations are measured and weighted by real‑world impact frequency.
- The total “STAR score” predicts concussion risk; lower scores indicate safer helmets.
- Helmets are rated 1–5 stars; 4–5 stars are recommended for optimal protection.
| Helmet Model | STAR Score (Lower = Safer) |
Star Rating |
|---|---|---|
Riddell SpeedFlex
|
4.49 | ★★★ |
Schutt F7 2.0
|
1.35 | ★★★★★ |
Schutt Vengeance Pro LTD
|
5.24 | ★★ |
VICIS Zero2
|
0.73 | ★★★★★ |
VICIS Zero2 Trench
|
0.52 | ★★★★★ |
Note: Scores above are from Virginia Tech’s 2025 varsity helmet dataset and represent top performers. For the full list, visit the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is the Virginia Tech STAR Rating System?
- The STAR (Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk) system is developed by Virginia Tech to evaluate how well helmets reduce concussion risk. Helmets are subjected to dozens of impacts across different locations and speeds, and the resulting data is used to calculate a STAR score — lower is better.
- How many tests does each helmet go through?
- Each helmet is tested 48 times across four areas (front, boss, side, back) and three impact speeds (low, medium, high). These impacts simulate real-world collision scenarios experienced in football.
- What does a 5-star helmet rating mean?
- A 5-star helmet offers the best available protection based on Virginia Tech’s impact tests. While no helmet can prevent all concussions, these provide significantly lower risk compared to lower-rated models.
- Is the STAR score more important than the star rating?
- Both are useful: the star rating gives a general safety classification (1–5 stars), while the STAR score provides a more precise measurement of concussion risk reduction. Always aim for both low STAR scores and high star ratings when choosing a helmet.
- Where can I view the full list of tested helmets?
- You can view the complete dataset of varsity helmets at Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings.