Gear Review: Cascade XRS Helmet

New Cascade helmets are inevitable. We all know they’re coming, but like your favorite holiday, even though you’ve been through it so many times before, it’s impossible not to be excited about it. Cascade just keeps pushing the gas, and new releases keep us safer than the last, feel more comfortable, and looks amazing. The Cascade XRS fires on all cylinders, and I’m really excited for you guys to experience it.

The Cascade XRS helmet drops today (June 1, 2021), and if you’re a fan of Cascade helmets, and of course you are, you’re going to love it. Each Cascade helmet has gotten better that its predecessor, and the XRS is no exception. The protective technology packed into this helmet is amazing, and when paired with the unprecedented level of comfort, and the always present style of Cascade helmets, you end up with a truly impressive piece of equipment.

New for the Cascade XRS is the Double Jaw Deflection. If you’ve ever caught a shot with your ear hole, you know how unpleasant it is. Cascade’s previous helmet, the Cascade S, introduced the Jawbone, which was a single piece of plastic that extended from the chin back towards the ear and was designed to mitigate impact on the side of the head. The Cascade XRS has doubled down, and added another protective plastic stripe that helps distribute impact force. The XRS is full of brain-saving technology with their Tri-Liner System. It’s light, and almost so comfortable that it doesn’t feel substantial, but knowing how much time and effort Cascade puts into protection and safety, you know it’s going to go above and beyond to protect your noggin.

The Vision Bar that was introduced with the Cascade S is back, and I honestly don’t see it going anywhere on subsequent Cascade releases. It’s a nice innovation that has proven itself in the XRS’s predecessor. The “tail pipes” (rear vents) also make a return with the XRS. The airflow that we saw in the Cascade S has somehow been improved upon.  The weight distribution of the XRS make it feel more like a hat than a helmet, and this helmet will be perfect for those tournament weekends where your helmet is on your head more often than it isn’t.  In short, this is a VERY comfortable helmet.

Style is everything (at least very important) when it comes to lacrosse, and Cascade has upped their customization game. The Cascade XRS has five customizable zones resulting in 9.6 million color combinations. The Jawbone that was only available in black on the S model, now comes in three colors, black, white, and grey.

This is a beautiful helmet that is chock full of Cascade technology that they have been fine-tuning for a long time. Given their market-share, Cascade could easily make minor changes on new releases, sit back and count their money…but they don’t. They defend their market-share by continuously improving upon already amazing products, and even though they’re not cheap ($299.99), I truly believe it’s we the consumers that come out on top.

To buy your Cascade XRS helmet, visit Universal Lacrosse.

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Tom Ledin

Tom Ledin is an illustrator/graphic designer and lacrosse coach from the San Francisco Bay Area. Tom has been coaching in the SF Bay Area since 2006, and has coached at every level from bobbleheads (U7) to college. As a transplant from Connecticut, Tom arrived in CA in 1985, and ended up playing club lacrosse at the University of San Francisco. He has customized his gear (in every sport, and activity) since he was very young. When his sons Tanner and Riley began playing lacrosse, Tom made sure they had cool custom gear, and began making YouTube videos documenting the customization process. Tom branded his artistic and lacrosse endeavors as Red Star Lacrosse. The name is a nod to the great state of California, and the red star on its flag.

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