Warrior’s new Trojan helmet will be hitting store shelves soon and is already creating a buzz since it is a huge change from Warrior’s current Venom helmet. The Trojan has a distinctly different look, and is also lighter than the Venom.
Helmets are arguably the most important piece of equipment you own. A helmet protects one of the most vulnerable parts of your body (your head) but is also one of those pieces of equipment that needs a cool design for your team to look fly. We spoke to David Livingston, Product Manager for Warrior Sports, about the design process.
“The Trojan was made to compete head to head with our competition at the team level,” said Livingston. “When tasked to revamp the helmet category for the company we really took our time to get feedback from all around the country and everyone wanted the same things: improved performance, fit, and price. From the players to the coaches and the retailers everyone wants a new alternative, but they want something ‘better’ than they were getting today. Our task was to make something that fit today’s look and to improve the protective system at a better price.”
So what does that mean? For Warrior, it meant working on five key areas when designing the Trojan:
- An improved protective system
- A one size fits most sizing system
- A look that could blend in with other helmet styles on the same team
- A fit system that let the player customize the fit for their head shape
- A weight target of 2 lbs
“We knew the look we needed to hit so that took a little tweaking to get things just right, but the look wasn’t the hard part. The spot where we spent the most time was the overall shell size,” said Livingston. “The biggest issue was trying to make the helmet bigger without looking ‘big.’ With all helmets, regardless of sport, the further the shell is from the player’s head the more protective material we can get inside, so we really tried to push the size until we felt we got too much push back from players.”
Warrior was able to reach a size big enough to provide strong protection, but not so big that players feel the helmet is bulky. After reaching the current shell size, Warrior worked on the helmet materials inside the shell to try to create a better fitting and lighter helmet. The helmet weighs a light 1013g, just slightly more than two pounds.
The final step for Warrior was developing the fit system so players could customize the fit to his or her head. The result is a three-piece fit wedge system, with two pieces for the ears and one for the rear of the head.
“This system enables everyone to customize what they need for their own fit,” said Livingston. “You can adjust the fit front to back with the pads in the back (three thicknesses provided) and same thing with the ears (three thicknesses provided) for jaw rattle.”
We asked Livingston about the most important part of designing a helmet. He told us it wasn’t the look, but the protective system and coming up with unique and innovative materials.
“When we started the project I would have told you it was all in the look, but the more I get out with players, coaches and retailers the more that seems to be changing,” he said. “The community at large is ready for a change in helmets and helmet design right now. So we’re already working on our next models and we’re really working from the inside out on these. I actually had a meeting with some NASA guys two weeks ago and we started looking at all kinds of crazy new materials that don’t even exist on the market yet. We know where we want to be in the end, but the protective system is driving the design. So to answer your question directly the most important part is the protective system and materials.”
And of course, then there’s the name. For those of you with your minds in the gutter, knock it off. Warrior says the name is inspired from protection and going to battle.
“I knew we would catch some grief from some people about [the name],” said Livingston. “When you think of a military helmet what comes to mind? Most people think of a Viking’s helmet and the Spartan / Trojan helmet with the horse hair plume on top. So calling it the Trojan makes sense in that regard and we already had the Viking. The other reason for the name was the tale of the Trojan horse. It isn’t what’s on the outside that counts it’s what is on the inside that means the most in the end.”
The Trojan comes in a full range of colors for the shell, chin, and visors, and the option of white or black chin straps. Warrior designed custom decals with ProTuff that are available for order. The helmet is not yet on Warrior’s Web site, but will be released soon.
Some pretty good competition will be wearing the Trojan helmet next year. Among the teams donning the lids include Team USA, Princeton, Denver, and Duke.
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http://www.scribd.com/doc/27178957/Complaint-Sports-Helmet
Sport helmets (cascade) has filed a lawsuit for patent and trademark infringement. It will be interesting to see where this goes. It should have been to trial by now but I know nothing would have happen this lacrosse season.
The two designs do look very similar and It is very hard to tell which is which. The definition of trademark infringement in this case is can the average person see a difference or can the two products be reasonably told apart without having to go through a detailed inspection. The fact that most people, judging comments here, cannot means that there is a very good chance that the Trojan will be pulled this summer.
our school is sponsored by brine who is owned by the same people as new balance and warrior so we were issued these helmet. They are the worse helmets ever designed…if you have remotely and kind of a big head your chin touches the front of the chin piece. I wear a 7 and 3/8 hat and my chin is about a quarter of an inch from touching it. So if you ever get hit you are screwed. Our team just sent them back because half of our team can not fit into them. And on the back they dont show in these pics is that a piece of foam is hanging out above the silver inside. All in all worse helmet ever. I would wear a Riddell over this thing.
Flo Bucket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“protection and going to battle.” This might aswell be the new ad campaign for trojan condoms.
my texas team would wear orange chrome helmets. can they do that? Warrior def continues to be innovators, and im pretty new to the game. I see the argument that they “stole” the cascade design, well cascade stole bacharachs design. Either way the helmet looks great, and is probably going to be a big team seller. If team USA and Princeton wear these people will buy them. USA should have chrome red white and blue helmets!
wow i mean wow. where can we buy a chrome looking helmet? my team in FLA would wear those in a hearbeat. Hopefully the helmet is just as protective as the cpro7 -Steve C
Wow. Some of you need to chill out a bit. It’s funny, I see some of you complaining that it looks too much like Cascade, but then you all go on to compliment Cascade.So it clearly isn’t the fact that the helmet looks ugly or anything — I think some of you have an axe to grind. Even one of the points above on the design of this helmet is that they wanted to create something that could blend in with other helmets on the team. What’s wrong with that? They still did their own research and created the helmet themselves. Schutt football helmets and Riddell helmets look similar, but they are both successful companies.
I think the biggest thing is whether it is comfortable. They seem light enough, the design looks cool (the last picture of the carolina helmet is sweet — I’d wear one). The big thing is, does it feel good. I’ll at least try it out before I judge it.
I invented this helmet!
@Rico
Woodrow Shaft = Indians and maybe Crooked Arrow from way back… lame ass Talon did NOT invent wood shafts
Checker Board = Vans did it WAY before Nike
“Helmets Probably CRAP like the rest of there helmets” – If you’re going run your mouth and least spell “their” correctly.
“Nothing Original from Warrior/Brine” – child please
Modern day “Original” from those companies AFTER the basic improvements in the 80’s
• Titanium and high end alloy shafts – literally changed the way we play defense from that day forth
• Vented / broken in gloves
• Curved Heads
• Offset Heads
• The Blade / Razer pinch or flare
• The newest is that NoZ head / technology… absolutely amazing
• Goalie sticks that don’t fold in the scoop when they’re hit with a shot
This didn’t even include any of the other stuff they may lay claim too, just the “real” items off the top of my head that we as players actually use every day and don’t even think twice about where it came from originally.
The helmet looks great and yeah it’s a blend of the Cascade look… who cares? If the protection is good like he said, the price is right and it fits… sold. I posted on lacrosseforums.com ages ago the picture of the old Cascade helmet… same as the Bacharach helmet. Earth didn’t stop spinning then and it won’t now.
If you’re a Warrior hater I guess you guys have something to talk about for a while. The silent majority is just laughing at you while you try to do Pinchy McNutter moves on the field anyway.
Enjoy some McNutter on me… this guy is a real tool
*Denver looked sweet last year
I HATE warrior. hate hate hate hate. How did they get away with this? Their thiefs. Cascade is the king of the helmet. Denver looked thing last year, warrior will possibly ruin their sweet look.
WOW disgusting!!! this is a complete rip off of Cascades CPX helmet that is possibly the most popular helmet in the game, but of course Warrior being the unoriginal “Poster Boy’ company of the game, they stole Cascades genius helmet design.
Cascade is a helmet company and they do a damn good job at what they do, Warrior is most certainly not a company that should be making helmets, they have a different role in the lacrosse industry.
Way to go, Warrior. “We knew the look we needed to hit so that took a little tweaking to get things just right, but the look wasn’t the hard part.”
Of course that wasn’t the hard part…you took Cascade’s CPX, fused the visor to the shell and slapped on a Warrior logo.
When did Warrior change from an innovative company, inventing the titanium handle, to today’s version of the corporate thief?
If you want to grow as a company, take the money you spend on your plagiarizing project manager and throw it to your marketing team. We all know they could use the help.
why does everyone hate? Warrior has the best gear in the game hands down, along with the most $ to invest in it. This helmet will rival cascade and in an industry where’s there not much legroom for changes or a difference in looks, I think they did a fantastic job with the Trojan.
That chrome helmet is sick, I mean I could see every team in america wanting a chrome helmet. Will the chrome come in colors too? Look forward to seeing where they go with this helmet.
-ken
I really like the idea of making the helmets look similar, much like football. This way if kids all decide to buy different helmets they will still look like a team.
they do look similar, but it’s not a complete rip off. these are more sleek and smooth looking. it doesnt look like the bill is detachable, which is great because i had problems with my cpx screw coming out.
well done.
@ not and expert: the pattern called argyle. it is sick and being used a lot. I have a few pairs of shorts from zebraapparel.com in argyle.
i aint hatin. wouldnt anyone love these? where do i get it?
So, basically its a Pro7 with Warrior logos? That last picture really shows it, the chin guard is the exact same as the Pro7
but what is the pattern on the UNC decal called, ive always wondered seeing it on the bball team at chapel hill. Is it Argyle or what?!
Wow. I cannot believe that this is not some sort of infringement on Cascade. Rip-off.
Pro7 still is the best, and the original. Too bad Warrior didn’t come up with something original…
Warrior continues to let us down. I will not use their gear, nor would most players unless mandated by their team/league (cough cough MLL).
looks HOT!
This helmet is tight!!! Well done to Warrior on this one. That UNC helmet is gorgeous, just gorgeous…
Ask Mr. Livingston where he got the design for that helmet? Also ask him where does Warrior get most of there designs from??? Other companies ie… Woodrow Shaft – Talon Shaft, Checker Board Arm Pads (Brine) – Nike Cleats (Hopkins),
Helmets Probably CRAP like the rest of there helmets
Nothing Original from Warrior/Brine
PRO 7 Best Helmet in the Game Hands down………….
That is a complete rip-off of the CPX. But as they say, if you can’t beat em’, join em’.