Erin Hanson needs to make taking it on the chin in soccer a lot safer in Canada.
Guardian Sports activities formally launched the Guardian Flex chinstrap on Thursday for particular person and staff sale, with the CFL being among the many leagues to have reviewed the merchandise. The product has been engineered to cut back the impression of blows to the facemask.
In line with the corporate, the chinstrap reduces Head Acceleration Response Metric (HARM) scores by as much as 35 per cent and targets facemask impacts, which analysis suggests account for about half of all hits and are an space the place conventional helmets underperform.
The chinstrap might be far much less noticeable to followers than the Atlanta-based firm’s Guardian Cap. Launched 14 years in the past, the smooth padded shell suits over a soccer helmet and is secured by elastic straps connected to the facemask.
Whereas the cap doesn’t get rid of concussion threat, research have proven it may possibly cut back it by 15 to 34 per cent.
“The Guardian Cap helps deal with impression discount on head-to-head, or head-to-ground blows,” stated Hanson, Guardian Sports activities’ chief govt officer and co-founder. “Now the Guardian chinstrap is the primary to enhance an space the place roughly half of all impacts happen.
“The Guardian chinstrap addresses a essential hole in soccer security.”
Throughout North America, significantly on the minor and high-school ranges, there was an effort to cut back head contact in tackling. Gamers are taught to maintain their heads up, provoke contact with their shoulders after which wrap with their arms.
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Nevertheless, gamers nonetheless butt heads — offensive and defensive linemen accomplish that on almost each play. At each stage, tacklers generally lack the time to make use of correct method and can do no matter they’ll to deliver the ballcarrier down, leading to contact involving the facemask or head.
Guardian’s chinstrap has a tough outer shell with a foam insert and what the corporate describes as SoftShox know-how — a hydraulic shock-absorbing mechanism positioned the place the participant’s chin rests that engages to assist take up power from impacts to the facemask.
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The chinstrap turned obtainable for presale final August, and on Sept. 13, Notre Dame offensive lineman Billy Schrauth turned the primary participant to put on it in a sport.
Suitable with all main helmets, the white chinstrap is available in two sizes — small/medium and enormous/further massive — and retails for $69.
Guardian has shared samples and analysis with the CFL, which in flip did so with its groups. Every franchise will resolve whether or not to buy the chinstraps, although the expectation is all 9 will carry them this season.
CFL gamers select their very own tools — together with helmets, facemasks, chinstraps, shoulder and leg pads — and groups are required to make permitted choices obtainable.
The CFL mandated using Guardian Caps in 2023 throughout coaching camp and regular-season contact practices. All offensive and defensive linemen, operating backs and linebackers needed to put on them.
That yr, then-CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie stated the introduction of Guardian Caps helped create a 42 per cent lower in coaching camp concussions. In 2024, the league prolonged using the caps to defensive backs and receivers whereas permitting gamers to put on them throughout video games.
On Aug. 24, 2024, Saskatchewan operating again Thomas Bertrand-Hudon, a local of Mont-Saint-Hilarie, Que., turned the primary professional soccer participant to put on the cap throughout a CFL regular-season sport versus the Montreal Alouettes. Others, corresponding to B.C. Lions defensive again T.J. Lee, have adopted.
This season, Alaric Jackson, a Windsor, Ont., native and beginning offensive lineman with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, donned the protecting headgear throughout video games. And on Jan. 26, New England guard Jared Wilson turned the primary participant to put on a Guardian Cap within the Tremendous Bowl, doing so within the Patriots’ 29-13 championship loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The CFL will not be the one soccer league in Canada inspecting the brand new chinstrap.
“U Sports activities is following the development of student-athlete protecting tools,” the governing physique of Canadian college sport informed The Canadian Press. “As soon as the Guardian Sport chinstrap is permitted for play by Soccer Canada, U Sports activities athletes might be permitted to apply it to a volunteer foundation in competitions and coaching.”
Guardian caps are additionally obtainable to U Sports activities soccer gamers, with a quantity having used them throughout practices in 2025. U Sports activities stated only some wore them in regular-season video games in 2025 and none in bowl video games or the Vanier Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 26, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
