SoftShox Information

Helmets were originally designed to prevent skull fractures from big hits, not to reduce head acceleration. SoftShox is built to do both, absorbing shock across the full range of impacts. SoftShox makes adaptive impact protection: a patented liquid hydraulic shock absorber that adjusts to each impact in real time. It takes the energy-absorbing principles used in aerospace and automotive hydraulics and puts them in a soft, wearable form. Our first product, the Guardian SoftShox Chinstrap, protects the facemask, an area helmets leave exposed. It reduces the NFL’s Head Acceleration Response Metric (HARM) by up to 35% (Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2026), works with every major football helmet, and is worn by pro and college players. Football is just the start. We’re developing a kids’ bike helmet and partnering with helmet makers to build hydraulic impact protection into helmets in every sport. Not optimized for the lab. Built for real life.