Easton Hockey Launches S19 Z-Shock(TM) Helmet 'The Next Big Thing' at 2010 Olympic Games, Sets New Industry Standard in Protection, Weight

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Easton Hockey today announced the launch of its new S19 Z-Shock™ helmet. Drawing on the innovations and experience of the Easton-Bell Sports Helmet Technology Center in Scotts Valley, Calif., the S19 Z-Shock has been developed to weigh about as much as a small cup of coffee at just 325 grams, about half the weight of a traditional hockey helmet. It immediately becomes the lightest and most protective helmet in the NHL.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100222/LA58418)

Utilizing a patented solid state construction manufacturing process which combines polycarbonate plastic micro-shells and Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) foam laminated together, the ultra lightweight S19 Z-Shock offers impact absorption results found to exceed the minimum protection requirements of all three governing safety bodies by as much as 40%.

"This helmet is as unique as the Synergy stick was when first released – there's really nothing else like it in the world," said Ned Goldsmith, Senior Vice President of Easton Hockey. "By combining our best minds from the Easton-Bell Sports Helmet Technology Center and hockey R&D team, we've been able to create a helmet that is lightweight, very comfortable and incredibly protective.  Remarkably, we've been able to do so with a silhouette that has been an instant hit with elite players like Iginla and Zetterberg, who have all historically been traditionalists in their taste.

In an effort to reduce overall volume, the S19 Z-Shock utilizes a more efficient one-piece construction, allowing Easton's engineers to replace air gaps and layers of plastic with enhanced EPP – a flexible, lightweight foam originally designed for automotive energy management applications. The lamination of these elements brings a new level of structural integrity to multi-impact hockey helmets that historically have only been available in motor sports and other high impact sports.

The S19 Z-Shock will be available at major sporting goods retailers in May 2010 and is currently being worn by men's and women's hockey players competing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games.

To receive more information or schedule an interview, please contact Formula at 310-578-7050 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Follow Easton Hockey on Twitter: @Easton_Hockey.

About Easton Sports

Easton Sports is a developer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of baseball, softball, hockey and cycling equipment for both sports professionals and enthusiasts.  Easton Sports focuses on its ability to innovate and create products of unmatched quality and performance including the #1 bat in the College World Series®, Women's College World Series®, Little League World Series®, and Slow-Pitch Softball, as well as the #1 stick and #1 glove in the National Hockey League.  Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., Easton Sports employs over 1,200 people worldwide and maintains facilities in Utah, California, Mexico, Canada and Asia.  For further information, please visit the company online at www.eastonsports.com.  Prior to the combination with Riddell Bell, Easton Sports was a subsidiary of Jas. D. Easton Inc.  Other subsidiary companies of Jas. D. Easton, including Easton Technical Products and Hoyt, both based in Utah, are not impacted by this combination.

SOURCE Easton Hockey