Having completed rigorous testing at Virginia Tech, a college football player – sophomore Carter Hogg – has developed a solution that reportedly reduces combined probability of concussion in contact sports by more than 60 percent. After his older brother was beset by a career-ending concussion during a college championship game in 2022, Carter was inspired to invent G8RSkin PPE, a balaclava-like shell used under helmets designed to prevent concussions.      

Carter sees G8RSkin as a viable path to increase safety and reduce concussions in full-contact and extreme sports, including football. Testing at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab demonstrated up to 61.57 percent reduction in concussion risk based on reductions in both peak linear acceleration and peak rotational acceleration.

“When a car comes to a sudden stop, passengers get thrown forward in their seats,” Carter says. “Similarly, if your body throws the brakes on too fast, the brain will collide with the skull’s interior. G8RSkin reduces combined probability of concussion by hastening the movement of the skull and neck during impact, protecting your brain from a serious internal collision.”

The next steps for the technology are to work with professional and college athletes to wear G8RSkin next season — along with an expansion into shoulder pads and cleats. From hockey and football to soccer, Carter and Jason Hogg are in talks with several pro players in addition to teams and league officials (managers, coaches, et al). For more: g8rskin.com.

Interestingly, team sports industry veteran J.C. Wingo, who has been involved in the sporting goods industry in many aspects for over 40 years, is a  member of the fledgling company’s advisory board. His roles have stretched from collegiate player to sporting goods executive and he is the designer of protective equipment used by NFL players. He was the founder of United Sports Labs and designed Power Protective Equipment, a shoulder pad line utilizing his patented air impact system (United Sports Labs was acquired by Riddell Sports in 1988). Wingo served as VP-marketing and later became president and CEO of Riddell Sports Inc. After leaving Riddell Sports he formed Wingo Sports Group and then joined Schutt Sports as executive director of product development. In addition to Riddell and Schutt he has consulted for Vicis Helmet and several other players in athletic protection.