A method of forming a plate for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes applying a first strand portion to a base layer including positioning adjacent segments of the first strand portion to form a first layer on the base layer. The adjacent segments of the first strand portion having a greater density across a width of the plate between a medial side and a lateral side at a forefoot region of the plate than at a midfoot region of the plate and at a heel region of the plate. The method also includes applying at least one of heat and pressure to the first strand portion and to the base layer to conform the first strand portion and the base layer to a predetermined shape.

A flex cell for absorbing energy from an applied force includes a panel attached to a flex cage. The flex cage is made from a resilient material that allows deformation of the flex cage when a force is applied to the flex cell. The flex cell is attachable to a support surface. In some instances, the flex cell is detached from the support surface when sufficient force is applied to the flex cell.

A flex cell for absorbing energy from an applied force includes a panel attached to a flex cage. The flex cage is made from a resilient material that allows deformation of the flex cage when a force is applied to the flex cell. The flex cell is attachable to a support surface. In some instances, the flex cell is detached from the support surface when sufficient force is applied to the flex cell.

Described herein are helmets comprising at least one surface reinforcing component. In some embodiments the surface reinforcing component comprises at least one anchoring feature embedded in a structural feature of the helmet, such as a force absorbing element. In other embodiments, the surface reinforcing component comprises fasteners configured to mate with a respective fastener on a shell of the helmet.

A structural padding system includes an outer shell, an inner shock absorbing liner attached to the outer shell, and multiple compressible balls coupled with the outer shell and/or the inner shock absorbing liner in such a way that the multiple compressible balls are free to move, relative to the outer shell and the inner shock absorbing liner, when the structural padding system is impacted by an object.

A helmet that includes an outer shell having at least a first outer magnetic member, an inner shell having at least a first inner magnetic member, and padding secured inside the inner shell. The first inner magnetic member is spaced from and opposed to the first outer magnetic member, such that the first inner magnetic member repels the first outer magnetic member. The outer shell is connected to the inner shell.

An impact attenuating helmet including an outer liner having an inner mating surface, an inner liner positioned under the outer liner and having an outer mating surface configured to be received by the inner mating surface of the outer liner, the inner liner and the outer liner being configured to move relative to each other along a slip plane between outer mating surface of the inner liner and the inner mating surface of the outer liner, and one or more securing attachments, each securing attachment being coupled to the outer liner and being configured to secure the outer liner to the inner liner, each securing attachment comprising a slack element configured to permit a range of movement between the outer liner and the inner liner.

A helmet system having an outer helmet, an inner helmet, and one or more orbital connectors joining the outer helmet to the inner helmet. Each orbital connector may include: a slip disc housing, a slip disc, and a post. The slip disc housing is mounted on one of the outer helmet and the inner helmet and has a first face and an opening through the first face. The slip disc has a second face abutting the first face, and the second face is movable in sliding contact with the first face relative to a spherical center. The post extends through the opening and mounts the slip disc to the other of the outer helmet and the inner helmet. The post is dimensioned to move within the opening to allow the second face to move tangentially to the spherical center in sliding contact with the first face.

A helmet system having: an outer helmet, an inner helmet, at least one connector resiliently joining the outer helmet to the inner helmet, the resilient connector being configured to allow the outer helmet to rotate about the inner helmet, and one or more straps configured to be connected to the inner helmet to secure the inner helmet to a wearer's head. The helmet system does not have any straps configured to secure the outer helmet directly to the wearer's head. A helmet visor and other helmet configurations are also provided.

A guard to protect the neck of a person absorbs kinetic energy from an object that, if not for the guard, would strike the person's neck. The guard includes a body that has a material that deforms when an object strikes it, a shape configured to cover the posterior region of each of the cervical vertebrae of a person's spine when the guard is worn by a person to protect their neck, and a coupler to position and hold the body over the posterior region of each of the cervical vertebrae of a person's spine. The guard's body also includes a first region positioned above a person's first cervical vertebrae, when the guard is worn by a person to protect their neck, and a second region positioned above a person's last cervical vertebrae, when the guard is worn by a person to protect their neck.