Crasche Middie Protective Headband Review

The Crasche Middie protective headband isn't designed to replace a helmet, but it does offer an extra level of protection for athletes who can't or won't wear helmets. It's proved to be a helpful addition to my figure skater's wardrobe on the ice.

Pros

• Easy to fit
• Washable
• Looks similar to a thick headband worn for warmth
• Keeps ears warm
• Available in several colors
• Protective inserts are removable

Cons

• Can be itchy or uncomfortable to wear at first
• Suitable for practice only (not competition)

Basics

The Crasche Middie is a stretchy fabric headband with pockets that hold protective inserts to surround the forehead, sides, and back of the head (the top of the head is exposed). The inserts are made from neoprene rubber surrounded by polycarbonate plastic. They are designed to absorb and spread impact from a fall or from contact with another person.

We tested the Crasche Middie for figure skaters ($46.95), but headbands are also available for soccer, girls' lacrosse, and field hockey. Crasche also makes mesh and knit beanie-style hats that can be fitted with protective inserts, and the company sells inserts that players can place in their own baseball caps.

Review

When my 12-year-old daughter sustained a concussion, she was not allowed to participate in her chosen sport, figure skating, for several weeks. (She actually wasn't skating when she was injured, but her doctor required a break from all physical activity as part of the recovery process.) As her return to the ice neared, she was anxious. More than one doctor had told her, and me, that repeat concussions can be dangerous. So she worried about falling on the ice, or colliding with another skater, and re-injuring her brain.

Then I spotted an advertisement for the Crasche protective headband. I showed it to the doctor caring for my daughter (a sports medicine specialist with training in concussion care). I expected her to dismiss it as a waste of money, but she didn't. Her opinion basically echoed the company's tagline, which is "for people who should wear a helmet, but don't." In the doctor’s view, the headband could provide some protection, and certainly wouldn't hurt. It might not prevent a future concussion, but even the most state-of-the-art, expensive helmet can't offer 100 percent protection either.

Most importantly, the doctor suggested that the helmet might offer a psychological benefit—helping my daughter feel more confident on the ice. This, in turn, could help prevent a fall caused by anxiety or tentative skating. I let my daughter pick a color and ordered the headband.

She’s been wearing it for a few months now and finds it both comfortable and comforting. It never slips out of place and it has the extra benefit of keeping her ears warm on the ice. She uses it for practice only, not in competition. She has not hit her head, so we (thankfully) have not had the opportunity to test the Crasche Middie in that circumstance. But we both feel better about her risk of injury when she's wearing the headband.