I have 5 different Padded Hats / Bump Caps so let me review them.



The Ribcap is a complete hat with built-in foam panels, so they fit well. They come in several styles such as baseball cap and beanie. It has the Best fit and comfort, but baseball cap has open back where the strap is, so the back of the head is exposed.

The Unequal Dome 3 and Linerz are inserts that go into your own hat. The Dome 3 is thickest, and has a squishy feel, so it has the best impact attenuation.

The Dome 2 is a denser foam rubber, so it feels heavy. But it is no longer available.

The Linerz is the cheapest insert. It uses foam that is harder but lightweight, which is ok because you don't want it to be too soft. It breathes well and Fits in standard hat but XXL is better

The Crashe Hat is a beanie style. It has 6 hard plastic inserts with thin rubber, so I don't recommend it.

The Unequal Dome 3 needs a larger hat to go into so get the XXL size like this Under Armour

Hat / Insert Thickness Price Website
Ribcap 10 mm $169.00 Protective Special Needs Helmets for Adults & Children | Ribcap
Unequal Dome 3 9 mm $49.95 Protective Dome Baseball Hat Inserts & Liners
Unequal Dome 2 6 mm
Linerz Inserts 6.5 mm or 3.3 mm $10.99 LINERZ BUMP CAP HAT INSERTS
Crashe Hat 4 mm $39.95 Protective Sports Hat | Head Gear Protection | Helmet Alternative | Crasche

Effectiveness
These padded hats and bump caps are very effective at reducing the acceleration/deceleration force of low-force impacts because they lengthen the distance and time that the skull has to come to a complete stop when impacting an object. It's these low-force events that concussives complain about the most, saying they bring back symptoms or set them back.

These padded hats are not effective in high-force impacts, such as a bicycle crash, because they don't reduce the impact forces significantly enough. That's why they are not meant to replace a bicycle helmet for cycling.

Why Protect the Head
Minor head bumps cause inflammation, which is damaging, and the inflammation is what causes the symptoms. If you look at the most severe PCS cases, multiple head hits are usually involved. But the impact forces were not enough to cause significant damage. And in extreme cases, Second Impact Syndrome can result in death, so it's very important to protect the head while the brain recovers and heals from concussion.

These hats will also reduce anxiety because they give you a sense of security, so you don't have to worry about hitting your head. And if you do hit your head, it will be a significantly lower impact so your brain won't over-react with excessive anxiety or inflammation.

I wear one of these hats every day and they have saved me more than once. One time I banged my head on the car door frame, and another time a broom stick whacked me on the head at a restaurant. So they are well worth it to wear, and most people don't even know there's a padded liner inside the hat.