Imagine taking a hit so hard it leaves you with three broken ribs, yet you still finish the game. That’s the brutal reality many American football players face. Enter the flak jacket, a game-changing piece of equipment designed to protect athletes from such bone-crushing impacts.
Originally developed in an Army lab to shield pilots from blunt-force trauma, the sports version of the flak jacket features triple-layer urethane foam padding.
This padding contains tiny air cavities that cushion blows and redistribute impact forces, making it almost unnoticeable under a player’s jersey. Capable of withstanding over 800 pounds per square inch, it’s a marvel of modern sports safety.