Padding that cools and protects

    July 25, 2002
    Lacrosse can be a hot, sweaty, dangerous game. To make it more comfortable and a little safer,designers at Brock USA, Boulder, Colo., use expanded polypropylene beads in their lacrosse jerseys.

    The beads, marketed under the name Arpo by JSP International in Detroit, provide impact protection andcooling. When a player wearing a Brock jersey is struck on the chest, each bead moves, trying to moveadjacent beads, thus deflecting energy away from the body and dissipating it over a larger surfacearea. The beads also let air circulate completely around them. Then, as the body sweats and watercoats the beads, the improved airflow accelerates evaporation, body cooling, and drying.

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