Could a Football Helmet Save Your Life From a Crossbow?

Published on March 27, 2025
Duration: 1:08

This video from Yee Yee Life features an experiment testing the penetration capabilities of various helmets against a high-powered Ravin Crossbow. Host Tyler Smith demonstrates that standard NFL, DOT-certified motorcycle, and military-style helmets offer minimal resistance to a crossbow bolt, with the projectile passing through all tested headwear. The experiment highlights the significant kinetic energy of modern crossbows.

Quick Summary

High-powered compound crossbows, like the Ravin Crossbow tested, can easily penetrate standard NFL football helmets, DOT-certified motorcycle helmets, and military-style helmets. These helmets offer minimal resistance to the kinetic energy of a crossbow bolt, with projectiles passing completely through most.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction & Helmet Test Setup
  2. 00:10NFL Helmet Penetration Test
  3. 00:23Motorcycle Helmet Penetration Test
  4. 00:34Military Helmet Penetration Test

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a football helmet stop a crossbow bolt?

No, a standard NFL football helmet cannot stop a bolt from a high-powered compound crossbow. As demonstrated in the Yee Yee Life video, a crossbow bolt easily penetrates through both sides of an NFL helmet, failing to protect the mannequin head inside.

What kind of crossbow was used in the helmet test?

The video from Yee Yee Life utilized a high-powered compound crossbow, specifically identified as a Ravin Crossbow. This type of crossbow is known for its significant power and penetration capabilities, which were central to the experiment.

Do motorcycle helmets protect against crossbows?

Based on the experiment shown by Yee Yee Life, a DOT-certified motorcycle helmet also fails to stop a crossbow bolt. The bolt penetrated completely through the helmet, indicating it does not offer sufficient protection against such projectiles.

How effective are military helmets against crossbows?

While a military-style helmet showed slightly more resistance than the NFL or motorcycle helmets, it was still penetrated by the crossbow bolt. The bolt lodged through the shell and internal padding, demonstrating that even military helmets are not designed to stop high-powered crossbow projectiles.

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