Without a helmet to protect the ears, wrestlers risk permanently scarred and disfigured ears. A condition called cauliflower ear is extremely common in wrestling due to the constant pounding the ears end up taking. In the standing position, wrestlers rub their forehead against their opponent’s ear and temple for an advantageous maneuver. A good takedown is often achieved by spearing your opponent with your head, often landing with your ear against their hip. The ears also take a constant beating from being ground into the carpet. With all this friction against the direct skin and cartilage of the ear, it is not long before an injury occurs. The most common injury involves a separation of the skin and cartilage that creates a painful, swollen sac of fluid. This is an acute injury that requires minor surgery and definitely time off the mat. Without surgery, the acute swelling will subside, but the space left over from the separation will remain, eventually filling in again, each time leaving a scar. While some seem more prone to this problem than others, it’s serious enough that you wear ear protectors literally every time you fight.
Despite the potential drawbacks, severe pain, possible surgery, and even permanent disfigurement, most fighters are surprisingly negative about wearing headgear. During the season you will see almost every fighter wearing a pair in tournaments. However, this is because a helmet is required in school sports. Actual opinions come out of season. Unless required by the competition, few wrestlers are seen wearing hearing protectors. Most of the time you train with them on and when asked why you will find very few favorable answers. The fact is that wrestlers actually hate helmets. It’s the wrestlers’ moms and trainers who like it and force them to wear it. The other fact is that you can’t fight in any tournament that really matters without him, so he’s here to stay. With this in mind, it’s smart to choose a brand that offers the best protection and performance and is the least intrusive. This is the reason why you will also see most of the wrestlers in tournaments wearing the same brand of wrestling helmets, Cliff Keen.
After a career as a legendary wrestling coach, Cliff Keen had worked in the industry long enough to know what athletes needed to perform at their best. He began producing and selling wrestling equipment in 1958 and has gone strong for over 50 years creating equipment that has been a staple of the sport since it began. With innovative items seen and worn by referees and athletes in tournaments and practice rooms around the world, Cliff Keen is perhaps best known as the father of wrestling helmets. As a true testament to his genius, the original traditional headgear design he created has changed very little since its inception and is still widely used at almost every level of wrestling. Compared to the few brands that dare to compete, Cliff Keen head protectors offer the lowest profile, most secure fit and highest performing hearing protectors on the market by far. Over time, only Cliff Keen has further developed wrestling hearing protection by producing three different models, the Signature (traditional), Twister and Tornado.
The Cliff Keen Signature helmet is also known as the ‘traditional’ model and is perhaps the most widely used in all of wrestling. It’s made of a rounded hard plastic cup covered in firm, padded foam to fit over either ear. The foam is an important part of Cliff Keen’s original patent from over 50 years ago, as it is firm enough to take tons of abuse from rolling on the mat and still forms a comfortable cushioned skin/head contact that surrounds the ear. The hard inner cup offers full ear protection and the padded outer foam has a slippery surface so it glides well against the mat during sparring. Four straps hold the Cliff Keen Signature Helmet in place and give it a very sleek profile snug against the head. These hearing protectors are very lightweight and fully adjustable for the perfect fit. The adult-sized Signature Headgear can also be adjusted to fit youth, but you may need to shorten the straps by cutting them with scissors.
The advantages of traditional Cliff Keen Signature helmets are many and somewhat obvious, as they remain the best-selling hearing protectors of all time. They are super resistant and can last several seasons if you take care of them. This includes cleaning the padding with antibacterial soap wipes to keep it clean and moisturized. However, most wrestlers neglect their Signature helmet and just throw it in their bag until the next tournament and eventually this will add to their wear and tear. When traditional Cliff Keen hearing protectors begin to wear out, the padding will develop cracks that can harbor bacteria and lead to skin infections. Fortunately, Signature helmets are very affordable (less than $35 at most stores) and many wrestlers opt for a new pair each season. Fitting the traditional Cliff Keen helmet is somewhat tricky and is often done just before first use. Fit them tight and they will loosen up a bit after training them a few times to get a perfect fit. A heavily worn Signature headgear set that needs to be adjusted is often more trouble than it’s worth, as the padding/cup will cause small grooves in the straps and make it nearly impossible to change.
The Tornado wrestling helmet is a later model from Cliff Keen that is definitely a step up from the traditional Signature style. These ear protectors are a successful attempt to improve the few shortcomings that traditional helmets may have. Based on a revolutionary design from NASA research, the Tornado Helmet is 43% lighter and significantly cooler to wear. They also have an earpiece that helps amplify sound so you can better hear the coaches in your corner. The Cliff Keen Tornado harness straps are made with webbing and a hook-and-loop/snap system that is much easier and quicker to adjust compared to the classic Signature model. The padding on these fight ear muffs is also much softer and more comfortable against the skin. While the Tornado may ultimately perform better than the traditional in the short term, it doesn’t seem to have the longevity that the Signature helmet tends to. If there’s any downside to the Tornado style, it’s with the padding. Towards the end of their life, ear cushions start to get too soft, lose their elasticity and deflate. This is when it’s time to buy another pair, however it should last a full year of training abuse.
The latest addition to the Cliff Keen family of wrestling headgear is called the Twister. While this model is another attempt to improve on something that needs very little, it’s closer to the Tornado than the Signature. The Twister has the same basic layout as the Tornado helmet, so it has the same great performance benefits; cool, comfortable, extremely light, easy to adjust and good sound quality. The main difference between the two is that the Cliff Keen Twister helmet has only two head straps instead of three. For some, this is an advantage for even faster/easier adjustment; For others, the 2-strap system doesn’t feel as secure. With the same type of head pad used on the ear cups as the Tornado, the Twister also has the same issues with the pad going flat over time. It should also be noted that Velcro strapping systems tend to show wear considering how often the wrestling headgear is worn or removed.
When shopping for wrestling helmets, the list of varieties is somewhat limited. There are only a few other companies that offer wrestling ear protectors and most just offer their version of what Cliff Keen has already mastered. While this article mentions the pros and cons of the different models available, it should be noted that the pros far outweigh the cons. Wrestling is a tough sport and most of the equipment (including shoes, jerseys, knee pads, bags, etc.) only lasts for one season, no matter how well it is cared for. Despite listing wear and tear as one of the disadvantages associated with Cliff Keen’s helmet in this article, these ear muffs last longer or at least as long as any other. Other than a team-imposed color or style requirement, the wrestling helmet is largely an individual preference. The fact is, though, that if you choose something other than Cliff Keen, you’re probably making a mistake.
