![Large font XR, Xenith Behind The Design logo placed underneath.](/images/_1200xAUTO_fit_center-center_70_none/389463/Screenshot-2023-07-24-at-11.03.46-AM.webp)
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- BTD: Xenith Shadow Helmet Line
BTD: Xenith Shadow Helmet Line
![xenith x logo](/images/logos/XENITH_X-01.png)
July 14th, 2023
Keenan Crow
Xenith Shadow hit the market in 2018 with a fresh look and a modified construction to elevate the level of performance for the helmet, and the athletes who pull it on for game day.
After carefully analyzing Xenith’s previous Epic helmet line, our product development team took on the challenge to further evolve and improve the helmet for increased comfort, performance and a new, iconic silhouette design that would stand out from the pack.
Advance, Modify, and Improve
First, the team wanted to address the vents along the center panel. The goal was to "simplify things and merge the vents to make one singular vent on both sides of the center panel, which features a new reverse mohawk design," said Bailey Boyd of Xenith's Product Development Team.
![Close up of the frontside of a Xenith Shadow helmet.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0655/4509/files/Shadow_White_XRS21X_Front_1024x1024.png?v=1684163218)
"Also on the front of the helmet, we really focused on reducing catch points. If you look at Epic, it's got the clips and the bumper, and everything sticks out from the shell," Boyd explained. "So when we started designing Shadow, we knew right away we also wanted to encapsulate the clips and the bumper on the front so it's nice and smooth and there's less catch points when players are making tackles."
Built for the Field
With that said, Boyd explained how the main focal point going into the helmet design was creating Shadow's unique silhouette - which was a MAJOR shift in design compared to other helmets on the market.
![A football player wearing Xenith Shadow on the field during a game.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0655/4509/files/A97A1049-2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1684164721)
"We wanted to disrupt the helmet scene with a unique design that resembles the idea of 'speed' and has a different silhouette than the traditional round helmets you often see on the field," Boyd said. "The benefit to this, especially on the lower backside portion of the helmet, is the unique offset gave us a little more room to add additional material, and improve head to ground impact performance," Boyd continued.
One design element that was carried over to Shadow from the design of Epic was the "X" motif that appears on the backside of the helmet and helps give Shadow its sleek, iconic look from all angles.
Finally, as the product development team continues to further Xenith's Adaptive Fit technology, they've made improvements to the interior of the Shadow helmet lineup in the placement of shocks and comfort pads within the helmet, and the amount of room the occipital pad and jaw guards have to move. These advancements give athletes even more adjustability and adaptability when fitting their helmet, so you get a custom fit every time you strap up and step on the field.