When an athlete takes the field, rink or arena, they want to look their best. That means wearing a helmet that takes style to the next level—and what better way than by showing off an amazing helmet decal?
If a normal helmet decal just won’t do, worry not. There are many fantastic options to add an extra flair to your uniform. Elevate your decal by choosing a great decal finish that goes beyond the basics.
The most popular upgraded decal options include matte, chrome and metallic flake decals. All three choices look incredible and are designed to withstand serious wear-and-tear all season long. However, all three finishes have significantly different appearances and costs worth understanding.
Before choosing which decal is right for you, let’s discover the pros, cons, differences, similarities and more between matte, chrome and metallic finish helmet decals.
Matte Finish Decals
In contrast to the standard, shiny decal options, matte finishes create a flatter, less reflective look. Especially when paired with a matte helmet,
matte decals will seamlessly blend into the helmet. This offers a level of subtle sleekness to your look and uniform. In addition, pairing a matte sticker with a shiny helmet can create a stunning contrast. Both combinations are incredibly popular.
Matte finishes are also amazingly durable. These stickers will last no matter what kind of rigor you put it through. Made of ultra-strong 20 mil vinyl and available to print in any color or design, matte finish decals will make the entire team look great all year long.
The only significant downside with a matte finish decal—at least to some—is its lack of sheen and luster. If you’re looking for a sticker that will shine under the sunlight, this isn’t the sticker for you.
Chrome Finish Decals
If you’re looking for a true statement piece, then you can’t overlook one of the newest helmet decal options—carbon fiber
chrome finish decals.
Printed with a shiny, silvery foil undertone using cutting-edge technology, you can also layer it with multiple colors of your choice. When these colors are laid over the carbon fiber chrome pattern, it creates a deeply dimensional, eye-catching design that mimics metal.
Also made with super strong 20 mil vinyl, rest assured that your design can withstand anything gameday throws your way without fading or cracking. The decal itself is also flexible and easy-to-apply to any helmet. When you’re ready to change your look up, it’s simple to remove as well.
The only downside of the carbon fiber chrome finish decal is the color and design limitations. Though it is possible to print any color over the chrome pattern, there will always be that silver base layer. If silver isn’t a part of your look—and you don’t want it to be—making a chrome finish decal work could prove challenging.
Metallic Flake Finish Decals
Right now, nothing’s hotter in helmet decals than showing off a metallic flake finish. By integrating real metal flakes with the ink, heads will turn as you take to the field with a seriously sleek shine.
Like all other decals,
metallic flake decals are strong and durable thanks to that same 20 mil vinyl. Also, you can choose any color to mix with the metallic flakes. This makes it a great option for teams looking to take their look up a notch, but not change too much of the logo’s look.
It’s not all about the logo though. Metallic flakes can also be mixed into the ink made to print numbers, award stickers, stripes and more. There’s no end to what you can turn sparkly.
The major downside to a metallic flake finish is the price. Though it's still an affordable way to jazz up a uniform, this technique is more complex than more traditional sticker methods. Therefore, the price will likely bump up the cost slightly in comparison to other methods.
However, unless budget is a significant issue, don’t let the price deter you. With such a stellar end result, the small cost bump is always worth it.
Choosing the Perfect Finish
Now that you’ve gone over the differences between these three stunning sticker options—how will you choose the right one for your team? It can be tricky to narrow down the perfect one.
However, by comparing matte finish vs. chrome finish vs. metallic flake decals, there’s no doubt you’ll choose the game winning look for you and your team.
Ready to order incredible, high-quality helmet decals in any of these finishes and more? Trust the expert team at Sportdecals.com for all of your athletic helmet decal needs including football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse and more. With over 40 years of amplifying athletic wear, our family-owned company has 40 years of sports decal experience. Call us at 800-435-6110 or get a free online quote here anytime.
