When it comes to finding the best quality decals for your football, baseball, or lacrosse helmet, it’s important to research what the decals are made of to better understand how they will stand up to the pressure applied during play.
There are many different types of
stickers and decals, but not all of them are created equal. The same stickers you buy for your kids to play with wouldn’t be the same types of stickers you would want to put on your football helmet. Certain stickers adhere to surfaces better, some are more durable abuse, while some stickers hold up better in situations where heat may be an issue.
It’s important to understand the application and scenarios your sticker/decal will be in, to understand exactly what type of sticker you should go with.
The most common materials used for stickers are plastic, high performance polyester, vinyl, and even static cling window stickers.
When it comes to football helmets, and other sport decals that need to stand up to intense wear and tear, vinyl is the best option available.
Why Use Vinyl Stickers for Helmet Decals?
Vinyl stickers and decals are extremely durable and can withstand a fair amount before becoming damaged or becoming unstuck from a surface.
Because of this durability you will find vinyl being used on full-body car wraps and vehicle stickers, as well as helmet decals. Vinyl stickers are easy to work with and can be formed to fit almost any shape, which makes them the perfect choice to wrap around the rounded sides of a helmet or car.
A typical vinyl sticker is around 3-4 millimeters thick, but at Sport Decals, our
vinyl helmet decals are made from a 20-millimeter-thick vinyl base that is built to withstand almost anything you can throw at them. We pride ourselves in knowing that we have some of the most rugged vinyl decals available on the market. Your football helmet decals are going to continue to look good practice after practice, game after game.
While there are a variety of materials you can use to make stickers and decals, when it comes to sporting helmets, the majority of high-quality decals that you’ll find available today are going to be vinyl. If a company is trying to sell you another type of material, then you will most likely run into issues with peeling, cracking, and scratching.
Make sure you’re aware of exactly what type of material you’re getting when you order helmet decals. There’s nothing worse than running out onto the field and having half your team with missing logos on their helmets.
What About Other Decal Materials?
In addition to vinyl, there are number of other types of materials that can be used to create stickers and decals.
As we mentioned above, each material has its best use case, so knowing what you’re going to be using these stickers for is very important before you decide to buy.
If you’re looking to place decals on to heavy duty equipment, machinery, or other types of industrial applications, then polyester stickers may be more suitable. Polyester stickers some in around 2 millimeters thick and can withstand extremely high temperatures. These types of stickers are meant to last a long time and should be thought of as a permanent application, unlike a helmet decal that may need to be changed out in the future.
Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) are a nice alternative to vinyl if you’re looking for something that doesn’t need to take the beating that helmet decals do. They are quite resistant to rain and water and come in a variety of colors and finishes. They won’t hold up quite as well as the vinyl will in certain situations, but they can be a suitable alternative if you’re looking for something other than vinyl.
If you’re looking for something a little less permanent, maybe to display your team spirit on your car or home window, then static cling decals are a great way to do that without being some permanent.
Static cling stickers use a thin vinyl film to create cohesive forces between the window and the decal. Because the vinyl is so smooth it acts almost like a suction cup to adhere itself to the windows of your house and your car. These decals are ideal for people who do not want to worry about a decal becoming permanent, or having to remove tough sticker residue when the decal no longer applies to your life.
There are a number of different decal materials available for pretty much any application, but the key is knowing what you are going to be applying your decal to before you make your purchase.
Purchasing the correct sticker for the correct application will help you save time and energy when it comes to application and removal. It may even save you money in the long run if you have to keep replacing cheaper decals as they get damaged or faded.
Out Sport Decals, we are experts in all things
helmet decal related. If you have any questions regarding which decal material is correct for your specific application, please give us a call and we’d be happy to discuss all of the different decal options with you.
