What is PORON® XRD® Technology?

What is PORON® XRD® Technology?

Not all foam is created equal. PORON® XRD® Technology is the same impact-absorbing material trusted by hockey helmet and equipment makers — and it's permanently built into every RinkSmart PondCraft Beanie.

Here's what makes it different: at rest, XRD foam is soft and flexible — you can barely tell it's there. The moment it takes an impact, the material firms up instantly to absorb and disperse the energy, then returns to soft. No bulk. No stiffness. No compromise on fit.

Rogers Corporation, the maker of PORON® XRD®, reports that the material absorbs up to 90% of impact energy at high-speed impact. It's also built to last — the foam molecules are engineered not to break down over repeated use, season after season.

And because this is a hat your kid will actually wear all winter — PORON® XRD® Technology is antimicrobial, resisting odors and bacteria through season after season of use. The hat is hand washable in cold water and air dries completely — no removing pads, no special equipment, no dry cleaning. Just wash it like you would any other quality winter hat.

The PondCraft/WinterSmart Beanie is impact-assist headwear, not a helmet. It's designed to reduce the force of everyday bumps and falls for kids and recreational players who aren't wearing a helmet — not to replace one, and not to prevent concussions or serious head injury. No hat, helmet, or protective gear can eliminate that risk entirely.

PORON® and XRD® are registered trademarks of Rogers Corporation.

The Technology Inside Every Hat

Every RinkSmart/WinterSmart pad starts as flat PORON® XRD® foam, precision-cut to fit two very different zones of a the head.

The forehead/temple pad is thinner and less dense — 5mm at 12 lb/ft³ — shaped long and tapered to wrap comfortably across the brow without adding bulk.

The rear occipital pad is thicker and denser — 6mm at 15 lb/ft³ — arched to match the curve of the back of the skull, where falls on ice most often land.

Both pads are sewn permanently into the fabric shell — not tucked into a pocket you could forget to close, or lose on laundry day. Once it's in, it stays exactly where it's designed to work.