Swimming is not traditionally viewed as a contact sport, but accidental head impacts—from backstroke wall strikes to collisions during crowded open-water starts—can cause concussions and other injuries. A new episode of the Waterfall Racing Podcast, hosted by Ironman athlete Joy McAdams, brings this overlooked safety issue to the forefront by featuring Theresa Finn, founder and CEO of Hammer Head Swim Caps, creator of the world's first patented protective swim cap.
The episode, titled "Why Every Swimmer Needs to Think About Head Protection with Hammer Head Swim Caps," challenges athletes, parents, and coaches to reconsider the role of a swim cap. Rather than a simple accessory for hair management or team branding, Finn argues it can serve as personal protective equipment (PPE) designed specifically for the water. Her conviction stems from personal experience: her son suffered a concussion after hitting a pool wall during backstroke warm-ups, and her business partner David Burns' daughter endured a similar incident. Another young swimmer later sustained a concussion in a separate accident. Those events transformed parental concern into a mission to improve head safety across aquatic sports.
The podcast conversation details the range of risks swimmers and triathletes face, including crowded practice lanes, mass-start open-water swims, congested buoy turns, and rough conditions that lead to athlete-to-athlete collisions. Hammer Head aims to establish a new category of aquatic PPE that addresses these risks without sacrificing the comfort, fit, and hydrodynamic performance athletes expect. "Our mission has never been simply to create another swim cap," Finn said. "It is about giving swimmers access to meaningful personal protective equipment designed for aquatic sports. Athletes protect their eyes with goggles, their skin with wetsuits, and their feet with proper footwear on the run. We believe protecting the head should become an equally natural part of preparing for the swim."
The company's patented Honeycomb Impact Technology integrates a cushioning structure inside the cap to absorb and disperse impact forces. In independent drop testing by ACT in Long Beach, California, Hammer Head reduced impact force to the top of the head by more than 50% compared with conventional silicone and dome-style swim caps. The product also maintains a streamlined, wrinkle-free profile. After testing by Dr. Gary Hall Sr., Olympian and founder of The Race Club, swimmers can expect a reduction of up to 10.5% in frontal drag compared with latex or silicone caps, potentially improving speed and confidence. The cap can be worn alone during training or underneath a team or race cap during competition.
The announcement matters because it signals a cultural shift in aquatic sports, where head protection has historically received little attention. By drawing parallels to football, hockey, skiing, and cycling—sports where helmet use became standard—Finn and McAdams hope to make head safety conversations as common in swimming and triathlon. The discussion extends beyond equipment to education, prevention, concussion awareness, and empowering athletes to make informed safety decisions. "We want to leave aquatic sports safer than we found it," Finn said. McAdams added, "Prevention is always the right choice!" The podcast episode follows growing media interest in Hammer Head and swimmer head safety, including coverage by CBS Minnesota's WCCO, Daily Mom, Dawn of Sports, Swimming World, Parent Magazine, and SwimSwam.
