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News, buying guides and gear reviews. Our scores and verdicts are only published after field testing.

Illustration of the pieces of a full American football kit: helmet, shoulder pads, padded girdle and cleat Buying guides

Football gear list: what a full kit really costs

The rulebook lists nine compulsory pieces. Here is the price of each one at European retailers, the total for a new kit and where the money really goes.

 Illustration of a football helmet seen head-on, with a translucent visor clipped behind the facemask bars Buying guides

Are tinted football visors legal? Rules, tints and fitting

Tinted or clear visor: what IFAF, BAFA, the FFFA and the AFVD allow, how a visor clips onto a facemask, and which models are actually sold in Europe.

 Illustration of a football helmet seen head-on, with an orange chin cup and its four straps snapped to the shell Buying guides

How to fit a football chin strap

Chin strap fitting explained: what the IFAF rules require, hard cup or soft cup, CAM·LOC and Fusion compatibility, step-by-step adjustment and European prices.

 Illustration of a torso seen from the front, rib cage visible, with a rib protector strapped over the lower ribs and linked to the shoulder pads Buying guides

Do football players wear rib pads?

Rib pads are not on the IFAF list of mandatory equipment. The three families of torso protection, what shoulder pads already cover, and how to choose.

 Illustration of a head in profile with an orange measuring tape around the skull, inside the dashed outline of a football helmet Buying guides

Football helmet sizing: how to measure and fit

Football helmet sizing explained: measuring head circumference, the Riddell and Schutt size charts, the between-sizes rule and how to check the fit.

 Illustration of a football glove seen palm-up, with its grip patch and wrist cuff on the grass Buying guides

How to choose football gloves: grip, padding and fit

Football gloves compared: what the IFAF rulebook and the SFIA seal require, receiver versus lineman palms, measuring your hand and keeping the grip alive.

 Illustration of a mid-cut football cleat in profile, with its studded outsole on the grass Buying guides

How to choose football cleats: moulded or detachable, cut and fit

Choosing football cleats: moulded or detachable studs, cut height by position, playing surface, sizing and what European rulebooks actually allow on the pitch.

 Illustration of three football helmets standing on a podium, topped by four, five and three orange stars Buying guides

Virginia Tech helmet ratings: how to read the scores

Virginia Tech helmet ratings explained: 48 impacts per helmet, a score where lower wins, the July 2025 star thresholds and the scores in our catalogue.

 Illustration of a football helmet seen head-on, with its white facemask and an orange bar below the eyes Buying guides

How to choose a football facemask for your position

Football facemask buying guide: helmet compatibility, the NOCSAE ND087 standard, positions listed by Riddell and Schutt, steel or titanium, rules and EU prices.

 Diagram of an American football field seen from above, with its two end zones, goal posts, hash marks, the ball on the line of scrimmage and the ten-yard chain Rules of the game

American football rules: how the game actually works

American football rules from the IFAF rule book: the pitch, eleven players, four downs, the clock, scoring, penalties and the kit every player must wear.