Taylor Everson & McDavid Prioritize Player Safety

David Vick — April 21, 2024

Taylor Everson turned a devastating injury into an inspiring story of resilience and fight. Now, she has used it to make the game safer for players of all ages. On April 5, in partnership with McDavid USA, she unveiled the Women’s HEX® 2-Pad Lacrosse Tank with Kidney Protection.

Senior Vice President of Product Development at United Sports Brands, the parent company of McDavid USA, answered a few questions to give insight into the creation of the protective shirt.

From the initial idea to hitting the market, can you explain the timeline of the shirt’s creation?

“United Sports Brands (parent company of McDavid) was originally contacted in July 2023. Carolyn [Everson] was specifically looking for a protective shirt for Taylor, but we also talked more broadly about the need for a protective shirt that could be used for all women’s sports (Lacrosse, Field Hockey, Soccer). After an initial meeting, our designer had a prototype padded tank made by August. Taylor was able to use that in September practices and provide feedback on pad placement and overall fit and function of the garment. Based on that feedback, our designer made some edits, and by the end of September, we had a final product.”

What was Taylor’s role in developing / designing the protective shirt?

“Taylor was our ‘real world’ test subject for this product. She gave us some initial input. She then used the prototype product and provided key feedback on the pad placement, garment fit and function.”

Why was it important to partner with Taylor for this project?

“United Sports Brands, and specifically McDavid, are committed to protecting athletes so they can confidently do the thing they love. An important component of that has always been to work directly with elite athletes to understand their needs. It’s more than just putting a pad on a garment. The athlete has to be able to confidently move, run and play their sport without distraction, so it’s important we get their input in the development process. With Taylor, she had such a specific injury; it was important for us to make sure we met that need. The only way to do that is to work directly with an athlete.”

How did McDavid test the product to ensure that it will make a difference for players?

“McDavid has 20+ years of developing protective products for elite athletes. Our HEX pads are used by professional and collegiate football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, etc. athletes to protect all sorts of body parts. We had a high level of confidence that our HEX technology would provide a high level of protection while also being lightweight and flexible enough to not interfere or restrict athletic movement.”

In what ways is the shirt innovative?

“There are 2 key features that really make this shirt innovative. The HEX pad itself is highly protective, yet very lightweight and flexible to anatomically contour over the coverage area. This allow for maximum protection and comfort.

Secondly, our designer is a former D1 athlete herself. She really focused on the Tank design from that athlete’s perspective. The Tank is very streamlined and lightweight. It also integrates mesh in key areas so it wouldn’t be hot.”

How thick are the individual pads? And how many are there on each side?

“Our HEX pads are 9mm thick. There are 2 pads. Each wraps from just above the hip bone around the lower back on each side.”

What challenges came along with creating the shirt?

“Pad placement is always one of the key challenges. Our designer always wants to have a balance of the right placement and coverage area without being too big or interfering with the athlete’s movement. While doing this, she discovered the initial HEX pad shape interfered with the top of the hip bone. She changed the design to curve over the top of the hip while still maintaining the protective coverage area in the lower back.”

Are there any other McDavid products that you would recommend for the safety of women’s lacrosse players?

“McDavid has several HEX protective items for female athletes. Our HEX padded arm and leg sleeves are used by female athletes across multiple sports. They are also ideal for incidental stick and body contacts in lacrosse. We also have a protective short that will be available this fall.”