CLEVELAND, Ohio – Nov. 12, 2025 – Team Wendy®, a leading provider of innovative head protection systems, introduces EXFIL® Rescuer bump helmets for search-and-rescue (SAR) missions spanning terrain to tide. Developed directly from field feedback, the new product platform reflects Team Wendy’s “listen first, adapt fast” approach to design and features two purpose-built models: the EXFIL® Rescuer for on-the-ground operations, and the EXFIL® Maritime Rescuer for maritime, hurricane and swift-water response.
The EXFIL Rescuer delivers advanced protection and everyday adaptability for land-based missions, while the EXFIL Maritime Rescuer extends that performance into the water with a liner engineered for neutral buoyancy and quick drying. Both models feature liner systems with Zorbium® foam technology—combining blunt-impact mitigation with comfort—and both helmets are available in high-visibility red or yellow.
“We wanted to give agencies and public-safety teams a unified system that works across multiple rescue environments,” said Garson Greathouse, Regional Sales Manager (Southeast) at Team Wendy. “Starting with the same shell used in our popular EXFIL LTP (Lightweight, Tactical, Polymer) bump helmets, we expanded that foundation by closing the loop with SAR crews, until the platform reflected the realities of the way they actually work onshore and offshore.”
Built light, built right
The EXFIL Rescuer weighs just 1.59 lbs. (varies slightly by size and pad configuration) to give first responders the freedom to move fast, stay sharp and keep their focus where it counts. Designed for the rigors of wilderness rescue, structural collapse and urban interface, among other dangerous scenarios, it offers a full roster of mission-ready features including:
- An aluminum shroud designed to handle helmet lights for hands-free illumination, night vision and thermal imaging products.
- A lightweight, impact-modified polycarbonate shell with signature EXFIL geometry.
- A Velcro® pattern designed for top led lights or IR strobes, attachments and patches.
- The handmade CAM FIT™ retention system featuring Team Wendy’s signature BOA® fit integration (a micro-adjustable dial helps distribute light, even pressure around the head).
- Rails compatible with EXFIL accessories including face shields, visors and Peltor™ adapters.
- A sport-style chin strap for a low-profile, secure fit.
For water rescue
Retaining the same core hardware and base weight, the EXFIL Maritime Rescuer builds on the landward model with a marine-grade liner, while the under-the-chin retention system stays clear of snorkels, comms and hoods upon water entry.
“SAR swimmers told us that an over-the-chin or cup-style strap can scoop water and yank the helmet, so you’re constantly retightening it instead of focusing on the rescue,” Greathouse said. “Or, if the liner floats, you get ‘bucketing,’ where the helmet lifts or pulls your head back, and that can break your seal.
“The EXFIL Maritime Rescuer is our answer to those concerns. It uses an under-the-chin strap that stays clear of the airway and a moisture-shedding, neutrally buoyant liner that won’t fight you in the water. It’s about achieving a mission-ready fit rather than pushing a tactical helmet into rescue work it wasn’t intended for.”
A new spin on SAR
Search and rescue work is not served well by repurposed gear, and helmets that prioritize fire or other hazards often miss the adaptability that SAR missions demand. That’s why Team Wendy’s applied science program focuses on understanding the blunt and rotational impacts (e.g., debris strikes, wall collisions, head-to-ground falls) that are the primary drivers of concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
To evaluate helmets beyond legacy linear drop tests, the team developed DREW (Dummy for Rotational Evaluation of Wearables), a biofidelic (behaves like the human body) rig that captures both linear and rotational head motion. At Team Wendy, this work contributes to the development of advanced liner systems, foam chemistries and pad geometries that can benefit the men and women who put their well-being on the line every day—innovations like those found in new EXFIL Rescuer helmets.
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