Form-fitting protective headwear

1. A protective headwear, the headwear comprising:

a body having an opening and a crown, the body configured to fit a head of a person;

a pocket band extending about the opening to an interior of the body and partially toward the crown, the pocket band free floating with respect to the body and configured to fit the head of the person, the pocket band including a plurality of pockets disposed about a base stitching that secures the pocket band to the body, at least one pocket of the plurality of pockets comprising a stretchable opening at a distance from the base stitching;

a cuff extending about the body and away from the crown, the cuff incorporating a cuff element inside the cuff; and

a plurality of protective inserts configured to be received into the plurality of pockets to provide a protective function to the head of the person, the protective inserts being disposed adjacently to one another about the pocket band and extending from the base stitching of the pocket band to the crown of the body, wherein the stretchable opening of the at least one pocket is configured to receive a protective insert of the plurality of protective inserts into the at least one pocket and to retain the protective insert in the at least one pocket such that a portion of the protective insert extends out of the at least one pocket toward the crown.

2. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the cuff element is pliable.

3. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the cuff element is made of foam rubber.

4. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the pocket band is monolithically formed from the body and stitched to the body by the base stitching.

5. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the pocket band is separately formed and stitched to the body by the base stitching.

6. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the body has a first thickness and at least one wall of the pocket band has a second thickness reduced from the first thickness.

7. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the body provides a first level of stretchability and the pocket band provides a second level of stretchability.

8. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein the body provides a first level of stretchability, a first portion of the pocket band provides a second level of stretchability, and a second portion of the pocket band associated with the stretchable opening provides a third level of stretchability.

9. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein at least one pocket of the plurality of pockets is defined by the base stitching and a plurality of side stitchings, the plurality of side stitchings configured to approximate the protective insert.

10. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein at least one protective insert of the plurality of protective inserts comprises a plurality of sealed air pockets configured to absorb and disperse an impact about the at least one protective insert.

11. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein a protective insert comprises:

a hard outer layer;

at least one pliable middle layer having at least one arrangement of openings that extend at least partially through the at least one pliable middle layer;

a pliable inner layer; and

wherein the hard outer layer, the at least one pliable middle layer and the pliable inner layer are sealed such that the openings form sealed air pockets in the at least one pliable middle layer.

12. The protective headwear of claim 11 , wherein the hard outer layer is made of a thermoplastic.

13. The protective headwear of claim 11 , wherein the at least one pliable middle layer and the pliable inner layer are made of an elastomer or a rubber.

14. The protective headwear of claim 11 , wherein the at least one pliable middle layer comprises:

a first layer having a first arrangement of first openings in the first layer; and

a second layer having a second arrangement of second openings in the second layer;

wherein the second arrangement alternates with the first arrangement, such that the first openings and the second openings are approximately non-overlapping and cover a substantial portion of the protective insert to enhance the absorption and distribution of the impact about the protective insert.

15. The protective headwear of claim 1 , wherein a protective insert comprises an adhesive layer disposed atop one of a first surface and a second surface of the protective insert.

16. The protective headwear of claim 15 , wherein the adhesive layer is double-sided adhesive tape.

17. The protective headwear of claim 15 , wherein the adhesive layer is double-sided adhesive material.