AUCKLAND, Today: Kane Williamson has launched Cover, a new sports protection brand aimed at lifting the standard of protective gear in cricket and other high-impact sports, after a painful early career moment exposed a gap in the market.
The idea goes back to a 2012 Test against South Africa in Wellington, when a Dale Steyn delivery split Williamson’s box in half, creating the spark for a product built to better handle the demands of the modern game.
“It was extremely painful and it just absolutely dropped me,” said Cover Co-Founder Kane Williamson.
“I was hit, my box split, and that made it pretty clear that the protection players were relying on wasn’t up to the demands of the modern game. That started the idea to create a product which can actually provide the protection required.”
It is the kind of incident players at every level know well, and one that recently returned to the spotlight when Australian Captain Mitch Marsh was ruled out of the T20 World Cup after being hit in the box during training.
Williamson says that experience stayed with him, eventually leading to the creation of a team focused on bringing science-backed design to a category that has changed very little in decades.
After years of research and development, Cover is now launching its first product, a New Zealand-made premium alloy box designed to withstand extreme impacts across cricket, hockey, lacrosse and baseball.
“For a long time, this space has leaned on tradition rather than proof. In testing, our box has handled ball speeds well over 200 kilometres an hour, while most existing options start to fail at around 100.” – Jason Low, Co-founder
Co-founder Jason Low led the development and testing, with the final design combining a high-strength alloy shell and layered foam to absorb impact while staying secure during play.
“We wanted to do this properly, so we took a scientific and data driven approach towards our research and development programme,” said Low.
“For a long time, this space has leaned on tradition rather than proof. In testing, our box has handled ball speeds well over 200 kilometres an hour, while most existing options start to fail at around 100. That margin of safety gives players real confidence when they’re out there.”
The business is backed by investors including New Zealand Cricket, while former Black Cap Grant Elliott is leading the organisation’s commercial programme.
“We’ve put the box in front of a wide range of cricketers, from club cricket through to elite, and the response has been extremely positive,” said Elliott.
“It’s been built with care and rigour, and is for any cricket player, no matter their level. In my view, it’s the best box in the world. It’s comfortable to wear, durable, and does a great job of reducing pain on impact.”
Cover’s products are available now, with more protective categories set to follow.
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