HIC Impact Testing Machine

Test Smarter. Stay Compliant. Keep People Safe.

If you’re responsible for the safety of playgrounds, sports fields, or any surface where falls happen, you know that safety isn’t just a checkbox — it’s a responsibility. The TRIAX Touch system is an ASTM F1292/F 3313/F355-compliant head injury criteria (HIC) impact tester machine that helps you test surface safety accurately and easily.

TRIAX Touch delivers fast, reliable natural and synthetic turf sports field and playground surface impact testing—helping you reduce risk and meet global safety standards, including ASTM F355 procedure E, F3313, F1292, SS495, SANS 51176, NZS 5828 and EN 1177 impact standards.

What Does a HIC Impact Tester Do?

HIC (Head Injury Criterion) impact tester equipment measures how well a surface can protect someone’s head in the event of a fall. It does this by calculating:

Peak G – the peak impact force
HIC – a score that estimates the risk of head injury

These values tell you whether your surface meets safety requirements like ASTM F1292 and F3313 (the playground impact testing surface safety standard) and more importantly, whether it’s actually safe to fall on.

Why Choose the TRIAX Touch System?

The TRIAX Touch sports field impact testing machine is designed for real-world use — it’s portable, simple to operate, and delivers the accurate readings you need, when and where you need them.

With over 30 years in the industry, the Triax HIC testing machine is trusted by:

Playground inspectors
Sports turf managers
Testing labs and Manufacturers
Safety consultants
Parks and recreation departments

And it’s used on a wide variety of surfaces, from rubber playground tiles to artificial turf, engineered wood fiber (EWF), aquatic play areas, and more.

The “E” Missile: Precision at the Core

At the heart of TRIAX Touch is the “E” missile, a solid aluminum, hemispherical drop headform that’s engineered to meet strict international testing standards.

Quick Specs:

Feature	Details
Shape	Hemispherical
Weight	10.1 lbs (4.6 kg)
Diameter	6.3 in (160 mm)
Max G-Force Range	Up to 500 G
Mounting Options	Tripod/fixed + handheld
Built-in Fall Height Calculator	Yes
PC Reporting Software	Included
ISO 17025 Calibration Support	Yes
Transport Case	Wheeled case included

The E missile connects to the TRIAX lifting system using a strong electromagnet, ensuring controlled, repeatable drops for consistent surface impact tests.

E Missile Tester Compliant Standards

The TRIAX Touch E Missile system supports testing for a wide range of international safety standards, including:

Impact Attenuation of Playground Surfaces—ASTM F3313 and F1292
Impact Attenuation of Playground Surfaces (Europe)—EN 1177
Impact Attenuation of Playground Surfaces (Singapore)—SS495
Impact Attenuation of Playground Surfaces (South Africa)—SANS 51176

Wall / Feature Padding — ASTM F2440
Pole Vault Landing Systems — ASTM F1162
Pole Vault Box Collars — ASTM F2949
Engineered Wood Fiber — ASTM F2075
Outdoor Fitness Equipment — ASTM F3101
Soft Contained Play Equipment — ASTM F1918
Aquatic Play Equipment — ASTM F2461
Loose Fill Rubber Surfaces — ASTM F3012
Poured in Place Surfaces — ASTM F2479
Home Play Equipment — ASTM F1148
Climbing Crash Pads — UIAA 161
Rugby Turf Fields — ASTM F3146
World Rugby — Regulation 22

What Can You Test with TRIAX Touch?

The TRIAX Touch HIC impact testing machine supports testing across a broad range of surface types and applications. Here’s a look at just a few:

Application / Surface Type	Relevant Standards
Playground surfacing	ASTM F1292, EN1177, AS/NZS 4422, SS495, SANS 51176, NZS 5828
Synthetic turf sports fields	ASTM F3146, World Rugby 22
Wall/Feature Padding	ASTM F2440, UIAA 161
Pole vault landing systems	ASTM F1162, ASTM F2949
Aquatic and splash play surfaces	ASTM F2461
Poured-in-place & loose-fill rubber	ASTM F2479, ASTM F3012
Home play equipment	ASTM F1148

What Makes TRIAX Touch Different?

This is what you can expect from the sports field impact testing machine:

Field-ready – Portable with a wheeled case and battery-powered operation
Easy to use – One-button activation, clear LED indicators, and quick setup
Comprehensive – Measures both Peak Gs and HIC with full reporting, along with the height and velocity
Flexible – Use it with a tripod for repeatable drops or handheld for quick checks
Compliant – Meets the dimensional and performance requirements of multiple global standards

The GFactor Go – An Affordable Option

If you don’t need a full compliance-level HIC testing machine but still want reliable surface impact data, the GfactorGO might be the right fit. It’s a handheld version of the TRIAX system—designed for quick checks and general safety evaluations.

GfactorGO follows the same dimensional specs used in official HIC testing machines, but since it’s not mounted to a fixed tripod, it’s not intended for compliance work. Still, it gives you useful, consistent results for everyday safety needs.

It’s a great choice for:

Doing quick checks across multiple locations
Large parks, school grounds, or municipal facilities
Organizations that want safety insights without full compliance testing

Why the Right HIC Impact Tester Really Matters

For over 30 years, TRIAX has been driven by one goal: making surfaces safer. It all started with Paul J. Hogan, whose idea to prevent childhood injuries earned a CDC grant and led to the first portable surface impact tester. Today, that idea has grown into TRIAX — a name trusted around the world for reliable, data-backed safety testing.

If you’re responsible for playgrounds, athletic facilities, or other natural or synthetic turf fields, using a reliable HIC impact tester like TRIAX Touch can help you make smart, informed decisions about safety. It’s about more than checking a box for compliance. It’s about making sure people are protected when accidents happen with a reliable head injury criteria impact tester machine.

Let’s make your surfaces safer with an HIC impact tester you can count on. Contact us today!