The number that tells you how safe a playground really is
HIC stands for Head Injury Criteria. HIC scores measure the risk of serious head injury from a fall.
RubberBond Elevate averages 450.
55% safer than the ASTM-required limit.
HIC scores come from standardized drop tests, where a weighted head form is dropped onto a surface. Sensors measure the impact and convert it into a single HIC value—one of the most advanced, research-backed ways to evaluate how well a surface protects a child during a fall.
In the United States, ASTM F1292 is the governing standard. It sets the maximum allowable HIC score at 1,000 at a surface’s critical fall height. Any surface scoring above 1,000 fails to meet the minimum safety threshold.
RubberBond Elevate averages a HIC score of 450. OUR score is well below the 1,000 ASTM threshold across a range of critical fall heights. That’s not accidental. Four specific engineering decisions drive that performance:
Wear Course Thickness
Cushion Layer
Total System Depth
Average HIC Score
Fall Height Rating
Seam Detail
Warranty
ASTM/IPEMA/CPSC
1.5″ EPDM
3.5″ Binder-Free Rubber Mulch
5″ Uniform
~450
Up to 14 feet
Full-depth keyway system
8-Year
Meets or Exceeds All
0.375″–0.5″ EPDM
1.5″–3″ Binder-Based
2″–3.5″ Variable
800+
6-8 feet
Adhesive-only
Limited / Varies
Meets Minimum
t’s about building a playground you can stand behind. Our team can walk you through the right system for your fall heights, site conditions, and design vision.
