Protective athletic headwear with open top

A protective insert to be received into a pocket of a protective athletic headwear, the protective insert comprising:

• a hard outer layer configured to provide impact-resistance;
• at least one pliable middle layer having at least one arrangement of openings;
• a pliable inner layer configured to provide cushioning;
• 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 configured to absorb and distribute an impact to the outer layer about the at least one protective insert.

A method of manufacturing protective athletic headwear, the method comprising:

• providing a body having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening, the body configured to fit a head of a person though the first opening;
• base-stitching a pocket band to the body such that the pocket band extends about the first opening to the interior of the body and partially toward the second opening, 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 the base stitching;
• and
• inserting a plurality of protective inserts 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 partially toward the second opening such that the body encloses the protective inserts in the pocket band.