Outfitting a football team isn't as simple as stopping by the mall, browsing through the racks, and loading your cart.

The new look the Idaho Vandals will be sporting this fall is the result of a process that began in November 2015. It was then that a generous donation was made for the Vandals to have new helmets for their regular-season finale.  The players chose the matte gold with the silver script and facemask used in the Texas State game.

Once the season ended and the coaches had a lull in recruiting, the Idaho equipment team approached head coach Paul Petrino about the need to replace the Vandals' patched and well-worn uniforms. He said yes but asked for player input in the process.
With black and gold helmets already in stock, again the equipment team started thinking outside the box. How would silver helmets look? Again, Petrino and the players liked the idea. After tinkering with a variety of paints and finishes, they arrived at the matte silver that was custom-matched to the uniforms by Riddell.

There's more to the helmet than a shell. Logos needed to be chosen and facemask colors weighed. The best looked turned out to be the silver that also coordinates with the gold helmets. Using the university's flagship font, 'Idaho' will decorate the sides of the helmets when the Vandals are on the road. For home games, the helmets will have the 'Vandals' script.

With the silver, gold, black and white in the Vandals' closet, there are 18 possible uniform/helmet combinations.