A total contact helmet, including a body that is customizable to an individual's head and having force distribution means for distributing the force of an impact to a large surface area of the body. A total contact helmet insert, including a body that is customizable to an individual's head and having force distribution means for distributing the force of an impact to a large surface area of the body, the total contact helmet insert being insertable under an existing helmet or as an inner shell as part of an existing helmet. A method of protecting the head of a user by the user wearing the total contact helmet, and when receiving an outside impacting force to the total contact helmet, distributing the force of impact over the surface area of the total contact helmet.