The paper presents an energy iterative method to determine the second critical velocity by comparing the time histories of the kinetic energy and the buckling deformation based on the finite element model of the impact system. To design anti-impact structures of the thin-wall cylindrical tubes with this new method, the cost of the experiment can be considerably reduced. The feasibility and validity of this method are demonstrated by a dropping hammer experiment. In addition, this paper deals with the influence of constrained damping layers on the anti-impact capability and energy-absorption of thin-wall cylindrical tubes. Results show that the constrained damping layers make the energy-absorption and the anti-impact capability increased comparing with the naked tubes; the thickness of the damping layer should be restricted in a range, or else the anti-impact capability will decrease with the increase of the damping layer thickness; for the constrained layer, the anti-impact capability will increase with the augment of its thickness.