are neck guards and wrist guards worth the money?

[Frankie Spankie]

Nothing to do with money because they are cheap, but worth the discomfort is the question.

I can't deal with the neck guard. Had to wear it last year of youth hockey, ugh.

Wrist guards are unnecessary for me because I'm short and have large elbow pads that cover the gap to my gloves.

This -- I tried a neck guard on once and standing still it was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever worn. I can't imagine how much worse it gets when you're moving around.

I do believe that if you're fitted properly for elbow pads and gloves that your wrists should be covered. I almost never take sticks to the wrists though in my beer leagues. People are usually more calm and if they are taking liberties with the stick, I have no problem giving it right back and they learn their lesson pretty quickly.

 

[noobman]

You might not need a wrist guard if you have adequately sized gloves, but I'd recommend wearing a neck guard. They're cheap, relatively comfortable, and keep your neck warm.

 

[michaelshu]

I can't see how neck guards are comfortable... I bought a Reebok 4K neck guard and it's too thick I can barely tilt my head down. But protection-wise, I think kids should wear them.

Wrist guards are useful if you're using short cuff gloves.

 

[Beezeral]

It's pretty simple. Mild discomfort im exchange for protection from a 1-1000000 freak occurrence of getting hit with a skate. I see the point of having everyone under the age of 14 wearing them, because those age groups are when many of the less experienced guys are still playing that are not strong on their feet and the chance of a skate flying in the neck area is a bit higher. But once you reach the HS age, the chances of getting cut in the neck are the same as winning the lotto.

 

[TieClark]

Because they are uncomfortable and look stupid.

You can't even see them and I don't see how any kid thinks they're uncomfortable.. you have to wear them in minor hockey. It's machoism BS that pushes kids to shed them as quick as possible because everyone else is doing it. Just like cages... you have to wear them as a kid... why are you getting rid of full protection of your face when you're completely used to it? Because you (not literally you, just in general) think it's cool to wear a visor or no visor.

 

[Hank4Hart]

You can't even see them and I don't see how any kid thinks they're uncomfortable.. you have to wear them in minor hockey. It's machoism BS that pushes kids to shed them as quick as possible because everyone else is doing it. Just like cages... you have to wear them as a kid... why are you getting rid of full protection of your face when you're completely used to it? Because you (not literally you, just in general) think it's cool to wear a visor or no visor.

kids always prefer being cool to being safe... someday they learn.

 

[Stickchecked]

This thread is a nice reminder of something: We're all wearing knives on our feet. Keep that in mind next time you take a wild, flailing header to [not] make a play.

 

[PierreMcGuire*]

Some people find neck guards to be uncomfortable, but they defiantly serve a purpose, and even the cheapest of neck guards does the job. The neck guard protects ones self from freak injuries, so you find a neck guard that's comfortable or would rather be safe then sorry, it's a good option. Neck guards take getting use to.

Wrist guards, never used them, but I've been victim of some brutal slashes to the wrist and arm, so I could see them as being useful. Personally I wouldn't go out of my way to spend money on them unless I guess if I were in a league were people are reckless with their sticks.

 

[turbodaze]

I had to use neckguards for paintball.

 

[Jarick]

I just can't think that the odds are anywhere near high enough to get a skate blade to the neck to wear one. It would be so damn hot, itchy, and distracting that it would take a lot of the fun out of the game for me.

 

[LateNightOilerFan]

I was really surprised to find out when my son was playing summer hockey in the States that neckguards weren't mandatory. Getting cut in the neck is a freak injury, but it's happened in the pro's and I remember when it happen in Junior A in Halifax. The player was cut by a falling teammate's skate and survived because the trainer basically tackled him to the ice to get him down and get pressure on the wound that was spurting blood across the ice. To my knowledge the player never played again due to the permanent nerve damage. Just not worth the risk IMO. My son's had one since he joined minor hockey 10 years ago so it doesn't seem to be a big deal since he's used to it.

 

[thrillhouse99]

A neck guard can keep you from dying. Regardless of how low the chance is of that happening its worth the money and the minor discomfort.

 

[TieClark]

I just can't think that the odds are anywhere near high enough to get a skate blade to the neck to wear one. It would be so damn hot, itchy, and distracting that it would take a lot of the fun out of the game for me.

They really aren't uncomfortable though... I don't even realize mine is there because I'm used to using one for 15 years

 

[Jarick]

It is for me. I didn't grow up using them so maybe that's where I draw the line. Hell I've had shoulder pads that ride up and scratch my neck and it drove me NUTS.

 

[Sif]

... its a rare occurrence, cut to the neck, however even once in a generation is one too many times so ya, Id say the neck guards are a good idea through amateur. In addition to Zednik above, a goalie by the name of Kim Crouch in 1975 was playing Junior in Markham Ontario, got clipped by a skate for 40 stitches in the neck severing a major artery. If not for a fast thinking trainer, mightve died. He returned to playing but at a lower level, his Dad designing the Crouch Neck Protector which for the past 30+ years has been in constant & wide use with various innovations made along the way of course.

In Sweden we had a player die here back in '95 in an exhibition game between two teams from SEL and Allsvenskan. In the following off-season neck guards were made mandatory for all players in Sweden.

 

[TieClark]

It is for me. I didn't grow up using them so maybe that's where I draw the line. Hell I've had shoulder pads that ride up and scratch my neck and it drove me NUTS.

Well I can understand it in that case, similar to cages for guys who have never worn them or haven't for years. But my point was the kids who immediately try to shed these pieces of protection because it's seen as uncool to wear them... which is especially weird for a neck guard that you can't even see.

 

[Royal Canuck]

I'd invest in a neck guard, Wrist guards are just kinda meh because my gloves cover my wrists so it's fine.

 

[stempniaksen]

I'm the type of guy who will just go out with shoulder pads on, so I may not be the best voice for this. Wrist/slash guards are completely useless, imo. I guess I can see the need for a neckguard, but personally I don't wear one.

 

[Guffaw]

On wrist guards- depends on your elbow pads amd your league. If your elbow pads are short and if your league can get chippy, they're a reasonable purchase. Despite pretty good coverage with my elbow pads, I've been slashed in there before, and it can hurt.

Well said. For the tall and lanky like myself, we often have to buy equipment that is too short in order for it to fit properly around our arms, waists, chests. I wear a medium Vapor X40 elbow pad so they never slip down, but I'm 6'2" so there's a gap even with 15" gloves.

I wear a Warrior 3" wrist band style slash guard. I don't even notice them and they can prevent a broken arm from a hack. No brainer.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

"Are neck guards and wrist guards worth it?"

Is keeping the blood in your body worth it?

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

I'm the type of guy who will just go out with shoulder pads on, so I may not be the best voice for this. Wrist/slash guards are completely useless, imo. I guess I can see the need for a neckguard, but personally I don't wear one.

Useless? What wrist guard have you used?

Mine sure work. No broken wrist, no severed arteries here.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

I just can't think that the odds are anywhere near high enough to get a skate blade to the neck to wear one. It would be so damn hot, itchy, and distracting that it would take a lot of the fun out of the game for me.

Is this assumption?

Have you tried any of the newer neck guards?

They're light, unrestrictive, not itchy, breathable, and can be washed in any washing machine.

Its ****ing stupid not to wear cheap available protection for petty reasons. If you value your life, thats reason enough.

If my kid ever attempted to step on the ice without one, id pull his ass off the ice myself.

 

[tarheelhockey]

You can't even see them and I don't see how any kid thinks they're uncomfortable.. you have to wear them in minor hockey. It's machoism BS that pushes kids to shed them as quick as possible because everyone else is doing it. Just like cages... you have to wear them as a kid... why are you getting rid of full protection of your face when you're completely used to it? Because you (not literally you, just in general) think it's cool to wear a visor or no visor.

I think you're really misrepresenting the choices people make.

For example, I wear a cage and wouldn't even consider using a half-shield. I don't even notice the cage and the risk of facial injury isn't worth ditching it. I'm a grown man and couldn't care less whether it looks cool.

On the other hand, I actually own a neck guard that never leaves my bag. I tried it for one or two stick-and-puck sessions and it was nothing but irritating. I don't like the feeling of something that close around my neck, let alone moving and chafing. Ditching it had nothing to do with appearances or macho attitude.

Considering I wear a full cage, and the angles involved, someone would basically have to stomp on my neck while I'm lying face-up on the ice in order to get a skate between my cage and the collar of my jersey. The chances of that happening are so low that if they really bothered me, I'd probably find a safer sport in the first place.

 

[windycity]

I bought an undergarment that has a kevlar neck shield built in. I never notice it. Like this except mine is long-sleeved:

http://www.davessportshop.net/images/CoreNeck.jpg

 

[cptjeff]

A neck guard can keep you from dying. Regardless of how low the chance is of that happening its worth the money and the minor discomfort.

An asteroid hitting your house could kill you. Better build a giant steel dome!

Seriously, the odds of you ever getting hit in the throat by a skate- the one injury a neck guard will really protect against, are astronomical. You can't guard against every risk, and I choose to accept that. The risk of that particular injury is tiny, and there are still plenty of other ways to die that are much more likely- like getting slammed headfirst into the boards. Hit it the wrong way, and no matter what protective gear you're wearing, you could break your neck and that's it. You could get bumped at a really unfortunate moment and hit your head on a stanchion. Those are much more significant risks, and you can't really make them go away.


Though this is really, at its root, a problem with our minds. Human brains are actually really, really crappy at evaluating risk. We worry about big, flashy risks, even when the odds of them happening are monumentally small. Think about cars versus planes for a minute. Most people think about air travel as less safe than driving, because you see big, scary pictures when something does happen. The human brain responds to that, but when something happens much more regularly on a smaller scale, we don't judge it as a significant threat.

But if you look at the numbers... about one in 6,800 drivers dies each year. If you fly, that number becomes one in 1.16 million. The riskiest part of any flight is driving to the airport, but survey people, and you'll find that, if they fear any part of the trip, it's the flight itself. Perception versus reality. Our brains default to judging the probability of a risk based on how bad the potential outcome is, but as any insurance adjuster could tell you, that's a really, really, really crappy way to evaluate risk.