Boy dies after being struck in neck by puck at hockey practice in Quebec

[JMCx4]

Generally speaking, a rigid material would transfer more energy from an impact than a pliable material would. The challenge as a consumer (and concerned parent/guardian or adult user) is that manufacturers keep their product designs & performance proprietary for competitive reasons. So you may have to purchase more than one product and decide on your own which one will provide the better protection for the child (or adult).

 

[Frank Drebin]

Generally speaking, a rigid material would transfer more energy from an impact than a pliable material would. The challenge as a consumer (and concerned parent/guardian or adult user) is that manufacturers keep their product designs & performance proprietary for competitive reasons. So you may have to purchase more than one product and decide on your own which one will provide the better protection for the child (or adult).

This one is basically for peace of mind for Mom and my boy. The chances of this happening are phenomenally low, but a little more fabric vs the cheap band style can't hurt. At the very least he's getting superior cut protection.

If I was truly going for the best protection available I'd put him in a goalie style

 

[Squiffy]

It seems like what you’d want right? All these other pads, I’m thinking helmets specifically, have some kind of foam-ish layer behind the hard armour to absorb some force. Like car bumpers crushing instead of bouncing.