Cage vs Half Visor
- Thread starter 7r4n
- Start date
I played with a guy that ended up spitting out all his teeth and having full reconstructive surgery. All from a tipped slap shot. If you're ok with that, go for it! They also make visor combos that you might want to take a look at.
Billdo
Registered User
People will say the guys you play with should control their sticks and shots but we all know that doesnt always happen. The way I would look at is, do you like your mouth and face the way it is? If yes, get a cage, if not go visor.
hyster110
Registered User
- Mar 21, 2011
- 1,083
- 2
just be smart about it and you can do just fine, be aware who's on the ice, whats happening and don't lead with your face in situations. cages vill give some people the sense of being invincible. just be aware and lots of things can be prevented. not saying accidents wont happen, just try to make sure your not putting yourself in vulnerable situations and you can lessen your changes of something happening
rokkinman139
Registered User
I also recently switched from a cage to a visor. You're first couple of contacts to the face suck, but you get used to it. One thing I learned is that if you're going to block a shot, pick your glove up to your mouth. Would you rather a broken hand or no teeth? Keep your visor in a soft T-shirt or a helmet case so you don't get scratches or scuffs on it. You're not going to want to go back to a cage after getting used to the visor though. Question though: What visor were you thinking about getting?
I would just stick with the cage. It's not worth it. This year alone in roller hockey of all things, I've seen 3-4 facial injuries (in less than 20 games).
Are you in a competitive league and are planning on moving up and making a career out of hockey? Not necessarily the NHL but like even a lower level league where you can scrap together a decent living (ECHL)? If yes then the competitive edge to a visor might be something to strongly consider. If no and you're just playing for fun then I would recommend a full cage. Do I need to post youtube videos of pucks being tipped, teeth falling out, high sticks and eyes being lost?
7r4n
Catsyuk has Dangles
- Apr 19, 2012
- 160
- 0
7r4n
Catsyuk has Dangles
- Apr 19, 2012
- 160
- 0
I'm in a competitive league but no aspirations of making a career out of hockey. Just want a competitive edge and after trying my friends visor I was hooked.
At the end of the day the choice is yours. Just know that there is a risk involved. It may be as small as 1% over your hockey career. But freak things happen all the time in hockey. Strange bounces and people with careless sticks. Crap even a guy in a follow through might knock your teeth out. Be careful!
Strange thing is I don't wear a neck guard because I don't like how it feels.. after thinking about it maybe I should start wearing my neck guard again.
Kind of hypocritical of me to say as a 20+ year visor wearer, but if you can play in the cage leave it on. Ultimately the choice is yours, but I've had more close calls with skate blades than pucks.
You could always try a full shield. I tried one this last season and haven't had any complaints.
ChiTownHawks
Registered User
Play in whatever you are comfortable in, but the chances are you will get hurt at some point with a visor.
I got cross checked in the face in my last game. Because I have a cage there were no after affects. Had I been wearing a visor I have no doubt I would have been making a trip to the ER.
I got cross checked in the face in my last game. Because I have a cage there were no after affects. Had I been wearing a visor I have no doubt I would have been making a trip to the ER.
Frankie Spankie
Registered User
You know, every time I even think about changing the cage out for a half shield or something like that, I take a puck or stick in the cage within 2 weeks.
I know you can see a lot more because sometimes I'll go out during warm ups without a helmet when I'm out there really early and the only one on the ice. However, it's just so not worth it. All it takes is one stick or puck up high and you could spend hundreds of dollars on medical bills. I'll take the slightly less vision every game if it means saving all that money in the long run.
It is up to you though, just be careful.
I know you can see a lot more because sometimes I'll go out during warm ups without a helmet when I'm out there really early and the only one on the ice. However, it's just so not worth it. All it takes is one stick or puck up high and you could spend hundreds of dollars on medical bills. I'll take the slightly less vision every game if it means saving all that money in the long run.
It is up to you though, just be careful.
leftwinger37
Registered User
Haha, there's no stopping it! Let me fire it up: "Your personal preference is wrong and mine is right!"
If you're looking to be swayed away from switching, you probably shouldn't do it; You don't have to dig too hard on this forum to find horror stories. If go out there with a visor and you have reservations about it, it will have a negative effect on your play.
My advice is to gradually try new things to see what you are comfortable with. When I first switched, I got one of the giant, Dany Heatley-style Oakely Aviator visors. I played with that for a season and wanted a little better airflow, so I switched to an Oakley Pro-Modified Aviator; I think Jagr is sporting that one right now. To me that was the best of both worlds, good protection and a streamlined design. After a year or two, I moved to a Oakely Small Straight, which is the one most NHL guys use (Crosby is probably the most notable). That's still where I'm at and I've had a couple of those.
If you try something you don't like, I think most guys on here would agree that lightly used visors are very easy to sell.
I've been wearing a half visor since I was 17 (97'), and I've taken a puck to the face twice and had two sticks to the face. All light contact and no serious damage. No missing teeth and no scars. Earlier this year I got tagged in the mouth by an errant stick. It wasn't serious but it made me consider a cage. I am usually good about avoiding sticks and pucks, but there is always the oh sh** factor.
Just like getting hit with your head down and boarded when turning your back to a player behind the net, you learn quickly what situations to avoid while wearing a visor to reduce injury. My hand almost naturally comes up to my face when I'm near the front of the net and some one is shooting.
If you don't want to deal with the dangers, a visor combo works well if you use good anti fog protection. I used that a couple years before switching to a half visor. Best advice I can give you is play smart hockey, don't scrum it up in the corners as much, and keep the visor clean and use anti fog spray religiously. Keep a micro fiber towel and spray bottle on the bench for games and have fun.
As far as brands go, that's personal preference.
Just like getting hit with your head down and boarded when turning your back to a player behind the net, you learn quickly what situations to avoid while wearing a visor to reduce injury. My hand almost naturally comes up to my face when I'm near the front of the net and some one is shooting.
If you don't want to deal with the dangers, a visor combo works well if you use good anti fog protection. I used that a couple years before switching to a half visor. Best advice I can give you is play smart hockey, don't scrum it up in the corners as much, and keep the visor clean and use anti fog spray religiously. Keep a micro fiber towel and spray bottle on the bench for games and have fun.
As far as brands go, that's personal preference.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
It's nearly impossible to lose teeth, break your nose, or have your eyes damaged with a cage. With a visor, all those things are possible. Not saying they will happen, but if you're comfortable with that possibility, go for it.
Personally, I couldn't stand the fogging and any kind of scratches or distortion on the visor were far more distracting than the cage bars once I tuned them out, plus I like the air flow more.
Personally, I couldn't stand the fogging and any kind of scratches or distortion on the visor were far more distracting than the cage bars once I tuned them out, plus I like the air flow more.
i wore a visor my first season on a beer league team. Everything was going fine. no sticks or puck to the face. maybe the occasional shoulder but nothing really painful. after a few games i realized that things get pretty chippy during games. lot of cross checking to the face in scrums and stuff like that. then i thought to myself, "im not getting paid to play hockey and ill be paying for any injuries i get". switched to a cage after that and have not looked back.
Fanned On It
Registered User
My cousin who is a great hockey player and plays in our Men's League's highest division has worn a visor his whole Men's League career. Never got hurt until two years ago when a player from the other team accidentally butt-ended him in the mouth. Lost 3 of his front teeth, excruciating pain, etc. Unfortunately, he did not learn from this and kept wearing his visor...
Fast forward to about a year ago. He's playing Center and he goes to retrieve the puck from in front of his own net and one of his teammates attempts to stick-lift a forward on teh other team. Well, he stick-lifts the guy but then the toe of his blade goes up through that gap between the visor and my cousin's face and catches him right on that crease between the top of your eye-lid and your brow. Feel it. That soft-tissue there right at the top of your eye-lid. I was working at the rink that night (my family owns it) and he comes running off the ice gushing blood asking for help. His entire eye was swollen shut and at that point we thought there would be nerve damage or something else terrible going on. We cleaned it up and he went to the hospital. LUCKILY (key word here) there was only minor nerve damage done and he could see 100% after the eye healed. He had to get a number of stitches along that crease of the upper eye-ball and his entire left eye was swollen for weeks. He was SUPER, SUPER, SUPER LUCKY he didn't lose his eye or at least severely damage his eye in this instance... because if that stick caught him an inch lower his eye would've been F'd up for good.
Even after all of that, my cousin STILL wears a visor. He's an idiot. But I just figured I'd tell you the story so you would know what COULD happen.
AIREAYE
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2009
- 4,885
- 70
leftwinger37
Registered User
Yeah, well your opinions are wrong and mine are right! If you wear a cage then the terrorists have won!
Just joking about it is exhausting... How do people do this for real?
Ad
Upcoming events
-
Game 7 Vegas Golden Knights @ Dallas Stars - Series tied 3-3Wagers: 13Staked: $21,268.00Event closes- Updated:
-
-
-
2024 NHL Draft Lottery Team that wins #1 pick - PICK ONLY ONE TEAMWagers: 9Staked: $11,200.00Event closes- Updated: