Cage vs Half Visor

[FlyChicaga]

I've been wearing a visor for the last 10 years or so. Had a few close calls, mainly errant sticks that gave me a nice cut or bruise on my mouth/chin. But playing D for two leagues, I found myself getting hesitant to get in shooting lanes or to go hard into corners. So I put on a cage. Thankfully I did... in the last game alone, I took three wild sticks to the cage. One was so hard that it actually hurt my teeth from them clinking together. Can't imagine how it would have felt if the the cage wasn't there.

Funny thing is, I put my visor back on in the morning, because my cage kept bumping into my new Nexus shoulder pads when I'd look over my shoulder. I was feeling a bit apprehensive, so I googled "cage or visor" and this thread popped up. This afternoon I put back on my cage.

The visor looks way cooler, and I have some better visibility, but I also like my teeth.

 

[Bedards Dad]

I've been wearing a visor for the last 10 years or so. Had a few close calls, mainly errant sticks that gave me a nice cut or bruise on my mouth/chin. But playing D for two leagues, I found myself getting hesitant to get in shooting lanes or to go hard into corners. So I put on a cage. Thankfully I did... in the last game alone, I took three wild sticks to the cage. One was so hard that it actually hurt my teeth from them clinking together. Can't imagine how it would have felt if the the cage wasn't there.

Funny thing is, I put my visor back on in the morning, because my cage kept bumping into my new Nexus shoulder pads when I'd look over my shoulder. I was feeling a bit apprehensive, so I googled "cage or visor" and this thread popped up. This afternoon I put back on my cage.

The visor looks way cooler, and I have some better visibility, but I also like my teeth.

I find I'm my leagues people are more careless with their stick when the opponent has a cage.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

Simple answer is this: if you're not getting paid to play hockey, it's a unnecessary risk to not wear a cage. Dental work is expensive!

 

[Bedards Dad]

Simple answer is this: if you're not getting paid to play hockey, it's a unnecessary risk to not wear a cage. Dental work is expensive!

Or you enjoy the comfort and like the visibility a Visor gives you.

I'm all for more people being safe, so wear a cage if you want, just don't look down on those who choose not to. Also learn to control your stick. people with Cages tend to be more prone to getting their stick up.

 

[Rookie109]

Or you enjoy the comfort and like the visibility a Visor gives you.

I'm all for more people being safe, so wear a cage if you want, just don't look down on those who choose not to. Also learn to control your stick. people with Cages tend to be more prone to getting their stick up.

I usually wear a cage, occasionally I'll go with the visor but am hesitant to since I've been hit up high many times where the cage has saved me.

The last two games I've played in, somehow I've accidentally high sticked players right in the face while playing defense. One was a league game and I dropped the guy, but somehow no penalty was assessed since there was no blood (It was a missed stick check). The other was just a light clip, in both cases the other player was wearing a visor. No one was hurt, but I don't want to continue this trend since I'm generally a clean player.

In each case a cage would have prevented it, one of the players even acknowledged it when I apologized and he replied, "Yeah man no worries, I'm dumb enough to not wear a cage, **** happens".

It's a choice, if you go out without full face protection eventually you'll get hit up high. Ideally, players should control thier sticks and maybe wearing a cage makes you less careful.

However, if you're playing with a visor or nothing at all, eventually getting hit will happen and you should accept that. You are after all making a choice to put yourself at greater risk.

If you wear full face protection, be mindful of your stick since others willingly putting themselves at risk. Play clean and you'll be OK most of the time.

If you're only wearing a visor, accept the fact that someday you'll pay for that in blood or bruises. If you can't accept that, wear a cage or full shield.

That's how I see it.

 

[icon6668]

I've been a visor or no visor (depends what league) guy since as soon as I was 18 and could take off the cage.

Last year I was was playing a game with no visor and the puck went from behind the goal to the slot and as I tunred to face it, I toe picked and fell face first into the ice, while I was falling, I looked up and the guy in the slot was winding up for a one timer.

I was about 1m away from the puck so I just closed my eyes and waited for the pain..... It never came as the guy had enough skill to be playing with his head up and saw what was happening and didn't shoot.

If that was anyone else on that team I'd have my face caved in and probably lost my vision.

I'm a cage guy now and that guy got a box of beers next time I saw him.

 

[powerstuck]

At level most of us play, I don't see the advantage of a visor vs cage. Today there are super light cages that your helmet literally weights the same with a cage or with a visor.

It just takes one accident to make the cage worthwhile tho.

 

[TheLokNesMonster]

I play a regular pick up with a group consisting of roughly the same 20 guys, and the make up is approximately 1/3 cage or full shield, 1/3 visor, 1/3 open face. In the few years that I have been playing with these guys, there has never been an incident. Sure, there have been some weird deflections, pucks into the bench area, collisions, etc; but no blood or tooth loss.

I had tried the cage weeks ago. Frankly, the reason I decided on the cage was primarily from reading the various threads on this board, and others. It got in my head a little, and started to make me think about what I was really trying to accomplish at my age.

I had some real difficulty adjusting from the 1/2 visor. I felt more claustrophobic than anything else, so I went back to the visor after one game. For the next few games wearing the visor, I noticed that when I played, I was really tentative. I wasn't getting into the play. I was staying on the perimeter, avoiding everyone, putting my glove in front of my face all the time, and flinching. This turned out to be more detrimental than the weird feeling I experienced with the cage.

Yesterday, I donned the cage. All the apprehension disappeared. I didn't feel handicapped wearing it. I think committing to it in my mind, was the biggest hurdle. I will wear it from now on.

 

[Rookie109]

I feel the same ways sometimes, even wearing the massive Dany Heatley 3/4 Oakley visor, I play with a little less confidence than when I'm playing with my Bauer Re-Akt cage. It's knowing that without a cage any random stick, elbow, or puck could lead me to the ER and dentist chair that makes me ask myself, "Wtf am I doing here?".

What cage did you get? Has anyone compared the new CCM Fitlite titanium cage Vs the flagship Bauer titanium Re-Akt?

 

[TheLokNesMonster]

I feel the same ways sometimes, even wearing the massive Dany Heatley 3/4 Oakley visor, I play with a little less confidence than when I'm playing with my Bauer Re-Akt cage. It's knowing that without a cage any random stick, elbow, or puck could lead me to the ER and dentist chair that makes me ask myself, "Wtf am I doing here?".

What cage did you get? Has anyone compared the new CCM Fitlite titanium cage Vs the flagship Bauer titanium Re-Akt?

I have the Re-Akt cage like you have. It is on a Re-Akt helmet.

Some guys in my game really pad up in addition to the cage, and some are just bare minimum with the open face. Most are kind of in between. We are all pretty careful, respectful, and in control, but it is still a matter of wearing what makes you feel the most comfortable out there. These days it doesn't have to be a safety vs. mobility vs. vision issue.

One guy said a few weeks back as we were heading off the ice, "great game, everybody is leaving the arena in the same condition as when we arrived". I thought that was pretty profound, and a good way to think about what is really important at the end of it all.

 

[Rookie109]

https://sports.vice.com/ca/highligh...utm_source=vicesportsfbca&utm_campaign=global
Here's another​ example of why I'll usually stick with the cage for league games where i don't know my opponents.

 

[jorbjorb]

half visor and mouthguard for me

 

[manictech]

I played without visor or cage for a few seasons. It was amazing and I can see why so many decide not too wear one. But I got moved up a league and decided to put my hybrid back on as I had seen of the guys take crazy slap shots. Glad I did because my first game I got hit in the forehead and skated away no problem.

 

[clarkiestooth]

I think the best answer is: " play what you feel comfortable with". Also depends on who you are playing against. Personally, I wear half shield.

 

[DMR]

I like the cage. I don't even notice the bars and I like the open feeling of the cool air on my face. With visors I feel enclosed like darth Vader or something. And I don't have to worry about fogging or sight distortion that I've experienced with visors.

 

[V4V1984]

Full cage/visor! Got a stick in the chicklets and ended up losing almost two teeth.I had a mouth guard but no visor.Dumb on my part.Had to have root canal on one,and the dentist was able to save the other.

 

[Sleepy]

Okay, imagine how the pros are infinitely more skilled than you are. Think about how many high sticks you see per game. Understand that the players you are playing with are infinitely less skilled, and some have never played without a cage (or against people without full cages).

If you're cool with that scenario and won't go full Trevor Gillies when you lose some teeth (because it will happen), then go right ahead.

 

[Pez68]

Re-akt cage all day every day. I actually like it more than my visor, now...

 

[TheBluePenguin]

Had not played in 14 years (I'm 35) started skating in a pickup game 5 weeks ago, Was trying to decide if i wanted to be caged or not. 10 minutes into my first week a guy tries to stick handle\crossover around me and hits me right in my beautiful cage lol So happy I went with the cage, wife would not have been happy to see that dentist bill

 

[PIMking]

Okay, imagine how the pros are infinitely more skilled than you are. Think about how many high sticks you see per game. Understand that the players you are playing with are infinitely less skilled, and some have never played without a cage (or against people without full cages).

If you're cool with that scenario and won't go full Trevor Gillies when you lose some teeth (because it will happen), then go right ahead.

I haven't used a cage since I was 18, been hit in the face a few times but noting major except a real bad lip from being checked and my teeth went through it and that would've happened even with a cage.

I like my half shield, I feel more comfortable with it.

 

[Rookie109]

I haven't used a cage since I was 18, been hit in the face a few times but noting major except a real bad lip from being checked and my teeth went through it and that would've happened even with a cage.

I like my half shield, I feel more comfortable with it.

How is that possible wearing a cage? If the chin cup is properly positioned, wouldn't that take the brunt of the impact? Would a mouth guard make a difference in either case?