Cage vs Half Visor

[AIREAYE]

Not unless you have yellow fever.

 

[Wilch]

I will say that one of the reasons I like wearing a half shield is it forces me to be extra aware of what's going on.

Last time I played without a jock and I looked like Michael Jackson on ice doing a perpetual crotch grab.

 

[JoeCool16]

Not unless you have yellow fever.

So if he does then you ARE his ex-wife? Whoa, HF drama! Finally!

 

[AIREAYE]

Hey man, I don't swing that way.

 

[Noir]

Two points, one serious, one semi-serious.

1. The degree to which you drop your jaw shouldn't have much effect if any on your ability to take in maximum air. You can open your airway completely on the inside without having you jaw open very far. If it's really a concern, a voice instructor could help you figure out the proprioception in one or two lessons.

You're right, but there's something so intrinsic and involuntary about dropping your jaw and sucking in max air when your breathing heavily.

2. Your shift should only be as long as the time you are useful.

That means I should never step on the ice

Although I knew you were kidding, on a serious note; being able to breath and recover means I'm useful for much longer. With the cage, (and with how bad i'm aging and out of shape i am now) I find myself recently just giving up on plays too quickly because I just burn out too fast; whereas now I can stay with the play until the play is either dead or the timing for a change is appropriate.

I don't know what it is about switching back to half visor, maybe it's all mental, but it felt so good.

1. I feel lighter
2. I have better peripherals
3. I feel it's more comfortable to breath

the latter being my tipping point on going back.

 

[rocky7]

my opinion is to get the best and most comfortable full cage and wear it. no question!

 

[jazzykat]

Getting hit in the neck with the puck was a wake-up call for me. I'm not getting paid to play and losing a tooth or (much worse) an eye isn't worth it.

I am going to play my first game of pickup on Sunday with a cage. I bought the Reakt Helmet/Combo. I wore it around the house a bit and it seems quite comfortable. I suck, so I might as well suck while being reasonably safe.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

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?

This sums it up for me.

I've seen a guy have an eye sliced open from a stick, another one almost the same but luckily "just" got sliced between the eyes and stitched up for the gaping gash, another have teeth knocked out on a follow through shot, as well as other close calls.

I value my vision and want to see my kids grow up, and I am content with my full set of teeth. I don't get paid to play...I'm the one who pays. Guys can call me a p**** all they want -- I don't need a bozo like them giving me a life altering injury over what should be a game. Play the game hard, but there are too many heroes out there that make rec leagues their NHL.

This is coming from someone who has never played without a cage and never plans to do so.

 

[Gino 14]

1. I feel lighter
2. I have better peripherals
3. I feel it's more comfortable to breath

the latter being my tipping point on going back.

1. the visor is lighter, so that is valid. In the grand scheme of things, with all the extra weight you carry from your equipment, that few ounces is negligible

2. the visors actually will tend to distort peripherals, the cage does not, and your helmet will be the limiting factor in all of this

3. unless you are wearing your chin cup over your mouth, I can't see how a cage would restrict your breathing

to me all your arguements for the visor seem to be based on preconceived notions but if you feel it does all that for you, so be it.

 

[jorbjorb]

don't wear a cheesegrator. please don't

 

[sully6one]

I used a visor for about 3 months and then took a shot to the mouth with a tapout,mouthguard (very good ones) and needed surgery to fix my teeth, 7 stitches, root canal and had to wear a wire over my teeth for 2 months. I switched back immediately. Not worth the risk.

 

[kolankosf]

I just started playing 4 years ago (at 25) I didn't want to wear a visor. I had just learned to skate, I could pass well and stay infront of the net. The only thing I could do to help my team was block shots. Ian LaPerriere was a huge influence for how I played and how I could help my team. I then took a slapper to the cheek bone, got stitches, came back the next week. After my next game Lappy blocked the shot from the point that ended his career. The next season I put on a visor. Kept blocking shots, and took nothing off the visor at all, so I'd switch back and forth depending on the skill of the guys I played with. Bought a new visor last Christmas as I played with a new group who wristed laser beams.

That's when I did something stupid. Buddy circled away from the net, along the boards, and up to the top of the circle. I knew he was gonna shoot. I did what I always do, I read what was happening and just before he shot I dropped to my knees. I didn't even see the puck leave his stick and I felt my head rattle. The puck hit my visor, snapped it in half, it sliced the side of my nose and through my upper and lower lip. 30 stitches later I wear a cage from now on (Just used a hacksaw to take off the horizontal bar that goes across the eyes so I can see better).

Yes, I was back playing the next week

 

[TheLokNesMonster]

I feel unsafe in a cage. Claustrophobic. No peripheral vision. I find myself having close calls and almost crashing into people when attempting to wear one.

I have the nicest, lightest one you could buy. Bauer reakt titanium on an e700. Light on light. I'll try to wear it for a pick up game, and feel completely out of sorts, then go back to my 4500 with half visor for the next several games.

It's clear that I would like to wear the cage for safety reason, but I don't feel safe wearing it.

 

[CutOnDime97]

I feel unsafe in a cage. Claustrophobic. No peripheral vision. I find myself having close calls and almost crashing into people when attempting to wear one.

I have the nicest, lightest one you could buy. Bauer reakt titanium on an e700. Light on light. I'll try to wear it for a pick up game, and feel completely out of sorts, then go back to my 4500 with half visor for the next several games.

It's clear that I would like to wear the cage for safety reason, but I don't feel safe wearing it.

Have you tried a full shield or a hybrid like this?

http://www.hockeygiant.com/bauhybshield.html

Yeah it looks weird but it's better than getting a mouth/eye/whatever injury playing beer league hockey.

 

[TheLokNesMonster]

Have you tried a full shield or a hybrid like this?

http://www.hockeygiant.com/bauhybshield.html

Yeah it looks weird but it's better than getting a mouth/eye/whatever injury playing beer league hockey.

I have checked those out. They look like they might work for people that want full protection, but have difficulty with cages, mainly because they never wore them.

That might be the way to eventually go. I wonder if I would still feel claustrophobic having my head encased like that? Might just have to bite the bullet and try it.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

I think it all comes down to what you're used to. I look at that shield + cage combo as really weird and think I'd feel claustrophobic.... but I have no problem playing with a full cage, because that's what I learned hockey in.

 

[Mog]

Do yourself a favor and get a cage. You don't want to go through the ordeal of losing something or spending tons of money later on. I hit someone in the mouth with a shot from the point and he had to get surgery and I still feel bad to this day. Watching someones teeth jiggle and be loose was such an awful thing to witness. Up to you though.

 

[RICK NASHTY]

Have you tried a full shield or a hybrid like this?

http://www.hockeygiant.com/bauhybshield.html

Yeah it looks weird but it's better than getting a mouth/eye/whatever injury playing beer league hockey.

I second this, best investment I ever made. Cant stand the cage but this is a great alternative, plus its much better at not fogging up like larger visors or full shields.

 

[Zorf]

I have a visor and I'm switching to a cage when I stop being a cheap arse and get around to going to buy one.

Nothing serious, but I took a high stick to the face and have a little scar and I chipped a tooth. I have had a TON of close calls though, so I feel like I'm playing with fire.

 

[jazzykat]

How is this thread still open other than to make jokes. A cage/fishbowl offers greater protection than a visor (The titanium cages are about as light and often cheaper than visors so those 2 arguements are out). People still use both. IMO if I am not getting paid then I am wearing a cage because people do weird stupid/stuff with their sticks.

The only questions are how much risk you are willing to assume to get "better vision"/comfort and how well do you believe that full face protection actually protects.

 

[HasbeenHallzy]

Two guys in my mens league learned the hard way to wear a mask. One kid got a puck to the teeth and lot 6 & took home a dental bil of $7,000+, another crashed into the goalie and got his skate across his chin (17 stitches) and knocked out 3 teeth...

I'm a goalie so it's easy for me to say, but getting beaked for wearing a full cage is a lot better than having to buy yourself a new set of teeth.

 

[Rookie109]

I have two helmets with different setups, one with a cage and the other with a visor. A couple of days ago I was contemplating to wear the setup with a visor, but usually for regular or pickup games I stick with the cage.

Man am I glad I decided to wear the cage setup, a deflected puck hit me square in the cage with enough force to stun me for a bit. I can't imagine the damage my face would have been through without it.

Bauer RE-AKT cage, it's saved my face about three times now in the past two years. Best cage you can buy IMO.

 

[SAADfather]

Had to find out there hard way... emergency dental bills are not cheap.

Wore a visor throughout my junior career and never lost any jibs, just took a couple sticks to the face. Played men's league after my junior career ended and kept my visor on. I caught a stick on a follow threw and lost some teeth. When your playing with less expirenced hockey players, I would stay away from a visor. I wear a bubble now. Mostly cause I think it's funny

 

[Lays]

I go with the good old fish bowl, the cage is a bit distracting to me and like someone brought up earlier, if I'm not getting paid to play I'll play it safe and not wear a visor

 

[Terry Yake]

how bad are fishbowls in terms of fogging up? i've heard they get pretty bad.

i play with a half visor and would prefer to switch to full protection but i just can't get the hang of playing with a cage on. it's tough to go back to a cage when you've been playing with a visor for so long