hey goalies! what bugs you about..

[aerialis]

what bugs you about your mask? how can it be improved?

i'm designing a goalie mask for a materials class, and trying to make them better -- so tell me, what's better?

do you wish you could hear better? that you didn't get ringers when pucks hit the flat sides? maybe antibacterial materials so all that spit and sweat doesn't rot away the foam?

let me know what you wish were better about your mask.

Click to read more...

 

[Hedberg]

It smells

A mask as lightweight as posisble without compromising safety would be good.

 

[kold]

Sightlines...wider field of view and minimally obtrusive cage designs.

 

[CaptBrannigan]

It gets a little hot in there sometimes. Maybe a new system for air hole placement, or more holes while keeping the integrity of the mask the same.

 

[aerialis]

by the way, if someone wants to repost this on GSBB, that'd be really helpful too... i've tried to register there a few times and always get stuck at "waiting for administrator to confirm" or something

 

[MikeD]

try dropping an email to Paul Fricker directly or calling him at the goalie store. Might get you a quick in.Hes the owner.

One of my pet peeves has been the larger chin drops on some masks and the over large flat spot at the forehead. Some masks such as the Stacy composite have a three tiered crown form that reduces the flat spots that a puck can find. Masks have to use a "deflection" design to reduce impact. Sight lines for peripheral vision can also be a pain. With the use of a gel interior the goalies face can be much closer to the mask cage, increasing peripheral vision. Others have a larger opening to the sides increasing vision. Larger face opening and composite construction provide a shell that will weigh less than the cage attached!

Many masks use a 5 point harness system that I feel is over complicated. More straps to replace and more buckles to get broken. Some also use a stainless strap buckle which really digs into a mask when hit or knocked off by a puck. They look pretty cool but have its disadvantages. There really is a need for a simple 3 point harnessing with the straps on the inside of the back plate. Easier to put on and remove, adjusting to fit is simplified as well as opening up the back plate for custom paint is a plus for the 3 point harness design.

Rining can be caused by vibration between the layers of the lay up or simply from the shell,cage connections. Rubber spacers at the screw mounts and any area of the shell touching the cage are a big reducer for rining. The gel interior that maltesehockey offers also reduces/eliminates RING by attenuating the force of the impact and the sound of impact that can shock the eardrum.

 

[the_nole]

I love my eddy mask, it's cool enough and my nose is at the cage (easier to see my peripheral vision).

but at the same time it's an approved cage, non cateye, so there's a bar that cuts through my vison so I usually have to remeber to tip my head a little up or down. I also get a lot of ringing in my ear when I get hit in the noggin.

 

[Hounsy]

Screws and clips that attach the cage that will not rust. Come on it's 2006 how can this still be a problem?...Maybe it's not and I've just owned the wrong masks?

 

[MikeD]

even mid grade stainless and plated products are impacted by the conditions of the ice(softeners and such things added) and sweat. It would take a top grade stainless which is VERY expensive. Just the stainless mask harness clips can run upwards of 12.00US each. Total cost of this on a mask would be in the 70-80US range which isnt really cost effective.

 

[#2eddieshore]

when will they develop a goalie visor?

surely they have the technology to make something strong enough and goalies dont get hit very often in the face so scuffs should not be much of a problem.

 

[HFNHL Canadiens]

i personally hate the cage of the mask, they should just remove it all together and replace it with a fragile glass shield, I think that would be beneficial.

 

[the_nole]

when will they develop a goalie visor?

surely they have the technology to make something strong enough and goalies dont get hit very often in the face so scuffs should not be much of a problem.

I'm almost positive, like 5+ years ago, eddy came out with a cateye cage + clear shield. So you had the benefit of cateye vision plus while being approved. I guess sales didn't do so well.

What if they developed a 'cage' that was 1/2 shield + 1/2 vent (wire or aryclic)? something similar to these image.

 

[aerialis]

when will they develop a goalie visor?

surely they have the technology to make something strong enough and goalies dont get hit very often in the face so scuffs should not be much of a problem.

one of the best plastics out there right now is polycarbonate (aka lexan if you like GE, or makrolon if you like bayer). its fantastic for impact, it doesn't leach, won't pick up the scent of your sweat, and you can tint it and all that cool stuff, but the problem is that you can scratch it. you also need to worry about fogging up and all that fun stuff.. i'll look into it though.

 

[Gino 14]

one of the best plastics out there right now is polycarbonate (aka lexan if you like GE, or makrolon if you like bayer). its fantastic for impact, it doesn't leach, won't pick up the scent of your sweat, and you can tint it and all that cool stuff, but the problem is that you can scratch it. you also need to worry about fogging up and all that fun stuff.. i'll look into it though.

Not only scratching but also sweat dripping on it and it would probably be very hot to wear, like the helmet is already.

 

[VisionQuest*]

my mask absolutely rules.
Sportmask Razor VX, silver, cat eye cage.
Light, kevlar/carbon et al, good venting.
Been drilled so many times and never felt a thing.
Just a great mask. best 500 bucks I've ever spent.

 

[aerialis]

tony makes a fantastic product, great choice 35 and 14

 

[the_pen_is_mightier]

Not only scratching but also sweat dripping on it and it would probably be very hot to wear, like the helmet is already.

Bingo. Besides things such as heat, and fog, the biggest thing would be water/ice getting on it and compromising vision.
Players don't shuffle around on their knees as goalies do, therefore, don't have to worry so much about getting sprayed.
Imagine a scramble in the crease, inevitably getting sprayed, and losing sight of the puck and have it jammed into the net.