Theory on why Tim Thomas liked a Ti player cage on his Mage

[bunnyman666 445]

If you had read my diatribe in the Starting Goal as an Adult thread, you will see that I don't like my Mage. After two sessions in it, I would rather risk injury than wear my Mage.

 

Why do I think Tim Thomas went with the Ti player cage and back eventually to a player helmet/cage combo? 'cos the Mage is chin heavy. It has TONNES of airiness, as well as GREAT vision RIVALLED by a combo; the bloody thing shifts WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much for me as a result of it being chin heavy. Then Tim eventually went with the repro SK600 (not a good choice in helmet shape, IMO). 

 

No, I am NOT going to risk my face and wear the Bauer Ti player's cage JUST to make my Mage more comfortable. I get hit WAAAAAAAAY too many times in the cage to risk that. The Mage will just live on as a spare and eventually as a piece of goal equipment in my vintage goal equipment display. The Mage is just not my thing. I don't know if any masque will EVER be my thing.

[EvilPepe 24]

Which Mage did you get? There are three (four?) different iterations if I recall. I always found the original design to be fairly light myself.

[bunnyman666 445]

Kustom Composites Mage-type. It's just so chin-heavy. It doesn't have a chin, per se. The cage made it chin-heavy.  I fiddled with it the ENTIRE time I was playing yesterday, and it drove me NUTTERS!!!!

[EvilPepe 24]

Gotcha. Shawn made me the combo I was using for the past ten years or so - it's literally a two piece composite clone of the SK2000. Glad to see he is still making masks.

I'm not sure what cage came with yours, but I know when he made mine he was putting the mounting holes in the same place as the SK, making it easy to use one of the SM cages from Sportmask (or the Cooper GLs if you could still find them). Perhaps a different cage could be used?

TT used Sportmask products so the weight overall might be different.

[bunnyman666 445]

I have a heavy duty HM-30, which doesn't have the front end bias of the SM-30 or SM-90, but after getting a puck nearly in the eye, I stopped using it. I only have SM-90s with the long chin.

I didn't order a cage with mine. 

[EvilPepe 24]

Huh. I never had a problem with that, but the helmet model I have might be a bit heavier, keeping it more balanced. Could always ask Shawn - when I had an issue with the padding/fit he was pretty helpful.

[bunnyman666 445]

I know. I don't want it to sound like it's ANYTHING against Shawn- he's GREAT people!!!! I have two of his other pieces, so it's NOT like I am a disgruntled customer.

[docar15 1]

I have an Olympia Composites HM30 clone, the cheapest one he has. It is definitely a solid cage, no worries. Heavy - yes. More balanced then SM90 long chin one I have. Looks like they are called RS90 now.

I did not have issues with their (Olympia) customer service. Neither getting a cage, or ordering an extra chin strap to use with the SM.