shoot_the_goalie

I second FoxRiver. They're great and pretty durable for how thin they are.

I have a custom and a retail. I don't notice the difference in weight, except that one has a visor vs a cage. If I had to guess, I would think the custom is slightly heavier, cause it has a more dense 3d lattice vs the retail version. I would highly recommend the custom though over the retail, cause for the price difference, the custom is a much better helmet imho.

I use FT4 Pro shoulders too. The Hex shirt pads sometimes get "caught" on the ft4 pro side panels which can be slightly annoying. However I’ve also tried the EvoShield shirt with the rigid rib pads which are WAY more protective than the HEX, but also much more obtrusive.

I have these after I got cross checked to the ribs: https://www.mcdavidusa.com/collections/hex-padded-tops/products/hex-basketball-tank-3-pad They're not perfect but they're the closest thing I've used that is also the least obtrusive. Once the rib bruising went away however, I stopped using it. So for me, it's not a preventative piece of gear...more to protect an already compromised area. McDavid also makes this which can be cut to size as needed: https://www.mcdavidusa.com/products/hex-skin-turf-tape

neodymium magnet with the appropriate pull force also will work.

Looks like part of a nun's habit.

The science behind it makes some sense, but tbh I don't see this thing selling at all until it is put into a more sleek and less obtrusive form factor.

If you get hot spots in the temple you can “train” the shell to widen by taking any object that will apply pressure to both sides and leave it there when helmet not in use. I did this with my 3DS and used a small dumbbell.

Update. I got a Total Custom Tacks X, and I have to say, it's quite possibly the most comfortable and form fitting helmet I have ever worn (no negative space). It's night and day vs the retail version, and the retail version is a pretty comfortable bucket. Interestingly enough too, the liner in the custom seems more robust than the retail version. Much less concern about any of the nest tech lattice getting "broken". The custom liner also deals better with sweat vs the retail. Now, if I were contemplating buying a retail X vs a custom X, for the price difference I would go for the custom. However, is the custom that game changing for the price if a $200 bucket works pretty well for someone....not so sure about that.

I find that the real comfort from the X is evident if you have it on for a long time. (more than 2 hours, etc). Whereas my old helmet (Fitlite 3DS) would develop hot spots around the temples, the X does not.

Oy. I personally think you shouldn't progress on your own and take this to a professional to look at.

Seems like a new trend is now having cut resistant materials built into baselayer compression pants at the leg/ankle area. Wonder if that will overtake just wearing socks.

I agree. If even there was white trim around the letters and maybe the cuff.

I find the T-Guard tongues way too stiff for my liking too.

Ok all. Getting a little off topic here. I wasn't asking whether people should wear neck protection or not. I have made a conscious choice to wear it (I owe it to my family), and I was asking what was the most comfortable. Happy to have a debate on products. Thanks all.

Of course, it now looks like everything is sold out everywhere, and if you can find something, the price has dramatically gone up. But could be a good sign too; more people deciding to wear neck protection after this tragedy.

I think it's dumb, but Thomas Plekanec was constantly chirped for wearing a base layer integrated neck guard. There's that stupid, if I wear uncommon protection, then I'm "soft" mentality. Happened previously with visors, until NHL mandated them. Happened in baseball, when David Wright wore that "gazoo" helmet, got made fun of, and then stopped wearing it. It does happen in the pros as well as your everyday beer league. Regardless, I could care less about the chirps. I just want something comfortable, and it looks like the integrated neck guard shirts are worth a try.

Terrible tragedy concerning Adam Johnson. I've never worn any sort of neck protection in all my years of playing, but I recently have had my kids wear them (before the unfortunate incident), and thankful that I did. Now I'm considering wearing one. Why take a chance, even though I'll be the first to tell anyone that these type of injuries are very rare. For those who use them, which do you find most comfortable? I'm assuming the integrated shirts would be? I could care less about getting chirped and all that silly stuff, but I know I can't wear one of the "brace" type ones...those are just too uncomfortable. There needs to be a balance. I don't care about impact protection....just cut protection. Thanks

It should be noted that the retail X, at first, the nest tech can feel hard and pretty stiff, but once it "warms up" it becomes much more pliable. In the end, I did get fitted for a custom version. Should take about 2 months to get it. Fitting process was simple and quick. Helmet shells seem same as retail, it's the nest tech that's significantly different.

Sure. I'm not trying to find out if you can travel with it. I'm asking more if any consumer users travel with it a lot, especially gen 2 & 3. Or if any users are like, traveling with it is more of a hassle, so let me just bring extra sets of sharpened steel instead....

I'm more curious about real world experience in traveling on planes with a Sparx. Do people do it with frequency, or find that they only do it when they know they're going to be sharpening for a team, etc. I know even if I had a case for my gen 1, I doubt I would actually travel with it that much. Wondering if the smaller form factor on the gen 2 & 3 makes those who own it more apt to fly with it.

I concur with what others said. CCM Tacks will be your best bet, but the CCM Jetspeed line is also very good and a minor step down in protection from the Tacks line.

For better context, I got the retail version for $200. That's why total custom would be a big jump for me.

A side question for Sparx owners. How many of you actually travel with a Sparx on the road (via airplane)? And if you do, do you use the soft case or the hard case? As a personal consumer, I imagine it's way easier to travel with a couple sets of sharpened backup steel than lugging the machine around. (I do have an ES100 - which I imagine is not nearly as portable as the newer gen machines)

So if you like it a lot, we get some sort of kickback, no? lol.