Pro/retail visors and helmets

[Petey21 1]

I was thinking today, there are pro stock versions of alot of types of equipment, like sticks, gloves and skates. But are there retail and pro stock versions of equipment such as visors and helmets too, or are those all the same for both pros and retail stores? I'm not sure where I read it but some year or two ago I think I read something about a visor "made for" Kariya (or Sakic, don't remember who it was), either it was in some article or maybe it was even some auction or something where they sold this item. But I've never heard of special pro versions of visors ever since.

[Neo5370 132]

This is purely a guess on my part but I'll bet the materials in visors are the same, pro or retail, but pro's might be able request different cuts and tints.

And as for helmets, I bet all they (pros) do is request different amounts of padding. Extra thin for that pro, normal sized head look, or extra thick, like Kariya's "concussion" helmet.

Again, pure conjecture.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I dont' kow about differnet materials...but the "pro" helmets have blank side panels (where the company logo usually is) so that they can put the team logo.

[wristshot19 0]

I know when my brother worked for a shop that did the mods for a lot of Chicago Blackhawks players, the helmets and pads were usually just stock and then they had the shop do mods for them. They used to get requests for things like added or shaved padding and different ear pieces. It was amazing to see some of the equipment that these guys were trying to hold on to. There must have been dozens of pair of shoulder pads that were there for re-stitch.

I am sure that if you are a big enough name then they will probably do something just for you, but I would guess that the majority are stock helmets.

The shields are probably a bit harder to externally modify but they might also be easier to internally customize for individual players. Somebody from Oakley or ITECH might know a little better (maybe Justin since he does work for the Mission-ITECH hybrid now).

[Hiub 0]

I remember seeing on ebay some helmets that were pro issues to some colleges, now I have no clue if there was anything different or odd about them, but I do know for sure that they were for Michigan. Who knows, if there were to be pro stock helmets they would probably be custom fitted and not do us much good.

[Chadd 916]

As mentioned, pro stock helmets only have the manufacturer logo in the front and no other markings.

[wristshot19 0]

I remember seeing on ebay some helmets that were pro issues to some colleges, now I have no clue if there was anything different or odd about them, but I do know for sure that they were for Michigan. Who knows, if there were to be pro stock helmets they would probably be custom fitted and not do us much good.

A lot of times too, the "pro stock" helmets are only considred pro stock because they are a custom color that a company doesn't normally sell. The internals will more than likely be the same.

[Petey21 1]

A lot of times too, the "pro stock" helmets are only considred pro stock because they are a custom color that a company doesn't normally sell. The internals will more than likely be the same.

Then I guess my helmet (seen in my avatar btw) is a "pro stock" as it's a custom teal color (although it looks kinda blueish in the pic) originally made for a Swedish Elite League team.

[joshy207 15]

I used to rep for one of the manufacturers a few years ago. At the time, we had a couple "pro" helmets. One had softer foam than the retail version (same thickness as retail) and the other had thinner-and-softer-than-retail foam. No company logos on the sides either. "Pro" shields often had a hard-coating to prevent scratching as well as the anti-fog coating. They usually had a little better optics than the standard retail shield (produced in different factories). With the newer-generation shields, different cuts were easier to do. But there really weren't any true "custom" helmets or shields made. They could shave the foam, or pull some of it out, and mount the shields in different positions, but no customs. As for colors... if we were going to make a special color, we would have had to make 500 helmets. That's the number that the smallest-available quantity of raw plastic would produce. So if a college asked for, say, teal helmets, we'd have to try and find as many other college, high school, junior, or travel teams that would use that color, in order to produce those helmets.

[Thockey17 1]

Heres my prostock bauer 4k

http://www.pifiu.com/upload/uploads/052004/pro4k.JPG

Like Joshy said, the foam on my helmet is alot thinner softer than the foam on a retail 4000. It feels almost like a gel.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

This was the helmet of who

[Eazy_b97 1]

Thockey - That Helmet looks almost like a hybrid of the 4000 and 5000, seems to have alot more bulk than the 4000s I have.

[Thockey17 1]

This was the helmet of who

I really dont remember who's it was. That day people were just throwing stuff at me. It was pretty crazy. I think it belonged to Mark Parrish before he switched to the nike 0004

Edit: Yeah Eazy, its definately bulkier than a retail one. I have quite a few helmets, and this is the daily protector. It fits my head like a glove.