Cages and roller hockey

[thefelixculpa 0]

So I hear a lot of guys talk about painting the inside of their cage white or preferring chrome cages because it blends in with the ice better, but is there any particular benefit to a certain cage color in roller hockey?

I have really strange vision...I have one near sighted eye and one far sighted, I am supposed to wear glasses but I can see clearly without them, just puts strain on my eyes and occasionally I'll go blurry and need to blink a few times b/c my eyes don't work well together. Contacts irritate my eyes, so I don't wear anything when I play.

Anyway, I've always used an Itech concept full shield over a cage because the cage bars really mess with my crazy eyes. I am just getting fed up now with the maintenance of the full shield (fog, cleaning) and lack of ventilation...so I am now going to suck it up and go for a cage.

Is there any particular cage that would mess with my eyes less than another? I tried out a Bauer 4000 at my LHS and felt like my head was spinning.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Try a Itech Fantom or a Jofa/CCM 480.

[cxo 0]

I personally just tried out a helmet this morning that had the new Itech 908ti. People will bag on it for being ugly, but as far as vision and clear line of sight goes, it really is top notch. That would be my recommendation.

[Fury of One 6]

I personally just tried out a helmet this morning that had the new Itech 908ti. People will bag on it for being ugly, but as far as vision and clear line of sight goes, it really is top notch. That would be my recommendation.

That's what I use and I'll second the opinion on vision, as well as being crazy light and rustproof. If you can justify spending the $100 + for it, it's an awesome investment.

[strosedefence34 175]

have you considered a half cage half shield?

[Thockey17 1]

have you considered a half cage half shield?

Fogging/Scratching issues basically render them useless very quickly.

Stick with a cage.

[NorrisContender 4]

Just switched from a chrome CCM to an Itech Fantom I2. The lay out of the wires made a huge improvement for me. The white inside does seem to blend with SportCourt better than my chrome one but I think the bigger difference is in the design.

[shute 4]

I personally just tried out a helmet this morning that had the new Itech 908ti. People will bag on it for being ugly, but as far as vision and clear line of sight goes, it really is top notch. That would be my recommendation.

That's what I use and I'll second the opinion on vision, as well as being crazy light and rustproof. If you can justify spending the $100 + for it, it's an awesome investment.

that is the same one i have and it's the best ever! trust me i've tried them all as well including visors, full visors and half cage half visor.

[Jat 0]

Its worth it to keep your face pretty.

[saba 0]

Phantom cage on a Mission Intake zero problems

[jpeaslee 30]

i've got a bauer 5500 helmet. I just ordered a bauer 8500 cage and a Itech Fantom i2. They come in tomorrow. If it would help I can do my best to compare the two (when they come in) along with my old piece of crap itech chrome cage.

Just out of curiosity, what helmet are you wearing?

[thefelixculpa 0]

i've got a bauer 5500 helmet. I just ordered a bauer 8500 cage and a Itech Fantom i2. They come in tomorrow. If it would help I can do my best to compare the two (when they come in) along with my old piece of crap itech chrome cage.

Just out of curiosity, what helmet are you wearing?

I use a Bauer 4500

thanks for the responses

[jpeaslee 30]

So i just got done deciding between the 8500 and the Fantom I2.

Bauer 8500:

Pros: Bauer cage on Bauer helmet. the oval bars are kinda cool. Vision is pretty good. Felt lighter than the Fantom. I liked the chin cup material. Fit my helmet well.

cons: didn't like the color. I didn't like how the chin cup moved

Fantom I2:

Pros: I2 color scheme (i liked the white inside). Liked the look better (color and shape). The vision lined up better for me.

Cons: Heavier. Didn't like the chin cup material as much. More expensive

Overall i chose to keep the Fantom. The weight wasn't a big deal as its not really too noticeable. The cost difference is about 5 bucks. I might put one of those shock doctor chin cup covers on it and see how that goes.

[Abilectic 0]

I cut some of the bars out of my cage in strategic line of sight locations it does help some.

[thefelixculpa 0]

I play in ncrha so I wouldn't be allowed to alter it in any way...

How does the CCM vector cage compare to the 480?

[hockeydoc 0]

I cut some of the bars out of my cage in strategic line of sight locations it does help some.

I did that a number of years ago, it worked great for about a year...then...

At pickup I and another guy got to the puck at about the same time, the puck chipped straight up at just the right angle. Everyone was like "where the he!! is the puck"? I was shaking my head trying to get it out from inside my mask. It was quite hilarious, exept for the pain and damage. It hit the side of my nose and crushed the right side of my nasal cavity. I had to get it packed and keep it that way for a few days. If you have ever had to pack you nose you know that is miserable, incredibly painful. Taking the packing out does rank up there with an....nevermind... :P

Short story long I now where the USA Hockey legal face mask (Bauer8500). FYI, technically in a USA sanctioned league they can keep you from using an altered mask. ;)

[thefelixculpa 0]

I ordered/ just recieved the new CCM vector cage.....i am happy with the vision, but it seems like my face may be too long for it? Are CCM cages short compared to others?

Also, I put it on my NBH 4500 helmet, but I really had to force it on there. I cant move the cage up and down while it is connected to my helmet...has anyone else had this problem with pairing a CCM cage with a nike bauer helmet?

[Sig37 0]

First off let me say i am a long time goaltender who has often struggled with glare and sightlines from various cages. all my chrome cages ended up having the high polish on the outside but were left unpolished on the inside to avoid glare issues.

for your situation - vector cage is too much chrome and could cause you some strain. I just went from a chrome ccm 480 to a silver itech fantom. i chose the silver versus the I2 because i liked the silver cage on black helmet and it was in stock at my LHS. The fantom is great. it is light enough, amazing sight lines, no glare with the silver. i like the chin cup - it is more of a softer foam.

BTW this setup is on my Black NBH 4500 so i can attest that it will fit and does look quite good in my opinion. Size medium helmet and cage