Why doesn't anyone use a half cage?

[Abubaca 0]

OK guys, I was playing HS hockey back when the Itech polycarbonate shield became popular. Still, only about 50% of players were using them, and years later, we all know that metal cages have certainly held there own and recplaimed about 95%+ of the face protection duties. It's common to see teams with NO players using a polycarbonate "Itech".

.....but when it comes to half shields, you have 99.99% of players using polycarbonate "visors". -In all adult leagues (almost 15 years) I've only seen a handfull of half cages. I have both the Itech "half wire" cage, and a Bauer model I can't remember.

....regardless, all the benefits and drawbacks of either style (metal or clear polycarbonate), would be the same regardless of whether or not it was full or half. Personally, I like the airflow the fact that i don't have to keep wiping off a cage.

Sooooo, in hopes of a fun and entertaining discussion, I ask you again:

Why do SOOOOO many of you go cage for full, and SOOOOOOOOO many go shield for half?????????? ;)

[Aussie Joe 0]

I go half shield because I have to. That and there are allot of Melvins in my league.

There's only one guy who wears a half cage and he's one of the biggest tossers ever. The half cage has a stigma on it around because of le tosser.

[Stampeder 2]

It's ugly? You would look like a total tool wearing one.

[gxc999 7]

I'm a full shield user, the Itech Dlx II. I actually have used a cage before but didn't like it much. It just felt well, weird. I think the only reason the full shield isn't popular is the price. The DLX II alone was $50, while you can grab a cage for $25...

[Michael9 57]

Usually the reason people ditch the full-cage is for better visability, IMO, the half cage doesn't really serve for much, you don't see as good as with a visor and you leave your teeth unprotected, each system seems to have each a pro and a con, visor, better vision, less protecion. Full cage, better protection, vision isn't as good. The half cage just seems to have to cons and no pros when compares to the two others: less protection and less visability......but thats just my opinion.

[cityofwalrus 0]

I wear a visor because since i was 6 years old and I had a hockey card of Daniel Marois wearing a half visor i've wanted to wear one... once i turned 15 i bought a 1xcel half visor and wore to open hockey and roller hockey games.. I could'nt wear a half cage because I hate cages anyways and I think they look lame... Half visors look so much better especially when you have a differant one that other people.

[Abubaca 0]

The half cage has a stigma on it around because of le tosser.

Honestly I haven't seen enough of them to warrant a stigma of ANY type.

It's ugly? You would look like a total tool wearing one.

While I can't argue with someones opinion, I see a lot more "ugly" things out there than half cages.

I think the only reason the full shield isn't popular is the price.

People won't spend a few extra bucks on a shield, yet they buy $200 dollar sticks? I have no problem with anyone not wearing one, but I don't think price is the issue.

The half cage just seems to have to cons and no pros when compares to the two others: less protection and less visability.....

On any given night in our league, I'd say 90% of the guys are wearing either full cages or half clear shields. My half cage has just as much visibility as the full cage, and my half cage has just as much protection as a half shield.

Nah, I'm not buying any of those reasons. Well, the "ugly" factor is opinion, and I can't argue with someone opinion. -but the others don't hold water.

My issue is the SWITCH from one to the other. Think about the college guys, they all wear full cages. Since it's required to be a FULL face shield, either cage or shield would offer the same protection. If cages were bad for visibility, would they wear full clear shields?-but they don't. ....but then when they go to the next level, suddenly clear shields are somehow better? Don't get me wrong guys, personal preference is just that personal. Whatever you like, for whatever reason, that's fine. My question is why the SWITCH from cage to clear?

[cityofwalrus 0]

My question is why the SWITCH from cage to clear?

I wore a cage in college and first of juniors.. but I wore a full clear shield most of my youth hockey. The only reason i switched form clear full shield to cage is because I played at a rink that fogged too much then i went to cage and then once i hit 2nd yr of junior wore a clear visor because i love them so much more. I HATED wearing my titanium cage for college because i hate chin straps and cages but I had to.. now all i will wear is a clear visor cause sages to me aren't as cool, i hated cages in youth so why would i want a half version?

[legiahockey 3]

why get a half cage when you can have a full cage with the same visability and twice the protection? dumb imo. people wear a half vaisor for the visibilty. the sacrifice protection for visabilty. a half cage is pointless to me

[Dougie8 0]

My reasons:

First of all I think they just make you look like a goof. Second thing, I've never seen on in a store? I guess it's mostly PP, but I agree with Legia.. Why wear something like that when you can protect your teeth with the same airflow (other than chin cup) and same visibility?

[Abubaca 0]

haha, well, I'm older now, so style isn't really an issue. I understand most people think they look goofy though. Bottom line for me is airflow and no chin cup. I'm considering going to a full cage though. I'm not as care free as I used to be! For years I wore no protection at all. I decided I really needed something, so I bought a visor. The airflow and fogging were a pain, and I eventually found a half cage.

Oh well, to each his own. ;)

[32Ryan 0]

I wear a visor because since i was 6 years old and I had a hockey card of Daniel Marois wearing a half visor i've wanted to wear one... once i turned 15 i bought a 1xcel half visor and wore to open hockey and roller hockey games.. I could'nt wear a half cage because I hate cages anyways and I think they look lame... Half visors look so much better especially when you have a differant one that other people.

You basically summed up my answer, except for the Daniel Marois part. I have worn a Dx-100 for half the season and don't think there is many other visors I would switch too. Imagine how bad a half cage would look on a Vector helmet?

[Miserable 6]

I would think that a half cage really offers no benefit over a full cage. The half cage obscures your vision as much as a half so why not just wear a full cage and protect the rest of your face?

[Kevin 5]

If players in leagues with half shields were allowed to use half cages, there would be a lot more facial cuts. The metal bars of cages are pretty effective cutting tools when accelerated into bare skin.

[english15x 3]

if players in my beer league weren't so sporatic and uncoordianted I would go with no facial protection, I love no cage, no visor.

but... due to the fact that we play with a jive of idiots, I wear a cage.

[Abubaca 0]

I would think that a half cage really offers no benefit over a full cage. The half cage obscures your vision as much as a half so why not just wear a full cage and protect the rest of your face?

Very true, but what benefit does the half shield/visor have over a full shield/visor?

As far as protection is concerned, my half cage offers just as much as all you with your half shields. You may have better visibility, but I have better airflow.

......injury wise, like Kevin mentions, I can understand that point.

-This is an intersting topic. Thanks for the replies guys. :P

[shooter27 116]

The advantage of a half shield over a full shield are the facts that 1) a full visor is HOT and therefore uncomfortable to many people because there are still some airflow issues with the Itech and 2) full shields will still fog up on occasion, making visibility difficult.

I wore a cage and a full shield in college and I much preferred the full shield because of the enhanced visibility, but a lot of my teammates found the full shields to be hot and had problems breathing in them so they wore cages. That is not an issue when you start talking about half shields vs. half cages because there is no air flow obstruction around the nose and mouth like there is on a full shield. Therefore the question of half shield vs. half cage is a question 100% based on visibility whereas the question between full shield vs full cage has at least 3 factors to consider (visibility, heat/airflow, fogging). If the full shield vs. full cage decision was based solely on visibility like the half shield vs. half cage decision, I can promise you, something like 90% of college hockey players would wear full shields, but the decision is not that simple. You can not make a direct comparison between the two choices because of the different considerations at work when making each choice.

[hunterphfr 12]

1/2 cage still gives you those little bars running vertically and horizontally in front of your eyes and they weigh more.

Therefore two reasons to go 1/2 cage/shield, vision and weight are improved more by shield.

I haven't seen a 1/2 shield in ages. I still see the odd cateye goalie or broomball/lacrosse cages kicking around. Including mine after I switched back from a half shield, after getting rocked from behind into the boards and getting the skin on my nose peeled back. The Florida heat and humidity can be fogging hell with a shield, especially in the summer.

[Abubaca 0]

Shooter27, your reply makes a lot of sense, and is something I hadn't considered.

I personally still have airflow/fogging issues, but it's just that, PERSONAL. I can certainly see how "most" people would prefer a half visor as opposed to the cage when it comes to a HALF as opposed to a full.

Still an interesting idea though. ....an although my Itech half cage is pretty darn ugly, the bauer is pretty cool IMHO. :lol:

[Monty22 833]

I haven't seen the half cages around much at all. I've seen one guy wear one in the last 15 or so years I've been playing beer leauge.

[Smitty34 0]

I've never seen anyone wear one of these. The closest that I've seen is the half visor, half cage. I understand the appeal though. It wouldn't fog like a visor, but in my experience (in response to some of the above posts), I have worn both full face shields and full cages. They both get warm inside, and I don't notice a particularly noticable amount of air flow in either of them.

[Doctor Hook 0]

My thoughts on half cages. IMHO, you rock a visor for no bars. Half cage has the bars and also looks wack. Just my thoughts.

[top 0]

If your gonna wear a half shield.. might as well wear the full bird cage, I don't see anything use full from wearing a half cage. If you wear your helmet properly, your gonna be seeing the same thing as if you would have a cage on, minus the bottom 1/3rd of it, so why not wear a cage? Sure those ugly things don't scratch no matter what you do to them.. but its definitely not worth the extra bucks IMO. It doesn't compare to a visor.. hand down.

[automorph 0]

you a looka like a douche............we had one guy in our league wear a osgood goalie cage as a forward, he looked pretty funny but hey whatever floats your boat

[razrbladz12 0]

I have used a full cage, full shield, and half shield. I used the full cage when I was younger, but switched to the full shield because I wear contacts and I didn't want all that air flow to my eyes. When using all 3 of these cages/shields on the ice, air flow is fine in all of them. It is only when you get on the bench that it gets hotter because the air isn't moving because you're not moving. I noticed the hot feeling when I wear all 3 different cages/shields. So really, for me air flow is a non-factor. I think the main reason people stray away from full cages is fogging, but like I said, I've had no problems, where most people probably have.

But why make the change from cage to half shield? Marketing is the answer. Up through college, you must wear full facial protection and for whatever reason, most people go with a cage. Why do they then switch to a half shield rather than a half cage? They don't see their idols wearing them. How many players in the NHL wear a half cage? NONE. So everyone growing up wants to be like the people they look up to and try and wear that half shield as soon as they can. This combined with the fact that there is no advertisement at all for half cages=everyone wearing a half shield.