Why doesn't anyone use a half cage?

[Abubaca 0]

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.

THAT answer there makes more sense than anything else.

[gxc999 7]

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.

I have to agree to an extent. I've got great visibility with the dlxII full shield presently, although I think it's a bit hotter than a cage would be. The fogging/scratching problem is completely eliminted with the DLXII, I'm actually rather impressed. I'm thinking about a headband/bandana for the sweating though.

[Smitty34 0]

My DlxII full shield got pretty warm too, but I agree with gxc999, in my three years of wearing that shield, it never fogged or scratched up once.

[DBLMINR 0]

i have always worn the full shield, better safe than sorry, after the hockey game is over, i have to go to work in the morning.

[JR97 2]

I've played with/against two guys that sport the half cage. I think the odds of that are like winning the lottery. One dude said he liked the airflow better than a visor and the visiblity of looking down. I had a hard time going half visor because of the difference in looking up vs down and the extra heat. But I think it would be harder going half cage vs full cage.

[RadioGaGa 162]

There is a guy in our regular group who wears one, and I see them on some of the older beer League guys. Not only does he wear a half cage, but it's beat right to hell...

[joshy207 15]

The only guys I've ever seen wearing a half-cage are Canadian refs. Windsor and Toronto, ONT areas, to be precise.

[w0ahitsm3 0]

Just wondering, I understand the idea of this half cage, but ive never really seen one on a helmet before or anyone wearing one. Can anybody put up a picture of someone using one on the ice? Thanks.