Visors

[coryroth24 15]

So, I have always worn a full mask. Never have I played in a game without one. So my question to all you guys who play with a shield, what's it like? I've been curious to try a shield out, just a little freaked out...

[TurboUltraMaxx 0]

I love it. I played in a small summer college league and wore a visor after wearing a cage my whole life as well. I would recommend wearing a mouth guard and covering your face when blocking shots. Those were the only tricks that I used to be a little safer. But sticks will come up eventually, just be sure you can handle a few cuts in your mouth or something.

[interpathway 9]

beware of murphys law...once you take your protection off, something can and likely will go wrong. always wear a mouth guard, go custom if you can

[peck12 1]

beware of murphys law...once you take your protection off, something can and likely will go wrong. always wear a mouth guard, go custom if you can

Speaking of Murphy's law... I got a new helmet over the summer and didn't have time before a game to switch my visor over so I have to go visorless that night, and of course in the 2nd period I get a stick to the top corner of my eye!! Oh well, nice little game scar.

Having always worn a visor whenever possible I don't think they can be beat. Like said above though, you def need to be ready to get some nicks in the face and a mouth guard and glove blocking are essential. You can get a good one for around $50-$60 these days so it's not a huge investment if you don't like it.

[jbyun04 7]

visors feel much better but make sure you get a mouthguard

one time i went to the net for a rebound and the puck deflected off the goalie's stick and it went straight for my teeth. Thankfully I had a mouthguard.

[Powerfibers 8]

I liked using the visor much better than the cage, but I switched over after getting blasted in the visor by a puck shot by my own d-man into the bench. I was fine but I began to think the visor was a false sense of protection so I switched. I will never go back. It is only beer league, and I will wear the cage and just deal with it. It just isn't worth getting hurt.

[Yoke 0]

I wear a visor and have a mouthguard. Just make sure you are paying attention. You're almost more likely to get hit on the bench than you are on the ice.

[pantherfan 0]

Like warm apple pie ;)

No, seriously it's nothing special I could quiet easily go between both.

[Doctor Hook 0]

It's different. You are definitely more wary and less apt to go nutty in certain situations. I use a mouthguard when I wear my visor.

[tips09 0]

Ive definately noticed people do play differently when they wear a visor... EX: Minor Hockey players that go play junior are alot quieter knowing they can hit in the face with a fist and it will actually hurt.

[Yoke 0]

Ive definately noticed people do play differently when they wear a visor... EX: Minor Hockey players that go play junior are alot quieter knowing they can hit in the face with a fist and it will actually hurt.

That's actually something I like about it. It seems like a lot of the people running their mouths and wildly swinging the sticks in my leagues are guys with full face shields. People with visors or nothing at all seem to be the safer guys to be around.

[SuperMan3 1]

Lol, that still doesn't stop me from mouthing off.

[tips09 0]

Lol, that still doesn't stop me from mouthing off.

I didnt say it stopped me either :P but like yoke said it does seem that most guys that do wear cages are a little more reckless with their sticks

[Larry54 243]

Just be aware of the possibility of losing some teeth. I have 2 crowns as front treeth because of one of those idiots who flail their sticks all over the place. There is nothing to protect yourself from someone else's erratic behaviour. The crowns weren't cheap, either. If that doesn't concern you, then by all means wear a shield! It's so much more comfortable!

[Slapshot 0]

Mouth guards only protect your UPPER TEETH. If you don't like your bottom teeth then wear a half visor. LOL. It's only a matter of time before you'll get popped in the chicklets.

If you are tired of your cage, go to a FULL VISOR. In my opinion, the visibility between a half and full visor is virtually the same.

I've gone back and forth from full visor to cage many times and now have settled on the Itech's i2 cage (white inside, black outside). But if you need a change, full visor would be my choice.

Good luck.

[theWB 2]

Saw a 21 year old kid go blind in one eye this summer from the blade of his own teammate in a beer league game. Just sayin'.

[mgoblue 0]

I just threw on an Itech pro straight yesterday (coming from a cage).

I'm most worried about jaw injuries, as I'll be wearing a mouthguard.

If I find that it's messing with my mind (particularly if it keeps me from being scrappy around the net), back to the cage I'll go.

[Yoke 0]

I wear an Itech straight visor. It's going to be odd for you for a little bit, but honestly, once you get in the flow of the game you won't think about it.

[calixguy18 8]

I recently started playing in a league were visors are allowed. I've used the visor now for about a season in one league and a cage in another. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. It is mandatory that we wear a mouthpiece but I would anyway. I do play more cautious with the visor (like going into corners). I have also been hit in the chin with elbows and fists. Talking with a mouthpiece is very difficult and the visor does get ice/sweat on it. The upside is that you can see see clearer and not have to worry about the chin strap.

With this being said, when my visor get's messed up I'm going back to the cage.

[epstud74 24]

I get the impression some of you dont wear a mouth guard ALL the time, just when you wear a visor. Never understood that..

[SuperMan3 1]

Well, if you are playing in a no-checking mens league, theres less of a chance someones going to smoke you when your head is down so not a lot of people wear mouthgaurds with cages, but with visors theres more of a chance someone will highstick you in the mouth, so we wear mouthgaurds.

[Yoke 0]

That's basically it. I wore one all through youth hockey, but once they took the checking out of it I just wear one when I have a visor or nothing (which I didn't do for long).

[Jason91 0]

After switching to a visor, i found myself playing alot less intensively and being alot more cautious before battling down low for the puck and going into the corners. That really wasn't my style, so back to the cage i went. I wear a mouth guard even with my cage as it doesn't bother me much at all. Funny thing was 2 games later, i got an attempted dump right to the face. I was happy with my decision, that's for sure.

[LkptTiger 1]

beware of murphys law...once you take your protection off, something can and likely will go wrong

I got opened-up within ten minutes of my first scrimmage (Junior camp) with the halfer. Didn't deter me longterm...but I remember I caught myself thinking about running back into the dressing room and slapping my cage back on once I got patched-up.

If there are two things you learn in Junior hockey, one is to make sure you get your free hand up over the bottom of your face when you go down to block a shot. I had a couple pretty close calls early on after the switch that kinda rattled me a bit, but now getting the hand up is just natural. The other thing you figure out is that you HAVE to make sure you're in total control of your stick - it's not like minor hockey when you feel yourself catch someone else in the cage and the first thing you do is look around to see if a ref caught it (which they always do). Once the cages start turning into visors, the first thing you're going to do after getting your stick up is make sure you're in a position to defend yourself...because you probably pissed someone off...and someone is probably going to whack you...and it's probably going to hurt.

[tips09 0]

beware of murphys law...once you take your protection off, something can and likely will go wrong

I got opened-up within ten minutes of my first scrimmage (Junior camp) with the halfer. Didn't deter me longterm...but I remember I caught myself thinking about running back into the dressing room and slapping my cage back on once I got patched-up.

If there are two things you learn in Junior hockey, one is to make sure you get your free hand up over the bottom of your face when you go down to block a shot. I had a couple pretty close calls early on after the switch that kinda rattled me a bit, but now getting the hand up is just natural. The other thing you figure out is that you HAVE to make sure you're in total control of your stick - it's not like minor hockey when you feel yourself catch someone else in the cage and the first thing you do is look around to see if a ref caught it (which they always do). Once the cages start turning into visors, the first thing you're going to do after getting your stick up is make sure you're in a position to defend yourself...because you probably pissed someone off...and someone is probably going to whack you...and it's probably going to hurt.

Everything you said there is dead on to how i feel about wearing a visor