Helmet ear protect

[Beflar 53]

My friend has been playing hockey a long time and says he removes the plastic ear protection on the newer helmets. He says you can hear better.

If he had it his way he wouldn't even wear a helmet. That's how long he has been playing. Old school.

Thoughts?

Note: I play beer league.

[trevor13478 1]

i do it, you can hear better and you get better air flow. when i had my intake, the ear pieces would pinch my ears in, so i took them off and i will not be putting them back in anytime soon.

[sinkhole84 0]

I removed mine because they were loose without a cage, so I took them out. If they don't bother you then leave them in. They have no effect on hearing.

[Chadd 916]

I always take them out. I don't suggest it for everyone but I prefer it that way.

[automorph 0]

no plastic ear covers is old school or more likely the "PRO" look..........choice is yours but taking a puck/stick in the ear is never fun but pretty rare it happens but it can happen

[Monty22 833]

I always take them out. I don't suggest it for everyone but I prefer it that way.

Same here.

[TBLfan 25]

Ditto. More airflow, no pinching or rubbing of ears and you can actually hear.

[Clark12 0]

My team has a rule where you aren't allowed to have 'gay bits' on your helmet. Anyone found with 'gay bits' gets an olympic sit-up

[Chadd 916]

My team has a rule where you aren't allowed to have 'gay bits' on your helmet. Anyone found with 'gay bits' gets an olympic sit-up

so you perform a vaguely homoerotic act on the person with the "gay bits"? I guess that makes sense.

[larsen016 0]

I take mine out also. They really hurt if you get hit there and I found that taking them out really alleviates this problem. This last weekend though the ref called me on them. He said that if I didn't get them in I couldn't play. First time it had ever happened to me. I then pointed out that many people on the other team also didn't have them in so he decided to not enforce it.I understand that it is a USA hockey rule but seriously, talk about a picky referee.

:lol:

PS-my coach is now making our team put them back in but, one of mine is cracked, so does anyone know where I can get some new ones? Or do you suggest just stealing them off and old helmet? (helmet is a 5500)

[jimmy 194]

I don't buy the BS claim you can hear better. I wear a goalie mask with full ear cover and I can hear everything! A little piece of plastic is not going to stop sound from getting to your eardrum. If you want to be cool, sure remove your earpiece. If you want to keep a puck from smashing into your ear, don't F with the helmet.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I have 2 Vector helmets. 1 with them and one without...can't say that I really notice a difference.

[Beflar 53]

Better air flow is pretty good reason not to have them. Never even thought about that. Good replies.

[Chadd 916]

I take mine out also. They really hurt if you get hit there and I found that taking them out really alleviates this problem. This last weekend though the ref called me on them. He said that if I didn't get them in I couldn't play. First time it had ever happened to me. I then pointed out that many people on the other team also didn't have them in so he decided to not enforce it.I understand that it is a USA hockey rule but seriously, talk about a picky referee.

:lol:

PS-my coach is now making our team put them back in but, one of mine is cracked, so does anyone know where I can get some new ones? Or do you suggest just stealing them off and old helmet? (helmet is a 5500)

Referees shouldn't decide what rules they want to enforce. I did give two teams 15 minutes before I suspended the game as neither would have had enough players to start the game. Amazingly they all came out of the locker room in time with ear flaps.

[minwookie 0]

I took mine out because I'm rocking a 2nd hand helmet I got when I first started playing that never fit me. Helped make the fit better.

Two weeks after I took it out I took a puck in the ear during pick-up. Funny thing was it was right after the other team had scored, the guy who hit me was my own team mate thinking god knows what. He had just pulled the puck out of the net and we were gonna start skating up ice. I crossed about 6 feet in front of him to pick up some momentum exiting the zone and he just rockets the puck straight into my ear as I go by.

Still to this day can't possibly imagine what he was thinking.

[wildebeest 0]

I have 2 HT-2 helmets. One with mudflaps and one without. The only difference I've noticed is the one with flaps fits just a tad tighter on the sides, but it's barely noticeable.

I can hear just fine with both of them.

[Beflar 53]

You just know that as soon as I take them off I'm going to get plugged in the ear...

[Yoke 0]

I take mine off as soon as I get the helmets. It just bothers my ears.

[Kevin 5]

I have always taken mine off. Never thought about increasing auditory sensitivity--more for looks and airflow.

[shooter27 116]

I take mine out also. They really hurt if you get hit there and I found that taking them out really alleviates this problem. This last weekend though the ref called me on them. He said that if I didn't get them in I couldn't play. First time it had ever happened to me. I then pointed out that many people on the other team also didn't have them in so he decided to not enforce it.I understand that it is a USA hockey rule but seriously, talk about a picky referee.

:lol:

PS-my coach is now making our team put them back in but, one of mine is cracked, so does anyone know where I can get some new ones? Or do you suggest just stealing them off and old helmet? (helmet is a 5500)

USA Hockey rules for all minor hockey age groups require that all players keep their ear pieces in the helmet. I know that NCAA rules don't require them and neither do New England prep rules, but I believe a lot of other high school leagues require them. I don't remember what the rule is in juniors.

[Matt18 1]

I have removed them on both my players helmet and my ref helmet.

[brettlynch11 0]

I saw my buddy get hit in the ear and have to get stitches. I'm not sure whether he had them in or not but I leave them in because of that.

[Kavik 0]

I take mine out. No pinching, and better air flow. I've never noticed a difference in hearing. Sounds all the same to me. I have seen people with only one piece in, and one piece out. Injury thing I suppose.

[Balmer15 0]

I take mine out also. They really hurt if you get hit there and I found that taking them out really alleviates this problem. This last weekend though the ref called me on them. He said that if I didn't get them in I couldn't play. First time it had ever happened to me. I then pointed out that many people on the other team also didn't have them in so he decided to not enforce it.I understand that it is a USA hockey rule but seriously, talk about a picky referee.

:lol:

PS-my coach is now making our team put them back in but, one of mine is cracked, so does anyone know where I can get some new ones? Or do you suggest just stealing them off and old helmet? (helmet is a 5500)

Your LHS will have them, I know mine does.

I take mine out. They hurt my ears when I put the helmet on, or take it off.

[Doctor Hook 0]

I take them out because that's what the pros do and I think it looks better. Also, I like airflow on my ears.