Easton S19 helmet

[ChampagneSupernova 0]

ONCE AGAIN...

It is NOT an ONE-IMPACT HELMET!!!!!

While I will not dispute the fact that this is not a one-impact helmet I wonder how effective the helmet is at absorbing impact after a major blow takes place. If the research done by Cascade on the Messier project helmet is correct and impact absorption properties are significantly reduced after the first blow with conventional EPP foam,

http://www.cascadeicehockey.com/the-technology.html

then it is a lot of money to pay for a helmet.

[ChampagneSupernova 0]

In the new picture, the look kind of reminds me of the Jofa 690. Obviously, the vents are different, but the shape, and that little ridge (don't know what to call it) behind the ugly floating logo remind me of the 690.

Ahh yes the Jofa 690 helmet. A helmet that is actually round relatively speaking. Along with the 390 I liked the fit. I have no idea how this new Easton helmet fits and it will likely be quite awhile before it arrives in Canada, but I hope that more helmets go in this direction. If I could go back in time and pick up a few Stan Mikita P.P.I. helmets or variations of the sort I would, because they were actually comfortable and protected your head. It seems to me that adjustable helmets either fit the front part of your head or the back but not both. As a matter of fact it would be nice if some they actually sized helmets like hats. Hmmm what a novel idea.

[DarkStar50 679]

Care to think of the retail price of individually sized helmets like baseball sized hats? There would be a model casting for each individual size. Hmmm what an expensive idea.

[ChampagneSupernova 0]

First. the two most important pieces of equipment are at the top and the bottom. Your skates and your helmet. Even after all my years in this business, as skates get more and more expensive with proven technology behind the product and players more than willing to shell out the money for skates, there is an incredible, unexplainable resistance to spending more for helmet protection. Granted, there will NEVER be the helmet that keeps a player concussion free, consumers still have price resistance to the best protection available for their head. I am not saying this helmet is the best protection, just that price continues to be an issue in protecting your head. A very good helmet always costs less than a trip to the ER.

Well I am new to this whole online thing with hockey equipment. However I have to comment on the above. I have read many comments on this website and I am always amazed at some of the comments on how equipment looks.

I am not immune to having opinions in this regard, as I have certain likes and dislikes on how equipment and jerseys look. However have any of you out there who comment on how ugly certain equipment is ever considered going into fashion design? Some of you will no doubt read this and take offense to it; but seriously hockey is not fashion. If you are that concerned about how you look on the ice I hope you are equally stylish off of the ice, and that you never bought into the idea of wearing sneakers with a suit.

The reason you wear hockey equipment outside of skates is to protect yourself. I will state that again it is to protect yourself. So with regard to the helmet the focus should be on protection first.

Second to that the helmet should be comfortable so that you will/can wear it. I suppose venting is an issue but I have always found that my head is cold if anything when it comes to helmets, so it is not a big issue to me. Frankly I think that manufacturers would put an extra hole in the helmet if it allows them to claim that they have 23,001 venting holes instead of 23,000.

Thirdly a helmet must be durable although with hockey helmets they are made for multiple impacts so perhaps this does not seem to apply at first glance. However it appears that Cascade has touched on a valid point that no other manufacturer to my knowledge has ever brought to the public's attention. That is impact absorption capacities beyond the first impact. This seems to be a point that is worth serious consideration if you want to know that after playing hockey for a few years you will still be able to know the difference between $170 and $70; lest your ability to recognize numerical values be gone from all of the hits to the head that you absorbed, because someone didn't like how your helmet looked and they decided to knock you on the head as a result of it.

Fourth and finally I will claim that looks matter. In that regard here are a few of my votes for the Helmet Hall of Fame - Cindy Crawford category:

1. Stan Mikita P.P.I.

2. Cooper XL7

3. Jofa Petr Klima edition

Feel free to bring the pain and let me know whether any of my three choices reside in your Hall of Fame, or if you think my choices belong rather in the Hall of Shame.

Finally with regard to the original comment:

If you are willing to spend money on any number of things that the industry has convinced you are important (Can any of you really tell the difference between 400 and 450 grams in a hockey stick?), why on earth would you balk at spending $170 on a helmet? Think about that the next time you see Mike Modano effortlessly striding down the ice in his primitive C.C.M. skates or Henrik Zetterberg doing some Scandinavian shuffle in a relatively old pair of Easton skates.

If your equipment FITS and is in good condition maybe you don't need anything new you just need to grow a mullet. ;)

IMP! While I may appear to be contradicting myself based on my earlier post:

If the research done by Cascade on the Messier project helmet is correct and impact absorption properties are significantly reduced after the first blow with conventional EPP foam,

http://www.cascadeicehockey.com/the-technology.html

then it is a lot of money to pay for a helmet.

I would like to make it clear that I am making two different points. I believe that on the one hand $170 IS expensive for a helmet. However, if you are going to pay enormous sums of money for all of your other equipment then why would you not invest in your most important piece of equipment. That is the piece of equipment that insures you have the ability to even contemplate whether you want to spend $170 on a helmet in the first place.

DS - no, it is not.

While the correct term for a mixture of materials is "composite," at least in our business when that word is used it means a carbon base, which this helmet is not.

If this is not a carbon based helmet what has allowed Easton to make the helmet so light? Also is this helmet taking a page from the old Mission Carbster helmet that was around a few years back?

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

No gaps in padding allowing for better dispersion while using less material.

[GREGROYA 0]

It's a nice helmet and very nice fitting!!!!!!

[sogaduch 0]

so stoked to put on my oakley visor on this helmet when it's "officially" released to retail.

[GREGROYA 0]

Got one today looks pretty sweet with a visor.

[furlanitalia 1]

How much?

[phantomowner27 20]

got to mess around with one last night at Hockey Xsport. It's as light as a feather.. no joke.

[Orange&Black 1]

I actually like this helmet. Haven't seen one in person yet, but I'll admit to being wary of purchasing a hockey helmet for $170. I understand they're saying it's not a one & done deal, but how much can it possibly take? Is it two & done? Three?

I'm pretty serious about protecting my noggin after all of my concussion problems. So, I will consider this lid next time I need a new helmet.

[goaliemanshark 6]

got to mess around with one last night at Hockey Xsport. It's as light as a feather.. no joke.

OMG YOU ROCK, thanks for the heads up!! i'm going to Hockey Xsport tomorrow to try one out i think. I had no clue they would get here (to low profile nor-cal) so soon...

If it fits as well as my s17 and its as light as you guys say i will have a hard time not picking one up!

Btw, American Express must love me. :)

[furlanitalia 1]

Seeing Iginla wear it in tonight's game I cannot believe how low it sits on his head. Looks like it almost covers his eyebrows.

[dsjunior1388 81]

Seeing Iginla wear it in tonight's game I cannot believe how low it sits on his head. Looks like it almost covers his eyebrows.

I noticed that too, looks wierd.

[trisgale 0]

tried one on yesterday at my LHS, I wear a RBK 6k medium (at its biggest setting) and tried the S19 medium, looked tiny on my head, barely went over my ears, they didn't have a large in stock. Look pretty good, very light as everyone else has said.

Only adjustment is in inside back part of the helmet, the adjustment looks like the back of adjustable baseball caps, the two plastic pieces one with holes and the other with nipples.

[NYRSinceBirth 0]

Loui Eriksson is wearing an S19 and he looked like he's swimming in it. Very low on the brow, just like others have mentioned.

One question about the helmet: Visors tend to make helmets wider. Especially a small or a medium, visors pull the helmets out a bit. The S19 is much more stiff than any other helmet, does it still widen up? Or does the visor bend to the helmet? Wouldn't that affect optics?

[Chadd 916]

Loui Eriksson is wearing an S19 and he looked like he's swimming in it. Very low on the brow, just like others have mentioned.

One question about the helmet: Visors tend to make helmets wider. Especially a small or a medium, visors pull the helmets out a bit. The S19 is much more stiff than any other helmet, does it still widen up? Or does the visor bend to the helmet? Wouldn't that affect optics?

If you use spacers like the ones that come with all top end visors today, there is little to no pulling.

[ASSALBERT 0]

i had the opportunity to try one on the other day, damn thing is incredibly light. downside is that its not made for everybody, its not really adjustable like the rest of the helmets out there on the market. its adjusted by a strap similar to snapback caps/hats, i normally wear a medium and the med s19 barely fit me, acutally it was too small. supposedly the helmet is made by bell.

[NYRSinceBirth 0]

If you use spacers like the ones that come with all top end visors today, there is little to no pulling.

Of course, but there was noticeable (albeit not much) pulling on my medium 5100, and I obviously used the spacers (HS22 straight cut). It was enough to change the fit of the helmet a little. I was just curious how the S19 does with visors.

[furlanitalia 1]

I know with my 8K the visor pulls tremendously on the helmet because I don't have spacers. Anyone know where to get them?

[Reaper 0]

supposedly the helmet is made by bell.

Which is owned by Easton.

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

Easton hosted a press party for the S19 Z-Shock helmet today. I was invited to attend however I was not in Vancouver for the Games.

So, they were gracious enough to send me what was given.

I received a box today - in it was a Starbucks cup (or so I thought, with a pack of instant Starbucks coffee in it) an envelope including a DVD and tech sheets on the helmet, and a helmet.

This is what the cup says -

Pretty neat PR work, IMO...

[furlanitalia 1]

That is some pretty snazzy PR work. How does it fit?

[JR Boucicaut 3760]

It's a M, 7 1/4 biggest setting. It is snug however I took off the ear guards (which are pretty neat actually, they slide out), works fine if I put it on back-first.