Eddy Goalie Masks

[prokennex 0]

Hi,

My league goalie asked me to have a look around for a new mask for him, as I am the team equipment nut, and know everywhere to look for information and deals. In reading posts, Eddy seems like a good company, but I cannot find any information on the two deals I came across.

One is for a GT Ultimate and the other is for a GT. We play higher level gents with slap shots and everything, but he wants something that won't break the bank as he is a student with limited funds.

Are either of these worth it in terms of quality and durability for a guy facing players shoot the puck relatively hard???

Any insight would be helpful...

[gmsron 0]

I don't have experience with them myself. But a quick search shows both are great masks that should be protective enough for your friend.

http://www.goaliestore.com/board/equipment...t-ultimate.html

http://www.goaliestore.com/board/equipment...ask-review.html

Both reviews are negative. But other members chime in and say nothing but positive things. So these threads should kind of give you an unbiased view.

[srv2miker 0]

Only time for a quick reply. I have an Eddy GT. Good protection from the front, have taken some heavy shots and no worse for wear. A shot to the side of the mask is another story - sore jaw for a few days after taking a high hard one there.

[Law Goalie 147]

I don't know Eddy masks especially well, but it's my understanding that they are of the same lay-up (that is, material construction), but different shell shapes and features. The GT Ultimate appears to have slightly more defined ridges and a shallower fit (shorter forehead), as well as triangular vent-holes instead of round on the GT.

Having said that, the difference between them in price makes me think there is something else going on. Triangular vent holes are more labour-intensive than round, but that doesn't fully account for it. There may be a weight difference as well, but I could never tell.

So, rather unhelpfully, all I can suggest is that he try both on and pick the best fit.

In that price-range, I would also suggest looking at Sportmask and Hackva; Hackva may be the best value-for-money mask on the market, with a full layer of aramid (Kevlar) as opposed to spot-patches in the Eddy masks and most others. Again, fit is the important thing.

A perfectly-fitted fibreglass mask will be more protective than an ill-fitted mask full of aramid.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

Only time for a quick reply. I have an Eddy GT. Good protection from the front, have taken some heavy shots and no worse for wear. A shot to the side of the mask is another story - sore jaw for a few days after taking a high hard one there.

Where on the side did you get hit?

[gilesfromschool 0]

If you're just asking between the two, the GT Ultimate2 had a more rigid lay of materials making it stiffer, more durable, and lighter. Both have aramid (a strong re-enforcing material) in the forehead and chin. The Ultimate is an Upgrade in the GT2 in a few ways, the fit is different (better lines of sight with the GT Ult.2), and the finish is better (look for the hand finished triangular holes (GT. U2 = Better) vs. the Drilled circular holes (GT2 = good). More time is put into the GT Ultimate shell, giving it that better finish.

As a rule of thumb, always go for the best you can afford in a helmet, and always pick the model with the best fit. Goalies get concussions too. At least try on a few different manufacturers to check which offers the best fit, goal masks are a little more complicated because they have to fit the face and the head at the same time.

In general masks will be heavier, less durable, and have a cheaper looking finish as you go down in price.

If you're starting from scratch, check out another Eddy Model or Sportmask, both companies have factories in Canada, both are very reputable manufacturers with pro experience, and both offer sub pro masks at good prices.

If your goalie pal is looking into investing in a solid piece (spending the extra $ on a helmet is ALWAYS worthwhile), look into either the GT Ultimate 2 (Good - $399), or Custom Kevlar (Better, and available in 2 styles - $469) from Eddy. Sportmask also offers their Razor(Good - $399), and X8(Better - $449).

If you're interested in getting the best bucket (next to a custom mold made pro spec) Eddy offers the Custom LT, retails around $599 , and Sport mask offers the T3 retailing for around $799.

Bauer offers the ENVY 7(good - $350ish?) or ENVY 9 (Better - $400-$500?), or the profile 960/961 (Best - $799) in similar price points.

There are also some very reputable companies like Hackva which are worthwhile looking into.

All prices are Canadian, I don't know if you are... sorry.

More info can be found here:

http://www.eddymasks.com/

http://www.sportmask.com/

http://www.hackva.com/

http://www.bauer.com/gear/goalie/masks

[Law Goalie 147]

Giles, what exactly are the differences in the lay-up between the GT and GT Ultimate? When you say the GTU2 is "stiffer", I presume there is a layer of carbon fibre involved, but there's nothing in the description on Eddy's site or anywhere else that would confirm that. Both masks are simply said to use "composite" materials, which could mean any composition of fibres (glass, aramid, carbon, various weights of any of those).

I'm also a little curious as to why you'd say the fit is "better" on the GT Ultimate - how does it differ from the GT? That too is unclear from what I've read, though the shape of the shell would seem to suggest that there is a difference in fit.

One of my few complaints with Eddy as a company is the scarcity of clear information on the material composition of their masks. If you do have specific info, I'd be much obliged.

[sogaduch 0]

Giles, what exactly are the differences in the lay-up between the GT and GT Ultimate? When you say the GTU2 is "stiffer", I presume there is a layer of carbon fibre involved, but there's nothing in the description on Eddy's site or anywhere else that would confirm that. Both masks are simply said to use "composite" materials, which could mean any composition of fibres (glass, aramid, carbon, various weights of any of those).

I'm also a little curious as to why you'd say the fit is "better" on the GT Ultimate - how does it differ from the GT? That too is unclear from what I've read, though the shape of the shell would seem to suggest that there is a difference in fit.

One of my few complaints with Eddy as a company is the scarcity of clear information on the material composition of their masks. If you do have specific info, I'd be much obliged.

The main differences between the two lay-up of the GT and the GT Ultimate is that the Gt is a machine laid mask so it is a faster process where the Ultimate is a hand laid mask so with the hand laid mask they use a resin between each step to strengthen the overall shell where the GT does not have that as much.

The fit difference is due to the different lay-ups of the shell since the GT will be a slightly softer shell when being constructed compared to the Ultimate it will not be as exact in size between the two models, but when a person does put either mask on the GT will be slightly wider in the temples compared to the Ultimate which has a more secure fit in the overall scheme of things.

[Law Goalie 147]

Thanks, Sean. I felt certain there was a difference in fit through the forehead, I just couldn't put my finger on exactly where it was.

That the GT shell would be somewhat more flexible makes perfect sense based on the way the resin is applied, and that dovetails perfectly with Miker's experience: good frontal protection, but some compression from side-impacts. (Then again, show me a mask that does give great protection from a hard off-angle shot: that's what shook up Gerber, Vokoun, etc.)

I'd surprised Eddy doesn't draw a bigger distinction between the machine and hand-lay processes in its published material; that's such a common selling-point in higher-end masks that it would rightly place the GTU above much of its competition at that price-point.

[SEagle30 0]

I love my eddy mask. I just got it at the beginning of the season and have had no problems. I play tier 2 junior in canada and the shots I have taken give a little ringing in the ears but other than that, its good.

[sogaduch 0]

Thanks, Sean. I felt certain there was a difference in fit through the forehead, I just couldn't put my finger on exactly where it was.

That the GT shell would be somewhat more flexible makes perfect sense based on the way the resin is applied, and that dovetails perfectly with Miker's experience: good frontal protection, but some compression from side-impacts. (Then again, show me a mask that does give great protection from a hard off-angle shot: that's what shook up Gerber, Vokoun, etc.)

I'd surprised Eddy doesn't draw a bigger distinction between the machine and hand-lay processes in its published material; that's such a common selling-point in higher-end masks that it would rightly place the GTU above much of its competition at that price-point.

Not a problem and Eddy has a new helmet being released this year that is unique in it has the standard shell construction but it also has an internal shell to reduce the overall impact of the shot to the forehead by a small gap between the outer shell and the inner shell, he also went with the blue foam which I find somewhat more comfortable and softer internally. I have pictures at home of this mask and will try and post them here tonight. The helmet does not fit any different then how they fit now but just offer more protection obviously from this unique shell design.

[sabby47 2]

Anyone know what kind of foam is used in the Eddy Ultimate Pro? Trying to find replacement foam.

[Axxion89 32]

Anyone know what kind of foam is used in the Eddy Ultimate Pro? Trying to find replacement foam.

Can't say for certain but 99% of goalie masks out there use Rubatex which is Vinyl Nitryl I believe. If you are repadding, I would go with that or a Maltese Gel kit.

[Outcast_Flyer 0]

I second the Maltese Gel Kit. Teammate uses his gen3 kit(feels and looks like foam, but ridiculously more protective). I'm using one as soon as our ice sheet is back down.