961 Mask

[ultramany121 0]

Anyone know wear to buy a 961 mask Itech or Bauer at a good price, new or used? Anyone selling?

[Law Goalie 147]

You'll be hard-pressed to find a 961 in good shape for less than $400, unless you happen to hit a Craigslist or Kijiji ad before anyone else does but you'll often find stores clearing stock around $600.

That said, if you aren't married to the fit or the look, you can get a better mask custom-fitted for $300 CAD from Michel Doganieri at Potechsport - provided, of course, that you're old enough to meet the age of majority and not require certification. (NB: you need a 'certified cage' for most university or collegiate hockey, but not a CSA/HECC certified mask per se.)

[ultramany121 0]

You'll be hard-pressed to find a 961 in good shape for less than $400, unless you happen to hit a Craigslist or Kijiji ad before anyone else does but you'll often find stores clearing stock around $600.

That said, if you aren't married to the fit or the look, you can get a better mask custom-fitted for $300 CAD from Michel Doganieri at Potechsport - provided, of course, that you're old enough to meet the age of majority and not require certification. (NB: you need a 'certified cage' for most university or collegiate hockey, but not a CSA/HECC certified mask per se.)

I ended up getting a 961 for 285 from a real good person. I like design very much of the mask, but I want to get it painted. In Swiss I got a paint job for $850, do you know anywhere near New Jersey to Send my mask to get painted for really cheap? Thanks a lot by the way, I appreciate your responses, have you been to Switzerland? I play for the Junior A Kloten Flyers, do you play just adult hockey?

[Law Goalie 147]

Mask painting is, I'm afraid, one of the things I know very little about. Having said that, most guys who paint cars and motorcycle helmets also paint goalie masks, so your best bet is to look up automotive paintshops generally, ask if they've done any goalie masks, and check out a few of their portfolios.

The MSH members to ask about New Jersey painters specifically would be omegagoalie and McDougalfaschnitzer. They know the area very well.

I'm not sure of the relevance, but yes, I have been to Switzerland (Lucerne, Bern, Basel, Zurich, the Interlaken district, a few smaller spots I've now forgotten). I didn't realise that's where you were. (And as a side question, is there a reason why EHC Kloten wouldn't be responsible for buying your masks for you? I would have thought the club would buy most of your gear at the Swiss Elite Junior A level, the same way they would for the Eliteserien players.)

Being in Europe, you do have fewer options for custom masks. Stacey Composites makes superb masks, and although he's located in England, he has the one remote (ie. digital) fitting system I'd trust.

I can tell you that David Aebischer (your fellow Schweizer) still has his masks made by Michel at Protechsport, as does Cristobal Huet, and just about every Quebecois goalie from Roy to Luongo. Jose Theodore has been using the same Protechsport his whole career (that's one actual mask) and it's just the fibreglass model.

As far as your used 961 is concerned, 285 CHF is a pretty good deal; it's still not as good as a new custom Protechsport for $300 CAD. As long as you trust the seller, it's probably in good condition. Having said that, if it's a retail 961 (that is, not one of the older custom ones made by Jerry Wright), it will have been made using polyester resin rather than vinylester or epoxy resin. This is simply because it's a mass-produced mask: polyester resin is a lot cheaper and easier to work with. The trouble with polyester resin, apart from being a little weaker all around, is that it breaks down both with time (about a seven-year lifespan at maximum) and even faster with exposure to UV radiation - of which arena lights tend to put out a lot. Epoxy resins are generally only used by custom mask-makers, and they can last a lifetime.

There are two reasons, and two reasons only, why the majority of the Canadian major junior ranks and professionals use 960/961 (or the 9600/9601 variation) masks. First, because Itech had the exclusive right to provide masks to the CHL; second, because professionals use what they know (ie.what they were given in junior), and have no concerns about durability. If a pro goalie breaks his mask, his EQM just grabs another one. They might use three or four in a season. They all have practice masks as well. (The possible and slightly dubious third reason is aesthetic: the 961 is a nice looking mask, and because it's so commonly used, it has a lot of brand/product recognition; this leads people to trust it, and trust is everything in a mask.)

I'm not saying the 961 and its ilk are bad masks. They're very good masks, in fact, and (where the 960 and 9600 are concerned) certainly among the best CSA/HECC certified masks you can buy. What they are not are necessarily the best masks on earth. The best mask for you is the one that is perfectly fitted to your head, and made with the best available materials. If the 961 is a nearly perfect fit on your head with no pressure-points or wiggle-room, that's great. It still isn't made with the best materials available.

Like I said, as long as the fit is close to perfect, you should probably be fine, and you got a pretty good deal. Personally, I wouldn't take that risk, especially not at your age and level of play.

Concussions are not fun, and their effects get significantly worse over time. If what I remember of junior hockey still holds true, you'll be facing a ton of shots in practices and games from guys who are desperate to impress the coaches and scouts, and who have little to no concern for your personal safety. I recall one coach (might have been Larry Mavety - it certainly wasn't Gary Agnew!) who claimed to like guys who could 'ring a goalie's bell' with their shots.

[ultramany121 0]

Mask painting is, I'm afraid, one of the things I know very little about. Having said that, most guys who paint cars and motorcycle helmets also paint goalie masks, so your best bet is to look up automotive paintshops generally, ask if they've done any goalie masks, and check out a few of their portfolios.

The MSH members to ask about New Jersey painters specifically would be omegagoalie and McDougalfaschnitzer. They know the area very well.

I'm not sure of the relevance, but yes, I have been to Switzerland (Lucerne, Bern, Basel, Zurich, the Interlaken district, a few smaller spots I've now forgotten). I didn't realise that's where you were. (And as a side question, is there a reason why EHC Kloten wouldn't be responsible for buying your masks for you? I would have thought the club would buy most of your gear at the Swiss Elite Junior A level, the same way they would for the Eliteserien players.)

Being in Europe, you do have fewer options for custom masks. Stacey Composites makes superb masks, and although he's located in England, he has the one remote (ie. digital) fitting system I'd trust.

I can tell you that David Aebischer (your fellow Schweizer) still has his masks made by Michel at Protechsport, as does Cristobal Huet, and just about every Quebecois goalie from Roy to Luongo. Jose Theodore has been using the same Protechsport his whole career (that's one actual mask) and it's just the fibreglass model.

As far as your used 961 is concerned, 285 CHF is a pretty good deal; it's still not as good as a new custom Protechsport for $300 CAD. As long as you trust the seller, it's probably in good condition. Having said that, if it's a retail 961 (that is, not one of the older custom ones made by Jerry Wright), it will have been made using polyester resin rather than vinylester or epoxy resin. This is simply because it's a mass-produced mask: polyester resin is a lot cheaper and easier to work with. The trouble with polyester resin, apart from being a little weaker all around, is that it breaks down both with time (about a seven-year lifespan at maximum) and even faster with exposure to UV radiation - of which arena lights tend to put out a lot. Epoxy resins are generally only used by custom mask-makers, and they can last a lifetime.

There are two reasons, and two reasons only, why the majority of the Canadian major junior ranks and professionals use 960/961 (or the 9600/9601 variation) masks. First, because Itech had the exclusive right to provide masks to the CHL; second, because professionals use what they know (ie.what they were given in junior), and have no concerns about durability. If a pro goalie breaks his mask, his EQM just grabs another one. They might use three or four in a season. They all have practice masks as well. (The possible and slightly dubious third reason is aesthetic: the 961 is a nice looking mask, and because it's so commonly used, it has a lot of brand/product recognition; this leads people to trust it, and trust is everything in a mask.)

I'm not saying the 961 and its ilk are bad masks. They're very good masks, in fact, and (where the 960 and 9600 are concerned) certainly among the best CSA/HECC certified masks you can buy. What they are not are necessarily the best masks on earth. The best mask for you is the one that is perfectly fitted to your head, and made with the best available materials. If the 961 is a nearly perfect fit on your head with no pressure-points or wiggle-room, that's great. It still isn't made with the best materials available.

Like I said, as long as the fit is close to perfect, you should probably be fine, and you got a pretty good deal. Personally, I wouldn't take that risk, especially not at your age and level of play.

Concussions are not fun, and their effects get significantly worse over time. If what I remember of junior hockey still holds true, you'll be facing a ton of shots in practices and games from guys who are desperate to impress the coaches and scouts, and who have little to no concern for your personal safety. I recall one coach (might have been Larry Mavety - it certainly wasn't Gary Agnew!) who claimed to like guys who could 'ring a goalie's bell' with their shots.

I got mask from team but didn't like so I wanted to try new mask when I came here to America, I just ask if you've been to Switzerland to know if you know the mask painting shops around there. Thanks alot

[Law Goalie 147]

No, but Stacey would know. He's made piles of masks all around Europe. He's a very good guy to chat with. Send him an email and he'll sort you out.

What mask did your team give you? I've heard that ProMask is making pretty aggressive moves into the pro/junior market.

[ultramany121 0]

No, but Stacey would know. He's made piles of masks all around Europe. He's a very good guy to chat with. Send him an email and he'll sort you out.

What mask did your team give you? I've heard that ProMask is making pretty aggressive moves into the pro/junior market.

Yea it was a promask, not promask reebok though, also it look a little bit like the 961 mask