nme 5 goalie mask

[fruitangoxx 0]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this mask was decent. I know its a polycarbonate shell which worries me a little bit. Any insight?

[kovalchuk71 212]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this mask was decent. I know its a polycarbonate shell which worries me a little bit. Any insight?

I would avoid it. The fact that you can give the mask a good flex with your hands drove me away.

[fruitangoxx 0]

But it doesnt fall in the widowmaker category does it?

I would avoid it. The fact that you can give the mask a good flex with your hands drove me away.

[Law Goalie 147]

The NME5 construction is similar to those that earned the name 'widowmaker' originally.

In addition to the Lexan shell, it also uses EPP foam: the same foam used in 'one and done' bike helmets and player helmets, where one major impact significantly decreases its protectiveness to the point of disposal. EPP can come in lots of different configurations, but every single one I've seen in hockey applications is crushable.

For $300 you can do far, far better. Just as an FYI, Michel Doganieri of Protechsport (who makes the custom masks for Reebok-sponsored NHLers) currently has his wait-time at an unbelievably low 3-4 weeks, and his fibreglass shell is $300 CAD, custom padded from the closest fitting pro shell to your head mould. While a full fibreglass mask isn't 'sexy,' they've been used for YEARS by some NHLers: they protect just as well as his full Kevlar shells, but are a bit heavier. Comes with your choice of cage, paint, hole configuration, and chin setup. This would be by far your best option, unless you play in a league that requires HECC/CSA certification; he does have straight-bar cages that would meet certification, but since all of his masks are one-off customs, certification isn't possible unless you want to add $10K to the price of every mask.

Having said that, the stickers can be transferred...

Price-point gear has its time and place, but there is *nothing* at retail that will fit or protect as well as one of Michel's masks.

[Axxion89 32]

Agreed 100% with law but also, try and score a Hackva off ebay or similar mask. I used a widowmaker and trust me, the difference is there and its owrht the extra cash

[samson35 0]

You also want to look at what fits you best. Don't just buy a helmet because it's cheaper or looks better. Thats the mistake I made and isn't of just paying for a higher quality mask, i went out and spent around 300$ for something that wasn't going to last. Hackva seems to be a popular option, but the helmet would fit right on me so I avoided it. I'd say that the NME7 is enough for most people, but some argue that even that isn't good enough.

[Law Goalie 147]

I almost replied, "That goes without saying," but samson's absolutely right: it really is worth reiterating. Once you're looking at a sufficiently protective class of shells, fit is the priority.

In fact, I'd go one step further, and say that as long as you're looking at a mask made using decent composite materials (or ones made like the NXI/Quantum/21 Degrees Phantom and Reidic series), fit becomes the TOP priority. That's why a full fibreglass Protechsport at $300 is *potentially* and in fact quite likely superior to an $800 Itech/Bauer 960/1 or 9600/1 or a Hackva. Though the Hackva and the top-end Itech/Bauer masks share similar construction (vinyl ester resin, decent quality glass, one layer of Kevlar, Hackva with an extra layer of carbon), *unless* you happen to be a millimeter-perfect fit for their stock shell-shape and size (Hackva having a slight advantage here of Itech/Bauer, because of their large range of foam-fit retail shells), Protechsport's custom fitting will make for superior protection. Using 'bakeable' or thermoformable EVA foams can help to refine a very close fit, but aren't a substitute for properly shaped shell and properly cut foams.

Again, the whole point of going custom (and really, at a 2-3 week wait-time, why not?) is to achieve a near-perfect fit; it's icing on the cake that you save some cash to boot, and get the peace of mind that comes from having your mask made by a genuine craftsman.