Helmet advice for my son, 7

[akravetz 29]

Hi all, I need some help and from what I can tell, y'all know more about gear than anyone. Or at least, you seem like it. My son, 7 and about to turn eight, is starting his second year of mites. He's been playing for four years. His helmet is set to expire in December and our youth organization, along with USA Hockey, is really making a big deal, checking helmets at nearly every practice to make sure the HECC sticker is valid.

Another quirk. My son suffered a mild concussion when he was five, playing in his last year of mini-mites. It was during practice and he collided with a kid, fell back and hit his head on the ice (was hearing his helmet, a Bauer 1500 which he still uses). The boy refused snack (huge for a 5yo, then threw up. Was fine once we got to the hospital and they put on SpongeBob. Really).

Anyway, as such, I want a good helmet. I whitewater kayak so I don't mind spending bucks on a helmet as you only get one brain. We like the Cascade M11 but Bauer bought them out and took that stuff into their IMS helmets. Total Hockey has a closeout sale as do the other web sites but none have a small in his size in blue (his team's colors). so....

We are looking at the IMS 7.0, the Reebok 7.0 and possibly the M11 if we can find one. Like I said, I want something that is going to protect him as much as any helmet can, knowing full well that nothing is concussion proof. That said, I don't want to go supercheap as something could happen. He's playing more full ice games, more travel, etc. The odds of something possibly happening, while low, are increasing. My son is small, 49 pounds, and just shy of 4 feet tall.

Any advice for a concerned dad. Myself, I have the 8K in Reebok so I figure the 7K or the 11K are very similar. Is the IMS worth spending the bucks on or is it just a gimmick. Thanks. So far, never been steered wrong here yet.

Andy in Peoria

[Chadd 916]

You know that most of us are going to preface everything with "fit is the most important consideration" line that we always use. That said, Iike the concept of the seven technology, but the M11 comfort foam was not thick enough in my opinion. I think the plastic "cells" are a little too stiff and the comfort foam is too soft and thin, that results in the cells pushing through eventually.

Personally, I prefer the softer foams for most situations, but there has never been anything brought forward or published that shows any one type of foam is better across the board than any other type.

[AIREAYE 248]

The best thing for you to do is to get the helmet that fits his head the best, then worry about the features and other stuff later once you've got some that fit great. This advice is repeated through every helmet thread on here.

Do not get caught up in the marketing and features or reviews of particular helmets; it's very much the case of getting the one that fits the best, be it low end or high end.

No one on here is able to tell you which helmet is the best for your kid, maybe after you've had him try on a bunch and narrowed it down, then post on here again to compare the contending models.

As an aside, your organization seems to be a bit overzealous in the HECC thing. Although technically correct about playing eligibility and the certification, they should focus on the core issue at hand; which is ensuring that the helmet fits well and is within certification. From what I've seen and heard, especially here in Canada where HECC is irrelevant for play here, there are still a lot of misconceptions about this 'expiration' issue.

From experience, I really like how accessible the Bauer Re-Akt, 9900, 7500 and 2100 are in fitting a lot of heads well. I'm also a fan of how the Easton E400/S9 fits a lot of kids too. On the flip side, very few kids seemed to be able to fit the 11K or 4500 well, and I do not like the ridiculously soft shells of the IMS 7.0/11.0.

[Chadd 916]

As an aside, your organization seems to be a bit overzealous in the HECC thing. Although technically correct about playing eligibility and the certification, they should focus on the core issue at hand; which is ensuring that the helmet fits well and is within certification. From what I've seen and heard, especially here in Canada where HECC is irrelevant for play here, there are still a lot of misconceptions about this 'expiration' issue.

USA Hockey has been pushing it and many organizations focus on it to avoid legal liability. They can't force kids/parents to buy the best fitting helmet, making sure the sticker isn't out of date is just one way to cover their ass.

[Souldriver 64]

+1 everything said above. I would keep away from the cascade and ims cascade models (not sure with the kids helmets if it carries over but not all one helmets are the old cascade types)

The reason being at his age he isn't getting hit up there with blistering high velocity shots or high speed anything. As you saw in the past he will most likely need protection against collisions, hitting his head on the ice, and the occasional other players sticks being in the wrong place. The cascade helmets are supposed to be great against the high velocity stuff but I heard too many stories of concussions against low velocity impacts.

Besides that fit fit fit fit. Itll be harder with a young guy to have him fully explain it to you if there are no negative spaces but try to pull it out of him.

[Chadd 916]

+1 everything said above. I would keep away from the cascade and ims cascade models (not sure with the kids helmets if it carries over but not all one helmets are the old cascade types)

The reason being at his age he isn't getting hit up there with blistering high velocity shots or high speed anything. As you saw in the past he will most likely need protection against collisions, hitting his head on the ice, and the occasional other players sticks being in the wrong place. The cascade helmets are supposed to be great against the high velocity stuff but I heard too many stories of concussions against low velocity impacts.

Besides that fit fit fit fit. Itll be harder with a young guy to have him fully explain it to you if there are no negative spaces but try to pull it out of him.

Actually, I would say that Cascade style padding is best for not having to replace it after a significant impact. Any time you have an EPP type helmet absorb a significant impact, the padding has been degraded and should be inspected and likely replaced. That type of foam works by failing and are best for high velocity impacts.

[AIREAYE 248]

USA Hockey has been pushing it and many organizations focus on it to avoid legal liability. They can't force kids/parents to buy the best fitting helmet, making sure the sticker isn't out of date is just one way to cover their ass.

I'm not sure how they do it over there, but what I hear too much of is the spreading of misinformation about that sticker vs the CSA one.

[Souldriver 64]

Actually, I would say that Cascade style padding is best for not having to replace it after a significant impact. Any time you have an EPP type helmet absorb a significant impact, the padding has been degraded and should be inspected and likely replaced. That type of foam works by failing and are best for high velocity impacts.

Oh im not arguing that that type of padding is good for taking an impact and not needing replacement (unless you're saying that the first breaking impact can be a player on player collision and after it's broke you hit your head on the ice) when I was looking at new helmets in the begining of the summer I was considering the cascade ims line, but checking many of the reviews the bug "C" word kept coming up. A lot of the concusions reported were from the little guys crashing into something as well. Now I know Bauer changed the cascade design a little bit but I ruled it out untill there was more info out there.

[talkintothemike 4]

I am hearing that Virginia Tech is going to do a study on hockey helmets to see which helmet provides the best "protection". I am hoping that it is a test where an equal force is applied to every helmet in the test, and then the force that is actually transferred to the head is measured. The magnitude of the force can be varied from light force to extreme force to see which helmets do the best at the various forces.

I may be a little strong with this, but until Virginia Tech proves me wrong, any EPP helmet is junk. Even the ones with special suspension or "comfort" pads. The EPP is for catastrophic hits that will keep you from getting your skull cracked. It degrades with every impact, even multiple small impacts, and must be replaced after a major impact. VN has been around forever, and I would take VN any day over EPP.

However, again until VT proves me wrong, I believe the Seven technology from Cascade is the best out there right now. Hopefully Bauer will improve upon it as they tweak it.

[Tyler Roy 86]

The Bauer IMS models have softer "cones" so they reakt (pun intended) to lower impact hits as well as those high impact hits. This was a problem and Bauer addressed it right away. No helmet is the end all be all concussion preventing solution, helmet tech is getting better and better but most important with a helmet is a PROPER fit. No matter how much tech you have if the helmet slops, around or what have you, you are at a higher risk than somebody with a correct fitting helmet.

+1 everything said above. I would keep away from the cascade and ims cascade models (not sure with the kids helmets if it carries over but not all one helmets are the old cascade types)

The reason being at his age he isn't getting hit up there with blistering high velocity shots or high speed anything. As you saw in the past he will most likely need protection against collisions, hitting his head on the ice, and the occasional other players sticks being in the wrong place. The cascade helmets are supposed to be great against the high velocity stuff but I heard too many stories of concussions against low velocity impacts.

Besides that fit fit fit fit. Itll be harder with a young guy to have him fully explain it to you if there are no negative spaces but try to pull it out of him.

[Souldriver 64]

That is very encouraging to hear. When I was looking at the helmetd they just hit the market and I read nothing about sneaks cones that I can remember. I looked elsewhere bc I didn't need my head to be the geniepig.

[akravetz 29]

Fit is huge. We have tried on a few of the older style Bauers and they don't fit well. 4500 and the 5100 didn't work well on his head which is weird as he is in a 1500 now and that looks pretty much the same as those. He didn't like the fit of the Reebok 7k at one store but liked it at another story. Really. He's 7. Both were smalls and both were adjusted with the side clips He loved the fit of the M11 but hated the red color so that is out. again, he's seven.

Without being stupid and wasting people's time, what do you mean by a soft shell? The helmets to me all feel hard on the outside. What I am finding is he stands the most chance of losing an edge and going into the boards, falling on the ground and hitting his head or getting whacked on the head by a buddy with a stick.

As for the stickers, they are even making us coaches have stickered helmets. I got a relatively new Reebok 8K and it's sticker is up next summer. sigh.

Andy in Peoria

[AIREAYE 248]

Fit is huge. We have tried on a few of the older style Bauers and they don't fit well. 4500 and the 5100 didn't work well on his head which is weird as he is in a 1500 now and that looks pretty much the same as those. He didn't like the fit of the Reebok 7k at one store but liked it at another story. Really. He's 7. Both were smalls and both were adjusted with the side clips He loved the fit of the M11 but hated the red color so that is out. again, he's seven.

Without being stupid and wasting people's time, what do you mean by a soft shell? The helmets to me all feel hard on the outside. What I am finding is he stands the most chance of losing an edge and going into the boards, falling on the ground and hitting his head or getting whacked on the head by a buddy with a stick.

As for the stickers, they are even making us coaches have stickered helmets. I got a relatively new Reebok 8K and it's sticker is up next summer. sigh.

Andy in Peoria

The 4500 and 5100 never seemed to fit any young kid. They are simply too voluminous for all of the smaller heads I've tried to fit them on.

Soft shell meaning that I can take my thumb and pinky finger and squeeze the two sides of the temples together. Play around with it and you'll see my point.

Does he fit into the youth/junior sized helmets? I'm talking about the 2100, E200, M10, 3K etc.?

[akravetz 29]

I haven't tried those helmets that you mentioned above. I will say that he likes the 7K and my 8K. I noticed on hockey monkey that the 8k is on clearance. Yet, it has a higher number than the 7K which is still in circulation. Am I missing something here. Why is the 8K on close-out when the 7K isn't. Last year's model? Was it flawed? and if not, do you think it's a good option to look at. Does it fit similar to the 7K? I am leery about buying online as I am worried about the sticker on the helmet. Would hate to buy a new helmet and have it wind up being out of date or close to it. Thanks for all your help. really.

Andy in Peoria

[AIREAYE 248]

The 8K is an older discontinued model. The 7K is current. Fit is close I find. 11K and 4K are very different from each other and from those 2.

[Souldriver 64]

As for the stickers, they are even making us coaches have stickered helmets. I got a relatively new Reebok 8K and it's sticker is up next summer. sigh.

Andy in Peoria

Thats a bit excessive. helmets are not cheap. i have an older helmet i barely wore bc i was in and out of hockey that is still good but the sticker is up, having to drop another $100 plus hurt just as much as seeing a good helmet go to waste. itll never happen but i wish there was a way to extend those sticker lifes.

[Chadd 916]

I am leery about buying online as I am worried about the sticker on the helmet. Would hate to buy a new helmet and have it wind up being out of date or close to it.

That's actually a pretty valid concern considering the new rules, just keep in mind that he will be growing out of that helmet in a couple years anyway.

Here is rule 304 C from the 2013 USA Hockey rule book:

It is mandatory that all players (except Adults) wear a HECC

approved helmet (including ear protection) with chin strap

properly fastened.

(Note) HECC certification includes an expiration date on the

sticker and a helmet that has an expiration date that has

expired is no longer considered certified. The player may not

wear a helmet that does not have a valid and current

certification sticker.

In other words, no sticker or an expired sticker means that it isn't certified anymore.

[akravetz 29]

Excessive or not, at a coaches' meeting last night, there was much groaning. On the plus side some of us now get to tell our wives we HAVE to get new gear. Of course, I'll look stupid coaching kids in a new helmet with a full cage but what can you do.

as for my son growing out of things, I really really hope so. That said, he's in his same pair of skates for the past two years and maintains they still fit. Still using the same helmet he got from my parents when he was 5 and the same pair of gloves. Kinda a dream come true for a parent as gear hasn't been that expensive. It's going to change, I know.

Many of his buddies have the 7K as the local shop in the rink carries the 7K. That store doesn't carry Bauer at all. Only Easton, CCM and Reebok and relatively low-end stuff and gear aimed at kids. So there is a good chance we'll end up with the 7K as that's what his friends have and it's right here. From what people have said, it's a pretty good one. Just need to make sure on the fit.

Andy in Peoria

[bandits_5 18]

As a mite, the chances of that big catastrophic hit ,are near zero. That said , talkintothemike wa spot on , IMO. That said, you should first look at the 4k, v08, e400, 5100, and 2100. Helmets with dual density vn's and see which one fits him best and go from there.... This is my oppinion on a widely debated topic. But fact of the matter is, a mite will have mite collisions, not scott stevens type , freight train derailments.

[Zjack38 46]

Their making you wear a full cage to coach mites? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, whats going to happen are you going to go down to block a shot at take a 90mph slapshot to the face, like honestly. The worst that could happen is kid hits you in the face with his stick, and most kids try not to hurt their coaches as the fear what they would do to them.

Last year my coach wore a Jofa helmet, pretty sure the sticker was expired, on that,, or even sometimes no helmet at all bantam AA was the level.

This year my coach hardly ever wears a helmet, and when he does it 8k, Midget 16u AAA, and the coach for the u18s above us never wears a helmet when we share the ice with them.

[Tyler Roy 86]

The worst kinds of hits are the ones you don't expect. Even mites know to brace themselves when expecting a collision(despite the size). Mites get hurt all the time because they are skating and don't have the awareness older/higher level players have and collide with a player that is doing the same thing.

As a mite, the chances of that big catastrophic hit ,are near zero. That said , talkintothemike wa spot on , IMO. That said, you should first look at the 4k, v08, e400, 5100, and 2100. Helmets with dual density vn's and see which one fits him best and go from there.... This is my oppinion on a widely debated topic. But fact of the matter is, a mite will have mite collisions, not scott stevens type , freight train derailments.

[akravetz 29]

To clear up a few things:

1. no one is making me wear a cage during our mite practices. I just don't want to take it on and off all the time. We have practice two or three times a week and for those, must have a certified helmet, per our organization which is following what USA Hockey requires. I play in the local beer league and use that helmet in that league. My "coach's helmet," which is older because, as you said, I am not block shots, is out of date so they aren't going to let me use it. Hope that clears that up.

2. As for what mites might take, the poster above is right. My son suffered his concussion during a practice, actually during a relay race when he slammed into another kid because he wasn't paying attention and talking to his buddy next to him. They were skating and talking and well, you get the point. He hit the other kid (who didn't budge), bounced off him and landed flat on his back, hitting his head in the process. Because of that, he always wears his helmet when he skates, something that he hates but we force him to do it, even at public skate. the concussion was relatively mild and he has no lasting effects other than being 7. However, it was enough to make him woozy, refuse snack, not know what day it was and throw up. He was off the ice for two weeks and then eased back into it over the next week.

So that is why I am looking at the higher end ones. I realize some of this is marketing but I really do worry as he is a bit of a goof, clowns and doesn't pay as much attention at times when he should. Sure, you can say he needs to learn and a good fall might teach him but I would hate for that lesson to be a lasting one. Hence the questions about the IMS, M11 and others. In reality, the 2100 is probably fine. I just worry. Helicopter dad as much as I don't wan to admit it.

Andy in Peoria

[Zjack38 46]

Ok that makes sense.

[Tyler Roy 86]

Have you had a chance to try on either the M11 or the IMS 7.0? I find they fit a bit deeper than other helmets at that size and sometimes ends up being too big? Like you said in your original post the M11 is tough to find due to being on closeout so you might end up looking at the 7.0 if you were interested in this style helmet.

To clear up a few things:

1. no one is making me wear a cage during our mite practices. I just don't want to take it on and off all the time. We have practice two or three times a week and for those, must have a certified helmet, per our organization which is following what USA Hockey requires. I play in the local beer league and use that helmet in that league. My "coach's helmet," which is older because, as you said, I am not block shots, is out of date so they aren't going to let me use it. Hope that clears that up.

2. As for what mites might take, the poster above is right. My son suffered his concussion during a practice, actually during a relay race when he slammed into another kid because he wasn't paying attention and talking to his buddy next to him. They were skating and talking and well, you get the point. He hit the other kid (who didn't budge), bounced off him and landed flat on his back, hitting his head in the process. Because of that, he always wears his helmet when he skates, something that he hates but we force him to do it, even at public skate. the concussion was relatively mild and he has no lasting effects other than being 7. However, it was enough to make him woozy, refuse snack, not know what day it was and throw up. He was off the ice for two weeks and then eased back into it over the next week.

So that is why I am looking at the higher end ones. I realize some of this is marketing but I really do worry as he is a bit of a goof, clowns and doesn't pay as much attention at times when he should. Sure, you can say he needs to learn and a good fall might teach him but I would hate for that lesson to be a lasting one. Hence the questions about the IMS, M11 and others. In reality, the 2100 is probably fine. I just worry. Helicopter dad as much as I don't wan to admit it.

Andy in Peoria

[Krev 86]

As many people have said, fit is a huge factor. I agree, but I have one more thing to add: Can't put a price on your boys noggin.