Bosport visor/cage combo

[dannyboy 3]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone has experience with this visor/cage combo?  http://puckhandlers.com.au/shop/helmets/visor-cage-combo/

I played open face for years and I preferred it, had a few years off and am just getting back into the game but right now I have about ten grand worth of orthodontic work going on (braces and related crap) so getting hit in the mouth is an absolute no-no.  I've been wearing a borrowed cage for the last few games, and I'm able to hang onto it until I make a decision on what I want to buy for myself.  I don't really like the cage... I played with one for the first year or so when I was a kid, then went to open face as soon as I possibly could.  I was looking for a CCM titanium cage when I stumbled across this bad boy...

I searched here before posting and only found two posts relating to "bosport" :

• The first post was from @dw91 asking basically the same questions I am here
• The second post was from @gosinger in a gear thread saying he/she has one (I'll PM them separately)

Does anyone else have experience with this bit of kit and if so, what do you think?  I've tried on a Bauer combo and a Bauer full plastic shield and I REALLY don't like them... I feel like there's this massive blind spot where the visor turns into the "cage" especially on the one with the actual metal cage.  

I've considered the Avision Ahead as well but after doing a lot of research here (I mean a LOT) it seems that their #1 fan, @IPv6Freely, was really unhappy with the latest model.....

Thoughts?

[Cosmic 178]

Have you tried the CCM Res 300 with the white interior?

[IPv6Freely 2092]

53 minutes ago, dannyboy said:

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone has experience with this visor/cage combo?  http://puckhandlers.com.au/shop/helmets/visor-cage-combo/

I played open face for years and I preferred it, had a few years off and am just getting back into the game but right now I have about ten grand worth of orthodontic work going on (braces and related crap) so getting hit in the mouth is an absolute no-no.  I've been wearing a borrowed cage for the last few games, and I'm able to hang onto it until I make a decision on what I want to buy for myself.  I don't really like the cage... I played with one for the first year or so when I was a kid, then went to open face as soon as I possibly could.  I was looking for a CCM titanium cage when I stumbled across this bad boy...

I searched here before posting and only found two posts relating to "bosport" :

• The first post was from @dw91 asking basically the same questions I am here
• The second post was from @gosinger in a gear thread saying he/she has one (I'll PM them separately)

Does anyone else have experience with this bit of kit and if so, what do you think?  I've tried on a Bauer combo and a Bauer full plastic shield and I REALLY don't like them... I feel like there's this massive blind spot where the visor turns into the "cage" especially on the one with the actual metal cage.  

I've considered the Avision Ahead as well but after doing a lot of research here (I mean a LOT) it seems that their #1 fan, @IPv6Freely, was really unhappy with the latest model.....

Thoughts?

Indeed. The original was fantastic. The newer version had better vision for sure but I couldn't stop then condensation. 

[darkhors 88]

I've had the best luck with the Bauer Hybrid. Replaceable visor with cage on the lower section. No issues with fogging and it's been very scratch resistant. I think it runs about $80 USD so it should be cheaper than the one you posted (not sure on Xchange rate). 

[jasongos 2]

3 hours ago, darkhors said:

Replaceable visor with cage on the lower section.

The Bauer Hybrid doesn't have a replaceable visor.  After about a year, my previous hybrid developed a crack on the attachment point between the visor and cage, and I needed to replace the whole thing.  That said, I've been happy with it's performance, and I haven't had fog issues.

 

[qmechanic 17]

I use the Itech FX-50 which is 10 years old and discontinued.  You can see a photo of it here

The Bauer HDO Deluxe visor is available and fits as a replacement lens for the FX-50.  (Bauer bought Itech a while back.)

I really like the FX-50, because the metal cage part is sturdy (still going strong after 10 years) and the visor is replaceable.  Also, the replaceable visor is designed to be optically correct, so it doesn't distort your vision.  The lens fogs up occasionally, but most of the time, I have no issues.

There is also the Itech Recon X-200 (also discontinued) which is similar to the FX-50, and uses the same replacement lenses.  The difference is that the cage is plastic and not metal.  See a photo of the X-200 here

You could try looking for an old FX-50 or X-200... not sure how hard they are to find.

[qmechanic 17]

Oh wait, there is this Ebay auction for the FX-50 ending in 15 minutes...

[Giraffe14 23]

5 hours ago, jasongos said:

The Bauer Hybrid doesn't have a replaceable visor.  After about a year, my previous hybrid developed a crack on the attachment point between the visor and cage, and I needed to replace the whole thing.  That said, I've been happy with it's performance, and I haven't had fog issues.

 

I went through two of the Bauer hybrid shields in a 12 month period due to cracking at the attachment point. 

You can separate the cage portion from the visor, but you can't purchase replacement visors to my knowledge. 

[dannyboy 3]

Thanks for the info guys. I really don't like the Bauer offerings, they feel really bulky. 

Thanks for the tips on the itech ones, I'll do some looking. I'm in Australia though so that's likely to be a tough find... 

I got an email back from the site I linked to, they have the Bosport one in stock so I reckon I might give it a whirl.. 

[darkhors 88]

19 hours ago, jasongos said:

The Bauer Hybrid doesn't have a replaceable visor.  After about a year, my previous hybrid developed a crack on the attachment point between the visor and cage, and I needed to replace the whole thing.  That said, I've been happy with it's performance, and I haven't had fog issues.

 

I believe this half shield works as a replacement for the hybrid as well as a stand alone half shield if you wanted to: https://www.totalhockey.com/product/Half_Shield/itm/15004-2/?mtx_id=0

They are exactly the same except you can add straps to the half shield so you can strap it to the helmet.

[qmechanic 17]

8 hours ago, dannyboy said:

Thanks for the info guys. I really don't like the Bauer offerings, they feel really bulky. 

Thanks for the tips on the itech ones, I'll do some looking. I'm in Australia though so that's likely to be a tough find... 

I got an email back from the site I linked to, they have the Bosport one in stock so I reckon I might give it a whirl.. 

Oh, I didn't know you cared so much about bulk.  The FX-50 is pretty heavy.  I wouldn't call it a light cage (it's not titanium or some light metal like that).  The Itech X-200 would probably be lighter since it's plastic.  Though people on this board thought it looks weird, as if it were a paintball mask.  All I can say to that is if you want an optically correct lens, the combination cage/shield won't be the prettiest, since the lens will stick out more.

[dannyboy 3]

14 hours ago, qmechanic said:

Oh, I didn't know you cared so much about bulk.  The FX-50 is pretty heavy.  I wouldn't call it a light cage (it's not titanium or some light metal like that).  The Itech X-200 would probably be lighter since it's plastic.  Though people on this board thought it looks weird, as if it were a paintball mask.  All I can say to that is if you want an optically correct lens, the combination cage/shield won't be the prettiest, since the lens will stick out more.

Thanks, that's kind of the issue I have with the Bauer combo, it seems to jut out and have a kind of blind spot where the visor meets the cage.  It may or may not be a problem in games but as soon as I looked through it I just felt like I wouldn't like it.

That's what's attracted me to this Bosport one, the visor is convex and seems to come back towards your face, then the cage part is fully separate and actually sits behind the back edge of the visor at the bottom.  It's REALLY hard to get a proper idea from photos but it does look to be a bit better in that regard than the Bauer ones.

 

In this pic if you tilt your head to the left so the top bar is square-ish and the visor would be parallel to your face then it looks like the bottom part of the cage come right back in rather than hanging down low.  Also if the chin cup is in the right spot in this photo, then the bottom of the visor is going to be roughly level with your nose or even top lip which puts the cage a long way south in your field of vision.

I also found replacement visors, to be fair I can only find them from the company's site in the Czech Republic but at least I know they are available.  Maybe the retailer can order me one now so that I've got a spare.

Anyways enough jibber-jabbing about, I think I'll order one over the weekend.  Will update once I've had a few runs in it!

Chur