Forced back to a cage

[Souldriver 64]

So due to scheduling conflicts we had to move our hockey team to a new league/rink. this is totally cool with me as the rink is nicer IMHO and the refs are better and seem to actually care BUT they are one of the few leagues that dont allow half visors and mandate full cages. Me, thinking i would never play there since i switched to a new team, purchased my reakt pro bono w/o the cage strapped on my halfie and have been going merrily since. well now after taking the summer off im getting my stuff back together and have to make a decision fast but i always just used the cage that came on my helmet.

So i have a couple of options.

- Hope my old cage fits the new helmet.

- Wear my old helmet knowing the cage fits i just need to put it back on.

- New cage.

A couple of things to note though: i really loved the half visor, less because the old cage was right in my face, more because it didnt block the peripherals of where the puck was. It had a horizontal wire that was just at the right height that would block out where the puck is when i carry it, this would almost always force me to look down, no joke. switched to a half visor and i couldnt believe how much easier it was to keep my head up and see things coming my way. have cages gotten much better than they were that this isnt an issue?

also my old helmet used to move forward and down bc the cage would weigh it down. i would constantly have to readjust the helmet and push it back up unless i made the cage strap super tight.

Current helmet: Bauer Reakt Med

Old Helmet: Bauer HH8000 Lrg

Current Cage: Bauer FM8000 L



With that said, and i cant somehow sign a voucher or convince them to let me go with a cage, what are your thoughts on all of this? suggestions for new cages? Sazing? should i stick with an older helmet, i switched bc during the hot summer months i would excessively sweat and get hot spots and the inside gel pads started to destick (not an issue bc the new place will be played in fall and has AC)

[XveritasX 13]

If you didn't like your old cage I would just buy a re-akt or 9900 cage to put it on your current helmet. They are both fairly light, especially the re-akt, and the wire spacing is as good as anything out there. I have the 9900 and it has been great. The first couple of times skating with the cage will seem annoying but you will eventually forget it is even there. I wouldn't use your old helmet since there is really no point in not using the re-akt if you like it more. Just take the visor of your current helmet and head into your LHS. Then you can try on a few cages and see what you like the most. It only takes a minute to swap one out.

[SCOMPL 14]

I, too, have a Bauer RE-AKT helmet in medium. I initially used an Oakley VR903 Pro Straight visor with my RE-AKT, but after a couple of sticks to the mouth and jaw, a puck deflection to the chin, and some very close calls taking the puck off the visor, I decided it wasn't worth the risk. I decided to go with the RE-AKT cage, seeing how light it was and knowing that it would fit my helmet. Surprisingly, a medium RE-AKT cage was quite small for me, even though I have a medium helmet. I went with a large and it fits just right without much wiggle room.

My suggestion to you is to go with the RE-AKT cage. Be sure to try it on with your helmet to ensure you get the right size. It's made of titanium and thus super lightweight, a neutral grey color so it will be easier to see the puck, and is probably the easiest full cage for you to get used to. There will be an adjustment period. It took me a good 3 or 4 weeks before I could honestly say I didn't notice I was wearing a cage.

[Tailboard Jockey 25]

If you can afford it, go with the Bauer RE-AKT cage. I use an Oakley visor on my coaching helmet, and a Bauer RE-AKT cage on my game helmet. I get much better air flow and don't have sweat stinging my eyes with the cage on. It's also light enough that it doesn't pull down on the helmet at all.

[Souldriver 64]

will be an adjustment period. It took me a good 3 or 4 weeks before I could honestly say I didn't notice I was wearing a cage.

Im hoping for me this adjustment time is minimal. i used a cage my whole life up until the past year. I was hoping to never go back but if i must to play, i must to play. Its looking like the bauer re-akt cage is the way to go here but probably in a large and not a medium

for the guys wearing the large cage on the med helmets: does it pull the helmet or squeeze it at all? i remember when i went to a visor the sides of my first helmet fit better as well.

keep the suggestions coming guys.

[syinx 139]

Well, for what it's worth, I'm wearing a small cage with a medium helmet, and I fixed any squeeze issues I had with a decent tug of the cage outwards. The Titanium is very slightly malleable, and it was perfect after a couple tugs.

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

I like my REAKT cage much better than the 9900 cage. Biggest thing for me was the chin cup.

[SCOMPL 14]

for the guys wearing the large cage on the med helmets: does it pull the helmet or squeeze it at all? i remember when i went to a visor the sides of my first helmet fit better as well.

Yes, it pulls the temple guards out a bit. More than my visor did, but I wouldn't consider it excessive. With slight compression, the cage will fit into the RE-AKT J-clips. I've gently compressed the width of the RE-AKT cage over time and when not wearing it I secure it into the J-clips and button the straps to try and "mold" the cage into proper position. The gap between my temple and temple guard could even be seen as desirable, because it certainly aids in cooling and the RE-AKT helmet doesn't move or rotate when properly tightened.

Again, I highly recommend bringing your helmet into your LHS and trying both the medium and large cages on. If you don't have that luxury, make sure the place you order from has a good return policy.

[Beleafer 14]

I wear a large CCM FM480 on a small CCM v08. Works fine.

[Souldriver 64]

Did the re-akt cage also come with the hardware needed to install? Screws, j clips, snap clips? I don't see it me.ruined and some people are saying their cages didn't come with it.

[XveritasX 13]

Did the re-akt cage also come with the hardware needed to install? Screws, j clips, snap clips? I don't see it me.ruined and some people are saying their cages didn't come with it.

The cage should come with everything but look before you buy it since at my store it is common for people to steal the screws, jclips, etc from cages when they are missing parts for their own helmets.

[coryroth24 15]

+1 for the 9900. Mind didn't come with the hardware (but I already had what I needed...).

[Cavs019 702]

Curveball....but have you considered the concept II or III? I just picked up the III and the vision/breathing/fogging is noticably improved compared to my old II. My rink is really hot this time of year as well.

[Souldriver 64]

I did consider it but not for long. I think the rink also enforces the bottom be a metal cage as well.

How is the weight on the concept 3 by the way.

When I'm in the store ill check it out but I think if I'm going to have to go for a full face cover especially in that price range I'll probs go reakt. Full open face ventilation is noticable but really more for the weight and hoping the vision is better on the peripherals. Keeping my head up and seeing the whole rink is important to me. Now that I'm thinking about it there are so many times with a cage when I had to look down or lean in for a puck and someone side swipes my head. Either bc I have the head down, or cqntcan't see from my peripherals, or juatjust the other guys fault I want to avoid this with the new setup. My neck has taken enough abuse I don't need any more tweeks bc some hotshot is being an ass.

[Cavs019 702]

I couldn't tell you if its light or heavy relative to other things per say, but I don't notice it when im playing.

[Souldriver 64]

So there are no ways around it. I spoke to the head of hockey there and he will not let the half visor go through.

The only good thing is there are a bunch of labor day sales going around, I'm going with the re-akt large cage btw.

[MarsB 33]

The Concept 2 & 3 are full shields, not half-visors. I've never heard of a rink that requires a cage over a full shield.

[Souldriver 64]

I asked them when I signed up. Even said I'll sign a waiver and get my doctor to sign something and have proof with my own insurance and they still said no.

They said their insurance does t allow it, they used to have insurance that did but it was more expensive. Meanwhile their rink league price is just as much if not more than other places. Can't win.

[Cavs019 702]

He wears a half visor, not a concept II/III.

[Bowhunter 0]

Bauer cage has been better for me than any expensive visor I had over the years. I was in the same boat as most. Too many close calls. And hey my cage hasn't fogged up even once yet!! I will never go back.

[Vet88 673]

I was considering a half visor then had a good reminder why I hadn't taken this path yet. A douche bag broke his stick in half across my face cage in a tournament last year, if I had had a half on I'd have been picking teeth out of the back of my head for the rest of my life. I don't care how much I get chirped for a cage or what the local rules are, a cage (Bauer re-akt cage) is my choice for the rest of my playing days.

Someone posted a wise piece of advice in another thread, if you aren't getting paid enough to cover your medical bills when, not if, that puck or stick damages your mouth then a visor isn't for you.

[Cosmic 178]

I was considering a half visor then had a good reminder why I hadn't taken this path yet. A douche bag broke his stick in half across my face cage in a tournament last year, if I had had a half on I'd have been picking teeth out of the back of my head for the rest of my life. I don't care how much I get chirped for a cage or what the local rules are, a cage (Bauer re-akt cage) is my choice for the rest of my playing days.

Someone posted a wise piece of advice in another thread, if you aren't getting paid enough to cover your medical bills when, not if, that puck or stick damages your mouth then a visor isn't for you.

It's a shame that so many "chirp-bags" choose to play ice hockey. Out here (SE Asia), we have it pretty good, as no one feels a need to remind us of what equipment we ought to be using, what length, color, style, etc.

[Souldriver 64]

I'm not worried about getting chirped it was more bc I could see much better, keep my head up more, and I felt I was playing better as well.

I have the re-akt coming in large that I will use for this season. If I like it or if we decide this rink is better for us in the upcoming seasons I'll keep it.

As for the visor I could either sell it to recoup some money, or put it on the backup helemet that I can use for when we play pickup at the rink that allows it. The pickup games are all kept in fun and tbh I don't remember anyone raging at anyone or even taking a single slap shot. It really is for fun.

As for the guy that hit you with his stick I hope there was action taken against him. I'm honestly pretty tame but if someone did that to me with or without a cage I would have immediately went after him with everything I had. To me that's purposely trying to cause me physical harm and I don't tolerate that.

[Chadd 916]

I'm not worried about getting chirped it was more bc I could see much better, keep my head up more, and I felt I was playing better as well.

It should only take a few games to adapt. Just stick it on and suck it up, that's what I did and I don't have any problems. It took me 15 years to go from nothing, to a visor and finally to a cage. No, you can't see quite as well but you just have to accept that and move on.

[Souldriver 64]

Yeah the transition shoukdnt be soo hard as I used to use a cage. I'm hoping the newer cages are a little better than the old ones.

Also wearing nothing scares me. I don't know how you did that to be honest.