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Explain the Chin Sling... #ChinSlingNation


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Been a using a Chin Cup forever in my Hackva, but just picked up a NME 8 (used in almost new condition) and that chip cup is IRRITATING!

So, I see lots of chatter about using a Chin Sling instead, but to be honest, I cannot wrap my head around how the thing works. I see where they install but it appears to be nothing more than a pad to keep your chin from hitting the actual mask (if there was an impact of some sort). Is that correct? Or, does the sling somehow keep the mask in place too?

I apologize for the silly question, but would love to know more so I can decide if the sling is the way to go to or not.

Thanks!!

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allows your face to move further forward in the mask, but nothing really holding it on your head at that point except the tension of the backplate straps.  I replace most chin cups with a football style Gel lined cup unless it's a Sportmask.  Easy to do and a much more secure and less irritating option.  Just cut the straps out and insert the stock strap and adjust to desired length.

Adams USA High Hook Up Gel 4 Point Football Varsity Chinstrap

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The sling is less secure but not as bad as i expected. Dependant on brand the foam has a bit of grip and the added vision from being closer to the cage is good, especially looking down.

It's not for everyone, try removing your cup (chin!) and put mask on with a finger between chin and mask you should get an idea

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16 minutes ago, jayluv54 said:

allows your face to move further forward in the mask, but nothing really holding it on your head at that point except the tension of the backplate straps.  I replace most chin cups with a football style Gel lined cup unless it's a Sportmask.  Easy to do and a much more secure and less irritating option.  Just cut the straps out and insert the stock strap and adjust to desired length.

Adams USA High Hook Up Gel 4 Point Football Varsity Chinstrap

I like that idea, might give it a try.

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17 minutes ago, seagoal said:

So a chin cup on straps is (theoretically) always making contact with the chin and supporting it....while a sling makes no contact but is just there to prevent your chin from slamming into the mask?

The chin cup should hold the mask securely in place, but provides some protection from impacts as well.  The chin sling will provide impact protection and allows your face to get closer to the cage for better sightlines.  However, unless your using a secondary chin strap, there's not much keeping the mask on your head at that point unless you really crank down on the backplate straps.  I've tried chin slings before and they are just not for me.  The mask doesn't feel secure at all to me and I don't like how close my mouth is to the mask.  I'm not interested in losing any teeth. 

Some feel that a chin cup can increase your chances of concussion symptoms by directing all the force directly to the chin and thus the jaw, kind of like getting punched.  Whereas a chin sling might better distribute the impact more.  I don't know about that, sounds good in theory, but can't really be proven.  All I know is, a loose fitting mask feels way more unsafe for me, but I do feel that a hard chin cup is superior to the soft foam crap most install.  Sportmasks are nice or a football style with a nice layer of foam right behind it seems ideal to me.

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24 minutes ago, seagoal said:

Has anyone taken a puck to the chin behind the mask?

No and I fail to see how that could happen without some kind of catastrophic failure on the mask part.  Or a really unlikely occurence of extreme bad luck and accrobatic save attempt.

16 minutes ago, jayluv54 said:

The chin cup should hold the mask securely in place, but provides some protection from impacts as well.  The chin sling will provide impact protection and allows your face to get closer to the cage for better sightlines.  However, unless your using a secondary chin strap, there's not much keeping the mask on your head at that point unless you really crank down on the backplate straps. 

Man, I use the chin cup AND the strap, that's how much I'm not willing to take a chance!  The more I think about it the more I think I'll try your football helmet chin cup thingy.  You just remove the straps and fit the cup to the existing velcro strap?

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3 minutes ago, Math. said:

No and I fail to see how that could happen without some kind of catastrophic failure on the mask part.  Or a really unlikely occurence of extreme bad luck and accrobatic save attempt.

I can see it happening from a routine, totally symmetrical blocking sternum save and the pucks skips up.  If the chin is not tucked down, it could happen. 

I use a chin cup and strap, as well.   I would likely never use a sling.  I enjoy pushing down on the cup too much with my jaw.

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3 hours ago, jayluv54 said:

allows your face to move further forward in the mask, but nothing really holding it on your head at that point except the tension of the backplate straps.  I replace most chin cups with a football style Gel lined cup unless it's a Sportmask.  Easy to do and a much more secure and less irritating option.  Just cut the straps out and insert the stock strap and adjust to desired length.

Adams USA High Hook Up Gel 4 Point Football Varsity Chinstrap

Pics of this installed on a mask?

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5 minutes ago, mckinneymagnum said:

Thanks all for the replies! I think I will stick with the Chin Cup and even look at doing the football cup option!

Or the Sportmask chin cup. I replaced my standard Eddy chin cup with the Sportmask one and it's definitely an improvement.

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3 minutes ago, seagoal said:

Can you post pics @TitanG?

517BE9D3-5243-4787-80D0-11B4830EC09F.thumb.jpeg.1d6722bd301cc0a9e357b38a89c979b7.jpeg

6C4EEC4F-8EDD-4176-90BF-ED70846721B3.thumb.jpeg.983072c7f99bd945a43e5881b36c848e.jpeg

On the Eddymask, the chin strap buckle and chin cup attach at the same point under the padding on each side of the mask (not all masks are like this). I peeled back the foam to remove the chin cup, took out the cup and kept the strap that I put the Sportmask cup onto. The strap is longer than it needs to be for the Sportmask cup so I trimmed it a bit, and it works like a charm! Since this cup is lower profile than the original Eddy cup it allows me to move my face a bit closer to the opening (though I have a long nose so I can’t get much closer anyway). If you have any more questions let me know!

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3 hours ago, TitanG said:

517BE9D3-5243-4787-80D0-11B4830EC09F.thumb.jpeg.1d6722bd301cc0a9e357b38a89c979b7.jpeg

6C4EEC4F-8EDD-4176-90BF-ED70846721B3.thumb.jpeg.983072c7f99bd945a43e5881b36c848e.jpeg

On the Eddymask, the chin strap buckle and chin cup attach at the same point under the padding on each side of the mask (not all masks are like this). I peeled back the foam to remove the chin cup, took out the cup and kept the strap that I put the Sportmask cup onto. The strap is longer than it needs to be for the Sportmask cup so I trimmed it a bit, and it works like a charm! Since this cup is lower profile than the original Eddy cup it allows me to move my face a bit closer to the opening (though I have a long nose so I can’t get much closer anyway). If you have any more questions let me know!

Based on the branding, that’s a standard Sportmask one? Have a Frankenstein one with a football one?

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20 hours ago, Math. said:

No and I fail to see how that could happen without some kind of catastrophic failure on the mask part.  Or a really unlikely occurence of extreme bad luck and accrobatic save attempt.

Man, I use the chin cup AND the strap, that's how much I'm not willing to take a chance!  The more I think about it the more I think I'll try your football helmet chin cup thingy.  You just remove the straps and fit the cup to the existing velcro strap?

Thats all I do.  It takes a little wiggling to get it started but most will fit just fine.  I have one on my Protechsport and am working on figuring out how to get one on my PC.  The PC uses a wider, elastic type strap on the chin cup. 

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There are two different kinds of chin slings.  One, which I have always used, is suspended.  Its meant to cradle your chin.  Your face/chin sits right up against the sling.  The other, like the Maltese(the old gel pads definitely, and I believe the newer foam style too) and the Wzlhead, I believe are just padding that is installed on the shell itself and it doesn't actually cradle your face the same way the suspended ones do.  I've been wearing a sling since, idk, 2009?  2010?  Whether it had been from a hard shot to the face or from a collision with another player, I've never had a moment where I felt my mask was going to pop off due to not wearing a chin cup.

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I switched to a sling about five years ago and I don’t think I could ever go back to a cup. But my mask is tight to the point that I need to undo one of the straps to take it off and on so I have no fear of it coming off during play. 

Chin cups drive me crazy and always caused my chin to break out as well. 

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