What Is The Most Popular Neck Guard Used In The NHL?

[35RoloSmith41]

Title says it all. Took a hard shot to the clavicle that somehow got under my dangle and want to add a neck guard now. Is there a consensus on the best one out there?

[keeperton]

The Kova neckguard is the best unit I've ever used. I have two of them, both custom (for size, I wanted a taller neck and smaller clavicle piece), they're very comfortable and absolute tanks.

https://kovagoalie.fi/shop/uncategorized/neck-guard-stock/

[ThatCarGuy]

4 hours ago, keeperton said:

The Kova neckguard is the best unit I've ever used. I have two of them, both custom (for size, I wanted a taller neck and smaller clavicle piece), they're very comfortable and absolute tanks.

https://kovagoalie.fi/shop/uncategorized/neck-guard-stock/

Completely agree. There's a little bit of a break in period but once you're past that it's completely worth it

[keeperton]

11 minutes ago, ThatCarGuy said:

Completely agree. There's a little bit of a break in period but once you're past that it's completely worth it

Yeah. It'll field a bit unwieldy at first, but the clavicle piece will adjust with your contours and end up feeling fine.

The neckguards I grew up using were either Crouch brand or the Vaughn VPC 7000 style. I similarly got the Kova neckguard after I took way too hard of a shot to the neck, the shot I took collapsed a vessel long enough that I blacked out for a couple of seconds and came to as the puck was leaving my zone. I don't usually wear a dangler because I do not deal well with the noise and frankly find they do in my OCD when I cannot get the ties symmetric, compounded by having to redo it whenever they break.

The specs I got on my latest custom Kova were:

• 2.5 in/6 cm neck height
• 14 in neck circumference
• -1 inch on clavicle width (I did this to match the width of the Vaughn VPC 7000 that I was super used to and I'm a small dude)
• Added gel to the neck and clavicle
  • My first one didn't have it added to the clavicle, I'd recommend this (as would Topi)

I really cannot speak highly enough of Kova's products after using them for four years now (suspenders going on four years). The turn around for a custom neckguard is typically less than 1 week production time, then however long it takes to ship and they are very responsive to emails.

Hope this helps. If you're looking for other/cheaper options, I'm sure someone else will chime in.

[Novasteel31]

4 hours ago, keeperton said:

Yeah. It'll field a bit unwieldy at first, but the clavicle piece will adjust with your contours and end up feeling fine.

The neckguards I grew up using were either Crouch brand or the Vaughn VPC 7000 style. I similarly got the Kova neckguard after I took way too hard of a shot to the neck, the shot I took collapsed a vessel long enough that I blacked out for a couple of seconds and came to as the puck was leaving my zone. I don't usually wear a dangler because I do not deal well with the noise and frankly find they do in my OCD when I cannot get the ties symmetric, compounded by having to redo it whenever they break.

The specs I got on my latest custom Kova were:

• 2.5 in/6 cm neck height
• 14 in neck circumference
• -1 inch on clavicle width (I did this to match the width of the Vaughn VPC 7000 that I was super used to and I'm a small dude)
• Added gel to the neck and clavicle
  • My first one didn't have it added to the clavicle, I'd recommend this (as would Topi)

I really cannot speak highly enough of Kova's products after using them for four years now (suspenders going on four years). The turn around for a custom neckguard is typically less than 1 week production time, then however long it takes to ship and they are very responsive to emails.

Hope this helps. If you're looking for other/cheaper options, I'm sure someone else will chime in.

I've had this same debate over the years. I've taken a few shots off the collarbone and then go buy a neck guard use it for a game or two and then take it off. Then I get a dangler and then take it off as I hate how it blocks my down low vision. Right now I have a dangler again as I wait for my Vaughn SLR shirt as I hope that solves some issues but if not I might have to bite the buttel and grab a kova and just adjust to the break in phase.

[dreadlocked1]

I would recommend a Maltese neck guard if you can find a used one in good condition and your size.  Maltese is no longer in business so this would be my next recommendation:

https://goalieparts.com/products/ecoprofoam-v4-neck-and-clavicle-protector.html

[Ken35]

2 hours ago, dreadlocked1 said:

I would recommend a Maltese neck guard if you can find a used one in good condition and your size.  Maltese is no longer in business so this would be my next recommendation:

https://goalieparts.com/products/ecoprofoam-v4-neck-and-clavicle-protector.html

I second @dreadlocked1, I am on my second and have not had an issue with either of them.  If I remember correctly, I have had my Reiterspec one for close on 15 years or so.  My previous one I wore for at least 10 years before upgrading.

 

Also, I think that Eco Pro Foam is who took over from Maltese and I think it is Roughneck in Canada.

https://passauhockey.com/en/product-category/roughneck-protection/

 

Hope this helps you.

[chile57]

Some good suggestions about what is/is not a good neck guard in the above but I don't think any of them address the question posed at the start "what's the most popular in the show"? I think that's a tough one to pin down as I'm pretty sure most of what's worn there are highly modified legacy stuff that's morphed over the years (think Brodeur's chest protector or - in this particular instance - what Fleury wears as a bib).

[keeperton]

9 hours ago, chile57 said:

Some good suggestions about what is/is not a good neck guard in the above but I don't think any of them address the question posed at the start "what's the most popular in the show"? I think that's a tough one to pin down as I'm pretty sure most of what's worn there are highly modified legacy stuff that's morphed over the years (think Brodeur's chest protector or - in this particular instance - what Fleury wears as a bib).

I tried to keep that in mind in my comment; I do think Kova is the most ubiquitous in the show.

[chile57]

You might very well be right @keeperton - just tough to really confirm without scouring all the league's locker rooms since Kova doesn't pay to badge their stuff. That's all I was getting at in my response to the OP - don't think there is enough to go on to come up with true empirical data (like say gloves/pads).

Edited September 18, 2023 by chile57

[Hockeygoalie111]

The most popular neck guard used in the NHL is Vaughn.

[jerd31]

On 9/17/2023 at 6:22 PM, dreadlocked1 said:

I would recommend a Maltese neck guard if you can find a used one in good condition and your size.  Maltese is no longer in business so this would be my next recommendation:

https://goalieparts.com/products/ecoprofoam-v4-neck-and-clavicle-protector.html

Interesting that there's a pic of Alex Lyon with the logo showing.  Do they not have to pay the fees for something like that?

18 hours ago, Hockeygoalie111 said:

The most popular neck guard used in the NHL is Vaughn.

I wonder if they're mostly using off the shelf neck guards?  

[ThatCarGuy]

44 minutes ago, jerd31 said:

Interesting that there's a pic of Alex Lyon with the logo showing.  Do they not have to pay the fees for something like that?

I wonder if they're mostly using off the shelf neck guards?  

Pretty sure all the vaughns in use are at least custom colored if not custom reinforced versions of the velocity pro carbon neck guard

 

[dreadlocked1]

9 hours ago, jerd31 said:

Interesting that there's a pic of Alex Lyon with the logo showing.  Do they not have to pay the fees for something like that?

I wonder if they're mostly using off the shelf neck guards?  

They're not in business anymore so no one could write a check.  Not sure how it would've worked, but it's not large advertising for Maltese.