luked

On 4/6/2022 at 9:35 AM, chile57 said:

I don't disagree with you but I think job one is to deflect the impact as best you can so that its not transferred into the mask/your face (that's why - aside from needing to contour around one's already round melon - masks are roundish). From there - if its going to take a ton of impact - yes it'd be better to bend/crumple (as most all steel used for cages on the market will - we are all hip to titanium cages and their propensity to break as opposed to bend - judge the merits there for yourself). Particularly on the center bar - if your mask fits well (and depending on the size of one's schnoz) - there isn't necessarily a whole of room between the bar and your nose. At that rate - don't think anyone wants the center bar to crumple too terribly much but that's my opinion (and part of why center bars have an outward bend to them to begin with).

The triangular center bar isn't immune to bending - my point is just that (in my opinion) its a better option than a flat piece at the overall same width.

I agree. A lot of the custom masks fit close to the bars, that usually comes from user fit preference etc. not necessarily the mask build. Some goalies years ago wore their mask so close to the bars I can't imagine them getting hit in the cage period, kinda scary. (manny fernandez comes to mind) That being said, I feel as though the center bar is the backbone of the cage. The cage should be a crumble zone, but a strong backbone makes sense to me... again, this is completely speculative, I'm not a mechanical engineer.

Also, the thing that I never understood regarding goalie masks was the interior padding. It's true across multiple disciplines, that you want to have the most snug fit without any voids between the helmet padding and the user's head... but we're seeing things like MIPS and other technologies elsewhere that haven't really been adapted, if at all possible. CCM has "fluid inside" (like the old maltese gel?) type padding I think? I would love to see how that is vs. normal rubatex.

The study is interesting but really there's not a ton of context to it. Like someone said earlier, what's acceptable?

27 minutes ago, seagoal said:

This reminds me: what is the stated or official explanation behind the wide vertical center bars on Sportmask and Pros Choice helmets?  Is it to decrease the size of the forward facing eye openings on cat eye cages, or, just improving the strength of the center for impacts?

@Chenner29 ?

It looks badass, which is why I wear one, haha.

I can’t speak for Sportmask, but having known Dom for 20 something years, he made the flat bar years ago to help prevent a bent center bar. The tri cage was his next version of it in an attempt to make it stronger. I would guess Sportmask did it for similar/the same reason

Similar situation as you. I have my old pro return Reebok PS1 (black and yellow one) that I just keep having rebuild by Salvi here in Massachusetts every few years. It kills rebounds. Granted, when I wait too long in between rebuilds, I get bruised and hurt...like what's happening now. I would find someone to rebuild what you have to the specs you want