To get a hockey face shield or a hockey visor? This is a common question among hockey players when it comes to choosing accessories for their helmets.
These two types of facial protection gear are different from one another, so which of the two should you choose?
In this hockey face shield vs. hockey visor comparison, we look at the pros and cons of each hockey helmet accessory to determine which provides the most facial protection.
Hockey Face Shield
A hockey full visor, also known as a hockey shield, is a device that’s attached to the top of the helmet and is held in place by the chin guard straps on the sides.
Pros
The main advantage of a hockey full visor is that it provides complete protection to the face against unexpected sticks, elbows, and pucks.
Many players go for the full visor because the tempered material is incredibly durable without compromising on high and clear visibility.
Cons
While a full visor offers optimum protection, it restricts access to the face during the game.
If you need to drink water or wipe your sweat, you’ll need to unfasten the straps and take off the entire helmet.
What’s more, full visors don’t allow much airflow, so they tend to fog up as the player sweats and overheats.
That said, some helmet accessory manufacturers have combined the hockey cage and the visor into a single product, such as the Tron S920 Hockey Helmet Cage & Shield Combo.
This way, you can have some access to your face and not worry about it fogging up.
Hockey Visor
A hockey half visor, as the name suggests, shields the top half of a player’s face. It’s attached to either the top or the sides of the helmet and only covers the player’s eyes and nose.
Pros
While most half visors reach the bottom of the nose, visors are available in a variety of sizes.
Longer visors reach all the way to the mouth, whereas shorter visors are either slightly shorter or merely cover the eyes.
In addition, half visors that connect to the helmet’s sides can be adjusted to the height or placement that the player wants.
One advantage that half visors have over full visors is that they don’t fog up as easily. Some are even coated with anti-fog materials, such as the Pro-Clip Visor, to ensure optimum visibility.
Cons
The most significant disadvantage, and potentially the most concerning aspect, of wearing a half visor is that it only protects half of a player’s face.
Even in the friendliest of matches, players wearing a half visor have a higher risk of getting injured than those wearing a full visor or a hockey cage.
Hockey Full Visor vs. Hockey Half Visor: Which One Should You Use?
There’s no doubt that half visors perform better than full visors in terms of visibility and facial access.
Nevertheless, full visors are much more successful when it comes to protection, which is the primary function of a visor.
Out of all the hockey shields, a half visor is the least safe option. It leaves the bottom half of the face totally exposed to errant pucks, sticks, or elbows.
Hockey full visors, on the other hand, effectively protect a player’s face from most, if not all, injuries.
The Bottom Line
Hockey players tend to choose hockey shields and half visors over hockey cages because of their durability and clear visibility.
Still, when we compare a hockey full visor vs. a hockey half visor, it all boils down to which provides better protection. For that reason, we believe the hockey full visor is the one you should go with.
Full visors are guaranteed to protect every inch of you from any ice-related facial injuries. What’s more, there are full visors that combine the best parts of a visor and a cage to overcome any accessibility or fogging issues.
For a review of another great visor check out our review of the CCM VR24 Clear Hockey Visor.
