Facemask is an essential requirement for the majority of sports, which is necessitating wearing a helmet. Facemasks are designed for protecting the whole face, particularly the mouth, nose, and eyes. During hard contact sports such as baseball and football, players are focused more on playing rather than safety. A quality facemask permits them to keep their focus on their play without the stress of getting a blow to the face.
Material
Facemasks suitable for football helmets are made from three different types of material, namely, stainless steel, titanium, and carbon steel. Carbon steel is the cheapest and is the heaviest, whereas Titanium is highly durable, lightweight, and, unfortunately, by far the priciest. Stainless steel offers a middle ground with an average weight and is moderately priced. All three rand well in terms of durability. The determining selections for most people usually fall on the cost and the weight of the mask.
Open Or Closed Cage
When selecting a facemask for football, you must ensure that your face is well protected and that your field of vision is as unobstructed as possible. Football facemasks comprise of two choices, a closed-caged or an open-cage face mask.
Open Facemask
This type is more open around the eye area, which provides maximum visibility. With an open cage, you will have more clarity on the sides, which means you won’t have to turn your head in order to maintain a clear field of vision. Quarterbacks, with safeties and wide receivers, usually fare better with open-cage facemasks. Check out GameDayr for all your football gear accessory requirements.
Closed-Caged
Football players that have to block, tackle, or engage in other forms of hard contact will gain more value from a close-cage football facemask. This type of facemask provides better protection, particularly around your most vulnerable areas. They may be limiting the player’s visibility field, but the added protection averts injury to the nose and eyes, which are often sustained when tackling an opponent on the field. A player will also have additional support to his jawline to protect his teeth and mouth from damage.
Shields/Visors
Most players opt for purchasing facemasks with visors built into them. You can buy a clear visor for playing underneath the lights or in the dark. Or you can opt for a tinted visor for offering protection from the sun for your eyes. Tinted visors are also utilized for preventing an opponent from seeing your eyes. This can help in disguising your plans and who you are going to pass the ball to.
Conclusion
There are several factors in play when you are deciding about which football facemask would be the best one to purchase. It is vital to understand your position and what is expected from you on the field. The requirement for a maximum field of vision may be of importance to you. Make sure you take the time to try on a few facemasks on your helmet. Make sure they fit comfortably to allow you to play at your full potential.