What are the best neck guards and throat protectors for hockey goalies. How do they differ from each other. Which top brands and models offer superior protection and comfort. What factors should goalies consider when choosing neck protection.
Understanding Goalie Neck Protection: Guards vs. Protectors
When it comes to safeguarding a hockey goalie’s neck area, two main types of equipment are used: neck guards and throat protectors. While both serve the purpose of protection, they differ significantly in design and materials.
What is a Goalie Neck Guard?
A goalie neck guard, often referred to as a clavicle protector, is constructed from high-density foam or a combination of foam materials. It covers both the neck and clavicle area, providing broader protection against impacts.
What is a Goalie Throat Protector?
A throat protector, sometimes mistakenly called a neck protector, is made of a plastic-like material called Lexan. This high-impact plastic is designed to withstand the force of a hockey puck, even at NHL-level speeds. It specifically protects the throat area.
Top Goalie Neck Guards: Reviews and Ratings
When evaluating goalie neck guards, three key factors come into play: overall protection, comfort, and intrusiveness. Based on these criteria, here are the top-rated neck guards for 2023:
1. Warrior X3 Pro Neck Guard
The Warrior X3 Pro neck guard stands out as the best option for goalies. It received a near-perfect score of 29/30 in our evaluation:
- Overall Protection: 10/10
- Comfort: 9/10
- Intrusiveness: 10/10
Its design resembles the older Maltese style, which has been a favorite among professional goalies. For those seeking a more budget-friendly option, the Warrior X3 base model offers similar benefits at a fraction of the cost.
2. Bauer Pro Neck Guard
Coming in a close second, the Bauer Pro Neck Guard scored 28/30 in our rankings:
- Overall Protection: 8/10
- Comfort: 9/10
- Intrusiveness: 10/10
This neck guard offers excellent comfort and minimal intrusiveness, making it a popular choice among goalies who prioritize freedom of movement.
The Importance of Proper Neck Protection for Goalies
Protecting the neck and throat area is crucial for hockey goalies, yet it’s often overlooked. Why is this protection so vital?
Vulnerability of the Neck Area
The neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of a goalie’s body. A high-speed puck or a stray stick can cause severe injuries if this area is left unprotected. Neck guards and throat protectors serve as a critical line of defense against these potential hazards.
Balancing Protection and Performance
While protection is paramount, goalies also need to maintain their range of motion and comfort. The best neck protection equipment strikes a balance between safety and performance, allowing goalies to move freely while still feeling secure.
How to Choose the Right Neck Protection for Your Needs
Selecting the appropriate neck protection depends on various factors. Consider the following when making your choice:
Level of Play
Are you playing in a professional league or at a recreational level? The intensity and speed of the game can influence the level of protection you need.
Personal Preference
Some goalies prefer the broader coverage of a neck guard, while others opt for the focused protection of a throat protector. Your comfort and confidence in the equipment play a significant role in your performance.
League Requirements
Check if your league has specific regulations regarding neck protection. Some leagues may mandate certain types of protection for goalies.
Proper Installation and Maintenance of Goalie Neck Protection
Ensuring your neck protection is correctly installed and well-maintained is crucial for its effectiveness. How can you properly set up and care for your equipment?
Installing a Throat Protector
To attach a throat protector to your goalie mask:
- Start by tying the middle of the protector to the bottom of your wire cage.
- Lay the entire helmet and shield flat on a table.
- Attach a piece of string to both the right and left sides of the cage.
- Secure the plastic throat protector in place.
Maintaining Your Neck Guard
Regular maintenance of your neck guard can extend its lifespan and ensure optimal protection:
- Clean it regularly with mild soap and water
- Allow it to air dry completely before use
- Inspect for any signs of wear or damage before each use
- Replace the guard if it shows significant wear or loses its protective qualities
Neck Protection Trends in Professional Hockey
While neck protection is crucial at all levels of play, practices in professional hockey can offer insights into equipment trends and effectiveness. How do NHL goalies approach neck protection?
NHL Goalies and Neck Guards
Contrary to what some might expect, neck protection is not mandatory in the NHL. Despite this, more NHL goalies wear neck guards than not. However, due to frequent gear changes, it’s challenging to pinpoint exact numbers of professional goalies using neck protection.
Evolving Technology in Neck Protection
As with other hockey equipment, neck protection technology continues to advance. Manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to improve protection while minimizing bulk and maintaining comfort. This ongoing innovation benefits goalies at all levels of play.
Beyond Neck Guards: Comprehensive Goalie Protection
While neck protection is crucial, it’s just one part of a goalie’s overall protective gear. How does neck protection integrate with other equipment?
Complementary Protective Gear
Neck guards and throat protectors work in conjunction with other protective equipment such as:
- Goalie masks
- Chest protectors
- Shoulder pads
Ensuring all these elements work together seamlessly is key to comprehensive protection.
Customizing Your Protection
Every goalie has unique needs and preferences. Some may choose to use both a neck guard and a throat protector for maximum protection, while others may opt for one or the other based on their playing style and comfort level.
The Future of Goalie Neck Protection
As hockey equipment continues to evolve, what can we expect for the future of goalie neck protection?
Emerging Materials and Designs
Advancements in materials science may lead to even more effective and comfortable neck protection options. We might see the development of new shock-absorbing materials or innovative designs that provide enhanced protection without sacrificing mobility.
Increased Focus on Safety
With growing awareness of sports-related injuries, there may be a push for more stringent safety standards in hockey equipment, including neck protection. This could lead to improvements in both the effectiveness and adoption of neck guards and throat protectors at all levels of play.
In conclusion, proper neck protection is a critical aspect of a hockey goalie’s equipment. Whether opting for a neck guard, a throat protector, or both, goalies should prioritize finding gear that offers the right balance of protection, comfort, and freedom of movement. By understanding the options available and staying informed about the latest developments in goalie equipment, players can ensure they’re well-protected and ready to perform at their best on the ice.
Best Goalie Neck Guards + Throat Protectors
As a hockey goalie, protecting your neck and throat is one of the most important things you’ll do. Yet, it’s one of the most common areas that we see goalies skip on both.
Before we jump into the meat and potatoes of this article, I want to answer a couple of quick questions to help clarify the difference between throat protectors and neck guards for hockey goalies. If you want to jump ahead to the best neck guards, click here!
Do hockey goalies have to wear neck guards?
No. Goalies do not have to wear neck guards, nor do they have to wear plastic throat protectors. In fact, at the NHL level, many do not wear either.
Do NHL goalies wear neck guards?
More NHL goalies wear neck guards than not, yes. With that being said, however, NHL goalies change their gear so frequently that it’s hard to identify a specific number of professional goalies that wear neck guards.
What’s the difference between neck guards for goalies and throat protectors?
Throat protectors, often incorrectly referred to as neck protectors, are built of plastic-like material called Lexan.
Lexan is a high-impact plastic designed to withstand the impact of a hockey puck, up to the NHL level. Neck guards are built of high-density foam, or a combination of high-density foams. Goalie neck guards are often called clavicle protectors as they cover both the neck and clavicle area.
How do you put a neck guard on a goalie mask?
While the plastic shield on a goalie mask is often referred to as a neck guard, it’s actually called a throat protector. A throat protector is attached using three pieces of string. To attach this to your helmet the most effectively, start by tying the middle of the throat protector to the bottom of your wire cage. Then, with the entire helmet and shield laying flat on a table, attach a piece of each string to the right and left sides of the cage and a plastic throat protector.
In this article, we’re going to cover two different pieces of equipment. Both fundamentally do the same thing but are very different in their construction.
If you’re not here for neck guards, often referred to as clavicle protectors, you’re looking for goalie throat protectors. We’ll cover those as we move along down this article.
First off, neck guards.
Here are the best goalie neck guards on the market.
- Warrior X3 Pro Neck Guard
- Bauer Pro Neck Guard
- CCM BNQ Shirt / No Shirt Style Neck Guard
- Maltese Neck Guard
Highest Rated Goalie Neck Guards 2023
When it comes to using a neck guard, goalies want three things. First, overall protection. Second, overall comfort. Third, how intrusive is the neck guard? If the neck guard is bulky, bottom line is that it just will not get worn. When we reviewed the neck guards for this piece, these are the things we rated each product on.
Neck guard rating system for goalies:
- Overall Protection – how protective is the neck guard? Is it Pro Level, or entry level?
- Comfort – how comfortable is the product? The most popular neck guards are by default also the most comfortable.
- Intrusiveness – is the neck guard bulky? If it negatively affects movement, it will not get used.
- Total Score – adding each of the three rating categories up, we came up with a final score to determine what actually is the best neck guard on the market.
| Warrior X3 Pro Neck Guard | 10/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 29/30 |
| Bauer Pro Neck Guard | 8/10 | 9/10 | 10/10 | 28/30 |
As of June 2018, Maltese is no longer making neck guards. Yes, we still cover them in this article. The reason for that is this, if you’re covering goalies and not mentioning Maltese, you cannot be taken seriously as actually understanding the products that goalies want in their bag.
To date, a large number of the professional goalies we train still use the Maltese neck guard. With that being said, there are products that compare to the Maltese on the market today. We’re actively testing several, and will update this article with up to date comparisons when we have enough data compiled.
Warrior X3 Pro Neck Guard
Without question, the single best neck guard for goalies is the Warrior X3 Pro neck guard. This neck guard fits similar to the older, Maltese style of neck guards, and it comes in two different models.
The model we prefer and recommend is the Warrior X3 Pro. If you’re looking for a cheaper version, the Warrior X3 base model is 1/3 of the price.
Here’s the thing about neck guards. Not every goalie wears them. Most are intrusive and not comfortable.
Bauer Pro Neck Guard
Bauer Pro Neck Guard
The Bauer Pro Neck Guard scored at 28/30 in our final neck guard rankings this year, just one point behind the Warrior X3.
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CCM BNQ Shirt / No Shirt Style Neck Guard
This is one of our most recommended neck guards for goalies — but it comes with a caveat. It’s also a shirt. So, if you’re a goalie who values minimal clothing on under your gear, I would stay away.
The CCM BNQ comes in both a shirt and a standalone neck guard unit. See our photo of just the neck guard below.
Option number one the CCM BNQ Shirt senior and youth sizing. Available at both Pure Goalie and Goalie Monkey.
Option number two the CCM BNQ Neck Guard, in junior sizing. Available at both Pure Goalie and at Goalie Monkey.
The reason we list this as our number one most recommended neck guard for goalies is simply because of it’s versatility. It’s not often that you find a high quality product built for youth goalies AND higher level goalies with the only difference being size.
For youth goalies, a shirt style neck guard helps keep the protective equipment centered and in the right place. For those of you reading who are playing in your teens and beyond, the shirt simply offers more consistent protection.
We tested this neck guard extensively during the summer of 2020.
CCM BNQ Shirt Style Neck Guard Review. Wash this shirt a bunch. The biggest advantage of this system is that it’s a shirt. The biggest downside is that, it’s a shirt. If you’re not planning on keeping up on maintaining this neck protection system, don’t bother. The material of the shirt is mesh and with repeated use without proper care, it becomes crusty and VERY uncomfortable.
Check the price of the CCM BNQ Shirt at Pure Goalie.
Check the price of it at Goalie Monkey.
Maltese Neck Guard
Up until they went out of business, the Maltese Neck Guard was bar none the single best piece of neck protection on the market. Maltese used a unique foam that was used and LOVED by goalies up to the NHL level.
The brand had a near cult like following for good reason, the product was underpromised and over-delivered.
Seriously, if you owned a Maltese, you’re most likely not looking to buy a different neck guard. Unless on the off chance you wore that neck guard out.
Enough about neck guards, let’s transition into the throat protectors.
Here are the best goalie throat protectors available to the public.
Best Goalie Throat Protectors
Throat protectors are similar to kneck guards in the fact that they are designed to protect your neck, but a throat protector hangs in front of your helmet.
Goalie Neck Guards – Only $26.99
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Goalie equipment plays a key role in the safety of hockey players, and neck protection is one of the critical elements of vrat equipment row. The neck guard provides essential protection against puck impacts, stick strikes and collisions with other players. In this article, we will go over the main aspects of choosing a neck protector and highlight the important points for your consideration.
Highlights:
Materials: Neck guards are usually made of strong, shock-absorbing and impact-resistant materials such as plastic, polyurethane foam, Kevlar and other synthetic materials. These materials must be lightweight and durable to provide optimal protection and comfort.
Size and shape: Goalie neck guards must be matched to the size and anatomy of the player to ensure maximum safety and comfort. Sizes and shapes may vary depending on the age and preferences of the player.
Level of protection: Different models of goaltender’s neck protectors offer different levels of protection. Consider the level of play the goalkeeper is involved in and choose the model that suits their needs.
Comfort and support: The neck guard must be comfortable and provide adequate support for the neck and throat without interfering with the player’s head movement and vision. Pay attention to the quality of the inner lining, which should be soft, moisture-wicking and breathable for comfort.
Locking System: The neck guard must be securely fixed to the player’s body to prevent it from shifting or dropping during play. Look for models with adjustable and durable straps, Velcro, or quick fix mechanisms.
Brands and prices: Market pre
offers a variety of brands and price ranges for goalie neck guards. Explore the various options and choose the one that suits your budget and preferences while paying attention to the quality and durability of the product.
Compatibility with other equipment: The neck guard must be compatible with other goalkeeping equipment such as helmet and shoulder guards. Pay attention to how these pieces of equipment interact with each other to provide optimal protection and comfort during the game.
Certifications and Standards: Ensure that the selected neck protection meets the required standards and certifications such as CE, HECC or CSA.
This ensures that the product has passed stringent quality and safety tests and provides the required level of protection.Reviews and Recommendations: Read reviews and recommendations from other players, coaches and experts to learn about the pros and cons of different neck protection options. The experience of other users can be very helpful in making a purchasing decision.
Try on and test: If possible, try different neck guards before purchasing to determine which one best suits your needs. This will allow you and your goaltender to determine the level of comfort, protection and mobility you are looking for in protective gear.
In conclusion, choosing the right goaltender’s neck protection requires careful consideration of various factors, including materials, dimensions, shape, level of protection, comfort, retention system and price. Considering all these aspects, you will be able to find the optimal solution that will provide maximum protection and comfort for your goaltender on the ice.
This ensures that the product has passed stringent quality and safety tests and provides the required level of protection.
