Painting should be undertaken by an experienced painter. It is quite difficult and probably not that easy to do at home without experience and the needed materials. The process is similar to airbrushing plastic parts of cars (bumpers/fenders etc)
Painting should be undertaken by an experienced painter. It is quite difficult and probably not that easy to do at home without experience and the needed materials. The process is similar to airbrushing plastic parts of cars (bumpers/fenders etc):
1. The surface must be roughened.
2. The whole surface must be degreased.
3. Apply a full surface special feeder.
4. The helmet can then be painted with a two-part paint.
5. When the paint is dry the helmet should be sprayed with transparent varnish.
Having had my head protection for some 10+ years now, the foam is somewhat mouldy and nasty. I can get replacement foam from local retailers but want to know
A: Is it worth replacing it, and
B: How do I go about removing the existing foam without damaging the shell?
Can’t really afford to buy a whole new lid, especially as being the kit-tart I am it would have to be a custom graphic version!
When we started on the faceOff project we were determined to design and build the world’s best sports face protector. We think we have (and the players are beginning to see this as well.)
When it came to assembling the marketing support material, in particular the web site, we contacted the boys at Fracture. This committed and clever group of young New Zealanders designed and built the OBO web site (which went on to win “Gold” in the New Zealand BEST awards.)
There are approximately 110 million web sites in the world. There is a industry based company that organises an awards system for the web industry cleverly called “favourite web site awards”
Sites from all over the world are judged and each day a web site of the day award is made. Usually really big brands win these wards as they have almost unlimited resources to throw at their sites.
On April 24th the faceOff web site won this award !
Congratulations to Fracture… Amazing job guys.
Hard work, commitment, creativity, thoughtfulness and a passion to a great job for faceOff won over the huge budget.
To the rest of us, we should all go forth to the market knowing that yet again OBO and faceOff are being recognised as being leaders on the world stage.
The amount of energy in a hockey ball is huge… the concussion and face injury danger to goalies if not well equipped is real. Find out all about the OBO helmets, what speeds each helmet protects to and the lab tests OBO performs.
The best … for the best. Strength, design, comfort. No comprimises, no shortcuts.
A bit of a no brainer!
In 1999 we asked goal keepers where they get injured most? Their heads they told us. The idea of amazing people getting brain injuries sent us screaming to specialists in the Czech Republic and Argentina where they make the most effective and durable helmets in the world. We then worked with them to develop helmets especially suited to field hockey. Helmets with an official CE and safety approval, all models impact tested to official safety standards.
The F.I.H. says hockey helmets should be tested, but HOLA! Hold-up! They are not. Go ask our competitors for their test certificates. (Ours is EC type – examination certificate number E-30-01488-02, CE certified in accordance with directive 89/686/EEC, standard reference EN ISO 10256:2003 (replaces EN967:1997), technical body CEN/TC-158, Reference Mkp P004357). Yes, some of our competitors sell cheaper, untested helmets (not quite made of China, but made in China). We could do this too… we don’t because while Obo as a company is all for challenging the rules and taking risks, we draw the line at doing it with our goal keepers brains! What do you think?
The amount of energy in a hockey ball is huge… the concussion and face injury danger to goalies if not well equipped is real.
OBO designs a range of goalie helmets designed for different levels of play and different ball speeds.
The Poly P (Polypropylene) is designed to provide appropriate protection at balls speeds to 95 kph.
All the OBO helmets above are safety test approved (the Poly E designed for kids under 13 years and sold only in 3 countries is not a safety tested helmet, however our lab research shows they provide adequate protection for young players.) The amount of protection a helmet offers is a combination of the materials used in the main helmet body, the foam liners in the helmet, the cage, and several other design related / shape aspects.
Regardless of the ball speeds you face, if you want the highest possible protection we suggest you use the OBO FG (Fiberglass) or CK (Carbon Kevlar). Helmet bodies made using these materials offer the most protection, and longest life. The concussion protection offered by the OBO FG and CK is up to three times greater than some helmets on the market. Check out this video of the OBO FG in action:
Some helmet bodies in helmets sold by other brands break or even shatter.
Cages are an integral part of the level of protection a helmet provides. Our cages use the highest quality steels and bend less than others.
The F.I.H. says hockey helmets should be tested, but HOLA! Hold-up! They are not. Go ask our competitors for their test certificates. (Ours is EC type – examination certificate number E-30-01488-02, CE certified in accordance with directive 89/686/EEC, standard reference EN ISO 10256:2003 (replaces EN967:1997), technical body CEN/TC-158, Reference Mkp P004357). Yes, some of our competitors sell cheaper, untested helmets (not quite made of China, but made in China). We could do this too… we don’t because while Obo as a company is all for challenging the rules and taking risks, we draw the line at doing it with our goal keepers brains! What do you think?
Finally here is a really good video about helmets and concussions. Although its about Baseball the ball speeds and impacts are very similar to what a goalkeeper will face within hockey:
Great article on the new FaceOff. Coming soon to OBO.
Hey Everyone!
Here’s something i thought might interest you. Its an article by the Manawatu Standard Newspaper on the top secret, brand new OBO FaceOff mask. Its an excellent article and shows just how committed OBO is, not just to hockey goalkeepers, but to defenders and other codes as well.
Want to fire a ball at Simon Barnett’s face at 160kmh? Bring it on, says the director of Palmerston North sports equipment company, OBO.It has taken three years, a four-strong team of designers and a sum of money that he would rather not think about, but Mr Barnett reckons he has the world’s best frontal-impact sporting mask.
Called Face-Off, the mask is designed for players of sports where the danger of being hit in the face by a high-speed ball is high, Mr Barnett said.
“It can instantly deflect a ball travelling at up to 160kmh , not only from damage caused by the ball – abrasions, bruises and cuts – but by attenuating the shock to the brain.”
OBO is a sports equipment manufacturer, exporting protective gear for hockey goalkeeping to 62 countries.
For Face-Off, Mr Barnett and his team built a laboratory to determine the best materials and design to deflect frontal impact.
They tested masks by firing balls at them at speeds of up to 160kmh, videotaping the impact at 2000 frames per second.
Footage taken during these trials, and destined for the OBO website, show masks exploding in showers of plastic, cracking and bending, or sliding haphazardly off the dummy’s face.
The testing on cricket face protectors in particular was “frightening,” Mr Barnett said. “They just don’t work.”
After the team had finalised their design, they handed the prototype mask to professional sports players for their opinion.
This was invaluable, Mr Barnett said. English wicketkeeper Matt Prior loved the mask, but said it was uncomfortable when sweating and made hearing difficult. So OBO inserted a layer of padding, and modified the side panels for the finished design, Mr Barnett said.
The mask’s launch is in its final stages, with buyers being sourced and marketing beginning in earnest.
A boost of $217,000 from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology helped in the making of the mask but Mr Barnett “wouldn’t like to think about” how much money he had spent. He expected enough interest in the product to see a return within three years.
Face Off is one of nine inventions from around the country featuring in the HotHouse exhibition at Lower Hutt’s TheNewDowse gallery until February 14.
Hi all I’m in need of a new helmet soon and I’m looking at either getting another CK or an FG , the CK I got now has served me pretty awesomly , but now I see there is the fiberglass one too now , whats the major differences between the two ? besides one is CK and the other is FG ( the stuff they made from)
Here are a range of 12 cool helmet designs; Some good inspiration for some custom graphics…
I came across this article which i thought was pretty cool- most are motorcycle helmets but there could be some inspiration for your custom helmets in there…
Other than covering your neck area with a removable bib/guard, it is possible to use to increase the protection required for your neck, with the mask not follow covering this dangerous area. The dangler is attached to the helmet or mask, hanging off the chin of the helmet, to cover the open neck area and provide suitable protection against a potential shot there.
Hockey plates
There are field hockey specific types of danglers mass produced by a number of companies, like Grays, Obo or TK, that can be attached to the helmet, fixing on below the chin area. Made of pvc, they are strong enough to withstand the majority of shots to the neck area; offering a flat blocking shape against balls ending up between the helmet and body armour. However, they should really only be used in conjunction with helmet/cage combos, as the plastic dangler can attach to the helmet without it moving around wildly; if you tried to attach it to a mask, then it will not make efficient connection, leaving you open to shots as you move around, as it swings up.
Ice hockey danglers
Ice hockey companies mass produce lexan danglers for their goaltenders, which attach around the mask’s chin to offer all-round protection to the throat. These can be used by us field hockey goalies to cover the open space below the mask chin; covering your voice box and neck from possible harm. The dangler is made of strong composite materials which are capable of absorbing a shot (really hard shots could crack it and will obviously need replacing!). You can get different danglers to suit the type of helmet; larger round danglers are suitable for both helmet/cage combos and masks, providing a wide rim of protection, whilst the smaller V-shaped danglers work OK with masks, offering a tighter area of coverage; the shape not interfering with the chin.
Due to the great improvement in the plastics industry, metal working, and technology in general, field hockey equipment makers have been attempting to keep up with the new alterations to the new sticks that give players greater chance to do us more damage! Similar to ice hockey masks, hockey specific masks are fully enclosed helmets, with a back strap holding the mask in place on the head. Rather than using any special materials for increased protection, they are made of high impact plastic, injection moulded for head sizes. The cages are generally made of carbon steel.
These masks make great protection for young goalkeepers’ headgear, and are at affordable prices, making them affordable and reasonable alternatives to a helmet/cage combo, if you prefer protection over vision. The masks generally come in two sizes: junior or senior (I would recommend that an older intermediate teenager would manage to fit into a senior helmet – check the given sizes first i.e. 16/17 +). They are suitable for lower to mid-club level standard (up to about regional level standard) for senior players; cages can be switched for a cat eye (for greater vision for those who dislike having to see through a grill) at an additional cost.
Common makers include Slazenger who produce club, county and international versions with obviously matching levels of protection.
Pros
Provide better protection than helmet/cage combos; added chin protection and
Moderate costs makes the helmet an affordable option
Cage compatibility – able to switch cages produced by the same company easily
Cons
Reduced peripheral vision – harder to see overall side to side game
Harder to shout out team instructions, with the mouth area covered by the design
anufacturer, exporting protective gear for hockey goalkeeping to 62 countries.
