Masks and Back of Head Protection.

A quick look at the two best masks on the market (at the moment in my opinion), low grade masks and back of head protection.
Masks.
Leon paul "Titan" mask
www.leonpaul.co...
Lajolo "Kombat AIr"
www.gajardoni.c...
Best choice BOH "unity" is here:
histfenc.com/pr...
Similar available from Leon Paul
www.leonpaul.co...
And yes I do know the BOH on the Air, goes underr the strap.;)

[@steevemartial4084]

Thank you. There aren't enough reviews comparing back of the neck protections

[@TheDecaystar]

I have great experience with allstar fencing master, coach line. The mesh seems strong and sturdy.

[@ShaNagmaImmuru]

"pause here and get more coffee" Yes! Excellent suggestion sir! I did exactly that and thank you very much!

[@KnightSquire]

Hi Dave, I just picked up the Gajardoni mask, but I'm not overly happy with the back of head protector. I'm wondering, does the Unity fit the Gajardoni Kombat mask? Cheers

[@teakew8217]

The problem with a Velcro neck strap is that for those of us with long hair, it's tangle heaven. The magnetic catch avoids that really nicely.

[@LondonLongsword]

Now you understand why I go to such efforts to bald strategically.:)

[@teakew8217]

Regarding back of head protectors: The SPES vector is, for my money, the most cost effective option. It's extremely solid, with good hard plates over thick padding. The downside is making it fit into a mask, so you have to be lucky with sizes. Personally, I use the trinity (wimple). I had my tailor put a small split into the face opening, with a lace to close it tightly, and it now stays in place fairly well. The throat is my favourite bit. I use the LP HEMA mask, which as you note has a good stiff bib which sits close to the throat. As I'm quite slight, I find that if I try and get a SPES jacket and a gorget under that, the mask slips forward and then up off my chin. So instead I have the mask bib inside the jacket. The throat protection on the trinity is then really helpful: it covers against direct thrusts etc with the hard plate. The jacket catches rising thrusts, and the mask bib pads everything and catches stuff that slips in from the face. The result is extremely good.

[@LondonLongsword]

+Tea Kew cool. I will have a close look when I see you next.:)

[@LondonLongsword]

+Tea Kew and yeah lacing seems to be the most sensible option.:)

[@Kathdath]

+Tea Kew I agree, the Vectir back of head needs to be paired with paired with the Vectir overlay, but together they provide and excellent level of protection for low cost. I switched over from the Trinity because I could not get it to fit my mask nicely, and the heat buildup and also sound dampening became a concern for me practicing in Australia. I wear a steel gorget under my mask, and over my jacket, and don't care for a stiff bib as I prefer one that will comfortable sit over the top everything and no restrict turning my head. I use a basic style mask from WMAshop, and actaully remvoved the masks elastic strap, and rely on the one from the Vectir overlay. I also wear prescription googles or glasses under my mask.

[@Urizen777]

How does SPES Unity PRO rate vs the standard Unity model? I can't figure out what is the difference, except for the different types of leather.

[@ktoth29]

Thank you for the coffee intermission. Rather than extending the wire of the mask further along the sides and using a cloth overlay for the back of the head, I think the opposite approach might be better... make the mask itself smaller, like a paintball/airsoft mask that only covers the face, and extend the back of head protection forward into a more robust helmet and visor combo... my question is, does anyone make an airsoft style mask robust enough to withstand a thrust to the face?

[@LondonLongsword]

My pleasure, and not that I am aware of.:)

[@flannelmeister]

Seeing as Leon Paul already make a hard plastic back-of-head protector (which apparently does have its own problems in conjunction with a mask) and also a gorget/throat protector, surely it would not be too much of a design challenge to incorporate/extend these products into a full HEMA specific helmet using their existing strong mesh as some sort of visor or fixed face protection?

[@A.M.Kovacs.Author.Musician]

I've seen in some videos people using steel helmets.Can you tell something about those?

[@shellymcmurrie]

Others here have said it, and forgive me if this seems silly, but I wondered as you explained about heat build up and weapon points intruding underneath the padding, why isn't the face mask more of a full mesh helm (with adjustable velcro bits inside for padding)? I suppose there must be some reason or else they'd be doing it by now... ...the only way that I can think to make it so that it wouldn't be terrible, is to have it hinged and made in two halves, but then the hinge and the clasps would be heavy. Maybe padding is the best solution?

[@LondonLongsword]

ooh that requires a long answer. I will try to get time. some fair points in there. :)

[@iToddi]

Does the Spes "Unity" Leather Mask Overlay PRO fit well onto the Gajardoni mask? If so that may be my purchase choice.

[@KnightSquire]

Todd D did you ever figure this out? cheers

[@thatchannel195]

Most of the time in HEMA no one attacks your backside anyway?

[@kevinfox5594]

have you any opinions on the Leon BOH protection?

[@RandomAllen]

As someone who has unfortunately been using a normal fencing mask with no back of the head protection for sparring, as our club rents a fencing hall to practice and that's all that's available, I'm lucky I've been really good at protecting my head for the past 4 months otherwise things could of turned out nasty... really nasty. I just ordered a 1600 N PBT mask plus the back of the head protection so hopefully I'm covered. If you're reading this and you're a completely newbie... DON'T BE AN IDIOT LIKE ME, GET AN ACTUAL HEMA MASK NOW! The only way I got way with it is because I used to be in Kendo for over 3 years and when one of the main targets in your martial art is the head, you tend to get good at precieving head attacks and avoiding head attacks.

[@jean-louisboudreau3643]

This just came to me : Why 2 pieces? Why on hearth are we not using Helmets ? Why on hearth is there no HEMA specific Helmet yet?

[@JustGrowingUp84]

+Jean-Louis Boudreau I don't know about why two pieces. I also wish that we had HEMA specific gear. That said, about why masks and no helmet: most HEMA deals with unarmored combat. For that, a mask offers much, much more visibility, comfort, and ease of breath that any full-coverage helmet. Even if you include modern helmets like the motorcycle ones, or the riot helmets used by the police, they're still very inferior to masks in those three aspects. For example, a modern helmet's visor might fog up due to the heavy breathing caused by exertion - there's no risk of that with a mask.

[@ktoth29]

+TheFilthyCasual These are issues with off the shelf helmets intended for other purposes.. but there is absolutely no reason we can't make a HEMA specific one with a different design spec.

[@jean-louisboudreau3643]

+TheFilthyCasual I know about that I practice Hema too. But, stick the front of a mask on a riot helmets... (and a bit of black magic to make it work) I don't care if I need 20 more seconds to put it on. Visibility same as the helmet you have the same mesh. Comfort I think it could be better (but putting it on and off would be annoying ) Breathability will get hotter than a mask. Might be hotter than mask+back of the head. but same mesh so you breath fine... Protection... way way higher Cost will be higher.

[@Kathdath]

Thatguy has a perforated metal helmet that was suitable for HEMA. Cost of imprtation, and lack of mass production allowing for local resellers prevented mass uptake.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

Jean-Louis Boudreau I like your idea.

[@acaristic93]

What do you think about the destroyer modz back of the head protection? www.destroyermodz.com/product/the-knucklehead/

[@LondonLongsword]

It looks good. I haven't had the chance to try it but would love to.

[@lancerd4934]

No love for Absolute Force?

[@iamscoutstfu]

Came here from Lionheart. Subbed, cheers from 'merica m8s.

[@Verithiell]

that lajolo mask seems terribly shallow. My friend rodered one and had exactly the same thoughts. Quite a big part of his head was unprotected. Due to size issues, back of the head protection they supply with their masks was absolutely useless as it wasn't possible to squeeze the head inside. That being said, it wasn't the issue of choosing the wrong size. Circumeference wise it was ok. It's jsut a poor design.

[@jonathanstewart915]

I'm using an improvised street hockey mask, it looks goofy but it works just as well.

[@ME-hm7zm]

I take it you cut some stuff out, since 11 minutes is far from long and there's no way I punished a cup of coffee in 2 minutes ;)

[@LondonLongsword]

I may have trimmed it a fair bit.;)