Best fencing mask for ventilation?

[Marquis1972]

Hello,

I have a standard Absolute Fencing mask that I owned for about two years now and wear a hearing aid. Every time I fence, I wear a sweat absorbing skull cap from a sporting goods store to prevent sweat from damaging the hearing aid.

However, I've noticed that masks don't usually have some kind of spacious room or design to prevent the hearing aid from coming off when a mask is being removed. Everyone can lift their mask momentarily to communicate, but I've had to take it off completely every time to speak or such since lifting the mask would move the hearing aid about.

And oh, I fence epee.

-A

[EldRick]

Get a Leon Paul Exchange mask. It's better ventilated, lighter, and you will be able to hear Lots better with it on, since it doesn't cover your ears with useless padding. For an extra $20, the Ice-range padding is worth it for comfort. To quote their web site "The ice® padding features memory foam for the crown and chin and grips your head with minimal contact leaving room for air to flow and improving hearing."
They last forever, and the padding and bib is all easily washable and replaceable. It even comes in colors, if you are into that sort of thing...
6^)
http://www.leonpaulusa.com/acatalog/...Epee_Mask.html

[Marquis1972]

Wow. That mask is about $209 dollars. It's quite expected from such a manufacturer with a good reputation. Ventilation is most important to me since I used to get a bit asthmatic under the heat where I lived in but this mask should solve some of the issues. Thanks!

[Fencergrl]

I agree regarding LP's mask & the ICE padding. I've been wearing my LP mask for about a year and occasionally I'll put on a different mask. I can't believe how warm regular masks are in comparison! Get an X-Change & you won't regret it.

[Palisadeur]

I second both Eldrick and Fencergrl.

Best mask on the market.


ps - it works for foilplay too.

[CvilleFencer]

Best masks ever. I got one when they first came out and I loved it, so much so that I got a coaching and saber version as well. All are going strong and I expect many more years of life out of them. The only mask past beginner level that I actively recommend.

[Sean Butler]

I have to chime in and give props to the LP x-change mask as well. I simply can't wear another one after I got mine. You'll hear better and it will breathe better than any other mask.

[EldRick]

In the short term, for free, you can take the AF mask and cut out half of the inside padding with a scissors.

Take a look at an LP mask and copy its padding - it has a 2" wide strip across the forehead, and another on the top in a Mohawk haircut location. You don't need the whole-head upper pad - start chopping.

Then take a look at the ears area - cut out all of the useless padding that blocks your ears - you only need a 2" strip running fore-and-aft above the ears. For some reason many manufacturers pad the inside of their masks as if they were intended for boxing instead of fencing.

What you'll have left won't be pretty but will be perfectly functional, and you will be able to breathe and hear a lot better.

[fencerbill]

Sit on it. Everyone laughs when I give that advice but it works.

Put the mask, vertically, on a chair, sit on it and bounce up and down a little.

This will shorten the vertical dimension and make the mask wider. The sides of the mask will be further from your face and less likely to be in contact with your hearing aid, and therefore less likely to pull the hearing aid off when you remove, or tilt, the mask.

My problem is with the mask pulling my glasses off. Making the mask wider helps, hope it does for your hearing aid also.

If your mask gets too tight under your chin by this, or is too tight already, try removing padding, as others have advised.

[parrythis]

Wow. That mask is about $209 dollars.

and worth every penny, IMHO.

[Marquis1972]

Thanks folks for the endorsement. I'm going to give this a lot of thought and will most likely consider the LP mask, of course, sit on the other older mask as a back up option. After all, one can never have one mask too many.

[osd]

The LP Contour is a little cheaper if you don't need the bib-changing feature. I saw someone the other day who transplanted the LP ICE padding into an AF mask. Not sure how she affixed it, but it is possible apparently.

[Marquis1972]

You mean that the LP Contour has the bib permanently placed in? If so, does that come with LP ICE padding for the Contour or is that exclusive for the LP X-Change mask? Just trying to get a better understanding.

[EldRick]

If you Look At The Pix on the LP web site, it's pretty obvious that the bib of the Contour is riveted in place like most other masks, and that because the bib/padding covers the ears, it won't fit the Exchange padding, which is minimal and held in place with velcro patches. You should have a look at an Exchange mask - it's a pretty good bet that someone at almost any club will be using one.

The only thing that differentiates the Contour mask design from other brands (quality aside) is that it uses a plastic dish on the elastic and an additional vertical piece of elastic rather than a bent metal tongue to hold it in place at the back of the head. The Exchange mask also uses the same plastic dish.

If one had an LP mask to copy, one could probably rivet velcro pieces in place to hold the Exchange pads in place, but removing the existing rivets that hold the original padding in place would leave holes in the mesh, and cause it to fail testing unless you filled the holes or mashed the original rivets flat.

[twisterfencing]

For max airflow + safety: LP X-change

[Marquis1972]

For max airflow + safety: LP X-change

It looks like it's unanimous. I'll go with the X-Change mask then. However, I emailed Absolute Fencing which they have it in stock but not the ICE padding. They suggested I contacted LP to get that part. I like AF since they deliver really fast which I get their product the next day while LP probably takes a longer time.

[EldRick]

LP takes 3-4 days, but shipping is included.

[Marquis1972]

Thanks EldRick! I will look into this. Something tells me that if I get this mask, this may make it easier for me to breathe and think/function better. Just so you know that I always wear a sweat-absorbing skullcap to prevent sweat from damaging the hearing aid or affecting the microphone spot.

[Morale Officer]

Something tells me that if I get this mask, this may make it easier for me to breathe and think/function better.

It does. I spent the $ on one for foil and one for sabre last year (the X-change, not the Contour). Best money I've ever spent for fencing equipment. I can breathe, I can hear, and my glasses don't readily fog up the minute I put it on.

[shlepzig]

++ On the LP x-change mask.

This mask breathes well (ventilation and just breathing), is very comfortable, light and incredibly durable. As a bonus it is also easy to wash.

I accidentally backed over mine with the car. I bent it back into shape and it has continued to pass punch tests aftewards (I did buy another one for tournaments aftwards just to be safe). The stainless steel mesh does not corrode in the breathe-hole area as I have had happen to other masks.

The only problem I have had with the mask is the rubber edging has come loose (after 2-3 years of service). This was easily glued back down for another season of fencing.

IMHO, this is the absolutely best mask on the market today.

-Shlep'