You’ve played hockey your whole life, and now you’re finally doing something with your free time. You’ve decided to join a league, or start a team, or even just to play pickup hockey with your friends. You’ve got your helmet, and gloves, and maybe even some leg pads. You’re ready to go. But there’s just one thing missing. You need a visor!
Now, you’ve been wearing a visor your whole life, so why would you suddenly decide not to wear one now that you’ve finally found something worth playing? Don’t worry, with just a few easy steps, you can have a freshly washed and dried visor in your hands in no time!
Table of Contents
Step one: Take care of the scratches
If you’re playing outdoors, especially in the summertime, you’ll most definitely end up with a few scratches on your visor. Even if you’ve been using the same pair of gloves and helmet for years, you’ll eventually end up with some nicks and scratches on the surface of your visor. This is mostly due to the fact that they’re made from a pretty rough material, and also due to the fact that you play with a lot of energy. So while it may look like a perfect match, your helmet and gloves aren’t actually designed to withstand full contact, and as a result, they’ll end up getting damaged quite easily. To prevent this, you should absolutely wash and dry your helmet and gloves before and after every use. This way, you’ll ensure that the scratches and chips are removed, so that your visor looks brand-new again! You can also follow the same steps to clean and dry your hockey stick, as this will help keep the surface scratch-free as well.
Step two: Play with a face protector
Besides protecting your head, there are other things you can do to keep your visor looking as good as new. One of the best things you can do is play with a face protector. A face protector is a helmet that fits over your regular helmet and has a noseguard. The noseguard is what prevents your face from getting seriously damaged should you happen to take a fall or get hit by a puck. If you play with a face protector, you’ll notice that your helmet will look considerably cleaner and more polished. This is because you won’t be able to scratch or chip the surface as easily as you can without it. Face protectors are also used by ice hockey players and other athletes that play contact sports to prevent the surface of their visors from getting damaged. When buying a face protector for hockey, you should absolutely look for a model that’s specifically designed for hockey and not for any other sport. This way, you’ll ensure that the rest of your equipment will be protected as well when playing outdoors.
Step three: Wipe down your visor regularly
Apart from playing with a face protector, there are other things you can do to keep the surface of your visor clean. One of the best things you can do is simply wipe down the surface of your visor with a damp cloth after every use. This way, you’ll keep any dust or dirt at bay, and the surface of your visor will stay shiny and new-looking for years to come! If you’ve got a cleaning cloth with you, you should use it to wipe down your helmet after every practice or game. This will help maintain the slick, shine that makes your helmet so attractive in the first place. Don’t use any cleaning materials that contain oil or disinfectants, as these will make the surface of your visor less slip-resistant and more prone to becoming dull. The last thing you want is a slipping and falling accident because you weren’t paying attention to what you were doing.
Step four: Prevent water from getting into your visor
Finally, you need to make sure that water doesn’t get into your visor. This will cause all kinds of problems, not just for your helmet but also for your eyes. The main way water gets into your visor is from the rain or the snow. If you’re playing outdoors in the rain or snow, your visor will get wet and eventually fog up. To prevent this, you should place a small towel over your visor before you leave the dressing room. This will keep the surface of your visor dry, and prevent it from becoming foggy or hazy. You should also wipe down the inside of your visor with a wet cloth after every wash and dry cycle to make sure that it stays clean and dry inside. If any liquid gets inside the inside of your visor, this is called “souffléing” and it’ll cause you all kinds of problems. Once you get that inside your head, it’s almost impossible to get out. You won’t be able to see clearly, and even if you could, you wouldn’t be able to breathe very well. This is why it’s essential to keep water out of your visor at all times!
Now that you know how to make your hockey visor last as long as possible, it’s time to find the best one to suit your needs. The best option is a dark tinted visor to prevent the sun from causing you to overheat and possibly having an accident. If you go for a dark colored visor, it will almost certainly prevent the sun from causing you to overheat and having an accident. The question is, what color? For most people, it’s best to go with either black or dark brown. If you want to play pickup hockey and don’t have the cash to buy a new helmet every time it gets damaged, it’s best to choose a tinted visor that’s designed for hockey. This way, you’ll be able to use the same helmet for years without having to buy a new one. If money is no object and you want the best possible protection for your head, it’s best to choose a model that meets or exceeds the ANSI Z87.1 standard for head protection. Don’t worry, the above tips will help you make the right choice and ensure your safety while having fun!