Protection

A few people have asked what type of helmet i have and it's this one, they are for kyaking (i believe).
http://www.alk13.eu/

FOR SALE
661 veggie knee and elbow pads, knee pads as new, size Large elbow pads used but not scuffed or ripped or anything, £20 for the pair (both pairs) can bring to Bristol
http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2698&id=101164&clickref=&p=http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=30870
http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2698&id=101164&clickref=&p=http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=30894

sorry for spammage, just trying to shift them by bristol

after trying a full face cage i'm not entirely convinced. i may just get used to it, but wondered whether a better option is back to my lower face cage and some of these. Bill your oakleys, are they supposed to offer protection from a hit, or just flying grit?
or these

I'm properly used to my hurling helmet now, feels way better than the Bauer ever did and great to play polo in...

You do really have to make yourself wear it all the time to get past that niggly, I-don't-like-it stage... Good advice, B...

I used some squash glasses for tourneys last summer. They were about 6/8 quid from sports direct and no bother to wear. Moved on to use a cage so that my face was better protected but i have thought about going back to just using them.

bring back no high sticking.

squash glasses are to protect your eyeball getting sucked out rather than racket hits. Squash ball goes into eye socket, creates a seal and then sucks your eye out when it bounces back out. they also protect the eye from direct impact from the ball but not the surrounding area.

If we look at the eye socket hit at hells belles I don't believe that safety glasses would protect against that, at a push military spec goggles might.

No high sticking is still a rule (of sorts): if you make mallet-to-body contact with someone then it's a foul (ball turnover)... high-sticking mallet-to-body is a reckless foul (penalty).

I'm properly used to my hurling helmet now, feels way better than the Bauer ever did and great to play polo in...

You do really have to make yourself wear it all the time to get past that niggly, I-don't-like-it stage... Good advice, B...

Which hurling helmet do you have? I plan to buy a Mycro helmet, but I don't know which size is good : I'm exactly between two when I measure my head... Any advice about that?

Thx in advance.

No high sticking is still a rule (of sorts): if you make mallet-to-body contact with someone then it's a foul (ball turnover)... high-sticking mallet-to-body is a reckless foul (penalty).

Indeed but someone receiving a penalty is no consolation if you've been injured.
I'm thinking high sticking is getting way higher since people have been caging up.

Which hurling helmet do you have? I plan to buy a Mycro helmet, but I don't know which size is good : I'm exactly between two when I measure my head... Any advice about that?

Thx in advance.

I have a huge head (7 1/2 in New Era fitted caps) but a medium Mycro fits fine... You can adjust the length of the chin strap so it fits medium to large bonces...

bring back no high sticking.

This. No smiley.

Penalties should be given for high sticking, not for actual contact.

People should be ejected for actual contact.

This. No smiley.

Penalties should be given for high sticking, not for actual contact.

People should be ejected for actual contact.

I'm against high sticking, even with cages, but penalties have to be proportional to the incident.

Are you suggesting any time a mallet goes over shoulder height that player should be removed from the game for a period of time, and any time someone is it hit on the helmet with a mallet that player should be throw out of the game, regardless of whether there was any risk, or injury, respectively.

I find that disproportionate, and believe it would radically change the game.

i see your reasoning, but at the same time, its all about the context,
if i am well aware that i have bags of space, i might have a go with a big swing, but at the same time, if i know a defender is closign in fast, i'll be much more reluctant to take a big swing.
all boils down to not being a dick really....

Ball turnover (unless advantage obviously) for high sticking.

If you hit anyone above the neck, helmet or not, you shouldn't be allowed to play on (obviously allowances should be made if the person hit had their head low).

I'm not saying people high stick maliciously, but if you can't control where your mallet goes I don't see why you should be allowed to play on.

Yes it would change the game, for the better.

In what way would it negatively effect the game?

Rory Bear would no longer be allowed to kill goals.

The trouble with the 'it's alright to high stick in space' idea, is that often you are in less space than you think.

I flip flop on this idea, last time I posted I believed high sticking was neccessary to defend against lobs. But I've noticed an increase in mallets getting very near my face and none of them have been to defend lobs.

Oh and I'm not even talking about league or cup games, in throwins I think it's now dangerous enough that legislation is needed.

This shouldn't be a sport where you have to wear a helmet to play throwins.

Unfortunately it is, the high swingers have changed the game.

America has a no high sticking culture because of ice hockey, we have no such thing... the attitude in Europe is (genuinely) "wear a face cage", that joke back-fired it seems.

This again. I'm not sure rules will be changed, but I think we should still be mindful, and teach beginners about high sticking.
There are a fair amount of occasions I've not gone in to challenge for the ball because I see they're about to wind up for a shot and know they're a high sticker. I've noticed my sticking is getting higher so had to remind myself. I wondered if polo is just becoming complacent about it, which I think is wrong.

I have a huge head (7 1/2 in New Era fitted caps) but a medium Mycro fits fine... You can adjust the length of the chin strap so it fits medium to large bonces...

Thank you. Then Medium it will be.

V.

Boring

America has a no high sticking culture because of ice hockey, we have no such thing... the attitude in Europe is (genuinely) "wear a face cage", that joke back-fired it seems.

utter drivel.

Have you even played in America, Jono?

They high stick like crazy, just like everywhere else in the world of bike polo. More and more people are wearing face cages there too, it just makes sense.

Umm. It was as part of a discussion for the new NAH ruleset (Adam and Pete though, so NY and Portland mentioned the ice hockey thing), here's where the ruling's at (for now):

1. High Sticking
   
   1. A high sticking penalty will be assessed in the following situations:
      
   2. the ball is played above the top of the handlebars with the mallet
      
   3. the mallet is brought into contact with an opposing player’s body above the level of the handlebars
      
   4. at the referee’s discretion, a high-stick to the body will result in a minor or a major penalty, depending on severity. particularly reckless or violent violations of this rule may result in a game misconduct and/or a match penalty.
      
      

My stance was that they should be prepared for "crazy swings" in the near future and that we may have to go with mandatory face cages (if the problem spreads like it has in Europe). They also play a more spread out game (larger courts) in NA which may help?

I stand by the thought that high swinging is a bigger problem in Europe than in NA, no personal experience as you point out, so could be wrong.

What came first: The face cage, or the high swing?