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Best Football Facemasks In 2021

Football players are always faced with the risk of suffering from severe damage to their teeth and facial bones.

This is because football is a challenging sport where force and strength are used to determine the winning team.

The good news is that a good facemask can help protect you from injury on your face.

The best football facemasks have been designed to shield players from the risk of injury on their heads.

The facemasks protect players without interfering with their vision of the field.

After thorough research, we managed to compile a list of the top 7 best football facemasks.

So here they are:

Best Football Facemasks In 2021

1. Green Gridiron Riddell SpeedFlex SF-2EG-SW Facemask

The Gridiron Riddell SpeedFlex facemask was designed using the same style of the facemask worn by Marcus Mariota at the start of the 2016 season.

Made of thin gauge stainless carbon steel, the facemask is lightweight and easy to put.

It’s a good choice for both adult and youth players as it is available in different sizes.

The facemask is a good choice for holding skills positions such as running back, wide receivers, and quarterbacks.

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The Gridiron Riddell SpeedFlex facemask is available in a wide range of styles and, therefore, you can rest assured that you will get your desired level of protection.

Pros
  • Fully customized
  • Lightweight
  • Good visibility
  • Fits perfectly well
Cons
  • Price is on the higher side
  • Doesn’t come with a quick-release gadget

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2. Schutt Sports VEGOP II TRAD Carbon Steel Vengeance Varsity Football Faceguard

The Schutt Sports Vegop 11 TRAD Carbon Steel Vengeance Varsity Football Faceguard is an affordable facemask that is quite strong.

This means that it offers almost the same level of protection and performance as the more expensive options.

The facemask is constructed using tough and durable carbon steel, making it an excellent choice for users playing in different positions.

Carbon steel is considered to be an effective and durable material in the construction of football facemasks.

The facemask comes in a wide range of colors (13 to be precise), meaning that you can always choose something that is best suited for your taste.

With this facemask, you can protect yourself while still looking good.

The facemask has raised eyebrows that are meant to improve visibility while providing maximum protection.

It also comes with a Youth Flex faceguard that attaches to a helmet, making it more flexible to put the facemask on and off.

Pros
  • Sturdily-made
  • Effective in protecting players
  • Wide range of colors
  • Affordable
  • Works perfectly in different playing positions
Cons
  • A bit heavy

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3. Schutt DNA ROPO YF Youth Faceguard

The Schutt DNA ROPO YF Youth Faceguard is another great football facemask that comes with some great styles.

It is made of carbon steel, ensuring that it is tough and durable.

The Youth Flex faceguard has been designed to enable it to attach to a youth helmet. This offers more flexibility when wearing and taking off the helmet.

If you are searching for a facemask for a youthful player, the Schutt DNA ROPO YF Youth Faceguard is the right choice.

Pros
  • Excellent quality
  • Easy to put on and off
  • Beautiful look
Cons
  • Unsuitable for professional players

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4. Riddell SpeedFlex SF-2BD-SW Light Grey Facemask

The Riddell SpeedFlex facemask is another strong and durable facemask that has been made to provide football players with the necessary protection.

Even though it is made of carbon steel, the facemask comes with an advanced design.

This makes it lighter than the traditional facemasks, made of similar material.

It is a great choice for different positions, even though it is more suitable for players holding the running and defensive positions.

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This is because it has additional protection around the mouth and jaw areas.

There are three configuration bars around the mouth, ensuring that other players don’t touch your face.

The Riddell SpeedFlex facemask offers the much-needed protection to football players without compromising on their visibility.

Pros
  • Made of high-quality carbon steel
  • Lightweight
  • High tensile strength
Cons
  • No configuration hardware is included
  • Only compactable with Riddell helmets

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5. Schutt Vengeance EGOP-II-TRAD-NB Carbon Steel Football Facemask

If you are searching for a football facemask with a traditional but elegant look, you should consider the Schutt Vengeance Classic EGOP-II-TRAD-NB Carbon Steel Football Facemask.

The mask is made of the tried and tested carbon steel, and this enables it to provide a good level of protection.

It doesn’t have the protruding eyebrow and instead comes with some straight bats.

The football facemask comes with double-wire vertical bars on the side, providing extra protection for your eyes.

It is a great choice for offensive players as it protects them from getting poked by defenders.

The Schutt Vengeance Classic EGOP-II-TRAD-NB Carbon Steel Football Facemask is a good choice for providing players with the confidence they need.

The extended eyebrows help to improve vision.

Pros
  • Good for absorbing huge impact
  • Sturdily –made
  • Offers clear visibility
  • Suitable for different playing positions
Cons
  • Heavier than other masks

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6. Schutt Sports Varsity VROPO DW STG Football Faceguard

One of the most popular football masks is the Schutt Sports Varsity Vropo DW STG Football Faceguard.

It is an excellent choice for the wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, and defensive ends.

It comes with a 17-bar configuration that ensures there are fewer grab points for the opposing defenders to poke your face.

It has an extended blow design for improved vision and absorbing the impact of the frontal hit.

The football face mask is an ideal choice for line back, Fullback, defensive line, and offensive line.

Pros
  • Sturdily made
  • Perfect for a wide range of playing positions
  • Extended brow design offers extra visibility and security
  • Beautiful design
Cons
  • Unsuitable for youth players

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7. Xenith Prime Football Facemask

If you are searching for an open football face mask that offers you better visibility on the field, you should go for the Xenith Prime Football Facemask.

The facemask is made of carbon steel, making it sturdy and durable.

It is a great choice for users in different parts of the field. The facemask has a polyethylene powder coating that adds to its strength and durability.

The Xenith Prime Football Facemask is a great facemask at a great price.

Pros
  • Offers good visibility on the field
  • Sturdily-made
  • Versatile for different positions
  • Durable
  • Lightweight
Cons
  • Only compatible with Xenith helmets

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How To Choose A Football Face Mask

There are several factors that you need to consider when selecting a football facemasks. These include:

Material

Facemasks are available in a wide range of materials. The most common ones are carbon steel, titanium, and stainless steel.

Carbon steel is the most popular material as it’s durable and tough. It is also the least expensive.

Titanium is usually lightweight, durable, and the most expensive. Stainless steel often falls somewhere in the middle as it is of moderate weight and price.

Facemasks made of stainless steel offer great protection despite being lighter.

All the three facemasks last long. When choosing the right material, consider its weight, durability, and cost. But out of the three materials, carbon steel is the most popular.

Closed Vs. Open Cage

Football facemasks can be categorized as either closed or open. A closed cage is meant to provide better visibility while offering maximum protection.

These come with some horizontal bar at their bottom half.

This face mask is a good choice for players who need maximum protection for their mouth, face, eye, and chin as they prevent opponents from poking their arms, elbows, and fingers into their face.

A closed cage football facemask is a great choice for players who engage in tackling, blocking, and other kinds of hard contacts.

While it limits a player’s visibility, it provides added protection that can prevent injury to the nose and eyes that can happen during a tackle. It also offers extra support for the jawline, ensuring protection for the mouth and teeth.

Open cages are meant to provide better visibility. The facemask comes with horizontal bars at the level of the nose and below.

It is usually open around the eyes to provide better visibility for the players.

An open cage offers better visibility to the sides, and therefore, you don’t have to keep turning your head to maintain your vision in the field.

These face masks are a better choice for skill players such as wide receivers and quarterbacks who need better visibility of the entire field.

They are also a good choice for punters and kickers who require extra visibility.

Visors or Shields

Some players opt for face masks that come with visors. Some visors are usually clear, making them suitable for play under the lights while others are tinted to protect the eyes from the sunlight.

Tinted visors also help to prevent your opponent from seeing your eyes and, therefore, guessing your next move during play.

Position of Play

You will need a face mask that is well suited for your position. The bar configuration of a facemask determines its level of protection, performance, and right position on the field.

For instance, if a facemask has a lot of crossbars higher across the eyes, it is a good choice for protection.

However, it will also limit the player’s visibility. This wouldn’t be a good choice for a wide receiver area or a quarterback who needs a wide view of the field in their position.

If a facemask has an open bar configuration, it will provide better visibility. However, this will not protect the eyes and mouth from fingers and hands.

If a lineman picks this type of facemask, they will be in a lot of trouble, and this is why a lineman should choose a facemask with more bars.

If you play in various positions, you can opt for a hybrid facemask that offers versatility in different playing positions.

Whether you are a defensive or offensive player, a quarterback or linebacker, you can always find a facemask that is suited for your position.

But remember that the more closed the bar configuration, the more the protection but, the less the visibility.

Therefore, when choosing the right facemask for your position, you will need to choose the right bar configuration that will provide you with the visibility and protection that you need.

Size

You will need to ensure that you pick the right size of football facemasks. If the facemask doesn’t fit, it will not provide the proper protection.

Before you order, measure your head and pick the correct size. Some facemasks are suitable for four youthful players, while others are best suited for adults.

Be sure to pick a facemask that will be a good fit for you.

Lightweight

You don’t want a football facemask that will weigh you down while running in the field.

Therefore, you need to choose a facemask that has a lightweight design while still providing the necessary protection.

The facemask should deliver the strength of the steel facemask while weighing less for improved mobility, speed, and agility.

FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions concerning facemasks.

Why Are Football Facemasks Different?

Different positions require different kinds of facemasks that balance visibility and protections.

Does the Facemask Come with Clips to Secure the Helmet?

Football facemasks come with a clip that is meant to secure the facemask to the helmet.

How Are Football Facemasks Made?

Facemasks are made of different materials ranging from the molded polycarbonate shell to the harder leather.

Conclusion

Whether you are a beginner or a professional football player, a facemask can help to keep you safe.

But for the facemask to serve the intended purpose while providing maximum visibility, you will need to choose the right one.

When you pick one of the above football facemasks, not only will it be a great fit, but it will help you play to your best potential.

Happy buying!

Arthur Delucia
Experienced sports writer and a semi-professional ultimate frisbee player. When I am not training, you will find me writing new articles for SportyGen.

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