Neck protection for goalies comes in a few different forms. There are plastic danglers, which are attached with strings to the goalie mask, and then there are throat collars and bibs which are worn around the neck to protect the throat and collar bones. Most goalies wear a dangler and some goalies additionally wear a bib or collar for even more protection. We recommend that you protect yourself in as many ways as possible, especially because the neck and throat are such vulnerable parts of the body. Neck protection is relatively inexpensive, falling more into the price range of a protective accessory. It is an investment that is well worth the money you'll pay in order to protect such vital body parts.

Danglers are designed to deflect pucks away from the goalies neck, minimizing the force of the blow to a glance rather than a direct impact. This simple piece of protection can be the difference between a bruise and a crushed trachia. Neck protectors are usually clear, but they come in many different colors and cuts. Certain models hand lower than others to offer more coverage, or they may have more of a round shape toward the bottom to follow the contours of the chest pads.

Goalie bibs and collars are usually secured right around the goalie's neck with a velcro strap in the back. Bibs are padded and often lined with Kevlar to resist cuts and abrasions from hockey sticks, skates and pucks. We highly recommend that you wear a bib or collar in conjunction with your plastic dangler to get as much protection as you can. While bibs and collars help soften the blow of a hockey puck on the neck or collar bone, they cannot be expected to completely prevent injury as a result of a puck, stick or skate impact.

Goalie neck protectors are available in junior and senior sizes to provide protection for players of all ages. Every goaltender should wear proper neck protection, no matter what their competition level may be.