The Cascade R Helmet Review

As a goalie getting shots fired at you on a regular basis there’s a very high risk of a head injury.

As the sports world, from youth all the way up the pros, starts to understand the severe impact of concussions the type of helmet we choose becomes extremely important.

If you’re serious about protecting your dome as a goalie you should purchase the best helmet that you can afford.

Today we’ll take a look at the Cascade R helmet.

Cascade R Helmet Review

A head injury or serious concussion can be life altering and at a minimum can sideline the goalie for a few games. Neither of which any goalie wants.

Because of this it is important to get the helmet best suited for you as a player.

One of the most widely used helmets in the sport of lacrosse is the Cascade R.

A member of the R family; it is the most protective, but also high end helmet in the Cascade line.

It is the most used helmet in the MLL and college lacrosse, and for good reason.

The Cascade R is one of the most protective, and also the best looking helmet available. It is filled with innovative technology to provide the best fit, and also the best protection.

Cascade R Helmet Review: Features

The Cascade R helmets feature many innovative technologies in head protection.

The first thing I’ll discuss is the helmet liner. This new liner from Cascade comes with 2 technologies – Poron XRD foam and the Seven Technology liner system.

This new lining from Cascade is made a trademarked pliable material that can absorb high energy impacts from shots. This will help alleviate the force to the head from a shot or from body hit on the field.

The Poron XRD foam than immediately regains its original form and is ready for the next hit.

The SevenTechnology liner system helps to effectively manage impact to the head by disspating the energy  of a shot or hit and ensuring it does not fully reach the player’s head.

The SevenTechnology is a group of plastic cylinders that work together to compress and disperse energy laterally instead of towards the player’s head.

I’ve found the padding on this helmet to be amazing and it really feels like its hugging your head and cushions shots taken directly to the dome.

The Cascade R helmet has an improved face mask that provides additional peripheral vision to spot those cutters out of the corner of your eye.

Cascade R Helmet Review: Fit

One of the single most important elements of a lacrosse helmet is that it fits right.

Helmets that are loose on a player’s head are extremely dangerous because the impact of a shot or a body check will drive the helmet into the head of a player and greatly increase risk of concussions.

Simply put – a helmet that doesn’t fit you right, isn’t going to protect you right.

The Cascade R helmet contains several features which help ensure the helmet will fit a very wide range of head sizes.

Cascade calls this the SPR Fit system. It includes 3 interchangeable jaw pads which can be swapped in and out to ensure you’ve got the right fit.

There are velcro removable pieces on the side that you can adjust to ensure you’ve got the right fit.

It also includes a ratcheting system in the back that you can adjust on the fly to the proper tightness to fit your head.

I’ve heard stories of people complaining about the comfort of the Cascade R. But I think that’s like complaining about an uncomfortable pair of shoes when they’re not even tied.

Once you’ve got the right chin strap, ear pieces, and adjusted back this helmet has an incredible front-to-back and also side-to-side fit.

The SPR Fit system combined with the Cascade R liner technology make it one of the most comfortable helmets on the lacrosse market.

Unlike the CPX-R the visor on the R is all a part of the shell which looks much better in my opinion and also offers additional protection from impact to the front of the helmet.

The helmet looks a lot more put together overall than the other helmets in its family. It also offers a lot more padding and protection than the CPX-R or the CPV-R.

The Cascade R helmet also features a fin (or wing / tail) on the back of helmet which provides balance making the center balance point a little closer to the middle of your head. It also makes the helmet stand out and look really cool and aerodynamic.

Cascade R Helmet Review: Look

Forget about great protection and an amazing fit, I just want to look snazzy, you say? Fear not, the Cascade R helmet has got you covered.

In my opinion, the Cascade R is the best looking helmet on the market. Allow me to present exhibit A:

The Cascade R comes with an extreme amount of customization in the looks.

With a ton of different colors available, you can make your helmet look however you want it to. Cascade offers a total of 20 different colors for the shell alone. On top of that there is full customizability of the visor, chin, mask, and chinstrap.

The helmet also comes in a matte option which looks so sweet.

The mask is a piece that was recently made available for customization.  With a variety of 9 colors, you can match your mask to your team’s colors.

Cascade also allows you to add customizable text to the front of your face mask. This is perfect for adding your team name, your own name, or anything you want displayed on the front of your helmet.

On top of the actual color of the helmet, you can add custom vent, Mohawk, and back panels to your helmet. This adds a great way to get extra color into your helmet. It is even possible to get the back panel customized with your name, school, or whatever else you would like on it.

With all these customization options, it’s almost guaranteed that no two team’s helmets are alike.

Just feast your eyes upon these tasty examples pasted throughout this page.

The helmet itself looks amazing on your head. It is designed to have a good “tilt” and keeps the sun out of your eyes.

The tilt also gives it an intimidating look in my opinion. A Cascade R helmet on top of player’s head makes him look like a solid lacrosse player regardless of his/her actual ability.

You can also customize the Cascade R helmet with special ‘wraps’. These are essential full helmet decals that give a unique looks. HeadWrapz has a good selection.

Wow, those look good!

If you’re looking to kill a few hours in your day checkout – Factory Custom. You can fully customize all the elements of the Cascade R helmet with any color you want.

For example:

Cascade R Helmet: Where to Buy

The Cascade R helmet while one of the top models in the game also carries a hefty price tag. The helmet will set you back anywhere from $250 – $290 depending on the features you add.

Buy Cascade R on Lax.com for $279

Buy Cascade R on LacrosseMoney for $250

Because the Cascade R Helmet has been on the market for a few years there plenty of options for buying.

You’re likely to find used versions of the Cascade R helmet on Ebay or Craigslist with a simple search. These will obviously be much lower than the price of a new helmet.

Cascade also has a Find A Dealer feature on their site where you can locate a local retailer who carries the helmet.

The Cascade R is a pricey helmet. You can definitely find cheaper options but if you can afford it, this helmet will provide the best protection and looks you can get on the lacrosse field.

Cascade Throat Guard

While not apart of the Cascade R helmet I do want to mention as goalies we’re required to wear throat guards.

Most goalies buy permanent throat guards that you attach to your helmet. This requires drilling holes into your helmet and installing it.

Personally I would recommend the Cascade Goalie throat guard.

This guard comes with special holes on the throat guard which fit the Cascade R helmet. It comes in colors like black or white, but the most popular option is clear. It is easy to assemble and will last years.

I have never had problems with this throat guard getting in the way. It feels like you have nothing there at all.

Cascade R Helmet Recall

About a year ago, the Cascade R helmet was found to have a defect. They didn’t divulge much information as to what this was only saying they have a fix which involves a modification to the helmet.

All Cascade R helmets were recalled to apply the fix which was accepted by the NOCSAE committee who monitors safety equipment.

Any new Cascade R helmet bought will already have the fix, nothing you need to worry about.

If you buy a used Cascade R helmet or already own one, make sure your helmet is certified by NOCSAE. There will be a small sticker on the back of the helmet that looks like this:

If your Cascade R helmet is not certified, you can send it back to Cascade and get it fixed for free. Including free shipping. Visit this page to make a return.

Cascade R Helmet Videos

Here is Cascade’s own video introducing the Cascade R helmet and discussing some the new technology that is included in it:

Here is LacrosseMonkey’s review of the Cascade R helmet:

Finally, here is a Cascade R helmet review from ComLax:

Conclusion

Overall the Cascade R is an amazing helmet and is definitely worth looking into when making the big investment of which helmet to buy.

It is one of the most popular helmets overall and also the most popular in collegiate and professional lacrosse.

The style on the Cascade R is unbeatable, and the protection is even better. The customization options are phenomenal which definitely sets the helmet apart.

Protect that dome!

Until next time! Coach Damon

Anything I missed in this Cascade R helmet review? Please let me know in the comments.