Helmets & Catcher's Gear · Head to head
Face guard vs jaw guard vs cage: which helmet protection for your kid, and one helmet per type
Three ways to cover a face, three different trade-offs between coverage and seeing the ball. What each guard protects, what the makers say about certifying a guard with a shell, which one fits a first-year kid-pitch player versus a 13-year-old, and one maker-assembled helmet per type.
By Mike M.Updated Sourced · gear tested by us: 0
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The contenders
Side by side
Stock photoThe face guard pick
Rawlings CoolFlo Max with Face Guard
Full wire guard, pre-attached by Rawlings on the youth CoolFlo Max shell. Both sides covered; works for a switch hitter.
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- Stock photo
The jaw guard pick
Easton Z50 with Multi-Adjust Jaw Guard
Easton's Multi-Adjust jaw guard, pre-assembled and mountable on either side, SEI certified to NOCSAE as sold.
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- Stock photo
The softball cage pick
Easton Z50 Softball with Mask
The Z50 with a pre-assembled softball facemask, in Small/Medium and Medium/Large; SEI certified to NOCSAE for all levels.
Check price · Amazon#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Easton Z50 Softball with Mask
The verdict by kid
| Kid | Guard | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 4–6, tee ball | None, unless the league requires it | The ball is on a tee |
| 7–10, first kid-pitch seasons | Face guard (wire) | Wild pitches, a kid who flinches, both sides covered |
| Switch hitter, any age | Face guard | A jaw guard covers one side only |
| 10–14, hits from one side | Jaw guard on the pitcher side | Covers the cheek and jaw that face the pitcher; keeps the view open |
| Fastpitch softball, any age | Softball cage | Required by most leagues; spaced for an 11–12 in ball |
| Kid who already took one off the face | Face guard | Coverage first, until the flinch is gone |
What each covers
Face guard (wire): a cage of wire in front of the whole face, both sides, from the brim to the chin. Nothing gets through that is bigger than the wire spacing. It is the coverage choice. Jaw guard (C-flap style): a molded plastic flap that extends the helmet down over the cheek and jaw on one side, the side that faces the pitcher. The eye and the mouth stay open; the exposed cheekbone and jaw are covered. It is the pro look, and it is one-sided. Softball cage: a wire mask like the baseball face guard but with wider spacing for an 11 or 12 inch ball; Easton says its Ghost and Z50 softball masks are “for 11 in softballs and larger only.” A baseball cage on a softball helmet or the reverse is the wrong spacing.
What each does to the view
A wire cage puts bars in the kid's vision. Most kids adapt in a week; some never do and hit worse for it, which is the honest argument for the jaw guard. A jaw guard changes almost nothing about the view; it sits below the eye. Rawlings makes the same argument for its fastpitch Mach Hi-Viz cage, claiming a 30% larger viewing window than traditional helmet-and-mask combos. If your kid tracks the ball fine in a cage, the cage covers more. If he does not, the jaw guard is the compromise that keeps him swinging.
The certification rule
The practical rule: buy the guard the maker names for the shell, or buy the helmet with the guard attached. A generic aftermarket cage on last year's helmet may or may not be certified, and the league will not know either. The ranked list of maker-assembled options is on best youth helmets with a face guard; bare helmets that accept a guard later are on best youth batting helmets.
Side by side: one helmet per guard type
| Evidence | Rawlings CoolFlo Max with Face Guard | Easton Z50 with Multi-Adjust Jaw Guard | Easton Z50 Softball with Mask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certification | NOCSAE mark: check inside the shell (this listing does not state it; Rawlings states NOCSAE certification on its RX2 listing) | SEI certified: meets NOCSAE standard for all levels of play (maker) | SEI certified: meets NOCSAE standard for all levels of play (maker) |
| Fits | Youth size | Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8, Medium/Large 7–7 5/8 | Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8, Medium/Large 7–7 5/8 |
| Sizes | Youth (maker spec, Level: Youth) | Medium/Large 7–7 5/8; Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8 (Z50 size spec) | Medium/Large 7–7 5/8; Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8 (maker spec) |
| Included | Pre-attached Rawlings RX2 face guard | Pre-assembled Multi-Adjust jaw guard, mountable on either side (maker spec) | Pre-assembled softball facemask |
| Construction | Ventilated shell, moisture-wicking liner | Exovent slats; zonal foam; BioDri liner; diagonal halo padding | High-impact ABS shell, Exovent slats, zonal foam, BioDri liner |
| Score | 8.9/10 | 9.2/10 | 9.4/10 |
In detail
The contenders, in full
Stock photoThe face guard pick
Rawlings CoolFlo Max with Face Guard
Full wire guard, pre-attached by Rawlings on the youth CoolFlo Max shell. Both sides covered; works for a switch hitter.
Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us
| Category | Batting helmet |
|---|---|
| Fits | Youth size |
| Certification (quoted) | NOCSAE mark: check inside the shell (this listing does not state it; Rawlings states NOCSAE certification on its RX2 listing) |
| Construction | Ventilated shell, moisture-wicking liner |
| Sizes | Youth (maker spec, Level: Youth) |
| Included | Pre-attached Rawlings RX2 face guard |
How the 8.9 score breaks down
- Certification (NOCSAE / SEI) (35%)
- 10
- Fit range for the age (25%)
- 8
- Ventilation and comfort (15%)
- 7
- Face-guard compatibility (10%)
- 10
- Value (15%)
- 9
What the spec sheet supports
- Face guard comes attached by the maker, which keeps the certification simple
- Full-face wire guard, not a one-side jaw guard, so it works for a switch hitter
Where it falls short
- A cage narrows the view for some kids; try it before a game
- Youth size only
Skip this if…
…the kid is in tee ball; a guard is overkill for a ball on a tee.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Rawlings CoolFlo Max with Face Guard
Stock photoThe jaw guard pick
Easton Z50 with Multi-Adjust Jaw Guard
Easton's Multi-Adjust jaw guard, pre-assembled and mountable on either side, SEI certified to NOCSAE as sold.
Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us
| Category | Batting helmet |
|---|---|
| Fits | Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8, Medium/Large 7–7 5/8 |
| Certification (quoted) | SEI certified: meets NOCSAE standard for all levels of play (maker) |
| Certification | SEI Certification: Meets NOCSAE Standard For All Levels Of Play (maker spec) |
| Construction | Exovent slats; zonal foam; BioDri liner; diagonal halo padding |
| Sizes | Medium/Large 7–7 5/8; Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8 (Z50 size spec) |
| Included | Pre-assembled Multi-Adjust jaw guard, mountable on either side (maker spec) |
How the 9.2 score breaks down
- Certification (NOCSAE / SEI) (35%)
- 10
- Fit range for the age (25%)
- 9
- Ventilation and comfort (15%)
- 8
- Face-guard compatibility (10%)
- 10
- Value (15%)
- 8
What the spec sheet supports
- Jaw guard covers the exposed side of the face without a full cage
- Either-side mounting
- Certified as an assembly
Where it falls short
- A jaw guard protects one side; a switch hitter has to move it
- Slightly heavier than the bare helmet
Skip this if…
…the kid wants full-face coverage; a wire face guard covers both sides.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Easton Z50 with Multi-Adjust Jaw Guard
Stock photoThe softball cage pick
Easton Z50 Softball with Mask
The Z50 with a pre-assembled softball facemask, in Small/Medium and Medium/Large; SEI certified to NOCSAE for all levels.
Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us
| Category | Batting helmet |
|---|---|
| Fits | Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8, Medium/Large 7–7 5/8 |
| Certification (quoted) | SEI certified: meets NOCSAE standard for all levels of play (maker) |
| Certification | SEI Certification: Meets NOCSAE Standard For All Levels Of Play (maker spec) |
| Construction | High-impact ABS shell, Exovent slats, zonal foam, BioDri liner |
| Sizes | Medium/Large 7–7 5/8; Small/Medium 6 1/2–7 1/8 (maker spec) |
| Included | Pre-assembled softball facemask |
How the 9.4 score breaks down
- Certification (NOCSAE / SEI) (35%)
- 10
- Fit range for the age (25%)
- 10
- Ventilation and comfort (15%)
- 8
- Face-guard compatibility (10%)
- 10
- Value (15%)
- 8
What the spec sheet supports
- A Small/Medium shell for the youngest fastpitch players
- Mask assembled by the maker
Where it falls short
- Softball mask spacing is for 11 in and 12 in balls; not a baseball guard
- Cage view takes getting used to
Skip this if…
…your daughter's league does not require a mask and she hates the cage; the bare Z50 accepts one later.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Easton Z50 Softball with Mask
How we picked these
Gear we claim to have tested: 0
Plenty of sites say they swung every bat on the list in a lab. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: check each bat against the governing bodies' certification rules and the maker's stated stamp; compile sizing from the makers' own age, height and hand charts; read the published specs (drop, barrel, construction, closure, cleat type); and read the complaint patterns in retailer reviews for the “skip it if” line. Every figure links to where it came from.
Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not test results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Questions parents ask
Frequently asked
Is a jaw guard better than a face guard?
Which side does a jaw guard go on?
Do youth baseball helmets have to have a face guard?
Can I put a softball mask on a baseball helmet?
Keep reading
Related on Bat & Bucket
Receipts
Sources
- Easton: Universal jaw guard
- Easton: Multi-Adjust jaw guard
- Easton: Z5 2.0 helmet with Universal jaw guard
- All-Star: S7 youth batting helmet with attached Jawline
- Rawlings: CoolFlo Max batting helmet with face guard
- Easton: Z50 batting helmet with Multi-Adjust jaw guard
- Easton: Z50 softball helmet with mask
- Easton: Ghost softball helmet with mask
- Rawlings: Mach Hi-Viz fastpitch batting helmet
We don't claim to have swung, worn or tested this gear, and we don't pretend to. Gear we claim to have tested: 0. Certification rules come from the governing bodies' own pages (Little League, USA Baseball, USSSA, NOCSAE), sizes from the makers' sizing charts, and specs from the maker's product page or the retailer listing named on each product. Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.