Rattlesnake Mask Overlay

Longsword: easier to do high guards rather than a normal overlay, was hit in the head - felt barely anything - during grappling it definitely felt better landing with this helmet rather than my old overlay.

I’ve been using this overlay for a couple months now and have come to really appreciate it. It’s more protective than the cloth or leather overlays, and tends to deflect more shots while being lighter. It’s rigid design breathes well and the back of head protection gas in the part that opens) is very good and extra padded at the back of the skull and neck.

I also have the Wukusi Cobra mask, and while I’ve never seen anything as protective as that, the Rattlesnake is a smart second. The Rattlesnake also has a key advantage: if the mask in the Cobra is damaged, you have to replace the whole unit. The rattlesnake, on the other hand, can switch between masks easily. For this reason, the rattlesnake has become my “daily driver”, so to speak, and is the mask/overlay I use most frequently. I reserve the Cobra for competition or intense training.

I would definitely recommend this overlay over the leather and cloth soft overlays. Also Velcro patches stick to it, which is kinda cool.

I've been using an Absolute Force mask for some time and always wanted more protection than typical overlays afforded me. I had the pleasure of testing out one of these during Socal Swordfight, and loved that it was quite rigid, but soft enough to absorb impact rather than making the loud "WHACK" sounds of plastic shells. It's extremely low profile, easy to get on and off, and VERY protective (though not as much as the Wukusi Cobra mask). I've also seen it lift off from a very heavy thrust which would have pezzed someone, so it functions well as a detachable overlay for safety as well. One of my favorite silly features of this mask is the loop fabric that allows any hook patches to be easily attached or moved! So use some velcro to bling this up!