CCM HK 10

Pros: Inexpensive, protective.
Cons: Foam rubber padding may annoy; lacks bells and whistles of high end gear.

Horrible puns in the title aside, anyone who hasn't had a lobotomy recently knows that playing hockey without a helmet is a Very Bad Thing. That said, helmet technology is all pretty much the same: hard plastic shell, and some sort of inner liner. This ...

Pros: Decent price, adequate protection
Cons: Padding comes loose quickly

I still am often surprised when I see people out there on the ice playing hockey in a crappy old helmet that looks like it could have been purchased in 1951-- rusted out snaps, tape on the back, loose facemask... sure, battered hockey equipment is kind...