Hey there,
I'm actually thinking of getting a bashguard for my stumpie to protect my big ring upfront. When you say "ditch the biggest ring upfront" do you mean remove it or you just can't use it anymore? I'm assuming you mean you just can't get into it right? Also, is there a reason to use a bashguard to protect a big ring you can't even use once it's on?
I'll check out the Blackspire - sounds like a good suggestion - thanks!