Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
Every blow is different. So is every skull and every neck and every brain.
|
Just wanted to chime in and add to what Kevin and some of you have said. It is very difficult to compare things these days because of what Kevin said, but also every mask is different.
As you know, one with more padding or is heavier is going to absorb more force. And also on the hockey style helmets, ones with frames screwed directly onto the shell will cause the wearer to take a harder hit than ones that do not, like the Shock FX.
So looking at all traditional masks or all hockey style helmets as the same is like comparing apples and oranges.
Also, the direction the ball comes and the place it is hit on the mask will cause different results. For instance, there are places, such as dead center, where a hockey style will be no more protective, perhaps less, than a traditional mask.
I spent some time with the senior engineer at Wilson recently at their place in Chicago. We discussed many of these issues. One thing I wanted to make sure to get from him, and it is true that titanium does not give as well as steel does. How much? I don't know the specifics.
Also how you wear a traditional mask will make the impact different. I had the ability recently to see some NOCSAE style testing up close and found the accelerometer objectively giving a lower severity rating (less force to head) when an umpire mask was worn loosely than one worn tightly.
So what is the next step to making things more protective down the road? I can tell you there are some ideas toward this being discussed, especially from Wilson's engineers, Mark Letendre, trainer for MLB umpires, and to a much lesser degree throw me in there.
We have all been talking about the assistance a mouth guard could be, something Mark Letendre has been suggesting for years. I can also share the hockey style helmet is where much of this focus will be hardware wise, and instead of focusing so much on the frame and shell, much of the discussion in years to come will be in the foam or padding underneath.
Jim Kirk
Owner
Ump-Attire.com