After a shot I took last Thurs, I'm thinking now about getting the hockey style mask, instead of my regular mask.

RH batter, I'm in the slot, he foul tips an inside pitch and it comes straight back and hits my mask, knocks it off my face by about 4 inches and throws my neck and head back as its turning on my face. Hardest shot I've ever taken. Signaled foul, puilled of my mask to check that everything seemed okay, shook my head and went back at it. Inning ends five minutes later and I can feel my neck starting to tighten up. By the end of the game, maybe 35-40 minutes later, I'm having trouble turning my head. Was stiff all day Friday, okay enough by Friday night to call again, and Sat also.

My question is would a hockey style mask have helped in an angled shot like that, mainly would it keep your head and neck from being jerked as badly. I've taken plenty of shots to the face, but that one was the worst thus far.

JMHO, but helmets are just different.

Up side: Way better view of things. Better protection, as the impact is difused over a greater area.

Down side: It's very loud inside the helmet. Your voice is trapped inside, so calling strikes all day gets a bit old. Foul balls are VERY loud. Conversely, you can't hear outside noises quite as well. Plus, it's hotter in there.

Borrow one, and decide for yourself. Me, I use my helmet only for backstops that go over my head, so I can protect the top of my dome.

p.s. next time you get blasted in the face, stand straight up, stick you right arm out toward center field, and call "First Down!". Always gets a laugh.

Thats classic. Wish I'd thought of that on Saturday.

Dixie 9-12 game, I'm friends with both sets of coaches. Batter fouls into the catchers mask, then next pitch, he hits me in the mask with a foul (not nearly as hard as Thurs.) I step back, point at the first base coach and then at the batter, say to the coach "How much did you pay him for that one?" Batter thought it was hilarious, catcher got a good laugh too.

Took three directly in the helmet last week, including two right between the eyes. I didn't feel a thing. I won't go back to the mask. My usual partner goes back and forth and I can't understand it, but once I switched, I was sold.

Ed H

I recently bought an All-Star MVP2200 brand new on Ebay for $50. Best $50 I've spent on gear since I started umpiring.
I would never go back to a mask, unless they made me (for not wearing a hat as I have heard they do in other areas).

The view out of a hockey style mask is much better than out of a mask. Not only are the bars slightly farther apart from top to bottom, the addtional peripheral view makes it feel like you can see everything.

The hockey style mask is curved much more so than a mask, so the ball is deflected much better. This translates into less force being directed to your face. I took a fairly hard shot straight back on the hockey style mask and dead center. The only problem I had was that I didn't have it adjusted quite tight enough and I felt more of the force on my jaw than I should have. I have since adjusted it for a better fit. No problems after that. The hockey style mask also won't twist as it is fitted on your whole head and there is nothing for the ball to "grab" on to. A ball will just glance off the side. Also, you ears are totally protected as well.

I don't find that the hockey style mask is any louder at all and I'm pretty loud. Maybe it's the design of another hockey style mask. I would stick with the All-Star MVP.

I also don't find it any hotter than wearing a regular mask with a wool fitted cap. The hockey style mask has vent holes and a gap between the front and back pieces that help disperse heat. Plus, when you remove the mask, there is not hat still on retaining heat, so I think the heat aspect isn't a factor.

If your thinking of switching, try out an All-Star mask. You can get them on Ebay for $50 to $65. If you don't like it, I'll buy it from you. Honestly though, I don't think you'll want to give it up after trying one.

IMHO. Your mileage may vary...

I looked on Ebay yesterday, saw no masks on there, but shopped around, found the All-Stat you mentioned. Has anyone looked at the one Itech makes or the one Easton makes. Partner last night was discussing it, he's looking at the Easton, but wants to get some more opinions on it if he can.

I bought the Diamond from Gerry Davis. A clear step up from the All-Star, as I used to have one of those as well. And only $89 new.

Rich,
Could you elaborate on what makes the Diamond hockey style mask a clear step up from the All-Star? I'd be curious to hear your opinions.

I find the inside padding to be better, including the chin-piece. I also find the fit to be better. On top of that the neck guard is longer.

I was at a MLB game in Cincinnati last week. Bill Welke was on the plate wearing a helmet.....with a hat underneath. Looked to be at LEAST a four-stitch hat, not one of those Ed Montague beanie hats. I've been practicing getting the helmet off over a hat, because I find I sweat too much from the head to be terribly comfortable without a hat on. I do't vare about the appearance aspect -- I just don't want sweat running down my head in July.

It can be done -- I find though I have to use two hands to take the helmet off and I have to remove it from the back. Even an eight-stitch hat (which is all I own -- even when I wear a traditional mask I use an eight-stitch) will fit comfortably under this helmet, it's just very difficult to get the helmet off quickly over it.

I've got an older MVP All Star helmet. They make all kinds. Plastic, fiberglass, and glass/Kevlar mix. I have the later, that I modified with a leather chin pad. The vinyl chin pad is horrible.

The new ones, $200+, with the titanium cage are really nice.

Easton helmet!!
 

this helmet is great, I've used mine for 1 full season and about 25 games this year. Ive taken direct hits to the front and felt nothing, even was able to follow where the ball went after deflecting off my face. I ve also had glancing blows to the side as well, nothing. The view is great, the heat, never had a problem, has cool max or somethingin it too. The only thing i have found is it is heavy to carry, not to wear, but to carry, and giving your safe call or Time ... but for all the advantages, I'd never give up my helmet.

Tried one, sweated my head off......still got my single bar I bought from Tee, oh its got some dents.......sticking with it

hockey masks are great
 

I got tired of working the slot and ending up with several foul balls right off the face mask. One game I got hit so hard in HS baseball that it turned my mask halfway around my head!!

Went to Rawling Cool-Flow like the HS kids use and have loved it ever since. Vision is GREAT and peripherial vision is SO MUCH BETTER than the mask.

"Once you go hockey mask, you'll never go back."

Re: hockey masks are great
 

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Had mask spun around many times, smaked with foul in lower horsesoe, bent mask bout 1/2 inch inch in, bloodied lip..........maybe next season:)

These shots that are bending masks....I'm assuming they're two bar masks right?

You get hit and it bends a four bar, you're gonna be hurting, if still concious.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Single bar honigs, hollow tube.....got an ear extension broken off at the weld also......

I have the Easton Stealth, it is the first year that I have used it. I was not sure if I would like the helmet, but now I will never go back to a standard mask. It has a leather chin pad and the lining is made of a cloth material over the gel padding. I have taken a couple of shots to the helmet and did not feel a thing.

I would recommend this helmet to anyone.

Re: hockey masks are great
 

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So what? Why do I need to see sideways? In my standard mask I can see both of the base coaches, what else is there to see? I find no value of better peripheral vision at all.

Under Armour makes a thin toboggan style cap. Just a thought.

A couple weeks ago, I took two direct hits on my Honigs single bar light weight mask in a HS 4A game. Both were fastballs. One was fouled straight back to my mask. It jumped completely off my head and landed at my feet. I looked down at it and said "FOUL" real loud. The next one was not touched, by batter or catcher, it went straight from pitcher's hand to my mask, and I was locked in so I saw it all the way to the mask. It knocked it completely off my head also and as I reached down to pick it up I asked the catcher if that was the best he could do. He said it was curveball and I told him he might have been expecting a curve ball but that one did not curve. It was a very good 2-1 game in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Neither of these shots to the mask hurt much. I am sstisfied with my Honigs single bar. Actually, I have two of them, one is a red bar I use when wearing the dark blue shirt with red trim and the other is black bar I use with the powder blue or cream shirt. Both have doeskin pads.

Re: Re: hockey masks are great
 

The value of the extra peripheral vision is that it makes the mask FEEL like the view is wider/better/more open.

If you've tried one on and it doesn't feel better to you, stick to your original mask. If you've never tried one on, then reserve comment until you do. To me, and everyone who I've talked to that owns a hockey style mask, the view is better.

IMHO. Your mileage may vary...

So what? Why do I need to see sideways? In my standard mask I can see both of the base coaches, what else is there to see? I find no value of better peripheral vision at all. [/B][/QUOTE]

[Edited by Kaliix on May 25th, 2005 at 02:47 PM]

Do any of you wear glasses. How is getting the helmet off with glasses on and what brand of helmet do you use?

I wear glasses every game. No problems at all getting the helmet off with them on. It is no harder than with a mask.

Another thing I like about the hocket style mask is that I can put it on with one hand!

I LOVE my MVP2200. I have been using it for 3 years and plan on not going back any time soon. The mask has taken several hits and looks and performs just as well as it did the day I got it. I have, on bright days, worn Oakleys under the mask and have had no problems with removing the mask.

same here. Will not go back to a mask. Wore one my first year calling and had 5th graders ringing my bell. First game I called in HS took a shot solid to the steel cage of the helmet. Bent a bar a little, but I did not feel a thing. I carry a small towel in my second bag to help with sweat on very hot days but I am looking at trying the new underarmor hat.

I umpire spring/summer ball. I wear a Pro Nine helmet. Great helmet. Very Light and can hardly feel contact from fouls. Early games I always wear sunglasses. I've never had a problem getting my helmet off w/sunglasses underneath.

MVP 2200AL
 

I received one for Christmas (i.e., my wife allowed me to buy one), and now I'll never go back to a mask.

I was asked to fill in at a PONY game (youngest division, don't know the terminology) last month, so I decided to use my old mask. After ten minutes I had a headache from the unbalanced weight distribution offered by that old mask.

This factor, IMHO, is the single most important advantage that a helmet has over a mask. A helmet distributes its weight over your entire head, whereas a mask's weight is only on the front of your face.