All Star MVP 2000UMP

[jkumpire]

Folks,

Just curious if anoyone uses it, or can find one.

Just for fun I tried the latest Allstar helmets, the 2200SP and 3000, and I found both were not real good.

I guess that even if I am an old traditionalist when it comes to equipment, helmets might have a place.

I have a friend who is in the lower minors, and he says PBUC is recommending that all MiLB umps at least try a helmet, saying they are having too many guys getting concussions even with the newer mask padding.

Of course, I assume the helmet subject has been kicked around here more than a ball at an MLS game, or at least as much as a my local HS teams are doing fielding the ball these days. But, any other helmet comments are appreciated.

[WestCoastUmpire]

I have one of these. I bought it with the impression that it was the best protection available. Much to my regret, it wasn't (at least, it didn't work for me). I took two foul tips from two different pitchers in two separate innings (approximately ten minutes apart) that struck me in the front of the head.

The first foul rang my bell pretty good and caused me to have to stop the game and reorient myself. Took a few minutes to get my head clear and then went back in. The second foul ball I didn't even hear hit me - my head started ringing and I was knocked to the ground. I remember looking down at my plate shoes as I fell back (felt like slow motion) and the only thought in my mind was "this can't be good". I had to leave the game and it took me about two to three weeks to start feeling like myself again. For clarification, the calibre of ball was senior men's baseball, with pitchers throwing in the high eighties.

Suffice it to say, I wasn't so impressed with the helmet mask (especially after I paid a small fortune for it.) I did contact All-Star who provided a thorough follow-up to my situation. They suggested I should have removed myself from the game after the first hit (good advice, but impractical as we all know) and that the helmet meets all standards (which it does) for safety. To their credit, they offered to refund my purchase completely, no questions asked. I declined, and thought I'd give it a try again last year (the purchase was two years ago). I didn't - I just didn't have any confidence left in the thing. It still sits in my umpire bag and I still contemplate trying it out again, but I've moved to the Wilson-Davis New View mask, with the new anti-concussion pads. I've since taken at least two foul tips in the same way I did with the HSM with no adverse effects.

My working theory is that the HSM, while impressively built, does not allow the energy from the ball to be absorbed by the material in the mask. The ball strikes the mask, and the energy of the ball compresses into the hard foam. The foam doesn't compress fast enough to absorb the energy, so it hits your head with force. The heavier pads in the regular mask seemed to absorb more of the energy so it didn't end up in my head. Now, my knowledge of biomechanics and physics is probably a bit sketchy, but that's my thinking on it.

Ironically, one of the players said that I should have a better HSM...I told him this one was the same one the professionals used...he was shocked.

In any case, it may have been that no helmet or mask would have protected me from those two foul shots. My stance at that time put me closer to the catcher than the GD stance I use now. It may be that I have a bit of a glass jaw. All I can say is that I am skeptical when someone talks about the safety virtues of the HSM - it didn't do the trick for me, unfortunately.

[kylejt]

I use the 2300, but only on rare occasions. My main beef with HSM is that they're too dang loud. I make strike call and it hurts my ears. There's nowhere for the sound to go. I concur about the lack of shock absorbing power too. You take shot to the forehead and you're going to feel it AND hear it.

The only time I use the HSM now is with the old clamshell backstops. And it's just to keep the ball from coming down in the metal button on my hat. Once is enough of that.