Helmet wearers

[jkumpire]

A question for those who wear a hardshell helmet for games, like FED mandates now for F2's. I might be the only guy I know in my area with one, I have never had a game with anyone who uses it. I just got mine and I was wondering:

When do you take it off? Do you take it off all the time like a regular mask, or do you keep it on most of the time? If you have a call at the plate, do you take it off or keep it on?

Thanks for the help! I am trying this as an experiemnt to see if my younger umpires would like to use it.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

A question for those who wear a hardshell helmet for games, like FED mandates now for F2's.

When do you take it off? Do you take it off all the time like a regular mask, or do you keep it on most of the time? If you have a call at the plate, do you take it off or keep it on?
.

I took mine off after the fifth or sixth game I wore it and have never put it back on.

[edhern]

I take it off when I have to make a call, more because I want to avoid a problem not because I wouldn't be able to see. The vision is good and I will leave it on during routine plays. It does come off as easy as my old facemask, but it is more annoying to put back on. I took off my old mask whenever the ball was hit. I have seen others keep their helmets on much more often that the facemask.

Ed H

[briancurtin]

i dont wear a hockey helmet, but i would hope that people are taking them off at the same times they would with a traditional mask. if its a hassle to take off, dont use it.

[edhern]

The vision is so much better with the helmet, there is no need to flip it on and off all the time. There is also no need to take it off because that it the way it works with a facemask.

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by edhern

The vision is so much better with the helmet, there is no need to flip it on and off all the time. There is also no need to take it off because that it the way it works with a facemask.

"so much better" is debatable, but ive made more posts on that vision aspect than i care to have made, so im out on that part

as for the second sentence, this doesnt seem "correct" to me to leave your helmet on "because thats the way it works."

[nickrego]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

i dont wear a hockey helmet, but i would hope that people are taking them off at the same times they would with a traditional mask. if its a hassle to take off, dont use it.

It's actually easier to take off and put on than a mask. One hand for both on & off, and no hat to worry about.

My observation has been that at the D1 College level, the first 2 years helmets were being used, they weren't taking them off for calls. Then, in year 3, they started taking them off just like a mask. I can only speculate as to why.

[tkfarwig]

I wear a HSM and I take it off everytime the same as if I would have taken off a traditional mask. There is no excuse to keep it on because it is harder to get on and off. IMHO I have always thought an umpire running down the first base line with a mask, traditional or HSM, on looks terrible. The other thing I hate seeing are umpires who wear the HSM and set it on the ground to have home plate conferences or make changes in their lineup. I believe if you are going to wear the HSM, you should always hold it and never put it down on the ground.

T. Farwig