Yep, I changed em out. Always have liked the doeskin better. BTW, Honigs sent me a new one.

And yes it is very nice, just a little upset it bent. I would pay double as long as i knew the darn thing was gonna last, and not get bent on the first hit.

If you decide to unload the original pads, you know who to call first.

:)

Since you mentioned you: 1) took a big hit with the mask which bent a bar, 2) got it from Honig's (Honig's only carries the low profile Wilson titanium so...)

My question is did you have any problems with your head or anything with the low profile mask absorbing such a blow or did the mask do its job and protect you enough that you are confident in low profile masks?

I honestly did feel a little something! It was kinda like back in college when I was playing football and I had helmet to helmet contact. But nothing that made me uneasy about the equipment, it did its job, I just thought that its job was also not to bend. Maybe if it had not been low profile it would have deflected the blow and not bent, but that is just a guess.

I would gladly wear the mask again, i just hope that the next one doesn't bend as easily, I have gotten a few pm's that suggest that it might.

That is a shame. I guess I'll hang on to my old trusty a little longer.

Mine doesn't look that shiny. Maybe you got the tin alloy. :eek:

Just curious, did Honigs price match?

Don't know, didn't ask! The just sent me a new one right away and sent me a return label for the bad one so I could send it back.

A funny side note ...
 

When i told my wife about the situation and she saw they mask, she call me an Idiot and asked me why in the hell didn't I move out of the way! "You saw it coming right at you and you didn't move?"

I then gave her an umpiring lesson on the dangers of moving and exposing unprotected areas, like the side or back of my head. She then told me that i was still and Idiot, but a well trained one. :)

Welpe,

on the picture of your mask, is your's dented somewhere or are you just showing off your new piece of gear?

Show her this picture. "Honey, this guy moved about three inches."

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...guy/danley.jpg

That isn't my mask, it is Durham's. I was posting it directly in the thread for him. You can see it dented on the lower eye bar.

I bought one. Was planning on being a first year ump this year. Worked one scrimage and my wife got a job as a teacher. money is tight and I'm willing to sell it if I can get $125 for it plus shipping, it's yours.

It really is amazing. Email me [email protected]

That's a very moving story. Put it on ebay and some other first-year ump will buy it.

Thanks mr. sarcasm. I had about 5 people email me from this forum and I'm glad it's going to a seasoned ump who is going to use it for many years.

The mask is in the mail.

Plenty of sarcasm on here. I'm nervous whenever I post, that i'll be ridiculed. For a group of guys who REALLY HAVE to stick together on the field, alot of them are rude when behind the computer monitor.

I guess there really is crying in baseball. ;)

Mine has dented. D III fastball that batter just nicked to send it over the catchers mitt. Dented on the upside down U support.

The padding is great though. Felt the hit, but didn't hurt. I feel like the chin rests in the padding, rather than on it.

Hopefully they takes defects. Game #6-7 with it, yet I purchased it towards the end of last summer.

I just love now having a reason to have a back-up titanium. :D

Dam, Kevin, I'm jealous. I sure do wish I were in your tax bracket.

It's not tax bracket; it's perspective.

Face, eyes, skull and neck: Extremely important
Supreme comfort and visibility: Not extremely important, but valuable to me

While Wilson is spending its time mailing me my new mask frame, I will still be calling my games in a titanium, and I'll do without something else in life, like, golf clubs and skis!

but it and I promise you'll go to another. Easier to clear the hat

Well fellas, we all should be well into our seasons...how are the Wilson Titanium masks holding up? Do you still love it?...Was it worth the investment?

I have the standard view titanium & after a few games love it. I went with the standard view after trying a new view and taking a straight on shot (It hurt, even with the mask very loose & wrap-around pads). IMO the new view mask is a little too flat in the front & does not deflect balls as well as the standard mask profile. YMMV.

The pads are very soft on the inside (Tan doeskin) & tough on the outside (Black vinyl) - IMO a good mix. The wrap around pads really do help absorb impact.

It does take some time to get used to the weight. Took a few innings but now I would never go back.

I have a "new view" titanium and I love it. I switched the pads out for some Wilson all black wrap around pads and it looks awesome. I bought a regular Wilson Dyna-Lite used as a backup mask and put the black/tan titanium pads on it. There really is no comparison in the weight....it's great.

Socalblue, did they trade you frames or what? Did you return the entire new view mask and they sent you a standard frame?

took a hit to the top portion of my "new view" and it bent my mask...it was a very solid hit and the mask did spin, but it still was a pretty good whack...the kicker was that it was only about a 60 mph pitch and the hitter fouled it straight back...took another one in the same game, pretty much dead center and the mask held up there. Love the mask though, I feel like my plate is stronger than last year's with the "new view"

wilson titanium mask
 

mask is very very nice,light weight,good view,it also has a quite nice comfy fit. extremely pleased with mine, i would recomend it to any serious UMP

I got one (the New View style) last July when Gerry Davis Sports had them for $149. The very first game I used it I took a direct shot off the bat into the lower left corner of the mask during a summer collegiate tournament. I felt the impact, but the wraparound pads deflected the energy, and there was no pain at all. I imagine those types of pads made the difference from just feeling the impact to possibly feeling some pain--or worse.

I love the fit...I wasn't sure at first, but it is awesome to wear behind there...I figure if the MLB guys are wearing it...I should be okay for my max 82 mph pitcher that I might see once or twice over an entire season.

socal - where'd you find the standard view titanium? I have not looked all that much but when I do all I see is the new view.

Between the Lines and Ump-Attire have it.

BTL has the standard view with a black frame - are they all (standard view) black frames? The mask at Ump-attire didn't appear to be black.

I had never seen the titanium mask in black.

I assume the Ump-Attire standard view is titanium. I forgot that BTL's standard view is black.

I got my standard view mask with the gray cage at ump-attire.com for $198.00. I relegated the new view to under 80 m.p.h. games. ;)

Wilson MLB Titanium Umpire Mask: Ump Attire

It sounds like people are having problems with this mask getting bent. I was considering picking one up next year, because I would like something lighter. I still have the same old spalding mask I purchased when I first starting umpiring in 2002, although I took about four years off and am just getting back into it again this season. Now I'm not so sure about spending that kind of money on a mask that will bend so easily.

I don't know; I have been drilled pretty good with both of them and there's been no dents at all. Plus, they seem pretty willing to swap out a bent frame.

All metal masks will bend. Titanium is about as strong as steel, but much lighter (the Wilson titanium is a very strong mask). Don't ever bend it back or you will weaken it considerably.

I took a straight foul ball to my mask and thought, "great, this one is done." When I looked at it, it was just flat spotted a bit, just as my dyna-lites have done in the past. Hard shot from a college game. Am still good to go. I own the new view style for what it is worth.

Don't bend it back, send it back. ;)

It's not any more likely to bend than any other mask. I've taken 3-4 really hard shots right in the middle of mine and it's been fine. If it does get bent, especially this season, I'm calling Wilson for a new frame.

Side note about Wilson, a guy I know has a Shock FX and took a shot that put a small crack in the helmet part just above the frame. Wilson sent him a brand new one and didn't even make him send the damaged one back. They just asked for pictures for documentation.

Maybe I can get a picture of a bent titanium and send it to Wilson. ;)

Wanted Picture
 

Would you mind posting the picture below? I would love to see it too. :D

Might look suspicious if all three of us send the same picture. Kevin, get several different angles - if you can find it.

Mask Review
 

I've used the mask the entire year. It's very comfortable! I took my first shot in the mask the last game I did. I looked where I got hit, but couldn't find anything which would lead me to believe I got hit in the mask to begin with!

To be honest, I couldn't tell a difference having the shocks, and not having them.

Shocks? You did know the thread concerned a titanium traditional mask, right?

Well guys...I think my titanium may have saved my life today. My old mask does not have the extended throat guard that is on the titanium and I got blasted today...the ball mark is on the very bottom of the throat guard and my mask basically flipped off of the front of my head. I can still feel it a bit and I coughed pretty much the rest of the game. I have to admit, I was a bit flinchy back there for a couple innings until I settled back in...My titanium paid for itself today.

Listen to this man!

He places a premium on the protection of his face and skull. Priorities.

Is the "extended throat guard" on the titanium any different from the "extended throat guard" on many other wilson (or other brand) masks?

I know there are differing opinions of this, but I would always also wear a dangler -- especially if the mask was just "rounded" at the bottom without an extended throat guard.

Bob, I'm not sure how the guard on the titanium compares with other Wilson masks. It could very well be the same.

Johnny and Bob
 

It is the same. I had Wilson Chrome Moliben/New Views (2-black and a gray) and now the Titanium in new view shape. Exactly the same frame for all three.

For what it's worth-I am also a champion of wearing a dangler. I use the smaller sized (4" I think) and attach it to the bottom bar of the actual frame under my chin sort of behind and below the square shaped extension portion of the mask. I have taken about four balls that somehow got up under the extension off of the dangler and fortunately only heard a click and felt a light tap by the dangler on my CP and neck.

I had a partner last summer (one of my former players) who took a skipping ball up under the extension of his Honig's (thinner bar-single bar style) mask right in the neck/throat and he coughed and choked for the rest of the day. I gave him a dangler the next time we worked together and he willingly attached it and wears it.

Dave just admitted to having a small dangler. Film at 11.:D:D

Tmi! Tmi!

I'm not gonna touch that one....
 

with a 4" pole. TMI is correct.

Touche' Don.