Wilson Titanium mask

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

It protects your face, skull and brain! That's not worth it?



Please say you're kidding.

You could not bend this cage if you tried with anything fired at any speed. You can drive a car over it and nothing would happen. It's titanium for crying out loud! There is a danger that its integrity would be compromised by excessive heat, however, so if you work one of those games at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, then you may have some problems.

Okay, I know the mask is a good one. I've seen it and worn it. I've talked to professional umpires who obtained one from MLB catchers and used it most of the past season. I have no doubt that the catcher's model with the traditional profile is one of the best and most protective on the market.

But let's not oversell it.

First, the titanium mask is made of an alloy, not pure titanium. In most "titanium alloys" titanium is not the predomiant metal. Usually that would be aluminum or magnesium. Without access to a reliable and compete manufacturer's spec sheet, it would difficult to determine the alloy used in the mask. At any rate, one can be sure it is not "military" grade.

Second, titanium, like aluminum, is corrosion resistant, not corrosion "proof."

Third, according to a sporting goods manufacturer's rep, the titanium mask can be broken and even dented by a strong impact, however, it takes more than what they believe a baseball can deliver. In testing, it was damgaged by the equivalent of a blow by a sledge hammer.

Fourth, I have had a car run over my foot without breaking a bone. Tires help cushion the impact. The fact that a car can run over a mask with denting it, while good for advertising, is meaningless.

Fifth, as the rep pointed out, "Wilson is not in the habit of making products that never need to be replaced. Their titanium tennis rackets are testament to that."