I can get a platinum for $135. So any competitor has to prove it's A. Better than a Platinum/Gold, B. Be a better deal. This rig is neither. And a big white oval on your chest just shouts "STUPID!"

I don't care what that dopey Davis chart says, I know better.

Now, if All Star integrates the ideas I gave them into their new c/p(carbon fiber, mesh backing, velcro adjustments, Cool Max, washable) THEN I'd consider changing. The Honig's and Davis models have missed badly. No soup for them.

I look forward to a new and improved All-Star. After working about 30 plate games in the Fall NABA league and serving as the test dummy for the CPU30, I am extremely disappointed in the protection that it (doesn't) provide. A longer model would also be another great suggestion, perhaps offering 3 sizes like many hard shell models do (13, 15 and 17" would be about right). I took quite a beating and felt nearly every shot that hit the CPU30, and that just shouldn't be the case for a $140 + protector.

Go for the Gold, baby. Go for the Gold. The Platinum's great too. But the Gold is the sh!t.

The others don't need to exist.

I've been using a drilled out baseball glued to a stick for years as a teaching aid. When umpires are behind the plate, it's easy to demonstrate ball position, to make sure they aren't blocked out.

I had an old graphite golf shaft hanging around, so I Gorilla Glued (good stuff) a ball to the end of it. It's got a nice grip, and works well for instruction.

When I got the Davishield, I really liked the fit and construction. But, I was dubious of the thickness of the padding, and whether the panels would lock up on impact. I could have had someone throw balls at me, or fired up the Jugs machine and hope for the best. Naw. To test it properly I needed to take hits in specific places.

My son is a decent golfer, and a long (300+ yd) ball hitter. So I had him dial in on certain parts of the chest protector, and increase the velocity of the shots. The Davishield worked okay at straight blows to the sternum. It seemed to flatten out, lock up the plates, and spread out the energy. But shots to the rib cage, or off center shots, had painful effects.

So here's my take on the testing. If laid flat, the Davishield will interlock the panels, and disperse the energy as designed. But, if wrapped around a torso, the side shots won't lock up the panels, and one small panel will transmit the energy through the thin pad. So I can see where the Davis will out perform the WV, but only if laid flat. Unfortunately.................

I've seen and held a Davishield. Lets just say I would even consider wearing this to call the balls and strikes from behind the mound let alone behind the plate. ;)

The guy who bought one said they (Gerry Davis) were getting a lot of complaints about them and they weren't allowing people to return them even if they hadn't worn it. Sad.