Need Help! Can't decide

[mbyron]

I have a K1, and gave it to my son to work kiddie ball. It's not bad at all, but it doesn't offer the same level of protection, IMO.

I use a WV Gold, which suits my stance better than the Platinum. I wouldn't use anything less for HS and up.

[UKCATSFAN]

Originally Posted by mbyron

I have a K1, and gave it to my son to work kiddie ball. It's not bad at all, but it doesn't offer the same level of protection, IMO.

I use a WV Gold, which suits my stance better than the Platinum. I wouldn't use anything less for HS and up.

I've heard that from many people. Is it as bulky as the Platinum?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by UKCATSFAN

I've heard that from many people. Is it as bulky as the Platinum?

Yes. The bulk serves a purpose: as the software guys like to say, it's not a bug, it's a feature!

[dileonardoja]

I use a K1 that is about 5 years old. I've been hit square by foul balls at the HS level and never felt a thing. Bulk in of it self is not a "feature". The engineering design behind a chest protector is to quickly spread the point force of the ball over a much larger area thus significantly lowering the force you feel (This is the same concept used in bullet proof vests and they are barely noticeable under a shirt). If the point force of a baseball is one square inch, transferring that force over one square foot would reduce it by 144 times. It is not quite linear but you get my meaning.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by dileonardoja

I use a K1 that is about 5 years old. I've been hit square by foul balls at the HS level and never felt a thing. Bulk in of it self is not a "feature". The engineering design behind a chest protector is to quickly spread the point force of the ball over a much larger area thus significantly lowering the force you feel (This is the same concept used in bullet proof vests and they are barely noticeable under a shirt). If the point force of a baseball is one square inch, transferring that force over one square foot would reduce it by 144 times. It is not quite linear but you get my meaning.

Have you tried using a kevlar vest as a chest protector? I have. Sounded like a good idea. Took a foul shot and it dropped me. Different technology at work there.

I'll take the "bulk" of the WV, thank you.

[dileonardoja]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Have you tried using a kevlar vest as a chest protector? I have. Sounded like a good idea. Took a foul shot and it dropped me. Different technology at work there.

I'll take the "bulk" of the WV, thank you.

Because you thought it was a good idea to wear a bullet proof vest as an umpire chest protector, I feel compelled to tell you that it would be a worse idea to wear your west vest to a shootout

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by dileonardoja

Because you thought it was a good idea to wear a bullet proof vest as an umpire chest protector, I feel compelled to tell you that it would be a worse idea to wear your west vest to a shootout

Thanks...I'll try to remember that.

The experiment was done at the urging of a friend who was a New York State Trooper. After the hit, I started wondering how much a friend he was.