Just intrested to know if anyone as used the Hockey stle face mask?

I switched last year. Love it, will never go back to iron mask. It's lighter, cooler, safer, and offers greater vision.

However, let's not get into a discussion about hats!

WMB

Iron mask! Haven't seen one of those since visiting the museum. I'm lying. I still have one stowed away someplace. Haven't worn it in years, but never really had a problem with it. Went to a composite some years back and have a hard time imagining anything being lighter, safer and still allow the umpire to remain in uniform! Sorry, WMB, just couldn't let that one slip by :)

Now that I no longer do FP, I really don't have to worry about it.

With the expectations of different sanctioning bodies, hats may well be an issue. However, I've got a lightweight mask and am comfortable & content with it.

The helmet may very well be the wave of the future, but if so there will have to be some adjustments to uniform regulations. Consider me a stickler, but if the uniform requirements say I have to wear a logo hat, that is what I wear, even for league single umpire games where no one is there to enforce the regulation.

Sure, you can stuff a hat under the helmet, especially one of those old beanies, if you can still find them with the required logo.

But, I can see it now... if you want to wear a helmet, you'll have to by one in solid navy blue with the sanctioning body's logo painted on the front.

Uh oh... I hope I didn't give them an idea! :D

Personally, I'm satisfied with my lightweight mask, but maybe it's just that I've not tried a helmet and am in a "don't know what I'm missing" situation.

No getting into hat discussion, but all associations I know of
say it is a required item...The only two people I know that have
tried the hockey style mask could not wear a hat and were informed
by the UIC to either change mask or wear the hat....

I don't think I would like a helmet, though I haven't tried one. My light make works just fine for me. There is the question of the hat also.

Plus I don't think I want to spend $300.00 for a helmet.

Would it be alright if you cut the bill off an older hat so it would fit under your helmet ? Brian

Maybe, but the propeller on top would get in the way. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung...smiley-085.gif

ROFLMAO
and how would Cecil feel about his partner "Beanie"?

Sorry, Cecil - just showing my age & smart mouth a bit with this one.

Steve, Tom, Mike, and Bob.

You all memtioned having the light weight mask.

Which one do you use. I have two, the Gerry Davis and SUL.
The Gerry Davis low profile does take some pratice taking
off and leaving the hat on. NO, I will not go to a
Beenie.

I've got one of the older metal lightweights. I forget who made it - I've had it for several years. I've seen the flexing that a composite does and I'd have to think long & hard before deciding to use one of them. In my younger & dumber days, I thought I could make a living as a fighter & have a nose that's been broken several times - it's kinda sensitive to touch now so I try to keep it protected.

I was actually considering buying one of these for the new season. There is a store around here that sells them for only $75.00 which I don't think is that bad of a deal. I'm just not sure when I'll get a chance to use it considering PIAA wants hats worn... not getting into a hat discussion, of course. There's always rec leagues, I guess.

I wear the All-Star composite mask. I love it. I know it got a bad reputation a few years ago, but I've had no problems at all with it. It's lighter than the ultra light metal mask. I have no problem taking it off unless I have a brain slip and wear the 6 stitch hat. Then I have to be a little more concious of taking the mask off. I've got a few friends who use the hockey mask and they wouldn't take anything for them. I might bring up the hat issue at the next meeting we have, just to start some excitement.

BigUmpJohn,

Do you work with Steve on ocassions?
Just curious.