New Chest Protector
 

I'm looking for a new light weight chest protector. Anyone have experience with the K2 - HONIG'S `FASTPITCH ELITE protector?

Thanks!

chest protector
 

I have been using the Schutt kool max protector and love it. It offers excellent protection and is extremely lightweight and very cool. You might give it a look also.

I have been using this same Schutt protector too.
It gives very good protection for youth ball and women's ball.
I no longer use this protector when working men's ball as there just wasn't enough protection when I got hit with a couple of fouls.
I don't think I'd touch the K-2 - there's not enough there.

I use the Pro 9 chest protector and LOVE it. It's lightweight and offers great protection for the collar bone and shoulders. It is very, very similar to the expensive one at Honigs but less than half the price at Purchase Officials Supply.

I have a Pro 9 and use it for men's ball.
Terrific protection, for any level. It's light, but not anywhere near as light as the Schutt.

I have the K2 and have even removed the shoulder pads. Granted, I am not that big, but it works well for me. I would not recommend this for everyone or every level. As mentioned, you need more than this when the pitch comes in above 60/65 mph. I have taken some glances off the shoulder, but all firm contact hits the solid protection there. The belly is exposed (and according to my wife expanding) and I have taken a couple shots there, but it doesn't bother me. If you want the lightest, least bulky protection that covers the most important parts, this will work.

I, too, use the Pro 9. It covers more area than the K2, is comfortable, and provides great protection.

I use the K2, and have left the shoulder plates in place. I know of an umpire who removed them, like Wade did - he said they bothered him when he raised his arms for certain signals.

The belly is exposed, but that's OK for girls fastpitch.

I've used it up to 23U's. If I did more 23U's, I would get a protector with more coverage.

It is not the belly that concerns me; the protector is also a bit weak in the chest. Very good sternum and shoulder protection. Very light and cool. Some (but weak) left/right (non-sternum) chest protection. No belly protection.

It is popular around here - I know a half dozen or more umpires who use it.

I use the K2 and pretty much agree with the others who do also.

Good protection in the collarbone/shoulders, good down the sternum, not so good to the left and right of the chest.

I have a good amount of "natural" padding in the stomach area, so any ball that hits there stings for a few minutes, but no major damage.

Two reasons I chose this protector.

1. I umpire in Phoenix, it's hotter than h*ll here in the summer, this protector is not as bulky as some.

2. Since I don't do much rec league any more, I find that I am not hit as much due to the ineffectiveness of the catcher. This protector is just fine for the levels of ball that I work.

The reason I switched to the Pro 9 was that I was doing no rec ball anymore, and the old All Star "foam pad" style chest protector was not giving me enough protection when the ball speeds off of the bat during the college game. The moral of this tale? You might not get hit as much at the higher levels of ball, but when you do you will be glad that you have the best protection.

I've used the same "The UMP" protector for 15 years. Honigs sells it as item UMP5C. Good coverage, light, and good protection, even though it's flexible. I need to replace the straps because they're losing elasticity, but I wouldn't think of switching to anything else. It is hot, but everything is hot when you wear it in Florida. :cool:

I wore "the Ump" for a long time. I stopped and went to the Pro-9 when I took a foul off the top of my shoulder in a game. That hurt, a lot. I went to the Pro-9 because of the hard plastic cap on the shoulders. A year or so ago, I went to the Schutt and used it for everything. Then, in a men's major game, I took a foul off the left side of my chest - just off the plastic shield. I felt the results of that foul for a week or so. So I went back to the Pro-9 for the men's game and use the Schutt's for everything else. Because there is not a hard shell on the shoulder, I would not recommend "the Ump" to anyone.
I do wear "the Ump" baseball leg guards for all levels of softball - and would recommend them to anyone. But not their softball leg guards.

My buddy owns the local Purchase Officials Supply and he weighed the K2 and the Pro 9 and there was only an ounce difference (according to him - I didn't see the weigh-in). We also have a LOT of guys around here that use the K2, including my girlfriend. I have borrowed one a couple of times just to try it and just felt uneasy with my ribs unprotected - but many guys in our college conference us it.

I worked a college scrimmage last night and took two SHOTS - one in the sternum and one on the shoulder and honestly felt nothing after the initial "thud".

I am considering buying the Schutt protector with the cold packs . . . several guys I call with swear by them in the summer heat. Anyone here used that one?

Larry,
Are you talking about Mike - with the local Purchase Officials Supply? He's a good guy.
I tried the cold packs and did not find them worthwhile. But, when you sweat like I do, I think the "cooling system" gets overloaded quickly. The Schutt model I have is the one with the ice packs but I don't use them.

Actually it's Terry in WV . . . isn't Mike the guy in Ohio? I think he's the big owner but Terry owns the WV franchise.

Curious to know what you mean by the cooling system getting overloaded . . . do you mean the ice packs thaw quickly?