more equipment questions
 

Do you have or know about this mask
Legends Athletic Supply: DIAMOND LIGHTWEIGHT UMP MASK

What about this one
Legends Athletic Supply: UNDERARMOR UMPIRE MASK

or these shoes
Legends Athletic Supply: 3n2 Reaction Umpire Plate Shoes

or would you prefer these
Legends Athletic Supply: New Balance Umpire Plate Shoe MU 450
and how do YOU get rid of the white N?

Why, Why, Why if you don't mind?

Have used this mask for two seasons now. Lightweight enough but not 'too light'. (ex-catchers tend to like a little weight in the mask) The padding is also good at absorbing sweat and such

Just ordered a pair of these at 'theshoemart.com' about a month ago when they were on sale for $65. (and free shipping too) A quick stop by a shoe shop that does shoe dyeing and $10 and a week later, all the 'white' now matches the black shoe leather and ready for Championship play. The white 'N's are leather and will dye pretty easy to match the black.
(unfortunately, it looks like the 'sale' is over, and the shoes are back over a $100)

On the New Balance shoes, I wouldn't waste my time trying to black the white "N" out with a sharpie. It doesn't come even close to the shade of black as the shoes are. I tried multiple times but to no avail. I used black hobby paint and it worked well. I do really like the shoes. Dave

I have 2 Diamond light weight masks. I love them!!! I have taken shots off the mask with little or no damage or physical trauma. I highly recommend these masks!!

All else being equal, I urge you to buy from Legends; the owner, Larry White, is a fellow umpire and a long time member of this forum. If you have any issues, I believe you can count on him to make it right.

3N2 Reaction Plate Mid Shoes
 

Are you just giving me a price comp or making sure I see the other models?

The Diamond mask is a good one for me. I had been using the old Plus Pos composite before getting this one last spring. Good site lines, great weight. Price seems comparable to what I paid, although I can't remember where I got it at. The only negative, and I don't think it really is, is that I'm getting chips on the bar where I grab it with my indicator in hand. A fellow ump recommended using liquid electrical tape to cover the scars. I'm going to give it a try this spring.

The other solution for the chipping is to find a powder coat company in town that will blast the plastic off and then repaint the mask flat black, for about $40 your mask will look like new, and you do not have to adjust to a new mask.

I also have 2 Diamond light weight masks model UMP. The UMP is a single bar, the PRO model is a double bar which is slightly heavier than the UMP. Use one as a back-up. There are other suppliers who carry this model. The pads absorb your sweat very well. More open area between the pads. The UMP model comes in either silver frames or black frames.

I've had a few guys tell me they were really happy with the lightweight Diamond mask- once they got rid of the wimpy pads and replaced them with heavier Wilson leather pads!

But those were baseball umpires who may very well see ball speeds 20+ miles per hour faster than you see in fastpitch.

The other issue I've seen discussed with some of the lightweight masks is that they have a "lower" profile- that is, a less curved front so that the mask is slightly flatter and less rounded. This is done to kep the bars closer to your face, thus opening up a wider field of vision. The concern is that the "flatter" profile is less able to deflect forces from the ball away from your face. instead of taking a "glancing" blow and deflecting it, more of the force from the hit is directed into the mask- and, in turn, your head.

Still, I'm intrigued by these new models that are so light they feel like a feather. I have used a lightweight Wilson for several years that, while lighter than the standard masks, is still heavier than these new lightweight models.

I didn't know that Under Armor was making umpire gear (I just saw my first UA catcher gear in an indoor game last weekend). I would imagine that many of these masks may be manufactured by the same supplier, then branded with the logos of the different companies (Champro, Champion, Pro Nine, UA, Diamond, etc.).

I didn't know that 3N2 now offered plate shoes. Those don't look too bad and I'd like to try a pair. Especially like the "all black" look! Last year I picked up a pair of the new Reebok plate shoes. While these are by far the most comfortable plate shoes I've ever worn, their "all black" version features a big white "REEBOK" on the back and a 1" square white MLB logo on the metatarsal procetector. I love the shoes...but hate the white!

Yes, but the increased mass of the softball increases the force delivered on impact, so I would think that you wouldn't want wimpy pads for either game.

The relatively small difference in mass wouldn't be as significant as the much larger difference in velocity, with respect to the forces generated. But I do agree with you. I don't want my bell getting rung in either sport! Better to be a little over-protected than a little under-protected.

I've had a few guys I work softball with rag on me about the "overkill" of using a Wilson Platinum chest protector. But it's lightweight, comfortable and could damn near stop a bullet. I'll take the little bit of extra padding and bulk over a busted collarbone anyday!

The numbers: 5 oz baseball vs 6.75 oz softball. This is the energy (joules) that must be dissipated when bringing the ball to a complete stop. Some will be dissipated in the ball, the rest in whatever is struck. How much energy is expended in the ball depends on its constuction. I've highlighted roughly equal energies for the baseball and softball.

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="64">V(mph)</td> <td width="64">Ebb(J)</td> <td width="64">Esb(J)</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">0</td> <td align="center">0.0</td> <td align="center">0.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">5</td> <td align="center">0.4</td> <td align="center">0.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">10</td> <td align="center">1.4</td> <td align="center">1.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">15</td> <td align="center">3.2</td> <td align="center">4.3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">20</td> <td align="center">5.7</td> <td align="center">7.7</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">25</td> <td align="center">8.9</td> <td align="center">12.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">30</td> <td align="center">12.8</td> <td align="center">17.2</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">35</td> <td align="center">17.4</td> <td align="center"style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);" class="xl27">23.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">40</td> <td align="center"style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);" class="xl27">22.7</td> <td align="center">30.7</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">45</td> <td align="center">28.7</td> <td align="center">38.8</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">50</td> <td align="center">35.5</td> <td align="center">47.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">55</td> <td align="center">42.9</td> <td align="center">58.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">60</td> <td align="center">51.1</td> <td align="center"style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" >69.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">65</td> <td align="center">60.0</td> <td align="center"class="xl25">81.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">70</td> <td align="center"style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);" >69.6</td> <td align="center">93.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">75</td> <td align="center"class="xl25">79.8</td> <td align="center">107.8</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">80</td> <td align="center">90.8</td> <td align="center">122.6</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">85</td> <td align="center">102.6</td> <td align="center"style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">138.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">90</td> <td align="center">115.0</td> <td align="center">155.2</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">95</td> <td align="center">128.1</td> <td align="center">173.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">100</td> <td align="center"style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">142.0</td> <td align="center">191.6</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">105</td> <td align="center">156.5</td> <td align="center">211.3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">110</td> <td align="center">171.8</td> <td align="center" style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">231.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">115</td> <td align="center">187.7</td> <td align="center">253.4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">120</td> <td align="center">204.4</td> <td align="center">276.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">125</td> <td align="center">221.8</td> <td align="center">299.4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">130</td> <td align="center" style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">239.9</td> <td align="center">323.9</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

What I got out of this: Get hit with either ball in the nose and you'll regret it.