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The Schutt XV Umpire Chest Protector is an advanced piece of protective gear for baseball umpires. For nearly a century, Schutt Sports has been committed to developing the most advanced protective gear in the game for players. Using the same technology, their umpire protective gear empowers umpires to focus and perform at the top of THEIR game! Features: Ventilation holes: 10mm ventilation holes maximize air circulation and the evaporation of excess moisture. Greater impact absorption and durability: Utilizing impact absorption technology from their most popular line of football shoulder pads, the XV chest protector is made of high density EVA foam for greater impact absorption and durability. Moisture and heat management system: The moisture and heat management system of this umpire chest protector allows airflow into and away from the body, allowing the skin to dry and the body to cool itself. Superior protection: Features caps to cover exposed gaps in the shoulder area, wider chest plate and a padded Y-back give you maximum coverage and extra protection. The design of this chest protector is form fitting. This chest protector also has a 4” removable extension which provides additional coverage for the stomach area and a t-hook attachment for a secure fit. One size fits most (Measures 13" from top of neck pad to bottom of chest plate. Shown with 4" pad extension, included.) Weight: Approximately 3 lbs

Time marches on, and we've got some new offerings in masks for the upcoming season... Hockey -Style Masks (HSM) All-Star is still the iconic HSM producer, but several rivals have made significant improvements to their product lineups. All-Star: Showing focused refinement, the MVP4000-UMP and MVP2500-UMP models get updated padding and (supposedly) better paint jobs. In fact, the MVP2500 "Molded" is now black through-and-through, meaning that a ding or knick isn't going to discolor the shell. The MVP4000 is now offering a titanium cage, to keep pace with Wilson (see below). The System 7's, showcasing their I-Bar Vision construction, really allow the best sightlines of the HSMs on the market. Diamond: The brand-new iX5 system is now on the scene, featuring a much more sculpted shell and 3D-formed cage. Unique to Diamond, the iX5 is the only HSM with a "shovel-front chin" on the cage. Looking like a throat-guard on a TM, this adds another deflective geometry to the mask, especially for those that drop the chin. The iX3 name has been dropped, and the previous model (the iX3) received some tweaking and has been released as a value-price-point named the EDGE Core. Of course, because umpires get much less "love" from the manufacturers, the "for-umpires" HSM is an EDGE Core labeled as DCH-EDGE-UMP. While it doesn't have the curves of the iX5, it still has the pronounced chin cage guard. Easton: Made some needed improvements to the Mako, and are heavily marketing it as their flagship unit. For 2015, they've introduced the M7 (in two finishes "grip" (matte) and "gloss"), which is a less-technical, slightly-lighter-weight unit that is posed to be their workhorse. It has a 3D-formed cage and a sculpted shell, indicating that is concentrating on deflective properties instead of mass and bulk, and appears to be so much more comfortable than the elder Rival. With the M7 now on the scene, Easton looks to be consolidating the Rival and the Stealth into a mask named Black Magic, and is aiming that more on youth (ie. 12U) baseball, and the budget price points. Mizuno: Nothing new to report in their Samurai G4 line. It has the largest standoff and padding concentration in the crown of an HSM. Nike: ... (sigh)... uh... Yes, Nike makes a HSM. It's called the De3539, and is made more as a branding piece (see? We're in baseball!) than as an advanced piece of protective gear. Unlike rival UnderArmour, who re-branded All-Star units, Nike... you can't tell who produces the Nike unit. Rawlings: The Slowest-to-Update-Baseball-Company-In-the-World finally, finally introduced a new HSM after All-Star kicked their keester all down the 1BL. The CH1 (which, undoubtedly, stood for "Catching Helmet One") saw its shell redesigned, outfitted with new CoolFlo pads, and stuck with a curvy, sleek new cage that, strangely, looks like the negative (opposite) of All-Star's System 7 geometry. Hmmm. But it does look impressive! Debuting as the CH950 (so what happened to the 948 other versions?), look for this to be on a Molina near you soon. The entire lineup received CoolFlo pads. Schutt: As one of the premier football helmet manufacturers, Schutt took their AiR technology and (finally!) applied it to their baseball HSMs. The catcher's HSM gets the AiR treatment first, labeled the AiR Maxx 2966. Unique and intriguing, Schutt extended the cage back along the temples, covering the ears and flanks of the shell. That means that's even more protection on the sides, and the cage carries and dissipates more energy before it reaches the shell. No one else is doing that! If you don't need the customizable comfort-fit of the AiR system, the 2966 is offered as an "umpire" version, but it (appears) to not get quite the cage treatment, still using the fall-2014 cage. UnderArmour: UA is really trying to make headway in baseball, and they partnered up with one of the best in the business to do so in All-Star. UA's "Pro", though, is a re-branded All-Star MVP2300, which has the same shell, but doesn't have the iconic System 7 cage. Wilson: Having already seen a significant improvement mid-season in 2014, the Shock FX 2.0 returns to the field, this time showcasing a titanium cage. The most technologically-advanced HSM of the bunch (for now, unless and until Force3 debuts a HSM entry), the SFX 2.0 is the apex protector for umpires; it just gets kinda haughty about it with the ... ahem... particular paint-job Wilson loves to show off. If you can't afford a Shock FX, but still want an HSM with the... Wilson paint job... look for the Prestige. Traditional Masks All-Star: With a trimmer, more defined lineup, All-Star presses forward with the FM25Ti, FM25, FM4000 and FM2000. All four are offered as "umpire versions" with a hat-harness (instead of the Delta-Flex helmet harness), and give All-Star some distinction between itself and Wilson. This is noteworthy with the FM25Ti, which may be physically (titanium alloy and double-wire, more difficult to deform) and financially (titanium alloy, less costly) more appealing to a mid-level umpire than the pure-titanium show ponies Wilson and Nike trot out. Besides that, the FM4000 and FM2000 are instantly recognizable because of their bar layouts. Diamond: How can you mess with one of the best-selling TMs in the industry, but still make it more appealing? Fix the pads! The iX3's geometry didn't change, but Diamond now offers new, improved pads on a re-labeled mask called DFM-UMP-BL (for "Big League", woo woo). This, and the venerable iX3, are one-in-the-same mask... one's named Ed, the other Fred. Oh, and you can get pads that have no logos on them. For those who really cling to tradition we're talking Charleton Heston's grip the DRM-PRO (used to be iX3) and DFM-43 double-bar masks are still available. Easton: The Speed Elite returns, still with exceptionally lightweight construction in a robust geometry. It has some of the largest ear-guards in the business, and very reliable pads (think the complete opposite of the miserable pads on the Diamond iX3). It also has one of the smallest chin-throat guards, such that it encourages and makes easy the mounting of a hanging supplemental throat guard. Force3: The mask everyone is rooting for. Now available in colors (and tan pads!! Sexxxxyyyyy), the Defender is a tangible promise that someone, somewhere is looking out for us who stand behind the plate. While it still is noticeably heavy, that weight has been steadily declining as Force3 continues to pare down the geometry and improve the hardware. The standoff distance is still something to be negotiated, as it feels like you're in cage, but this is the mask that should be your chief candidate if frontal, concussion-inducing impacts are your main concern. Mizuno: Nothing new to report on out of Japan. Nike: Unknown if Nike is even going to offer a mask for retail sale this year. Schutt: Teamed up with Diamond, and offers the DFM-UMP labeled as the Comfort-Lite Mask. (If anyone from Schutt ever reads these forums, please contact me – I've got an intriguing mask design for you.) UnderArmour: Continuing the relationship with All-Star, UA's UAFM Pro is a rebranded FM25, complete with I-Bar advertising tab on the chin. Wilson: The big news came during the 2014 season, with the debut of new Memory Foam pads! They are meeting with rave feedback, and are probably the best rival to Team Wendys. Additionally, while the pads were developed independently, they debuted with the new Dynalite Aluminum mask, taking the spot as Wilson's lightest traditional mask in their lineup. This mask may be a Titanium-slayer, because with the lighter weight (marginal, but still), better pads, and lower cost, it addresses the three main issues umpires face (bad pun!) when selecting a mask. Disclaimer: I did not list Champro nor +POS because Champro's HSMs are rebrandings, and they have nothing new in TMs, while +POS designs some really innovative TMs, but has nothing obviously new for 2015 announced yet. Bonus Note: For those needing to protect a banged-up forearm, these might do the trick: https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/ua-forearm-pad/pid1220728-001

The Schutt AIR-U5 Umpire Shin Guards provide advanced protection and comfort. For nearly a century, Schutt Sports has been committed to developing the most advanced protective gear in the game for players. Using the same technology, their umpire protective gear empowers umpires to focus and perform at the top of THEIR game! Lightest, most breathable protection on the fieldTapered design gives you a snug, comfortable fit with maximum coverage and movementToe guard attached by velcro and is removeableBoth the foam padding and outer shell are ventilated to increase air circulationWeight is approximately 3lbs.This product is available at Ump-Attire.com.

Lightweight Body All new design that’s more form fitting to maximize protection. Lighter than previous chest protectors and featuring a breathable, mesh fabric that maximizes air circulation. Better Protection Features shoulder gap caps in high-risk impact area, a wider chest plate for better protection and padded Y-back with Coolmax® lining. Brock Bead™ Construction Brock Bead™ Construction gives you better protection and more breathability. Brock Beads absorb more impact and allow more air to circulate inside the chest protector. Raised Corrugations Raised corrugations make the body stronger and more resilient. 10mm ventilation holes in the body maximize air circulation and evaporation of excess moisture. New T-Hook Attachment The AiR Flex Umpire Chest Protector has a new T-hook attachment for a secure fit. Also features epaulet style shoulder caps that are adjustable and/or removable. Extended Deltoid Protection The AiR Flex Umpire Chest Protector features extended protection for deltoid area and removable deltoid pads.

The Schutt Air Flex Umpire Chest Protector brings out the big guns of comfort, performance, and protection, for the serious ump. This armor-plated, tough-as-nails chest protector is surprising lightweight, and loaded with advanced moisture management technology that circulates air to keep you cool and focused all game long. The trick is the advanced Brock Bead technology built into the inner fabric. These squishy beads are massively lightweight, and can absorb impacts efficiently to keep you protected from hits. They are also made mostly of air, to give you even more circulation to regulate body temperature. Combine that with the 10mm vent holes throughout the shell, and you have on cool, heavy-duty umpire chest protector to get the job done right!