MadMax Posted January 3, 2017 Report Share Posted January 3, 2017 2 hours ago, mwest5575 said: Anyway, here is a Wilson steel dynalite that I bought new this fall, and it was so heavy compared to my Diamond aluminum masks I almost returned it. I had started off years ago with an old solid wire Wilson and didn't realize how spoiled I had gotten with the Diamonds. But I'm hoping to move into higher level baseball (varsity) and I really like the protection of a steel mask. So long story short, after seeing Mask It on this site, I asked my buddy with a welding shop to strip and powder coat my mask and this is what I have now. The powder coat is smoke chrome color. I put some black Wilson foam pads on it since this photo and I like the fit a bit better. Anyway, just wanted to share. It is sharp looking (and the labor only cost me a couple of beers!). I may have another done in matte black if I can find a deal on another Wilson. Michael ETA: I forgot to mention, the whole point was to try and lighten up the mask. And it did. I would not have worn it as it was, but I couldn't believe how much lighter it was after burning off that rubber coating. It is still a bit heavier than the Diamond, but very comfortable. This is personal preference. Aluminum Diamonds and Wilsons may not have the dampening properties of Steel masks, but they surely are just as protective. An aluminum mask is much less likely to bend when an impacting force – Q – strikes it. That force is translated somewhere, so guess where? Yup... pads then face. The reason the Diamond Aluminum masks are so suspect has nothing to do with the mask itself, it has to do with the pads. Their stock pads are downright hazardous. Titanium masks have absolutely no dampening properties whatsoever, and may be highly resistant to bending, but they will, and when they do, it requires the exact same force Q, applied in the same (or sometimes greater) velocity V (as in, a very quick, abrupt, sudden application) to bend it back out. Perhaps your welding shop buddy can start a niche business fixing titanium masks. By contrast, steel will take force Q and will dampen it, and likely bend. Less energy will be translated to the pads because a portion is applied to the bending of the steel. What's nifty, is that in most cases, the steel can be bent back with gradual and/or repetitive application of a force that amounts to Q. Moral of the story... Nearly any frame will do the job, it's the pads that make the difference. It's a shame they put that much vinyl on there, eh? Three words – cheap, cheap, cheap. Don't worry, Nike is equally guilty of it. So is Rawlings. The vinyl coating is on there for one purpose, and one purpose only – corrosion and abrasion resistance from the mask being tossed absent-mindedly about by a catcher. Steel has to be protected from corrosion, that much we know, but the cheapest method these manufacturers utilize is to dip them in vinyl. It ain't ball impacts that take paint off (well, some do, but it's rare), it's the tossing or dropping the mask onto the ground. Umpire masks should never touch the ground, thus, we don't need cheap vinyl. Bring on the glittery (or stealthy, your pick) powdercoats! Check eBay regularly and you'll find no shortage of them. I nearly grabbed a dipped Wilson DynaLite frame for $20 before Christmas. Plan was to strip the vinyl off, powdercoat it silver or pewter, throw the surplus Reebok pads and harness I had in it, and sell it to a fellow umpire (or catcher), but one of my junior umpires needed the pads... ... because he was using a Diamond. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwest5575 Posted January 3, 2017 Report Share Posted January 3, 2017 Yeah I love my diamonds too!! The TW pads in that pic are now on my diamond pewter frame, which might be my favorite set up right now. I think I'll probably end up with a Honigs black mask with dark brown pads soon. Maybe it's just personal preference but having taken shots with different style masks the steel ones just don't rock me as much. Or that's my perception at least. But like I said I'm a big fan of the diamonds. Called the entire spring, summer, and fall with two diamond masks with upgraded pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT_Blue Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 My new/old mask. Silver Diamond Featherweight powder coated matte black by Tony at Maskit. Honigs harness. Black Wilson Memory Foam pads from @tpatience. And a Zett throat guard from @Stk004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stk004 Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Just now, BT_Blue said: My new/old mask. Silver Diamond Featherweight powder coated matte black by Tony at Maskit. Honigs harness. Black Wilson Memory Foam pads from @tpatience. And a Zett throat guard from @Stk004. To be fair the Zett was by way of @tpatience as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT_Blue Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 1 hour ago, Stk004 said: To be fair the Zett was by way of @tpatience as well. If he really wanted to be a pal... I know where I can get a Mizuno Shovel... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpatience Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 12 minutes ago, BT_Blue said: If he really wanted to be a pal... I know where I can get a Mizuno Shovel... Have you found one yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT_Blue Posted January 24, 2017 Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 4 hours ago, tpatience said: Have you found one yet? Yeh right. I haven't been as hard on the look out lately. But, no... still looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeBa Posted February 2, 2017 Report Share Posted February 2, 2017 I finally got my Classic brown pads & harness from +POS and installed on my Mask-It recoated WV frame. I also have my new Allstar FM4000UMP mask - amazingly light - hope the protection / shock absorbing properties are as good as my reliable WV. Here's my dynamic duo..... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acpar72 Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 The +POS pads are SOOOOOOOO Protective!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpatience Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 1 minute ago, acpar72 said: The +POS pads are SOOOOOOOO Protective!!! I don't know anything about them so I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acpar72 Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 True story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderheads Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 12 hours ago, JeBa said: I finally got my Classic brown pads & harness from +POS and installed on my Mask-It recoated WV frame. I also have my new Allstar FM4000UMP mask - amazingly light - hope the protection / shock absorbing properties are as good as my reliable WV. Here's my dynamic duo..... Hmmm ...wasn't aware that All-Star was putting their logo strap on the upper pads now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSam21 Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 1 hour ago, Thunderheads said: Hmmm ...wasn't aware that All-Star was putting their logo strap on the upper pads now? Makes sense. That way they aren't splitting their logo in half on the bottom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderheads Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 1 minute ago, JSam21 said: Makes sense. That way they aren't splitting their logo in half on the bottom. Oh no, totally makes sense ...just didn't realize they changed it, that's all Justin, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSam21 Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 Just now, Thunderheads said: Oh no, totally makes sense ...just didn't realize they changed it, that's all Justin, right? Yes Sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderheads Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 Just now, JSam21 said: Yes Sir. Jeff on facebook re: jackets and tucking in 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSam21 Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 5 minutes ago, Thunderheads said: Jeff on facebook re: jackets and tucking in I just saw the notification asking for my SN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderheads Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 Just now, JSam21 said: I just saw the notification asking for my SN. no need now ....I was wondering who you were and then saw this and put 2 and 2 together! PM me if you have further questions ...don't want to muck up the Mask Porn! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeBa Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 22 hours ago, acpar72 said: True story I had only read on Umpire-Empire about issues with the +POS mask frame (MiLB warning)....not the ZR0-G mask pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMax Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 4 hours ago, JeBa said: I had only read on Umpire-Empire about issues with the +POS mask frame (MiLB warning)....not the ZR0-G mask pads. The aforementioned warning has nothing to do with any current mask that +POS offers. The ZRO-G is a top-notch hollow steel mask frame, with an iconic planform and remarkable lightweight. In my opinion, it is the best value for the price and performance and survivability. If it fails, being steel, the worst it can do is bend so far, and/or crack a weld such that a metalworker can't feasibly justify repairing it – the cost of a new one is that affordable. It won't shear or fracture (like aluminum does) or shatter / implode... which is what the infamous +POS Composite Superlight did/does. The mask we're referring to is this one: It is a resin-composite (likely fiberglass or Delrin in it), and is remarkably light and strong. It has an achilles heel – it suffers from thermal-cyclic fatigue. Heated up, then cooled down (freezing temps), heated up, chilled down. Expand and contract, expand and contract, over and over and over and over until WHAM!* SMASH! it shatters and implodes on a foul-off to the face. The repetitive extreme expansion and contraction forms micro-fractures in the composite structure, and all it takes is a significant shot, that another mask would bend or dampen, and it is compromised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT_Blue Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 If I remember correctly, those were made by All Star. +POS just put their logo on it. Memory serves correct, it was the first version of the mask that had the issues. People would leave them sitting in their car in sunlight and then over night. Thus your heating and cooling Max talked about. The follow up versions didn't have the same problem. I had one when I started getting serious about umpiring. SUPER LIGHT... but man those bars! Eric Greg, for sure had one. Was wearing it in 97 during his infamous World Series. Want to say Chuck Merriweather did as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejt Posted February 6, 2017 Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 Remember when that +POS SUL (super ultra light?) was the one of the Holy Grails of umpire gear, along with a Riddell chest protector? I remember selling mine (after a nasty concussion) for some big $. Now you can't give those things away. Light, for sure, but quite flat, and transferred a lot of energy to your noggin. That'll probably happen to the Riddell, someday. And Team Wendy retros, and white pocket Hardwick pants. At some point the cool factor will get outweighed by function/safety. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdc03270 Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Before:After: Matte Black - Mask ItWV logo on Team Wendy padsWV harnessSSK Spyder TGSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMax Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 That is a dead se><y rig, @Jdc03270. Taking that vinyl off really lightens it, doesn't it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpatience Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 50 minutes ago, Jdc03270 said: Before: After: Matte Black - Mask It VW logo on Team Wendy pads VW harness SSK Spyder TG Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk damn, that's a nice rig 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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