Rock Bottom

Derek@ the Gerry Davis address? Will the All-Star FM4000 magnesium pads fit? Are you going to have Mirage specific pads coming soon?

Is anyone else having problems getting on this website? For about the last week some days I can't get on at all, other times it's VERY slow loading. I've tried different computers, phones, browsers, and it's all the same. So I'm wondering if it's the site or me.

I'm not espousing anything - just repeating what I read from an expert who sells both HSM and traditional. I'm guessing Brad Jurga knows more about masks and the science behind them that 99% (or more) of the people on this site, and CERTAINLY more than I do. I choose to wear the All-Star Cobalt skull-cap, and wear it tight enough it's not easily slipping off - I've taken some massive shots with it on and while the mask has come off it didn't come flying off - so I'm guessing it's a mid-tightness level. Similar shots (as much as one can really tell) had rocked me before the Cobalt. While I agree it's mostly in the pads, especially for jaw shots, the Cobalt is a great investment in my opinion.

I know @MadMax you don't wear a dangling throat guard, but for those of us who do, do you think we'll be able to forego doing so with this new Mirage?

Found it: From Brad Jurga - see the link below: "The argument that when a traditional mask spins off during impact it helps lessen the impact is still uncertain. NOCSAE has done tests and has concluded that when you get hit with a traditional mask on, all the energy is transferred to the head almost immediately, even before your head would move back from the impact. With this in mind, by the time your mask would spin off, most of the impact would have already been passed to the players head." https://community.hsbaseballweb.com/topic/hockey-style-mask-vs-maskskull-cap

I'm all but certain that some high level person at All-Star (maybe Stan or maybe Brad Jurga - but I'm NOT completely sure it was either, so my apologies if I'm recalling incorrectly) said that the mask being worn loosely and spinning off has negligible difference in lessening the impact severity. I tried to quickly find the article but was unsuccessful, but I'm 95% sure that's what they said. If I find it I'll update it here. UPDATE: Found it: From Brad Jurga (allegedly) in the link below: "The argument that when a traditional mask spins off during impact it helps lessen the impact is still uncertain. NOCSAE has done tests and has concluded that when you get hit with a traditional mask on, all the energy is transferred to the head almost immediately, even before your head would move back from the impact. With this in mind, by the time your mask would spin off, most of the impact would have already been passed to the players head." https://community.hsbaseballweb.com/topic/hockey-style-mask-vs-maskskull-cap

Derek - are the earguards as narrow as they seem, or is the frame wide and the earguards just appear very narrow? I'd love to say I keep my head perfectly straight at all times, but I know that's not the case.

Any idea when it will be out this year? I've been holding off on a new mask purchase - season starts in April here (Chicago burbs); I'd love not to have to use a separate plastic throat guard, but with the small one on my current mask (All-Star FM4000 steel) I won't ump without one. This one looks and sounds like a great option!

I wear a thin down jacket under my pullover ump jacket on those cool nights - on the really cold night I put a thicker down jacket underneath - Stay-Puf like, but who cares, I'm warm. It was a game changer for me - before I started adding the down layer I was frozen no matter how many layers I seemed to add.

Most of the fields I ump on are not manicured well enough to even use the term "manicured" and especially in the damp spring the long grass is really slippery - went down hard once covering a triple. For those wet games I've switched to black golf shoes - give me that extra traction and are water-resistant.

Thank you all for the info!

Great! Doesn't pull off to the side or anything?

Please see the pic below - is wrapping the strap around the middle bar the way to install the harness for the All-Star FM4000 magnesium? That's the way I got if from Ump Attire, but the harness strap seems too short this way (I hate the AS traditional harness - I wish this came with the Delta-Flex, which is far better to use with the All-Star Cobalt Skull Cap. For the cost you should get a choice, very frustrating.) Anyway, has anyone used the UmpLife harness with the 4000 mag, and do you wrap the bar like it shows in the pic, and is it long enough? Thanks all!!!

Good to know - thanks! I was tempted to buy one before reading this - figured it would speed up the brushing, but sounds like that's not the case.

They are "crap" because of the questionable value of the Kevlar? Let's say you're right and it does nothing - that doesn't mean they are crap. Have you used them? I've taken 85 mph shots to them and they were perfect; many on this board with extensive experience consider them the best, or one of the best, shin guards out there. I'm all for sharing opinions, but when you make such a strong statement you should back it up with something about their performance. Even if the Kevlar is worthless for shin guards, it's not like these are overly expensive compared to other similar quality options.