kylehutson Posted June 23, 2024 Report Posted June 23, 2024 1 hour ago, The Short Umpire said: This just makes me grateful for how awesome my wife is. For one, my wife doesn’t buy a ton of makeup. But for two she’s never once questioned a gear purchase. Same. But with the caveat that since my initial purchases when first getting started, my umpiring money goes into a separate account not covered by our normal budgeting. Any purchases need to come from THAT account. (And FWIW, what's left in that account typically goes towards vacations and other niceties that are above and beyond the budget, so she's typically the beneficiary of the extra. It helps remind me WHY I keep doing this.) 2 Quote
D62 blue Posted June 27, 2024 Report Posted June 27, 2024 anyone have a opinion (good/bad)about the pro9 mask ? I had one many years ago , and still own a pair of leg guards . Iam was considering pro9 mask again . pro9 masks are larger than most designs . I also noticed that all pro9 protective gear , may be the only nocsae certified gear for officials on the market ? Marc Quote
The Man in Blue Posted June 27, 2024 Report Posted June 27, 2024 I’m not a bucket guy, but aren’t all buckets NOCSAE certified? (Or at least the vast majority?) Never heard of Pro Nine before. Quote
D62 blue Posted June 27, 2024 Report Posted June 27, 2024 32 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said: I’m not a bucket guy, but aren’t all buckets NOCSAE certified? (Or at least the vast majority?) Never heard of Pro Nine before. Not surprised , pronine is primarily a players (baseball/softball) equipment & game balls manufacturer . Pronine has been around for a couple decades , company was based locally in So Cal . I went to their offices years ago , bought my gear bag from them directly . They make a limited line of umpire gear , but dont market it very well if at all . Well designed products imho . Pronine umpire mask/head gear is all certified nocsae . Cant say if other brands have that certification? Company is based in Ohio now . Marc 1 Quote
834k3r Posted June 28, 2024 Report Posted June 28, 2024 16 hours ago, The Man in Blue said: I’m not a bucket guy, but aren’t all buckets NOCSAE certified? (Or at least the vast majority?) Never heard of Pro Nine before. Most of the buckets I've seen around are not NOCSAE certified at all. 3 Quote
DerekGDS Posted June 28, 2024 Report Posted June 28, 2024 It's not worth the price, well for companies who manufacture exclusively for umpires. Simply testing for those standards and actually doing the certification/paying licensing fees have wildly different costs associated with them. Quote
The Man in Blue Posted June 29, 2024 Report Posted June 29, 2024 12 hours ago, DerekGDS said: It's not worth the price, well for companies who manufacture exclusively for umpires. Simply testing for those standards and actually doing the certification/paying licensing fees have wildly different costs associated with them. I figured that, but . . . is there any difference between an umpire bucket and a catcher's bucket? I just assumed they would be marketed to both. (As I said, I know very little about them other than they came about when I was catching and I hated them then. I have no desire or interest in wearing one as an umpire.) Quote
The Man in Blue Posted June 29, 2024 Report Posted June 29, 2024 13 hours ago, 834k3r said: Most of the buckets I've seen around are not NOCSAE certified at all. No, but they are NOCSA certified . . . National Organization of Coaches' Seating Accessories 1 2 Quote
concertman1971 Posted June 29, 2024 Report Posted June 29, 2024 On 6/23/2024 at 8:06 AM, MadMax said: 25 different pairs of shoes. My umpire shoe collection took this personally 1 Quote
Umpiresrock74 Posted August 16, 2024 Report Posted August 16, 2024 On 6/23/2024 at 11:38 AM, The Short Umpire said: This just makes me grateful for how awesome my wife is. For one, my wife doesn’t buy a ton of makeup. But for two she’s never once questioned a gear purchase. Everytime the topic comes up/a box arrives she’s just says, “I want you to be as safe as possible while you’re out there.” I’m more valuable to her and our kids if I’m alive… 😂 come to think of it though I don’t think she knows how much I spent on my Riddell… 🫣 Max is giving out divorce advice. lol. Easiest way to get divorced, by mad max. Quote
concertman1971 Posted August 29, 2024 Report Posted August 29, 2024 1st time I have seen a player wearing TW pads....just thought it was interesting, he is a Nike athlete for his shins/CP.. 1 Quote
MadMax Posted August 30, 2024 Report Posted August 30, 2024 15 hours ago, concertman1971 said: wearing TW pads... he is a Nike athlete for his shins/CP.. Odd that his mask ain’t a Nike frame – Icon Ti, Icon Steel, or Teardrop. It’s a “typical” catcher’s frame, with the double-wire eyeport. Likely a FM25. While it’s rare to see TWs on a non-umpire frame, it’s not unheard of. Zorbium is much better than upholstery foam or gel foam. TW never offered (never even considered it) leather or vinyl, which was much more durable (and cheaper!) than t-fab. Of course, those more spartan materials were put into catcher’s masks because catchers masks end up in the dirt so much. 2 Quote
misnomer Posted February 24, 2025 Report Posted February 24, 2025 Just got my All-Star S7 Steel back from Tony at Mask-it Sports and I absolutely love it! Now all that's left to get is some new pads to really spiff it up! By the end of last season, it was looking pretty rough. My indicator chipped off the paint on the lower bars and rust was starting to form. After some well deserved TLC, it looks even better than it did when I first got it! 3 Quote
orangebird Posted March 12, 2025 Report Posted March 12, 2025 Drumroll please...I present...baby's first mask! Champro CM72. My first game is base (by my request) so I won't get to use it right off the bat (no pun intended) but figure it's still worth sharing 2 Quote
MadMax Posted March 12, 2025 Report Posted March 12, 2025 On 2/24/2025 at 1:26 PM, misnomer said: My indicator chipped off the paint on the lower bars and rust was starting to form. And this is why we shouldn't use an indicator. #IndicatorFreeIsDaWay2Be! 4 hours ago, orangebird said: baby's first mask! Once you have your harness set up to your liking, do not feel you have to cut the excess strap lengths. Instead, get some electrical (vinyl) tape, and next fold the excess strap back upon itself in ≈ 3/4"-1" increments, then wrap that resulting stub twice-to-thrice by electrical tape. Why electrical tape? Because it only sticks to itself, and doesn't leave behind a gooey residue, unlike duct tape. And, because electrical tape is intended for high-heat environs, it's not going to bake and turn brittle (like athletic tape), nor get all gooey (like the aforementioned duck! 🦆tape. 2 Quote
bluetick48 Posted June 7, 2025 Report Posted June 7, 2025 GD Mirage Liquid Gunmetal by Tony at Mask-It 4 2 Quote
Rock Bottom Posted June 7, 2025 Report Posted June 7, 2025 2 hours ago, bluetick48 said: GD Mirage Liquid Gunmetal by Tony at Mask-It Did you "need" to get it repainted already or just wanted to? No problem painting the magnesium now, right? Looks awesome! 1 Quote
MadMax Posted June 7, 2025 Report Posted June 7, 2025 6 hours ago, bluetick48 said: GD Mirage Liquid Gunmetal by Tony at Mask-It DERRRRREKKKK!!!! @DerekGDS Derek Derek DerekDerekDerek DEREK! Someone catch me, I’m gonna faint. 1 3 Quote
bluetick48 Posted June 7, 2025 Report Posted June 7, 2025 9 hours ago, Rock Bottom said: Did you "need" to get it repainted already or just wanted to? No problem painting the magnesium now, right? Looks awesome! No, I didn’t send it to get it repainted. After receiving my OG Mirage and loving it, I sold my backup Nike Ti and AS Mags and ordered a back-up Mirage. I had @DerekGDS ship it straight to Tony for me to make it look even sexier! 2 Quote
bluetick48 Posted June 7, 2025 Report Posted June 7, 2025 5 hours ago, MadMax said: DERRRRREKKKK!!!! @DerekGDS Derek Derek DerekDerekDerek DEREK! Someone catch me, I’m gonna faint. I posted it just to see your reaction @MadMax 😎😎😎 2 1 Quote
MadMax Posted June 8, 2025 Report Posted June 8, 2025 So one of our colleagues wrote me a couple weeks ago, with a problem. He had taken an All-Star FM4K Magnesium to a local powder-coater to re-coat. The guy has serviced and coated other automotive parts, but made a significant error by media blasting with silica or instead of an organic (such as nut shells). As such, the frame ended up pitted, looking like a car hood after a hailstorm. It was coated flat nickel, and sent back to the owner. The colleague inquired about rectifying it – not much can be done. It isn't exactly compromised; the material is strong enough to withstand impacts despite topical damage. Vinyl dip was suggested, but that would defeat the purpose of a magnesium mask like the FM4K Mag... it would thicken the bars, reducing visibility (further) and increasing overall weight. It was a very savage and feral-looking mask, though, very befitting of The Road Warrior (Umpire 😃). So, I traded him! I sent him my black FM4K Mag and got this, the Silver Storm... You can see here, how pitted it got... I was going to just keep it in my arsenal as a backup, since my primary now is and will be going forward the Davis Mirage12. However, it didn't stay in my inventory long; the first colleague that I showed it to was so smitten with it, he bought it on the spot! 2 Quote
boyinr Posted June 8, 2025 Report Posted June 8, 2025 Following up on @MadMax post. I might be that guy. I now have a mask that I will refer to as Black Max. Thanks again Max. All’s well that ends well as they say. 1 1 Quote
The Man in Blue Posted June 9, 2025 Report Posted June 9, 2025 5 hours ago, MadMax said: You can see here, how pitted it got... You say pitted . . . I say "anti-radar" coated. 3 Quote
AtlUmp Posted June 9, 2025 Report Posted June 9, 2025 33 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said: You say pitted . . . I say "anti-radar" coated. Now I'm no physicist but I have a feeling that pitting like that would cause the radar cross-section to increase. 1 Quote
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