Todd Tichenor mask pads

[rjt6]

Anyone know what kind of pads he's wearing - I have no clue... They have the 5 velcro straps like Wilson wrap-arounds, but they're not Wilsons. (Color's too dark)

 

Also - bad pic because it's not zoomed in. Doesn't help much either

 

Wonder if @Fittske24 knows... 

[Replacematt]

Here's a better pic.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/photos?gameId=340404102&photoId=3742921

[Thunderheads]

look like Wilsons to me ....but who knows....

 

remember, those guys will black out logos, or have a cover over the chin strap logo , etc .....

[Thunderheads]

older shot, but looks the same .........it's the same frame as your picture (Nike Ti)

 

 

[Replacematt]

older shot, but looks the same .........it's the same frame as your picture (Nike Ti)

Pads aren't the same.

[tldavis19]

older shot, but looks the same .........it's the same frame as your picture (Nike Ti)

not enough velcro. the OP pic has two sets of velcro on each side and the chin strap color is the same as the side straps. Not so in your pic of the Wilson.

[Majordave]

I noticed that too TL, two velcro straps on each side of lower jaw/chin pad.

 

I found some black +POS pads on their site for the plastic/nylon framed mask they used to sell called the Super-Ultra Light (SUL) that I am sure used to also come in tan with two velcro on each side of jaw/chin pad.  A lot of my more experienced partners when I first started had a lot of +POS gear and many had that mask.  Since I am a gear junkie (although not on the level of Fittske or KFinn) I always looked at my partners' gear and asked a lot of questions the first couple of years I umpired.

 

Anyone else seen +POS in tan?  I vaguely remember some guys had tan (some were almost orange) in their +POS masks.

[JoHart10]

I have what I believe are 2 of the three tan colors +pos offers. I have the light and the dark, @acpar72 has a version of the more orangeish version. 

[the_umpire]

http://www.go-stop-call.com/belgard_maskpad.html These are the pads he is wearing for the 2014 season. He is wearing the tan all leather ones. They are made by Belgard. 

[Mike Prince]

FWIW, those are almost identical to the pads in the Mizuno G2 (USA) mask, just a different color and without the zipper which appears to be prevalent on the Japanese pads.  I am working on getting a set of the Mizuno's in Black/Tan to try out.

[tldavis19]

http://www.go-stop-call.com/belgard_maskpad.html These are the pads he is wearing for the 2014 season. He is wearing the tan all leather ones. They are made by Belgard. 

I think @the_umpire is the winner lol. You can zoom in on the mask and see the zipper.

[Majordave]

@the_umpire

 

Those are definitely the ones he is wearing,  The high sides on the jaws and the strap in the middle of the chin portion which the +POS does not have.

 

The pics on the Japanese website make them look kind of plastic coated to me.  Definitely do not look like doe/deerskin.

 

Still great to know.

[rjt6]

If anyone wants to buy those Belgard pads, you will have to cough up $116 for them. On google, you can convert yen or euro or whatever to USD. 12,000 yen (cost of the pads) is $116.38 or so

[rjt6]

http://www.go-stop-call.com/wilson_mask.html

 

If anyone cares, they have the non-wrap around wilson pads. Scroll to towards the bottom.

[umpirecordova]

I took this screen shot of Tichenor and it does look like he has the Belgard pads.

Also I had a question about mask pads. Cory Blaser used Team Wendy last year and this year it looks like he is either using Wilson non-wrap around or Team Wendy with a Wilson logo

[Platejob29]

Looks to me like Blaser is using Wendys with a Wilson patch on them.

[umpirecordova]

I wonder if that is Wilson doing the same thing they do with the big W sticker on CPs.

[sri8527]

ok, that zipper isn't even in a place where it would be accessible? anybody have any ideas as to its purpose? it is an unusual pad shape though would like to see them up close.

[the_umpire]

Jim Wolf is also using the TW with the wilson logo. I know that Full time staffers get money (bonus) from Wilson for wearing the Wilson logo, so thats probably why they are doing it.

[rjt6]

I took this screen shot of Tichenor and it does look like he has the Belgard pads.

image.jpg

Also I had a question about mask pads. Cory Blaser used Team Wendy last year and this year it looks like he is either using Wilson non-wrap around or Team Wendy with a Wilson logo

image.jpg

Tichenor did the same thing as Vanover, slapped some duct tape over the Riddell logo on his power.

[Platejob29]

ok, that zipper isn't even in a place where it would be accessible? anybody have any ideas as to its purpose? it is an unusual pad shape though would like to see them up close.

The zipper is accessible when the pads aren't on the frame. The idea behind it is that you can get replacement pads for less because you can simply change out the foam inside them and you don't have to buy a whole new set of pads. Considering that most manufactures as well as MLB and MiLB recommend changing your pads every year due to the pads wearing out because of ozone exposure it's not a terrible idea. I know I typically don't wear out leather pads very quickly and I doubt many people wear them out too fast either. So if the leather is still good why not just keep it and change out the foam. In Japan they also have higher prices on most leather products or synthetic leather products which could be another reason that it is more prominent over there.

[sri8527]

thanks, very interesting.

[Chris Hickman]

I'll give you all a report after I try them out...

[rjt6]

@Chris Hickman - I'm assuming you've tried them out by now. How are they?

[gnhbua93]

Maybe Hickman is busy selling The Officials Locker Room and Lexus units