Mask Choice

[umpstu]

Your choice between an All Star magnesium mask,  a Champro Rampage Magnesium or the All Star titanium mask?  I have seen good prices on all of them from distributors I trust.  Help me out.

[boyinr]

I am partial to the FM25TI. Never had an issue with the double bars.  I have had mine for many years and the frame is still like new.  Loaded with LMX pads.  

[sd181612]

I like the look of the All-Star Mag.

[Stk004]

16 minutes ago, sd181612 said:

I like the look of the All-Star Mag.

I like the feel of the All-Star Mag 

[tpatience]

3 minutes ago, Stk004 said:

I like the feel of the All-Star Mag 

Aren’t you special? Basically stole that mask

[umpstu]

34 minutes ago, Stk004 said:

I like the feel of the All-Star Mag 

So have you worn this one and what makes it so good in your opinion?

[grk17]

1 hour ago, Stk004 said:

I like the feel of the All-Star Mag 

I got the chance to test drive the All Star Mag from a buddy of mine. Let me just second the fact that it feels amazing. The price however does not make you feel amazing 

[Thunderheads]

11 hours ago, umpstu said:

Your choice between an All Star magnesium mask,  a Champro Rampage Magnesium or the All Star titanium mask?  I have seen good prices on all of them from distributors I trust.  Help me out.

as Roger said, the All Star FM25Ti (or standard) double bar is not a problem because of the iBar flat frame in front.  It's a great piece, a real workhorse. I had one for 8 years before finally taking a foul ball of the front and bending it (one of many hits over the years).   The Rampage looks, good, and so does the FM4000 MAG.  Remember, All Star tests their own masks with their own air-cannon at 90-100mph ... no one else in the industry does that!   I know for sure, that I myself will be getting new MAG pads for my FM4000 standard (yes they fit) and guess what gentlemen .....  the come in 'graphite'!

[grk17]

3 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

as Roger said, the All Star FM25Ti (or standard) double bar is not a problem because of the iBar flat frame in front.  It's a great piece, a real workhorse. I had one for 8 years before finally taking a foul ball of the front and bending it (one of many hits over the years).   The Rampage looks, good, and so does the FM4000 MAG.  Remember, All Star tests their own masks with their own air-cannon at 90-100mph ... no one else in the industry does that!   I know for sure, that I myself will be getting new MAG pads for my FM4000 standard (yes they fit) and guess what gentlemen .....  the come in 'graphite'!

I can’t seem to find where replacement mag pads are sold. I can’t find them on All-Star’s website. 

[Thunderheads]

1 minute ago, grk17 said:

I can’t seem to find where replacement mag pads are sold. I can’t find them on All-Star’s website. 

SORRY!  You are correct, .... they're not online yet but they're working on it ....you can call them however and get them.  PFM4000MAG

[umpstu]

12 hours ago, grk17 said:

I got the chance to test drive the All Star Mag from a buddy of mine. Let me just second the fact that it feels amazing. The price however does not make you feel amazing 

When you say test drive, did you use one in a game or did you just try one on?

[Stk004]

45 minutes ago, Thunderheads said:

SORRY!  You are correct, .... they're not online yet but they're working on it ....you can call them however and get them.  PFM4000MAG

Any idea how much?

[Thunderheads]

7 minutes ago, Stk004 said:

Any idea how much?

PM SENT

[wolfe_man]

Does anyone know when the black FM4000 mag will be available?  I see the MLB umps with it, but don't see available to us yet.

[sd181612]

2 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

SORRY!  You are correct, .... they're not online yet but they're working on it ....you can call them however and get them.  PFM4000MAG

Do you mean these ones??!!! 

[grk17]

2 hours ago, umpstu said:

When you say test drive, did you use one in a game or did you just try one on?

I actually got to use it in a game. I umpired a high school JV game with my friend who had one and he let me use it for my game on the plate 

[Thunderheads]

Do you mean these ones??!!! 

Those!!!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[sd181612]

1 minute ago, Thunderheads said:

Those!!!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

*Heart skips a beat* Thanks @Thunderheads

[sd181612]

2 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

Does anyone know when the black FM4000 mag will be available?  I see the MLB umps with it, but don't see available to us yet.

I reached out to All-Star again, and they said that they were in talks with the factory and should have them in stock by September.

[umpstu]

44 minutes ago, grk17 said:

I actually got to use it in a game. I umpired a high school JV game with my friend who had one and he let me use it for my game on the plate 

Give me a review on sight lines, etc?

[grk17]

1 hour ago, umpstu said:

Give me a review on sight lines, etc?

The sight lines are surprisingly good given the thickness of the bars. As @Stk004 illustrated for all of us with his pics in a different thread on here, the bars are somewhat thick, especially if you’re used to wearing titanium. However, All-Star has dang near perfected the art of bar shaping, crafting the bars in a way that improves sight lines when looking through the mask and illuding your brain into thinking that the bars are not so thick. (regarding their experience with I-bar tech). Thus, the sight lines are very good once you get used to this. Additionally, the eye port is perfectly positioned so as to create an optimal sight line. So to answer your question about sight lines, I never had an issue with them. We have all heard about how light the mask is and how comfy the pads are so I’ll just leave those topics be. In conclusion, I was extremely satisfied with the mask and I’m so glad my friend was generous enough to let me try it out in the JV game we worked together. I just wish it wasn’t so gosh darn expensive or I’d buy one in a heartbeat. 

[umpstu]

16 minutes ago, grk17 said:

The sight lines are surprisingly good given the thickness of the bars. As @Stk004 illustrated for all of us with his pics in a different thread on here, the bars are somewhat thick, especially if you’re used to wearing titanium. However, All-Star has dang near perfected the art of bar shaping, crafting the bars in a way that improves sight lines when looking through the mask and illuding your brain into thinking that the bars are not so thick. (regarding their experience with I-bar tech). Thus, the sight lines are very good once you get used to this. Additionally, the eye port is perfectly positioned so as to create an optimal sight line. So to answer your question about sight lines, I never had an issue with them. We have all heard about how light the mask is and how comfy the pads are so I’ll just leave those topics be. In conclusion, I was extremely satisfied with the mask and I’m so glad my friend was generous enough to let me try it out in the JV game we worked together. I just wish it wasn’t so gosh darn expensive or I’d buy one in a heartbeat. 

Thanks for this.

[boyinr]

5 hours ago, grk17 said:

I actually got to use it in a game. I umpired a high school JV game with my friend who had one and he let me use it for my game on the plate 

That's a really good friend.  Could you wear a 6 stitch cap with it?  That's my only complaint with the steel version of the FM4000.  

[grk17]

23 minutes ago, boyinr said:

That's a really good friend.  Could you wear a 6 stitch cap with it?  That's my only complaint with the steel version of the FM4000.  

I actually couldn’t wear a 6 stitch with the stock all star top pad, at least not comfortably anyway. I actually replaced the top pad with a black TW pad that I had from another mask so as to create enough standoff distance to get a 6 stitch cap under there (I don’t even own a 4 stitch hat). That is one downside to the mask. 

[Stk004]

44 minutes ago, grk17 said:

I actually couldn’t wear a 6 stitch with the stock all star top pad, at least not comfortably anyway. I actually replaced the top pad with a black TW pad that I had from another mask so as to create enough standoff distance to get a 6 stitch cap under there (I don’t even own a 4 stitch hat). That is one downside to the mask. 

I'm glad the TW suggestion worked. When I put a memory foam pad on top the 6 stitch was feasible. Building off your point of a 6-stitch not being comfortable, it's not that it doesn't fit, it's just that I don't want the brim of my hat up against the bar. I don't even notice the thickness of the bars anymore, but it probably took two innings my first game to adjust to it.