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Potential Bucket Alternative?


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This year was my first year using a bucket, All Star System 7 2500.  While I felt more protected, I didn't really like it.  I felt confined; restricted even.  Every time I took it off, the lower pads would rub my cheeks.  Not a very good feeling.  I didn't have any visibility issues whatsoever.  Writing notes was irritating, because I didn't want my helmet on the ground and refused to sit it on my head like a football player.  I also felt that a belt clip would just be one more item to keep track of.  I like the skull cap idea, and had already started looking at skull cap options to wear with my mask.  Then I saw the Unequal Uncap.  It's pricier than a skull cap, buy may be an option.  I'd have the look of a traditional hat with substantially more protection.  Has anyone tried it?

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Well....I guess it's something. I have no idea how much actual protection it's giving you, but it beats a cloth ha without the side-eyes you might get from other umpires for a skull cap (which I have no problem with - but you know how people are).

Still won't do a thing for protecting the ear/jaw area

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39 minutes ago, scrounge said:

Well....I guess it's something. I have no idea how much actual protection it's giving you, but it beats a cloth ha without the side-eyes you might get from other umpires for a skull cap (which I have no problem with - but you know how people are).

Still won't do a thing for protecting the ear/jaw area

It is actually an insert which you place in your cap.  https://unequal.com/uncap-baseball/

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  • 6 months later...
On 8/3/2018 at 12:37 PM, Go Navy Beat Army said:

This year was my first year using a bucket, All Star System 7 2500.  While I felt more protected, I didn't really like it.  I felt confined; restricted even.  Every time I took it off, the lower pads would rub my cheeks.  Not a very good feeling.  I didn't have any visibility issues whatsoever.  Writing notes was irritating, because I didn't want my helmet on the ground and refused to sit it on my head like a football player.  I also felt that a belt clip would just be one more item to keep track of.  I like the skull cap idea, and had already started looking at skull cap options to wear with my mask.  Then I saw the Unequal Uncap.  It's pricier than a skull cap, buy may be an option.  I'd have the look of a traditional hat with substantially more protection.  Has anyone tried it?

image.png

Yes. I want to wear this on my head the WHOLE GAME! I wonder how many times my cap will come off when I remove my mask?

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/2/2019 at 7:25 PM, UMP45 said:

Yes. I want to wear this on my head the WHOLE GAME! I wonder how many times my cap will come off when I remove my mask?

Never know til you try.

If it wasn't $60, I'd be down to try one. I know some MLB catchers use similar things inside their helmets (Russell Martin comes to mind), so if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me to at least test. Maybe once I get some game fees in my pocket I'll try one.

I'm down to try anything that'll stop me from getting concussed because that is not a fun experience.

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1 hour ago, MikeSafari said:

Never know til you try.

If it wasn't $60, I'd be down to try one. I know some MLB catchers use similar things inside their helmets (Russell Martin comes to mind), so if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me to at least test. Maybe once I get some game fees in my pocket I'll try one.

I'm down to try anything that'll stop me from getting concussed because that is not a fun experience.

I keep thinking we need to start a fund where we can have folks try stuff and review it impartially.   If we each paid like $5 for an impartial review of products, then we could get real feedback instead of having to wonder what if or splurge and buy it ourselves.  

In this case, 12 of us interested could put $5 in and then one of us test it and provide real feedback. It could be a round robin or wheel-type of group so that everyone gets a chance to test something out and keep an item.  Or we can say all who agree to test must sell the item and use those funds to help with the next purchase or something. Just a thought.

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37 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

I keep thinking we need to start a fund where we can have folks try stuff and review it impartially.   If we each paid like $5 for an impartial review of products, then we could get real feedback instead of having to wonder what if or splurge and buy it ourselves.  

In this case, 12 of us interested could put $5 in and then one of us test it and provide real feedback. It could be a round robin or wheel-type of group so that everyone gets a chance to test something out and keep an item.  Or we can say all who agree to test must sell the item and use those funds to help with the next purchase or something. Just a thought.

I'd certainly be in for that. And I'd want serious gear junkies (which excludes myself, for the record) to be the ones to use them in live-ball situations. 

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What would be better is to start a YouTube channel: Umpire Gear Talk or something. Get enough followers and manufacturers will be clamoring to send gear to the people doing the channel -- for free!

If you had two or three guys at different levels of experience and baseball (newer guy doing your local rec leagues, one with 5-10 years of experience doing high school, and one with 10+ doing college level) who get to test the equipment and then do a panel-type production, you'll draw a bigger crowd, too.

The biggest issue would be the number of products to the number of games. Unless you're umpiring 5-6 days a week, it's going to be very hard to get a true review completed - 1 or 2 games may not be enough. So, either make that a preface ("I only tried this on my double header last night...") or require a certain amount of use.

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11 minutes ago, yawetag said:

What would be better is to start a YouTube channel: Umpire Gear Talk or something. Get enough followers and manufacturers will be clamoring to send gear to the people doing the channel -- for free!

If you had two or three guys at different levels of experience and baseball (newer guy doing your local rec leagues, one with 5-10 years of experience doing high school, and one with 10+ doing college level) who get to test the equipment and then do a panel-type production, you'll draw a bigger crowd, too.

The biggest issue would be the number of products to the number of games. Unless you're umpiring 5-6 days a week, it's going to be very hard to get a true review completed - 1 or 2 games may not be enough. So, either make that a preface ("I only tried this on my double header last night...") or require a certain amount of use.

Great idea!   Now we just need to find someone who knows 3 guys and has some spare time and ambition.

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2 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

Great idea!   Now we just need to find someone who knows 3 guys and has some spare time and ambition.

 

52 minutes ago, BT_Blue said:

@wolfe_man where was this idea 5 years ago? I would have been both interested and ambitious enough. Now I am only interested. Lol

But I love the idea. Especially with stuff like gear from +POS (*cough cough choke* Cobra)!

If there was only someone who did an umpire podcast... 

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11 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I keep thinking we need to start a fund where we can have folks try stuff and review it impartially.   If we each paid like $5 for an impartial review of products, then we could get real feedback instead of having to wonder what if or splurge and buy it ourselves.  

In this case, 12 of us interested could put $5 in and then one of us test it and provide real feedback. It could be a round robin or wheel-type of group so that everyone gets a chance to test something out and keep an item.  Or we can say all who agree to test must sell the item and use those funds to help with the next purchase or something. Just a thought.

Great idea!  I'd throw in $5 via PayPal to someone to test this out.  Way better than ponying up $60, not liking it, having to deal with returns (and out the shipping), etc.

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18 hours ago, JSam21 said:

If there was only someone who did an umpire podcast... 

But in fairness, it's not like you guys are big gear junkies.

You had a show talking about gear. It went something like this: "I use the West Vest gold." "Yeah, me too" "Yeah, me too".

I did suggest you get @MadMax on your show to really talk about gear.

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9 minutes ago, kylehutson said:

But in fairness, it's not like you guys are big gear junkies.

You had a show talking about gear. It went something like this: "I use the West Vest gold." "Yeah, me too" "Yeah, me too".

I did suggest you get @MadMax on your show to really talk about gear.

Honestly, if we had a group... I'd want Max to be our main tester.  Not that others don't have the gear-knowledge and experience too, but he has the ability to put the details into words. 

There used to be a guy who did the independent reviews, but then he stopped for some reason.  Pete Reiser I think was his name on blogspot called Midwest Ump.  Although, I do think we can expand on what he offered, it was useful to get more than just the normal manufacturer's marketing details when making a purchase.

 

And to bring this thing full circle, I want to try something like this Unequal cap insert.  I wish that our local/state associations would offer some kind of a discount with the gear places on protective equipment.   You make us take training to recognize concussion symptoms, but then you do nothing to help us prevent them.  They (state) offers insurance if we get hurt, but then don't take preventative measures.  Must be government or something... :HS  (For the record, I am aware that we are independent contractors.)

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On 3/13/2019 at 1:24 PM, yawetag said:

What would be better is to start a YouTube channel: Umpire Gear Talk or something. Get enough followers and manufacturers will be clamoring to send gear to the people doing the channel -- for free!

If you had two or three guys at different levels of experience and baseball (newer guy doing your local rec leagues, one with 5-10 years of experience doing high school, and one with 10+ doing college level) who get to test the equipment and then do a panel-type production, you'll draw a bigger crowd, too.

The biggest issue would be the number of products to the number of games. Unless you're umpiring 5-6 days a week, it's going to be very hard to get a true review completed - 1 or 2 games may not be enough. So, either make that a preface ("I only tried this on my double header last night...") or require a certain amount of use.

When the season really gets going I don't think there will be a lack of guys doing 5-6 games a week.....or even in a weekend when things warm up sufficiently locally.

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8 hours ago, kylehutson said:

But in fairness, it's not like you guys are big gear junkies.

You had a show talking about gear. It went something like this: "I use the West Vest gold." "Yeah, me too" "Yeah, me too".

I did suggest you get @MadMax on your show to really talk about gear.

You’re correct... I’m not a huge gear junkie because I don’t have the disposable income or space to just have gear laying around. I a guy that finds something that I like and stick with it. It isn’t really like we can demo chest protectors. 

 

That being said, I really want to try the Force 3 line of gear. Either the CP or shins will be my next purchase. 

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I broke down and ordered the UnCap (figured it was less than an emergency room visit and only two co-pays to my primary care doc).  I got a 15% coupon code to use "THANKS15" in case anyone is interested in ordering.  I'll share my review on here when I receive it and use it.  Ended up being $56.95 shipped via regular delivery.

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Another alternative - and half the price - is the smaller version of it. Only $29.95 and protects the front of the head where you are getting impacted by the mask's recoil.

From the website:

Benefits

Slim protection!

  • Serious, concealed protection
  • Reduces risk of head injury
  • Protects against comebacks, bad bounces, tough fly balls
  • With added protection comes more confidence
  • The best part: no one knows you’re wearing it
  • Does not change your hat size!

Best Suited For: Baseball

Features

Military grade!

  • Uses FlexShell™ technology w/ Unequal TriDur® aramid fabric
  • Fits comfortably under virtually any ball cap
  • NURO® technology insures effective protection
  • Absorbs, disperse, deflects impact force
  • One-size-fits-all, low-profile flexibility
  • Ultralight, ultra-thin
  • Strong, easy-stick adhesive for stable placement
  • Medical Assurance Policy available

image.thumb.png.72ea75d0b03d5d0e5097edcdeae04775.png

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