+POS chest protector

[concertman1971]

Ok, so I picked this up for $10 +shipping. Did not realize that it is brand new, and it appears to  ever have been worn. Only marks look like they are from storage. It is going to a local shop to have the vinyl removed and replaced with a breathable liner. Tried it on. I am 6'4 and this baby has coverage for days. I really want to wear it tonight for my game, but it is too hot and humid here in TN. 

[umpstu]

Grab the umplife harness.  You'll love it.  It is so weird to not have to adjust your chest protector during a game and takes some getting used to.  Same with the mask harness.  Both top notch products.

[catsbackr]

I had one.  Those things are an absolute furnace in the TN summer!

 

[Scissors]

What material are you going to replace the vinyl with? I'm thinking of doing the same to my Vsport.

[concertman1971]

1 hour ago, Scissors said:

What material are you going to replace the vinyl with? I'm thinking of doing the same to my Vsport.

Going to see a guy I know who does sewing. I'm hoping to use something like a heavyweight golf shirt material. 

[MadMax]

18 hours ago, concertman1971 said:

I really want to wear it tonight for my game,

If you wear this, you must bellow “Saaaaaaaaiiiiiiiii!!!” for a strike, like a real samurai would!

Holy crap, @wolfe_man and @The Short Umpire, lookit all the rivets!!! I don’t think there’s enough Chicago Screws in the free market to replace ‘em all! That’s the reason why this thing was so heavy, @BT_Blue, it’s all the fastener hardware! 

Concert, if each of those shiny rivets (not the black ones holding the scales together) represent a fastening of the carapace (hard plastic) to the padding jacket (vinyl-skinned torso), please let us (gear geeks) know, and we’ll devise a solution involving a better system. You’ll want to (almost have to, actually) kill rivets holding the pad to the carapace, so that not only can you re-skin the pad freely and completely, but you can also remove it later to launder the pad. 

I’d also recommend separating the pectoral wings and using Velcro to reattach, so you can reposition them... or maybe use a thinner one from a different CP such as a Schutt-Adams or Wilson...

[MadMax]

16 hours ago, umpstu said:

Grab the umplife harness.

Oh! If you do this, @concertman1971, we’re going to have to develop a D-ring loop solution for you to install on the trailing edge of the shoulder-arch plates. +POS may have had the foresight to use 1.5” side-release buckles, but he (it was a guy at +POS, I know him) unfortunately hard-attached the 1” yoke straps with rivets. Those gotta go. 

[wolfe_man]

37 minutes ago, MadMax said:

If you wear this, you must bellow “Saaaaaaaaiiiiiiiii!!!” for a strike, like a real samurai would!

Holy crap, @wolfe_man and @The Short Umpire, lookit all the rivets!!! I don’t think there’s enough Chicago Screws in the free market to replace ‘em all! That’s the reason why this thing was so heavy, @BT_Blue, it’s all the fastener hardware! 

Concert, if each of those shiny rivets (not the black ones holding the scales together) represent a fastening of the carapace (hard plastic) to the padding jacket (vinyl-skinned torso), please let us (gear geeks) know, and we’ll devise a solution involving a better system. You’ll want to (almost have to, actually) kill rivets holding the pad to the carapace, so that not only can you re-skin the pad freely and completely, but you can also remove it later to launder the pad. 

I’d also recommend separating the pectoral wings and using Velcro to reattach, so you can reposition them... or maybe use a thinner one from a different CP such as a Schutt-Adams or Wilson...

I really wish that we had a place that made new jackets for our CP's.   I dislike spending $225-250 on a new Wilson Gold 2 just to get the new memory foam padding when my plastic is still working fine and doesn't need replaced.  I just need a new thinner jacket.  And I would create my own with foam, but need a new lining if I did that, which I don't have a way of creating.

[concertman1971]

@wolfe_man @MadMax @The Short Umpire adding @tpatience just for fun! Pics of the process for sure. When I get it apart, I will post the inside pics. I love the idea of velcro on the shoulders. Also, I do not see the need for the vinyl wrapped "wings". Just attach em!

[concertman1971]

Couple of pics for you gear heads as I take this apart. 

1. 3 layers of protection inside. 2 thin dense layers, 1 layer of sofa Cushion 

2. Rivets. Not Chicago screws. 

3. Glue. Lots and lots of glue. 

4. Stitching. Like the glue, there is a lot of it. 

My idea is to split the chest padding in to 2 parts, left and right, System 7 style. Thinking of using hex pad instead of the sofa cushion, then using velcro to attach the pads the the plates. This should allow for some air flow. So all (most?) of the metal rivets would go away. 

Thoughts? 

[wolfe_man]

I like the hex idea and Velcro. Just make sure to get industrial strength Velcro.

[Stan W.]

I had one of these...( a long time ago) back when everything I wore was +POS)  absolutely excellent protection..... a regular furnace!..... used it for a few years, sold it......saw it last year still in service.....  

[BT_Blue]

On 6/10/2022 at 8:00 AM, MadMax said:

If you wear this, you must bellow “Saaaaaaaaiiiiiiiii!!!” for a strike, like a real samurai would!

Holy crap, @wolfe_man and @The Short Umpire, lookit all the rivets!!! I don’t think there’s enough Chicago Screws in the free market to replace ‘em all! That’s the reason why this thing was so heavy, @BT_Blue, it’s all the fastener hardware! 

Concert, if each of those shiny rivets (not the black ones holding the scales together) represent a fastening of the carapace (hard plastic) to the padding jacket (vinyl-skinned torso), please let us (gear geeks) know, and we’ll devise a solution involving a better system. You’ll want to (almost have to, actually) kill rivets holding the pad to the carapace, so that not only can you re-skin the pad freely and completely, but you can also remove it later to launder the pad. 

I’d also recommend separating the pectoral wings and using Velcro to reattach, so you can reposition them... or maybe use a thinner one from a different CP such as a Schutt-Adams or Wilson...

Not a single zip-tie in sight either! 

[MadMax]

I’m posting this quick, and will discuss more details later… 

This second photo is the true magic of D3O. Schutt sandwiched it in a laminate with a Moisture Transport membrane and some open lattice foam. And when they shoot a pattern of 10mm holes in it, that not only decreases weight (marginal, but still), but increases surface area to allow moisture to evaporate! 

The problem that befalls +POS, Champion, and Champro is that in order to reduce thickness of the foam (stand-off distance), they have to increase density. At some point, the primary foam switches from open cell to closed cell, and when not a dynamic foam (such as D3O), it just becomes a moisture wall. By contrast, Douglas and Wilson haven’t budged off open-cell upholstery foam, which may allow for a lighter dry weight, but in-use, just becomes sodden with moisture and traps heat! 

Your approach of segmenting the foam jacket – alá All-Star – is ideal; however, I’m going to advocate for going one step better… tracking down and/or constructing your/our own laminate foam. 

[BT_Blue]

On 6/27/2022 at 4:56 PM, MadMax said:

tracking down and/or constructing your/our own laminate foam. 

This is not as hard as one might think. There are plenty of places that deal with large pieces of that just trash their scraps. I once had grandiose plans to do this with Mt AA before I got the Cobalt prototype.