The Great Debate: TW or Wilson Memory Foam

[cwbaseball11]

I need to get some new mask pads for a mask I inherited from a veteran. I am on a budget, and I wanted to know which are the best: Team Wendy pads or Wilson Memory Foam?

[SeeingEyeDog]

So Team Wendys are $43, Wilson Memory Foams are $38...if those are your 2 choices, I would go Team Wendy. However...

I think the All-Star LUC pads are superior to both of those pads...and they sell for $40.

What mask do you have? Compatibility is the #1 priority. If you tell us what mask you have, we can confirm which pads will work best with that mask because chances are someone here has that same rig...

~Dawg

[GreyhoundAggie]

6 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

So Team Wendys are $43, Wilson Memory Foams are $38...if those are your 2 choices, I would go Team Wendy. However...

I think the All-Star LUC pads are superior to both of those pads...and they sell for $40.

What mask do you have? Compatibility is the #1 priority. If you tell us what mask you have, we can confirm which pads will work best with that mask because chances are someone here has that same rig...

~Dawg

I second the All-Star LUC pads. Have them in my mask. Taken 3 shots this year and didn't get hurt. Really liking them. And they look slick.

[cwbaseball11]

Thank you! I have looked at the all stars as well. I believe the mask is a Diamond Big League Aluminum.

[Thunderheads]

39 minutes ago, GreyhoundAggie said:

I second the All-Star LUC pads. Have them in my mask. Taken 3 shots this year and didn't get hurt. Really liking them. And they look slick.

And for 5 more dollars .....you can get the MAG version of the LUC pads which also fit in any mask.

[Marcus6]

1) All star LUC or the FM4000 pads for the magnesium mask.  I really love the FM4000 deerskin pads as someone who never worn a tan pad for 20+ years I couldn't believe how much I loved them.  They are really nice.

2) TW

3) Wilson Memory Foam

Also feels better supporting smaller companies like AS or TW.

[wolfe_man]

Of the two mentioned, I 'd go TW over Memory Foam's.

I like the MAG LUC's, but they don't fit every mask well.  There are some frames I'd still go with TW over them.

[BT_Blue]

Ditto on all the above. All Star pads (either the LUC or even better the MAG pads). Then Team Wendy (note... they will get stiff in the cold before you start wearing them and warming them up). Then Wilson Memoey Foam.

[cwbaseball11]

https://ebasesloaded.com/all-star-luc-replacement-lightweight-mask-padding-pfm25luc.html

Are these what you are talking about?

[wolfe_man]

22 minutes ago, cwbaseball11 said:

https://ebasesloaded.com/all-star-luc-replacement-lightweight-mask-padding-pfm25luc.html

Are these what you are talking about?

No, those are the basic ones. We're talking about the MAG LUC pads.  They have a plastic blast plate in the chin pad to help soften impacts and to greater disperse the effects felt.  They're also more comfortable and cover more of your jawline.

 

 

You can buy here (Pads are $44.99 each and Free shipping starts at $99):

https://all-starsports.com/collections/helmet-parts/products/fm4000-magnesium-replacement-pads

 

Or here (Pads are $59.99 each and Free shipping starts at $129)

https://www.ump-attire.com/Baseball-Umpire-Equipment/Gear-Footwear/Replacement-Mask-Pads-Straps/?page=1&perpage=36&cat=37&orderby=price desc&brand=&search=

[BT_Blue]

16 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

Or here (Pads are $59.99 each and Free shipping starts at $129)

https://www.ump-attire.com/Baseball-Umpire-Equipment/Gear-Footwear/Replacement-Mask-Pads-Straps/?page=1&perpage=36&cat=37&orderby=price desc&brand=&search=

And you can believe me when I say... it isn't HARD to get to that $129 mark! Lol

Great thing about UA is that they also have free returns. So get stuff to make it to $130 that you are interested and want to look at. Then return what you don't want at that time and keep the pads. You won't regret it.

[GreyhoundAggie]

4 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

And for 5 more dollars .....you can get the MAG version of the LUC pads which also fit in any mask.

I lied. I have the MAG version. The grey and black. Looks really good with the pro black umpires shirts.

[SeeingEyeDog]

10 hours ago, cwbaseball11 said:

Thank you! I have looked at the all stars as well. I believe the mask is a Diamond Big League Aluminum.

Hey brothers, is anyone using this mask who could offer comment on what pads they are using and why?

~Dawg

[BT_Blue]

12 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Hey brothers, is anyone using this mask who could offer comment on what pads they are using and why?

~Dawg

I went from a set of two-tone Wilson wrap around pads to Team Wendy to Wilson Memory to back to Team Wendy. Any pad will work with these except the Force3.

My personal favorite, as stated above, is the All Star MAG pads. I would use those on just about anything.

[SeeingEyeDog]

3 minutes ago, BT_Blue said:

I went from a set of two-tone Wilson wrap around pads to Team Wendy to Wilson Memory to back to Team Wendy. Any pad will work with these except the Force3.

My personal favorite, as stated above, is the All Star MAG pads. I would use those on just about anything.

Ok @cwbaseball11, here you go...no charge, brother! 🙃

~Dawg

[BT_Blue]

Those two tone pads were great. At the time my Diamond was still that silver/pewter color they did when the mask first came out. I dumped the Diamond pads (they sucked then, they suck now, and I'm betting they always will suck) and put the Wilson's on. At least 2 to 4 times a week, I would have different umpires ask me if it was a Wilson Titanium! Lol

[Scotty_Ump]

On 5/8/2021 at 1:53 PM, Scotty_Ump said:

I've been a steady Wilson wrap-around guy for years as my go-to "cold weather" leather pads.

@wolfe_man's mask post 2 weeks ago inspired me to try deerskin LUCs in my Diamond. They fit well and I'm even happier with the feel!

LUCs are a step up from Wilson, IMO. Until I held both pads side-by-side when I took out the wrap-arounds to replace with the LUCs, I never realized how thin those wrap-around pads are!  

From an aesthetics POV, the split-front Velcro bothered me a little when I first installed the bottom pad. But I conquered my OCD and figured it's a small price to pay the improved feel and protection. I appreciate All-Star keeping their logo off the bottom pad and only adding a discrete logo on the top pad Velcro (**cough** Wilson **cough**).

The only drawback from a retail standpoint is that you have to purchase the All-Star black MAG mask to get All-Star's vintage dark tan deerskin LUCs that look like brown antique leather. The replacement deerskin pads are a lighter, more "yellow" tan - though still darker than Honig's calf skin pads. I would have preferred buying the vintage dark tan LUCs but I couldn't find them anywhere sold separately.

 

 

@cwbaseball11 - In 2021 I went with LUCs (over Team Wendy) for my Diamond and loved them. They’re 100% worth the cost, fit the mask perfectly and look great.

[boyinr]

On 3/21/2023 at 9:38 PM, SeeingEyeDog said:

Hey brothers, is anyone using this mask who could offer comment on what pads they are using and why?

~Dawg

I have used everything from Wilson Wrap-arounds, Wilson Two-toned, Team Wendy's, and All-Star FM25 LUC's.  I have not used the FM4000 MAG pads in this frame.  I gave my Diamond BL away yesterday to a guy lost his all his gear yesterday (container bin fell out of his truck ☹️).  I will miss that frame but, he was a friend in need.