New Custom Douglas CP

[Biggun]

I’ve been in contact with Jeff Cook at Douglas and I am about to pull the trigger on a new CP.

I’d like to ask about the fit of the Douglas…I had the Cobalt and loved it except it wasn’t as wide at the shoulder caps as I needed.

I’ve been using the WV Memory Foam XL and it fits good across shoulders…

So will the 15” Douglas fit similar to the WV or should I see about asking Jeff to extend the shoulder caps?

 

[MadMax]

While I respect and commend Douglas for keeping their gear “Made in the USA”, I can only take them serious if/when they finally walk away from upholstery foam (Qualux) skinned in nylon.

There’s more foams, there’s better foams, there’s less bulky foams, there’s more better less bulky foams. What’s good (and cheap) for lounging one’s rump on for a day of binge-watching some Streams doesn’t cut it for 2-4 plate games on a steamy Saturday. 

Until then, I’m out. 

#BuildMeUpButtercupJust2LetMeDown

[wolfe_man]

The 15" Douglas is wide at the shoulders, similar to a WV.   It'll probably still be thinner than the WV memory foam also.  I too hated the Cobalt's shoulders, but the Douglas has always fit me well.  For reference, I'm 5-11 225 lbs and wear XL shirts, 46-48R jackets.   The Cobalt just never fit my shoulders well enough to keep it, so I either use the All Star CPU4000 aka System 7, a WV Gold L/XL or a Schutt/Adams HD XV.  I mostly am using the CPU4000 right now, but I really liked the Frankenstein mod of a WV Gold plates on an Adams/Schutt HD XV pad jacket.  It's super low profile, has holes to help cool you down on hot days and still offers solid protection.  I wore one like that all summer last year and heartily recommend it.

As Max has indicated above, it is still using the foam so it'll be warm in the summer - but they all are - with maybe one or two exceptions (and I sweat crazy in them too).  The Douglas with added shoulder gap protection is one of my favorite chest protectors out there.   It's safe (hard shell), fits well to your body relatively fast (especially when using an UmpLife CP harness), is low profile - AND still costs less than a new F3 V3 CP with the mod done by Douglas!

Short answer: Douglas CP is wide enough at shoulders for practically every user and you should not need to modify it. 

 

[Biggun]

Thanks for the insight.

 

[SeeingEyeDog]

@Biggun, those two are also my current CPs. The fit through the shoulders on both is very similar stock from the manufacturer with no modifications. I will say that the whole reason I bought the Douglas is because I needed something that was longer top to bottom because I was taking a lot of pitches to the gut. Initially, I pivoted to the Adams/Schutt which had a velcro belly pad below the main chest plate. It was the ideal CP for me in terms of fit, coverage, protection, ventilation and price. But then, one night a pitch bounced in the dirt and hit one of the plastic, side release buckles and broke the buckle. I think it was the 3rd time I wore it. I contacted Adams/Schutt and they could not have been any less interested in helping me. I even offered to pay them to repair it, nevermind that it should have been warrantied! I sold it to @wolfe_man, who Frankenstein-ed it to his own liking. I have since learned that yes, the buckles on the Adams/Schutt CP are not mounted properly but, can easily be moved back so they will not be hit by wayward pitches. Oh well...lesson learned.

I stayed with the stock side buckles on the Douglas. Most guys seem to prefer to upgrade it from factory with T-Hooks. To each his own, I have torn up way too many uniform shirts on those stupid T-Hooks. It's a problem on my Wilson WV Gold, too. The stock Douglas side release buckles are located behind me so, they are not in danger of being damaged when worn properly.

But, the one modification I did opt for from Douglas were the gap flaps. This is a small, thin yet flexible, plastic plate that provides an extra layer of protection between the shoulder cap and the chest plate...the collar bone area. The charge was $30 and well worth it. I have worn many pitches there and have had zero pain or discomfort. I would not buy or wear a Douglas without it. If it has already shipped out, tell Jeff you want the gap plates added and ship it back to have them do it. Last April, inclusive of shipping, gap plates and tax, I paid $256 and they had it to me in a week.

It is my daily driver for all games now. I keep my Wilson WV Gold merely as a backup in case the Douglas has a problem. Again, I am very, very happy with my Douglas.

~Dawg