Zero G Mask?

[AL-Ump]

I was looking for some plate shoes over at Purchase Officials and saw they are advertising a mask called the Zero G.

Last mask I heard that was called the Zero G was from Plus POS:

 

 

Just wondering if you all had seen this.....

AL-Ump

[wolfe_man]

Yes, someone else posted it as "Team Wendy mask" I believe. It's a Honig's K4, hollow steel, frame with Team Wendy pads of course.  I'm not sure why they're calling it the old +POS Zro-G (as in zero gravity) - it's odd for that naming convention to be used here.  It appears that Honig's has deeply discounted these frames recently (from $9.99-19.99), making me think that they're moving on from this frame so I'm guessing other retailers are picking them up cheap and slapping pads in them for an easier sale.  It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

[Ump242]

I tried to order from the recently, but their (pluspos) website doesn't work properly, I managed to get stuff in the cart and when tried to check out, nothing. Tried to call their number But it's just a direct number to an internet service.  I don't think that they are operating or if they are, they just don't realize their website isn't working properly.  I mean I would wonder why we weren't getting orders if I was them

[MadMax]

6 hours ago, Ump242 said:

I mean I would wonder why we weren't getting orders if I was them

242, I hate to break it to ya, but you're giving a report on a house fire years after the house has already burnt to the ground in a mighty blaze, and several of us were either witnessing it directly, or were trying to put out the inferno with what water pistols we could. 

+POS abandoned (retail) operations well before 2020... about, what say @wolfe_man, 2017? 2016?... Dan Parsons (the younger) tried to continue his father's innovations, and he showed some real potential (the ZRO-G mask and CP, and the Cobra CP), but ultimately, got in over his head. Then, he got caught up in a PayPal loophole (scam) exploited by several ne'er-do-wells who purchased with PayPal, then cancelled as soon as he shipped, with PayPal issuing a refund, but the products would be delivered and not returned. At that time, PayPal had no safeguards (for the vendor) on that. 

For that last span of time, Dan was only taking orders from customers known to him; thus, several of us had to either call or email him directly. Even then, it would be hit or miss as to if the products would be delivered. When they were delivered, they were as good-quality as we expected them to be. 

In the end, it wasn't enough. 

Several of us actually tried to figure out a way of getting the Cobra CP and the ZRO-G mask sold through other more reputable and reliable vendors, such as Ump-Attire. I genuinely wanted to obtain the planform for the ZRO-G and the MAG-T (bonded magnesium mask; very rare) masks, and "shop them around" to other vendors as lower priced alternatives to the wretched DynaLites (dipped masks suck). 

That Honig's K4 was always a good alternative, in its own right. Hollow steel, with huge (ie. forgiving) ear guards and the additional crown guard, the chisel XCG that would support just about everybody's dangling TG, and a very accommodating bowl shape that didn't feel cramped when you put any mask pads of your choosing in it. The frame was available in 3 finishes – black, silver... and... ahem... navy (now, why oh why would an umpire mask be made in navy?... still??!! Could it be a few holdout states??? Hmmmm???). Best yet, you the umpire-customer would be given the options to choose the frame, choose the pads (type and color) you wanted in the frame, and any of the additional accessories, and the whole thing would be bagged, boxed, and sent to you, exactly how you ordered it. +POS did the same thing with the ZRO-G, albeit you couldn't get the Team Wendy pads thru +POS like you could from Honig's. 

Yeah, how's that for customer service, Wil-slugs? 

+POS is gone. But... certainly not forgotten. I emphatically want (and hope) that those guys ( @Cavalier1948 and @Umpiresrock74 among others) who are doing pad retrofitting on Golds would get ahold of either the ZRO-G or Cobra CPs, and really examine how +POS did laminate foam, using technical mesh, closed cell foam, and open cell "sizing" foam to produce a highly effective foam vest that performed vastly better than a Wilson sofa cushion, and was (often) 1/3rd the cost!!!

[AL-Ump]

I think I may be one of the last people to receive an order from +POS.   I got the contact's phone number in May 2019 and arranged for a Black Zero G Mask.  Paid for it and it showed up the next week.  Easy peasy.  The pads on it were weird though.  They were like memory foam with moisture wicking material, but every time they compressed there was a crinkle sound - like you were folding a bag of chips.  I changed the pads to Honig's leather pads and still have the old ones in my Equipment pile.

Still have it as my back up mask.

[Ump242]

On 12/20/2023 at 9:23 PM, MadMax said:

242, I hate to break it to ya, but you're giving a report on a house fire years after the house has already burnt to the ground in a mighty blaze, and several of us were either witnessing it directly, or were trying to put out the inferno with what water pistols we could. 

+POS abandoned (retail) operations well before 2020... about, what say @wolfe_man, 2017? 2016?... Dan Parsons (the younger) tried to continue his father's innovations, and he showed some real potential (the ZRO-G mask and CP, and the Cobra CP), but ultimately, got in over his head. Then, he got caught up in a PayPal loophole (scam) exploited by several ne'er-do-wells who purchased with PayPal, then cancelled as soon as he shipped, with PayPal issuing a refund, but the products would be delivered and not returned. At that time, PayPal had no safeguards (for the vendor) on that. 

For that last span of time, Dan was only taking orders from customers known to him; thus, several of us had to either call or email him directly. Even then, it would be hit or miss as to if the products would be delivered. When they were delivered, they were as good-quality as we expected them to be. 

In the end, it wasn't enough. 

Several of us actually tried to figure out a way of getting the Cobra CP and the ZRO-G mask sold through other more reputable and reliable vendors, such as Ump-Attire. I genuinely wanted to obtain the planform for the ZRO-G and the MAG-T (bonded magnesium mask; very rare) masks, and "shop them around" to other vendors as lower priced alternatives to the wretched DynaLites (dipped masks suck). 

That Honig's K4 was always a good alternative, in its own right. Hollow steel, with huge (ie. forgiving) ear guards and the additional crown guard, the chisel XCG that would support just about everybody's dangling TG, and a very accommodating bowl shape that didn't feel cramped when you put any mask pads of your choosing in it. The frame was available in 3 finishes – black, silver... and... ahem... navy (now, why oh why would an umpire mask be made in navy?... still??!! Could it be a few holdout states??? Hmmmm???). Best yet, you the umpire-customer would be given the options to choose the frame, choose the pads (type and color) you wanted in the frame, and any of the additional accessories, and the whole thing would be bagged, boxed, and sent to you, exactly how you ordered it. +POS did the same thing with the ZRO-G, albeit you couldn't get the Team Wendy pads thru +POS like you could from Honig's. 

Yeah, how's that for customer service, Wil-slugs? 

+POS is gone. But... certainly not forgotten. I emphatically want (and hope) that those guys ( @Cavalier1948 and @Umpiresrock74 among others) who are doing pad retrofitting on Golds would get ahold of either the ZRO-G or Cobra CPs, and really examine how +POS did laminate foam, using technical mesh, closed cell foam, and open cell "sizing" foam to produce a highly effective foam vest that performed vastly better than a Wilson sofa cushion, and was (often) 1/3rd the cost!!!

F*#K

 

Well, I managed to get myself a hold of the all carbon fiber mask so I do have the original pads and original harness harness as well, But I was hoping to get a hold of the zero g mask

[Ump242]

On 12/20/2023 at 12:04 PM, wolfe_man said:

Yes, someone else posted it as "Team Wendy mask" I believe. It's a Honig's K4, hollow steel, frame with Team Wendy pads of course.  I'm not sure why they're calling it the old +POS Zro-G (as in zero gravity) - it's odd for that naming convention to be used here.  It appears that Honig's has deeply discounted these frames recently (from $9.99-19.99), making me think that they're moving on from this frame so I'm guessing other retailers are picking them up cheap and slapping pads in them for an easier sale.  It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

BTW the silver masks were $8 as of last week.  I picked 2 up. Steel construction I think, they feel heavier than aluminum, but lighter than the Wilson 26oz masks... I'd say 20ish oz...

 

No I'm not trying to suffocate myself in the last photo,  just showing size

[wolfe_man]

9 minutes ago, Ump242 said:

BTW the silver masks were $8 as of last week.  I picked 2 up. Steel construction I think, they feel heavier than aluminum, but lighter than the Wilson 26oz masks... I'd say 20ish oz...

 

No I'm not trying to suffocate myself in the last photo,  just showing size

They’re good frames, I’ve nothing bad to say, especially at that price!

[umpstu]

I remember +Pos being the first pair of plate and base shoes I ever owned. I think I used to order everything from them. They were the best place to get any umpire gear at the time and used to love wearing their long sleeve powder blue turtle neck shirt on the field. +Pos was an awesome retailer at the time. Feel kind of bad for Dan.

[catsbackr]

The original post show 2 different mask frames, one square and one round.

[umpstu]

3 hours ago, catsbackr said:

The original post show 2 different mask frames, one square and one round.

Wolfeman answered that the two square were actually the K-4 masks from Honigs with TW pads. He wasn't sure why they called it that.

The other pic was of the original, no longer available, ZROG mask that +POS used to sell.

[BT_Blue]

8 hours ago, umpstu said:

I remember +Pos being the first pair of plate and base shoes I ever owned. I think I used to order everything from them. They were the best place to get any umpire gear at the time and used to love wearing their long sleeve powder blue turtle neck shirt on the field. +Pos was an awesome retailer at the time. Feel kind of bad for Dan.

I honestly think that about half of us on here started with +POS gear. I know I did! I still remember having, and loving, the old school carbon fiber mask (2nd or so Gen... no melting risk even though at the time I didn't know that was even a thing). And still get a kick when I see one in the wild every so often.

I also really liked and wanted the Cobra CP! That thing looked amazing! But I always got scared away from the fact I wouldn't ever know if I would actually get the thing if I ordered it. I do remember Ray getting a hold of one. His reviews were mixed. But over all, positive.