Classic gear

[concertman1971]

Ok, so I got a package in the mail from a buddy of mine. Inside is some vintage (CoughCough) gear. Anyone want to see it???

Any guesses as to what it is?

[wolfe_man]

Carlucci? I want to see it.

[concertman1971]

14 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

Carlucci? I want to see it.

After looking at it, I am pretty sure this one has never seen a pitch!! 

[concertman1971]

[concertman1971]

Pic 2

[concertman1971]

Pic3

[concertman1971]

[concertman1971]

[concertman1971]

[concertman1971]

This thing is a blast from the past. The craftsmanship is top notch, while still being rudimentary. (Not a knock, just reality). It truly is amazing. Putting it on, is like it was (almost) made for me. 

If someone here is interested,  let me know. A friend of mine was given this year's ago, it doesn't fit him and he is willing to sell. 

[BT_Blue]

Good ol Cece! The most expensive phone call I ever made (and I didn't even buy anything!) Lol

[MadMax]

On 1/5/2024 at 4:33 PM, concertman1971 said:

Oh my great giddy aunt, what a beaaauuuuuuuuuty. 

Those were the days, when hand-made meant something special. 

 

[BT_Blue]

On 2/13/2024 at 8:41 PM, MadMax said:

Oh my great giddy aunt, what a beaaauuuuuuuuuty. 

Those were the days, when hand-made meant something special. 

 

The one piece of gear I wish I could have gotten in on in my more youthful days. But the price tag didn't lend well to a student/"staving artist" level of income (or lack there of if I am telling the truth )

[concertman1971]

So, I had the chance to wear this classic with my plate coat twice this spring. WOW. 

It fit me like a glove. Lowest profile of all. Even got some comments from my partners about how low pro it is. Felt like i was wearing a custom made piece of equipment, and I was. 

Now, it is made of leather and vinyl, and the CP has no air channel, no fancy lettering for the pad inside, and almost nothing is removeable. However, will I wear it again, most definitely. Will i wear it in a game when the temp is above about 75degrees, no way.

I will say that in the plate coat and the Carlucci, I walked on the field feeling like i had to perform at the highest level i could.

With great gear comes great responsibilities.

 

[The Man in Blue]

I know that is a Holy Grail and this is going to sound like sacrilege: it just doesn't impress by look.  How protective is it?

[concertman1971]

12 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

I know that is a Holy Grail and this is going to sound like sacrilege: it just doesn't impress by look.  How protective is it?

Didn't take a shot. Felt protected though. It has a different feel up around the neck/collar bone for me as I wear the S7. It was pulled up tight and seemed to offer full coverage. Kid on the bump is committed to Vandy and was at 92-95 all night.

[The Man in Blue]

I was particularly wondering about the collarbone, as it doesn't look like it conforms very much there.  Looks like a whole lot of open space.

[wolfe_man]

These are pretty thick padded, gentlemen.  Even though there is no plastic there, the padding is thick enough to stop a baseball from hurting you. 

Ted Barrett (and others) wore one of these as his main chest protector until he retired last year.  If he trusted it at that level, then I'm pretty confident that it'll stand up to what we can put it through.

[MadMax]

On 2/18/2024 at 8:27 PM, The Man in Blue said:

How protective is it?

Quite. Its strength lies in its density, and its main allure is the bespoke / commissioned nature of its construction. CeCe would actually make this for you, to your dimensions. There’s no “second impact”, which results when the CP is worn loose, or not conforming to you, and the impacting energy contacts the CP, driving it like a knockerball against your body. This was one of the chief shortcomings of the Force3 UnEqual V1… it was produced “one size fits all”, so many would wear it loose. Then, it lacked the density of the Carlucci, instead relying (solely, in the V1) on the Kevlar for energy absorption. This is a failure to (fully) understand how Kevlar functions. 

On 2/19/2024 at 11:54 AM, wolfe_man said:

Ted Barrett (and others) wore one of these as his main chest protector until he retired last year.  If he trusted it at that level

Ted Barrett was a champion bare-knuckled boxer, and an ordained pastor/minister. His trust is in Someone Higher, and I’m sure his tolerance of an impact is much different than many of us. 

On that theme, I think these latest generations of people – not just umpires, specifically – are way too soft and sensitive. Pain management is part of the game. Enduring and overcoming it is part of the success. We’ve fostered an entire generation (or, I can argue, two) of people whose only “pain” from activity is sore thumbs. We should absolutely employ technology (ie. advanced materials, construction, and fit) to reduce pain, but we cannot continue to tolerate unrealistic expectations of “no pain whatsoever”. 

On 2/18/2024 at 7:31 PM, concertman1971 said:

fit me like a glove. Lowest profile of all. Even got some comments from my partners about how low pro it is.

The entire reason I bought a Schutt AiR Flex I as my first “real” CP is because I had used and trusted a set of Schutt shoulder pads for football, wherein I was a wide receiver & kick returner. I wanted the sleekest pads I could get. Besides, I had also been a catcher, and a goalie, and wanted the lightest, most ventilated gear available. My expectations have never been failed by any of the three Schutts I’ve owned & used ( AiR Flex I, II, and D3O -equipped XV). They’ve allowed me to wear a Large shirt on plate _&_ bases, as well as a “true” -sized plate coat. 44 Long. Fits perfectly, and hands down the best ventilated CP on the market. 

Is a Schutt perfect, or ideal, for every umpire? No. But is it itself capable at the Major League level? Absolutely yes. 

[GerryB]

3 hours ago, MadMax said:

On that theme, I think these latest generations of people – not just umpires, specifically – are way too soft and sensitive. Pain management is part of the game. Enduring and overcoming it is part of the success. We’ve fostered an entire generation (or, I can argue, two) of people whose only “pain” from activity is sore thumbs. We should absolutely employ technology (ie. advanced materials, construction, and fit) to reduce pain, but we cannot continue to tolerate unrealistic expectations of “no pain whatsoever”. 

As a mentor said to me in my early years, "Good equipment isn't made to stop the pain, it is made to keep you from going to the hospital".

[BT_Blue]

Living in CA and being about a 8 hour drive from Cece in Windsor, CA it was not easy convincing myself that I really didn't have the money to drive there and get fitted in person. Lol