Mizuno Silver Samurai G4 Umpire Helmet

[JimKirk]

Mizuno Silver Samurai G4 Umpire Helmet

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[MadMax]

Uhm, @JimKirk? This doesn't link to an article, it merely links to a video of Ty putting a Samurai on and taking it off. 

While I'm impressed with and appreciative of UmpAttire now carrying the Mizuno Samurai HSM, there are some important characteristics to it to point out: 

• The Force3 Defender V2 HSM aside (because it has the active spring-suspension cage on it), the Samurai has probably the most volume of forehead padding in the crown of any HSM on the market. These things are tremendously comfortable and protective. 
• Mizuno does not do a (cheap) gloss version. It's a "softer", less glitzy matte finish. 
• The cage is incredibly strong, and that is due not only to welding, but very well-thought-out bar layout. I have rarely, if ever, seen a bent cage on a Mizuno Samurai. 
• Like nearly every other HSM, the Samurai is a catcher's mask, first and foremost. As such, they are not very roomy, and do not have a generous head/neck opening. This is to allow a catcher to throw with minimal hinderance while the mask is on & worn, not for an umpire's comfort in taking it on and off. 
• The All-Star MVP HSMs and the Mizuno Samurai HSMs employ two noticeably different design methodologies. The All-Star has a "vertical prow", while Mizuno has a "raked (back) prow". You can see it in the cages. Is one better than the other? Hard to say, as both have been used in MLB and other high levels of baseball. The only reason we don't see the Samurai as often in college baseball has to do with "brand packaging", as Mizuno usually takes a further-back seat to American brands such as Nike, Adidas, UnderArmour, Easton, and All-Star. 
• One of the shortcomings of the Mizuno Samurai is that it is the North American Mizuno Samurai 🇺🇸🇨🇦, and not its cousin Japanese Mizuno Samurai 🇯🇵. Why is this important? The Mizuno-of-Japan Samurai has a "floating chin" section, connected to the main chassis with a Delrin rod. Delrin is an engineered plastic – Polyoxymethylene – which has above-average stiffness and resistance to deformation and cracking. This means it can act like a tuning fork, or dampener, if and when the chin is impacted... which happens often (enough) to umpires. This floating chin is not present on the Mizuno-of-North America Samurai, instead with the shell being wholly one piece.