At Face Value (Magnesium Masks & Other Things)

[BLWizzRanger]

24 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

I've now taken 4 mask shots to my Mirage with Cloud4 pads... no ill effects.  ...

 

Note: My setup does include a skull cap, which I also recommend.  I am confident that using a skull cap has saved me at least one concussion over the last few years. I also find it a bit cooler and don't have to keep buying plate hats now.

I have only one shot with this setup (Mirage, Cloud4 pads, and skull cap) and have the same experience with them.  Cooler?  I could argue not so.  I found that I needed to and should remove my helmet in between innings.  There is a very noticeable difference, I have experience mid game, between temperatures of wearing the helmet vice not wearing it.  Its not something I am looking to change, but, it is something that I take into account.

[wolfe_man]

7 minutes ago, BLWizzRanger said:

  Cooler?  I could argue not so.  I found that I needed to and should remove my helmet in between innings.  There is a very noticeable difference, I have experience mid game, between temperatures of wearing the helmet vice not wearing it.  Its not something I am looking to change, but, it is something that I take into account.

Interesting. I often remove my hat between innings, but I did that with a regular hat also so figured it was just me.  I tend to sweat... a lot.  Even with temps in the 60's this week, I find that when I remove my skull cap and hold it vertically, the sweat will run out of my cap!  I guess it's true, I am hot-headed.

Side note: I need to try a different brand of skull cap and see if their option is any cooler than All Star's.  I do think some appear to have seemingly better placed holes for airflow than my AS does.

[834k3r]

23 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

Interesting. I often remove my hat between innings, but I did that with a regular hat also so figured it was just me.  I tend to sweat... a lot.  Even with temps in the 60's this week, I find that when I remove my skull cap and hold it vertically, the sweat will run out of my cap!  I guess it's true, I am hot-headed.

Side note: I need to try a different brand of skull cap and see if their option is any cooler than All Star's.  I do think some appear to have seemingly better placed holes for airflow than my AS does.

This is precisely why I got the AS Skully--I hate sweat stains on my hat. In between half-innings, I'll take the skully off and hold it by the brim. If I don't, the first time I look down to make a lineup card change, sweat drips onto the lineup card.

On sunny days, I don't notice the heat of the sun on my head as much with the skully--but I admit that could be recency bias.

[Velho]

1 hour ago, 834k3r said:

On sunny days, I don't notice the heat of the sun on my head as much with the skully--but I admit that could be recency bias.

I've found the AS Cobalt skull to have better air flow than a hat.

[DerekGDS]

3 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I need to try a different brand of skull cap and see if their option is any cooler than All Star's.

Fit for me (for the alternatives) is:

• Easton
• EvoShield
• Rawlings

If i recall correctly EvoShield had the most vents but I think its ugly. All-Star is superior in every way besides the shape compared to all of them though. 

[Velho]

[wolfe_man]

17 minutes ago, DerekGDS said:

Fit for me (for the alternatives) is:

• Easton
• EvoShield
• Rawlings

If i recall correctly EvoShield had the most vents but I think its ugly. All-Star is superior in every way besides the shape compared to all of them though. 

Thanks.  Yes, this is why I keep using AS too... it just fits great and the washable padding is perfect.   I may use the Axis Pro version instead though for my next one to have a longer brim vs. the hard-hat appearance of the umpire version.  This is to avoid looking like the guy above or maybe like an equestrian rider in an equine competition (dressage anyone?).

 

[AtlUmp]

Yeah, I stick with the AS because I prioritize protection and I trust the pads AS uses more than the brim strips the other skull caps use. Adding in that the AS pads are washable is another attribute in its favor.

[wolfe_man]

We may need to start another thread for skull caps, sorry for getting us off-topic gentlemen.  I am thankful to each of you for sharing your input as I do find personal experience and feedback from peers to be the best form of information.

This topic though is supposed to be for the Mirage, which is an excellent mask and is happily used and endorsed by myself and a host of you on here.  

Has anyone had one of these powder-coated any other color besides black, gunmetal or silver?

[MAUmpire]

May have missed this on the Forum but I caught the Red Sox-White Sox game a couple of days ago and noticed Charlie Ramos using the Mirage and GD pads...couldn't find a good photo online but did see this from earlier in the season: www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/umpire-charlie-ramos-works-a-game-between-the-st-louis-news-photo/2274572492?adppopup=true

first sighting at the MLB level?

Edited 8 hours ago by MAUmpire
fixed link

[Richvee]

13 minutes ago, MAUmpire said:

May have missed this on the Forum but I caught the Red Sox-White Sox game a couple of days ago and noticed Charlie Ramos using the Mirage and GD pads...couldn't find a good photo online but did see this from earlier in the season: www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/umpire-charlie-ramos-works-a-game-between-the-st-louis-news-photo/2274572492?adppopup=true

first sighting at the MLB level?

I watched him the other night. He takes it on and off like a one piece catcher's mask. Has he combined the two or has he just got very proficient at pulling the two off together with one hand? 

[Velho]

14 minutes ago, Richvee said:

He takes it on and off like a one piece catcher's mask.

Seeing it more and more across both MLB and MiLB.

You'll notice that only those with good flow and tight haircuts do it. That would exclude me (though my haircut is as tight as you can get  )

 

14 minutes ago, Richvee said:

Has he combined the two or has he just got very proficient at pulling the two off together with one hand? 

Maybe @tpatience can chime in on whether they run the harness tighter than normal or something more.

 

[MadMax]

4 hours ago, MAUmpire said:

first sighting at the MLB level?

Thanks for noticing… @DerekGDS and I (and others) have been keeping track of it since Charlie debuted it in late March. @wolfe_man and @concertman1971 and @834k3r have heard from me enough that, “All we need is one, just one MLBU to wear it, and everything will take off from there”, and Derek hauls off and drops on me that Ramos broke camp with it, my heart nearly stopped.  
Unless my eyes deceive me, I think I spotted Rob Drake using Davis Cores&Socks pads on his Wilson DynaTite mask. 

I’m especially hopeful of seeing more Davis C&S pads out there, since not only is Team Wendy no longer producing any pads, but Davis cores are available in 3 different levels, and the socks (casings) are devoid of any branding that would have to be otherwise obscured. Of course, if sand-tan or sky blue was in circulation, that’d really draw eyeballs. 👀 

[DerekGDS]

Charlie is wearing a pretty unique combo. The lower pad is our Tango2 Universal and the upper pad is the Shear3 in the pad sock. 

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

Rob Drake using Davis Cores&Socks pads on his Wilson DynaTite mask

[MadMax]

Oo! I stand corrected… Drake’s not wearing a DynaTite… that’s a black @Whosyourcaddy -supplied Icon Ti (which I nicknamed the Boe-Ti … get it?).