All-Star Skull Caps

[Marcus6]

Can someone explain the difference in these skull caps?

1) cobalt umpire skull cap (carried by Ump-Attire, Davis, etc.)

2) universal skull cap

https://all-starsports.com/products/sc500

3) axis pro sized skull cap

https://all-starsports.com/products/axis-trade-pro-sized-skull-cap

 

[greenboy11]

The cobalt is specifically made for umpires, with a shorter brim resembling a 4-stitch cap. Haven’t tried the others, but love my cobalt

[MAUmpire]

To add to @greenboy11's response, it looks to me that both (2) and (3) are both intended for catchers rather than umpires and have a longer brim (though in my experience they would likely work with most traditional masks with a traditional profile (not the FM4000(mag))). It appears to me that (3) is an updated version of (2) with removable, washable padding. (2) is closer to what I used in my playing days, and I found it perfectly comfortable at the time.

[wolfe_man]

*

[834k3r]

21 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

the padding absorbs sweat better and is removable, washable and changeable in the AS Skully

100% true. But as a person who sweats maybe a bit more than normal, I have to take my Skully off between half innings to let it air out a bit. I do this because the first time I used the AS Skully, I left it on the whole game. I looked down to make a lineup card change, and sweat ran down and dripped off the brim onto the lineup card. It wasn't even a particular hot day, but I think it speaks to how much sweat is absorbed by ball caps.

[DerekGDS]

It's also worth noting that the cheaper one is made from ABS. ABS has lower impact resistance, is more brittle and does not disperse/spread energy nearly as well as polycarbonate. 

[tpatience]

1 hour ago, wolfe_man said:

FWIW most masks can fit a universal skull cap under them without problems.  The exceptions I know of are the AS MAG and Wilson low profile TI.   You don't have to use a Cobalt skully under most masks, so don't let that "made for umpires" thing sell you into paying $80 for a skull cap when a $30-40 one will work just as good.  The only difference between a regular AS skull cap and the skully is that shorter brim which was designed for use with their MAG mask frame.

Now, with the above said, the padding absorbs sweat better and is removable, washable and changeable in the AS Skully, so there are some reasons to buy it over a cheap universal skull cap and why it is a bit more money.

Now, armed with this information and $80, go and spend wisely.

I use a Rawlings skully with my mag with no issues 

[Marcus6]

2 hours ago, tpatience said:

I use a Rawlings skully with my mag with no issues 

Which is marketed as a coaches helmet, correct?  Which kinda gets at my question - is there really a difference?

[The Man in Blue]

8 hours ago, DerekGDS said:

It's also worth noting that the cheaper one is made from ABS. ABS has lower impact resistance, is more brittle and does not disperse/spread energy nearly as well as polycarbonate. 

 

Why does that sound like somebody who is up to something?

[Rock Bottom]

I don't think the All-Star Cobalt one was "made for umpires" other than the shorter brim, because the yellow extra padding in it is in the same place on the ump version as the catcher version, and if it was truly designed for umps it would be under the brim (not sure why they just didn't put it all around). Maybe I'm wrong. Regardless, the padding in the All-Star is far superior to any other skull cap I've seen and is well worth the $80 (I got it for $65 years ago iirc). I'm thinking about getting the non-matte Axis version in gloss black since I have switched to the GD Mirage from my All-Star FM4000 steel. The matte/sandstone-ish finish slides a little with my UmpLife harness - not bad, but I like the look of the longer brim better. Again though - I LOVE the Cobalt - I got three other umps in our small org using it (two with the Cobalt, one with a Rawlings). I'm just thrilled that wearing a skull cap is becoming fairly common. 

[tpatience]

9 hours ago, FranklinT said:

Which is marketed as a coaches helmet, correct?  Which kinda gets at my question - is there really a difference?

The padding is probably better in the all star, I just think the all star looks like a bob the builder helmet. And yes, it’s just a coaches helmet 

[DerekGDS]

2 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

Why does that sound like somebody who is up to something?

[wolfe_man]

...

[BLWizzRanger]

I agree with all of the statements above concerning safety and sweat management for the skully.  But, a secondary consideration or benefit of using a helmet on the plate is that you don't need to keep buying plate hats.  One helmet covers the four associations that I do and I expect not to have to buy new hats for a few more years pending fading and lessor, wear and tear.

But, I am cheap and don't see a need to purchase more than one helmet. 

[Velho]

2 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I am convinced the skull caps have saved me from at least one concussion.

What was the situation of that impact Wolfie? From a bat, ricocheting ball, or what?

[Rock Bottom]

10 hours ago, tpatience said:

The padding is probably better in the all star, I just think the all star looks like a bob the builder helmet. And yes, it’s just a coaches helmet 

While the look isn't great, the short brim is a critical safety issue for some masks, including the FM4000s.

[834k3r]

3 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

I agree with all of the statements above concerning safety and sweat management for the skully.  But, a secondary consideration or benefit of using a helmet on the plate is that you don't need to keep buying plate hats.  One helmet covers the four associations that I do and I expect not to have to buy new hats for a few more years pending fading and lessor, wear and tear.

Truth be told, this was why I bought the AS Skully.

[Velho]

1 hour ago, Rock Bottom said:

While the look isn't great, the short brim is a critical safety issue for some masks, including the FM4000s.

Good call. And to be explicit for: that's because it lets the force relay directly through the skull cap to your forehead before pads get a chance to compress as designed.

[BLWizzRanger]

2 hours ago, Velho said:

that's because it lets the force relay directly through the skull cap to your forehead before pads get a chance to compress as designed.

that sounds dangerous. Forehead receives the blunt force before the pads compress?

[wolfe_man]

...

[Velho]

6 minutes ago, BLWizzRanger said:

2 hours ago, Velho said:

that's because it lets the force relay directly through the skull cap to your forehead before pads get a chance to compress as designed.

that sounds dangerous. Forehead receives the blunt force before the pads compress?

Yes, if you wear any hat that is too close to the mask cage it changes the physics.

A standard hat will do the same to a lesser degree since you can get some compression on the cardboard/fabric vs the plastic of a skully. Bad either way.

[Velho]

2 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

Thankfully, no bats, but just fouled straight-back baseballs thrown with low-90s velocity while picking up speed from a bat.

Prior to using a skully, I got a concussion while wearing an AS MAG on a JV game.  Since then, I've had frames bent by impact with no harm to me thanks to looser harness and skull cap.  I can't state for sure it was the skull cap, but in my experience and opinion, it is the biggest added factor for safety that I can wear besides what we already would normally wear (cup, CP, shin guards, mask, etc.).

Ah, so more about the extra cushion of the skull cap. That hadn't dawned on me before. I was focused on the top/side impact protection of plastic vs fabric

[wolfe_man]

...

[The Man in Blue]

12 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

But, a secondary consideration or benefit of using a helmet on the plate is that you don't need to keep buying plate hats.  One helmet covers the four associations that I do and I expect not to have to buy new hats for a few more years pending fading and lessor, wear and tear.

But, I am cheap and don't see a need to purchase more than one helmet. 

How do you get that embroidered?!  😝

[Replacematt]

20 hours ago, tpatience said:

The padding is probably better in the all star, I just think the all star looks like a bob the builder helmet. And yes, it’s just a coaches helmet 

That is exactly how I described it.