Force 3 helmet -- insanely disappointed

[mac266]

Whelp, I regret spending almost $300 on what is essentially trash.  I am a helmet guy for various reasons (and pretty inflexible on that) and I need the absolute best protection possible. A college umpire I know got his master's degree in something-or-other by testing the amount of impact various umpire helmets protect you from, and Force 3 was the best. He even demonstrated how some of them make the impact to the brain WORSE.  But the spring system in the Force 3 helmet absorbed the most impact.

The problem is that after less than one season of use, the pads are literally falling apart.  We are generally advised to replace our mask pads every season, but these didn't even last a season.  They are literally coming apart!  Initially, there were no new pads even available but now Force 3 wants $100 for a set.

How about this:  NO!  I'm not giving them $100 to put trash pads that won't last to replace trash pads that didn't last.  

A few years ago when Force 3 moved to a different warehouse, I had a long series of rather terrible customer service interactions.  So this settles it: I'm voting with my wallet and I'm inviting all of you to do the same.  Until they can bother to make a product worth standing behind (and actually stand behind it -- or let's just start with answering the phone or replying to an email, which they've so far ignored), I'm not giving them another red cent. 

[The Short Umpire]

I do love my F3 defender mask but the hockey mask has always had problems with sizing. Not only that but the F3 CP has been nothing but problems from the beginning and they really aren’t the umpire friendly company they claimed to be. 

[Rock Bottom]

The new All Star is AWESOME in my opinion. I just can't deal with a HSM for umping personally, but if I was going to use one this would be it! https://all-starsports.com/products/mvp-pro-helmet-large

All Star also has incredibly customer service.

(I keep hoping they implement the Deflexion tech into a traditional mask.)

[MadMax]

On 6/28/2025 at 8:53 AM, mac266 said:

A college umpire I know got his master's degree in something-or-other by testing the amount of impact various umpire helmets protect you from, and Force 3 was the best.

Wait. Stop there. ✋🏼 
He tested “umpire helmets”? There’s no such thing. Mac, I’m not arguing with you, but your colleague tested catchers helmets. Not a single piece of headgear on the market – not one – is made “for umpires”. If one was, it would likely be shunned and derided endlessly (for being so radical looking), or it would be the single-most complicated and expensive piece of baseball equipment ever made, simply due to the amount of design requirements that’d be placed on it. 

By contrast, catchers helmets are expected to be simple and affordable so as to be replaceable. Even if a catcher only wears it for a season, they’re much more likely to get a new one when they outgrow it, damage it, wear it out, change teams and colors, or go to a school or ballclub who supplies it. Like All-Star is and has been, Force3 has become a catchers’ company. And it’s this last point that these catchers companies are banking on, and the whole reason NOCSAE exists. NOCSAE wasn’t created to test and certify products; NOCSAE was created to safeguard schools and other organizations from lawsuits attached to supplying substandard equipment. 

So what’s the point of installing state-of-the-art, long-lasting padding when the user is just going to use/abuse it for a season, and obtain a new one? 

No one cares about umpires. We’re boring (always insist on black), we (for the most part) maintain our gear, we don’t use it extensively enough to warrant servicing or replacement. Our purchase frequency is glacial. In the ROI and PriEq -fueled market we live in, manufacturers demand an active, demonstrably identifiable source of sales. We (umpires) are cautious, calculative, and tight with our purchases; catchers, with parents, schools, ball clubs, sponsors, fans, and agents behind them, aren’t. 

On 6/28/2025 at 8:53 AM, mac266 said:

He even demonstrated how some of them make the impact to the brain WORSE.

I can see that happening. Remember, folks, NOCSAE testing standards do not test for concussions. Instead, they test for head trauma, tissue injury, and bone fracture. These are much more measurable and observable events, whereas concussions – the act of the brain impacting the inside surface of the skull – is much, much more variable. 

On 6/28/2025 at 8:53 AM, mac266 said:

But the spring system in the Force 3 helmet absorbed the most impact.

Of course it will. The tragic thing is, Wilson once had a spring system on a HSM. It was the Shock FX. And, it was quite ideal for umpires. Granted, it took a custom cage design – with forehead extension – for Gary Cederstrom to really demonstrate its full potential, but it was well-ventilated, remarkably simple, great sightlines, and had an innovative spring system. However, it was a colossal failure for catchers, because it was odd-looking, wide (and thus hindered throws from the ear), and its spring system would be easily fouled or mangled by the frequent drops upon the dirty, muddy ground that catchers abused their masks with, something that umpires never do. 

Wilson is supposed to be “our (umpires) company”, but terminated the Shock FX model because it wasn’t selling to catchers anywhere near what All-Star, Easton, Rawlings, Mizuno, or even Force3 was doing in sales. 

On 6/28/2025 at 10:18 AM, The Short Umpire said:

they [Force3] really aren’t the umpire friendly company they claimed to be.

They’ve been near-completely overrun by catchers. 

14 hours ago, Rock Bottom said:

The new All Star is AWESOME in my opinion.

The “Stealth” MVP? Absolutely. It’s probably the most technically advanced HSM on the market. Remember the three protection methods I’ve discussed? The Stealth operates on Method 1 (geometric) and Method 2 (structural). Force3 may have their spring system (Method 3, mechanical), but they followed a design path that equates to trekking into a thicket, or driving into a tight alley with no exit. This is because they were forced to use an existing, NOCSAE-certified shell-chassis to bolt their springs onto and then generate interest and sales (investment). Once linked to catchers, and sales for catchers, the Defender HSM has improved, but the latest shape is primarily for catchers – so, with that narrow-by-the-neck shape (for throwing) and a chin shape that allows for a tucked chin – neither of which are for umpires. And, it still is garishly heavy, which, for an amateur (think: high school and college) catcher isn’t too bad, when said catcher is only out there wearing it for half the game, and doesn’t take it off-and-on too much. 

But we umpires are directed to get our masks off as often as possible, carry it with us wherever we go, and we’re out there for the whole game. 

On 6/28/2025 at 8:53 AM, mac266 said:

So this settles it: I'm voting with my wallet and I'm inviting all of you to do the same.

I, too, would endorse that All-Star MVP “Stealth” as a candidate solution for you. That said, have you tried or considered an EvoShield Pro-SRZ? I’m not a fan of Wilson-subsidized companies, but these masks and HSMs are equipped with WindPact pads, which I feel, at present, are among the best pads on the market. 

[834k3r]

21 hours ago, MadMax said:

That said, have you tried or considered an EvoShield Pro-SRZ? I’m not a fan of Wilson-subsidized companies, but these masks and HSMs are equipped with WindPact pads, which I feel, at present, are among the best pads on the market. 

But be advised they do not sell replacement pads. I've asked and their customer service told me directly they do not sell replacement pads.

[DerekGDS]

+1 for the All-Star MVP. It is the highest quality HSM I have put my hands on and I appreciate the thoughtful innovation of Deflexion which is a thermoplastic rubber that acts much line a spring to absorb energy.

[ArchAngel72]

23 hours ago, MadMax said:

Wait. Stop there. ✋🏼 
He tested “umpire helmets”? There’s no such thing. Mac, I’m not arguing with you, but your colleague tested catchers helmets. Not a single piece of headgear on the market – not one – is made “for umpires”. If one was, it would likely be shunned and derided endlessly (for being so radical looking), or it would be the single-most complicated and expensive piece of baseball equipment ever made, simply due to the amount of design requirements that’d be placed on it. 

 

Hey Max not questioning you but going by what I was told the Cobalt skully for Umpires was made for "umpires"

I say this laughingly as I was told this but comparing they gear side by side to a catchers which is worn backwards and has a longer visor. The padding on the visor side was the same for us as it was for catchers.. but I digress it was made for umpires... wasnt it? or so I was told at least.

[SeeingEyeDog]

@834k3r...Beaks, I'm wondering if that "nope...no replacement pads sold here", coupled with @MadMax's analysis of our "glacial take rates" means that's all intentional and by design? Of course, by not offering replacement pads on a mask of ANY kind HSM or otherwise means a hard no from me...

What I really "can't wait for"...is in 10 years when I can no longer find mask pads for my 2 AS MAGS (sorry, Beaks...THREE AS MAGS now)...now maybe some would say after 200 games a year for 10 years I might want to consider replacing my "old school" MAGS with one of those new fangled "plasma masks" but, let's face it...as umpires, when we find something we like? We generally ride AND die with it as long as we can...

~Dawg

[MadMax]

On 6/30/2025 at 12:21 PM, ArchAngel72 said:

I say this laughingly as I was told this but comparing they gear side by side to a catchers which is worn backwards and has a longer visor. The padding on the visor side was the same for us as it was for catchers.. but I digress it was made for umpires... wasnt it? or so I was told at least.

It was (made for umpires), but then it wasn't. 

The design intention was to make it for umpires, with better internal padding, textured shell finish (instead of cheap gloss), and the shortened bill. However, the execution hit a significant roadblock – in order to place the con-cushion (the advanced foam segment to reduce concussive impacts), the mold of the Skuly would have to substantially change; as in, All-Star would have to produce an all-new mold shape. Ultimately, it was too risky and pricey a move for All-Star given the weak, volatile market that umpires represent. As it is, the Skuly gets shunned just by looks alone ("It's not a good look!", "You look like a d!ck#3ad!"), and the benefits (of the better padding) are neutralized (by being at the rear) and by the price when compared to its (much) less expensive siblings. 

Even with the new MiLBU directives, the Skuly gets overshadowed by the Rawlings CoolFlo -based "hardhat", because Rawlings is half-owned by MLB.

... Meanwhile, the Great YelloW Slug just sits there, doing nothing for Umpires. 

[concertman1971]

21 hours ago, MadMax said:

given the weak, volatile market that umpires represent

@everyone next time you say to yourself "I wish they made XXXXXXX for us umpires, go back and re-read @MadMax quote

 

[Rock Bottom]

The All Star skull cap still has the best protection and internal padding by far, at least based on my non scientific review(personal opinion).

[BLWizzRanger]

6 hours ago, concertman1971 said:

@everyone next time you say to yourself "I wish they made XXXXXXX for us umpires, go back and re-read @MadMax quote

 

 

On 7/17/2025 at 2:14 PM, MadMax said:

... Meanwhile, the Great YelloW Slug just sits there, doing nothing for Umpires. 

Heck, some are considering that for a tattoo...

[AL-Ump]

On 6/29/2025 at 12:59 PM, MadMax said:

Not a single piece of headgear on the market – not one – is made “for umpires”. If one was, it would likely be shunned and derided endlessly (for being so radical looking), or it would be the single-most complicated and expensive piece of baseball equipment ever made, simply due to the amount of design requirements that’d be placed on it. 

What about this beauty?