ATXBlue Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 Just heard back from Honig’s customer service and they will no longer be producing tan mask pads. Unsure if this also includes the black as well. We have lost TW and Honig’s this year, are the only tan mask pads left made by the evil “W” empire? Come on Davis let’s see them pads! 1
Ump242 Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 8 minutes ago, ATXBlue said: Just heard back from Honig’s customer service and they will no longer be producing tan mask pads. Unsure if this also includes the black as well. We have lost TW and Honig’s this year, are the only tan mask pads left made by the evil “W” empire? Come on Davis let’s see them pads! You could have your non-tan pads taken to a seemstress/atteration place and made tan, it would just cost more 1
ATXBlue Posted August 4 Author Report Posted August 4 17 minutes ago, Ump242 said: You could have your non-tan pads taken to a seemstress/atteration place and made tan, it would just cost more That is an idea I hadn’t really thought of, but then I don’t get to buy new things! 2
FranklinT Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 1 hour ago, ATXBlue said: Just heard back from Honig’s customer service and they will no longer be producing tan mask pads. Unsure if this also includes the black as well. We have lost TW and Honig’s this year, are the only tan mask pads left made by the evil “W” empire? Come on Davis let’s see them pads! Jump in @DerekGDS
ArchAngel72 Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 I thought AS made some tan leather er deerskin pads
DerekGDS Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 GR8 Call is your replacement for the Honig's pads. Same materials, including the same Japanese Deerskin Leather. They don't make them in Tan but I'll find if its possible. We expect the first round of pads in early September, nothing in a Tan yet though. 1
SeeingEyeDog Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 30 minutes ago, ArchAngel72 said: I thought AS made some tan leather er deerskin pads https://all-starsports.com/products/fm4000-magnesium-replacement-pads-ad?_pos=19&_sid=701fdb7ce&_ss=r That is correct however, according to this link...they have ONE set in stock. Not sure if they are re-stocking these or not. I like the black w/tan look personally but, I must also admit I don't see as many wearing this as frequently as I once did in my market. ~Dawg
ATXBlue Posted August 4 Author Report Posted August 4 30 minutes ago, ArchAngel72 said: I thought AS made some tan leather er deerskin pads Personally not a fan of the AS pads, but I know others are. Also looked at Belgard but I won’t be calling much this fall so not sure I can justify $100. I was on “Pat leave” when the last TW pads were being sold so I will have to take that up with my son once he learns to say more than “ball”. 1
MadMax Posted August 4 Report Posted August 4 42 minutes ago, ArchAngel72 said: I thought AS made some tan leather er deerskin pads Remember – All-Star is a catcher’s company (first & foremost), and their palette tends to favor (team) colors. Their LMX leather-encased pads are all bi-color. Their “light” color, in micromesh LUC pads, is grey. All-Star does throw umpires a cookie 🍪 or two, by doing FM4000’s in black, and doing one set of LUC-Mag pads in real leather. They’re a bit on the expensive side, and their shape is, of course, optimized for the (radical) FM4000 frame, but they do satisfy the Fan’o’Tans. Guys, one of the biggest challenges we’re encountering, in terms of mask pads in tan, is the increased visibility of softball on streamcast and broadcast television. Why? Because TPTB of Softball require/direct umpires to use a black mask, black harness, with black pads – no variations / deviations. Any manufacturer is going to be very cautious and reluctant to produce a substantial inventory of pads… that will only ever sell slowly and in relatively low numbers. 5 hours ago, ATXBlue said: Come on Davis let’s see them pads! What I can divulge is that there’ll be a new pad concept. There’ll be cores and coats… or jackets(?)… or casings(?). The casings will be removable and washable. And, additional colors and/or materials will be sold separate from the cores. So, you can buy a set of cores with “default” casings, and then purchase other casings, thereby allowing you to wash the casings (without affecting the cores, thereby increasing their lifespan), replace the casings, or supplement your lineup of casing colors, without having to expend a lot of money on new cores. And, this is a win for the manufacturer, so there isn’t a lot of resources put into producing and stocking complete pads (in a variety of colors) that may/may not sell. 1
ATXBlue Posted August 4 Author Report Posted August 4 50 minutes ago, MadMax said: Guys, one of the biggest challenges we’re encountering, in terms of mask pads in tan, is the increased visibility of softball on streamcast and broadcast television. Why? Because TPTB of Softball require/direct umpires to use a black mask, black harness, with black pads – no variations / deviations. Any manufacturer is going to be very cautious and reluctant to produce a substantial inventory of pads… that will only ever sell slowly and in relatively low numbers. Like always, the Mad man is correct. Honig’s customer service cited high MOQs and COGs as what has driven them out of the pad game. 1
Ump242 Posted August 29 Report Posted August 29 On 8/4/2025 at 9:09 AM, ATXBlue said: That is an idea I hadn’t really thought of, but then I don’t get to buy new things! Sorry, i don't much either, but you can make old things look new 😉
Baseballer Posted August 30 Report Posted August 30 On 8/4/2025 at 11:42 AM, ATXBlue said: Just heard back from Honig’s customer service and they will no longer be producing tan mask pads. Unsure if this also includes the black as well. We have lost TW and Honig’s this year, are the only tan mask pads left made by the evil “W” empire? Come on Davis let’s see them pads! I also found out that Honigs is also discontinuing their Elite Baseball CP amd Elite Leg Guards. It's sad because Honigs used to be really good years ago. I loved their pads!
Ump242 Posted August 30 Report Posted August 30 They might very well be coming out with something new, unless you know otherwise
MadMax Posted August 30 Report Posted August 30 20 hours ago, Ump242 said: They might very well be coming out with something new, unless you know otherwise The Honig’s we once knew is no more; and, the Honig’s that now is, is going to further… change…
The Man in Blue Posted August 31 Report Posted August 31 I've been binging the Alien movies again and watching Alien Earth . . . 3 hours ago, MadMax said: The Honig’s we once knew is no more; and, the Honig’s that now is, is going to further… change… I don't like the sound of that. I don't like the sound of that at all.
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