New Cobalt Skull Cap Comparison?

[Rock Bottom]

Has anyone gotten the new smooth matte finish and can you compare it to the original sand finish? I'm particularly interested in which is "grippier" with the Ump Life harness. I have the sand version and I'm just wondering if it's worth getting the new version.

THANKS 

https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/SC900UMP-REG/All-Star-Cobalt-Umpire-Skull-Cap-Regular-Matte

[Rock Bottom]

I'm surprised no one has responded. Even if you can't compare to the sand finish, can anyone comment on the new smooth matte version and how well it works with the Ump Life harness (or even the All-Star Deltaflex)?

Thanks again!

[SeeingEyeDog]

I do not have either of these skull caps...however, the 6 guys in my association who have them that I have spoken to, all have the SAND finish version which they all use with the UmpLife harness. To a man, they have all said that the sand finish is much more slick than using just a wool cap and that it took several uses and tightening of the harness to get it to where it was overcoming the smoothness of the skull cap and staying in place. One even went so far as to say he used a drill with a wire brush and roughed up the back of the skull cap slightly to provide more grip to the harness.

The decision by All-Star to move from the SAND finish to the smooth matte finish, would seem based on the feedback I have received to be a step in the WRONG direction on this. (No offense to Stan Jurga and all the fine, hardworking people at All-Star Sports...I still love your stuff.)

~Dawg

[Velho]

I don't know which I have (I didn't know it had changed). I bought mine Sep'25 from GD. Looks like SKU is "ALL-SC900UMP-S" (so Sand?). I've had none of the issue @SeeingEyeDog mentions. I find it grippy to the touch (and marks up so doesn't look great - though Im imagine I/us are the only ones that would notice). After small adjustment period (very small, maybe came off funny 1-2 times) it works fine with the Umplife harness.

[BLWizzRanger]

Same here for the Ump-Life harness and Sandy Colbolt helmet.  After adjustment, I don't have any issues.

However, my eyes might be deceiving me, but at first look I thought the smooth helmet had a more vertical rear - which I thought was a drastic change.  On second look and comparison, there is a 3 degree difference between the Sandy and the Smooth. Yes, my Superman eyes were able to discern that.  

In all seriousness, I think I see a slight change in the rear and maybe it is smaller than I thought it was.  But, maybe that is all that is needed to grab or hold the strap back there.