catchers helmets

Longshot said:

We have used all of the above. The Wilson Shock FX2.0 had some durability issues. Especially if your daughter is one that throws off her helmet. The face mask is mounted on the side using springs and that is where it broke. The All Star System 7 is a really good helmet and she currently uses it as her backup. She loves the Schutt Air Maxx because of the padding on the inside. It looks more like the padding of a football helmet and she says the padding is much cooler than the traditional foam. That being said......The Schutt is the heaviest of the three helmets.

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reagansdaddy said:

If your DD is one that throws off her helmet, please teach her to keep the helmet on! When used properly, we have had absolutely no durability issues with the Wilson Shock FX 2.0 which is the best helmet on the market in my opinion. My DD has a $6000 smile and knows that the only time she is to take that mask off is when she's back in the dugout after the inning. If you choose the Wilson, make sure to get the fastpitch model rather than the baseball model as they are quite different in design.

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Longshot said:

My daughter is one that keeps it on (thank you NECC) but the other 2 catchers on the team also used the Wilson Shock FX 2.0 and they are helmet throwers. My daughters broke when taking a foul tip to the mask but that was well after the other catchers broke theirs. My guess is that theirs broke faster because they throw their helmet off all the time. I am afraid I have to challenge you a bit on "proper use". I have never seen instructions on what proper use is. The Wilsons that we bought certainly did not come with instructions saying NOT to throw the mask and the only places I have seen it being taught not to throw the mask are a couple of the better college camps and NECC. That being said, I do not feel that taking off the mask would violate "proper use". As far as the Wilson Shock FX2.0 being the best....... It is definitely a good helmet but that is like saying the LXT is the best bat on the market, you will have some CF5-8 fans going "WAIT A MINUTE!"

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reagansdaddy said:

The hockey style masks, such as the FX2, are designed to be worn and not removed unlike a more traditional mask and pot helmet. Therefore, I consider keeping the mask on and not throwing it to the ground to be proper use. To me, using something in a way that directly violates how the product was designed would violate proper use whether it is widely taught or not. My car didn't come with instructions not to drive it into a lake but I try avoid that. But, to each their own.

I clearly stated that the Wilson was the best on the market in my opinion. It's right there in the quote. So, yes, it is an individual opinion and there are certainly other great masks on the market. Still not sure how that was unclear in my original post.

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Longshot said:

I am intrested how you came to the conclusion that the masks were not "designed" to be removed. Do you have access to the original design specs for the helmets? Maybe you were one of the original design engineers. Or maybe, just maybe it is another one of your opinions. It is my opinion that if the mask was "designed not to be removed" then the mask would have came with a disclamer stating as such. With the large number of catchers still removing the mask this would most certainly be the case. As for your example: composite bats come with a disclamer not to use below a certain temperate because they know many people practice/play in temperatures below what their bats are designed to handle. I do hope you continue to avoid driving your car in a lake though. It might scare the fish.

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