Catching Gear

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Oct 8, 2008
30
0
Long Island, NY
I'm looking for recommendations on catching gear for 14U DD. Let me here your opinions what brand is good; what brand to stay away from. I'm looking at the schutt scorpian series, but there are too many out there to decide. :confused:
 
Jul 19, 2008
122
0
I also am looking at catching gear for my daughter. She can wear it next summer and the following year she will be in high school and Im not sure if she can wear it then or not. It would be used as much for practice as games. I want good stuff, nothing cheap.....helmet, chest protector, shin guards, knee savers, and a good catchers mitt.

Rob
 
Oct 8, 2008
30
0
Long Island, NY
Hello RobD, Just an update I ordered the Schutt Scorpion gear. The shin guard are the triple flex that cover the gap between the knee pad and shin guard. I don't order her a glove because the one she has is still good. But if your DD is serious the only brand glove I would order is Nokona. Just my opionion
 
Jul 29, 2008
49
0
I agree on Schutt gear. DD has the "Lite" series which I think is discontinued. She loves it and it really is light and breathable. You can still buy it online.

Husband wants to upgrade to the Scorpion set NYLadyCobra's just got. Maybe next summer or fall. If the Lite gear makes it to then, that will be 2 years of some serious wear and tear without one problem.

As for mitt's, we have the Nokona too. Had 2 Louisville's that everyone seems to love, but she likes the pocket and "pop" from the Nokona.
 
Jul 19, 2008
122
0
I am going to get the set of Scorpion gear along with their helmet. It will cost up around 200 for everything, but I think worth it. It shouldnt get a overly huge amount of use and should last awhile. My daughter and one of her friends will work together as pitcher and catcher, and they will be the only ones using it. The other girls get to use the stuff bought by the league. I also plan to order the Nokona CM275BF catchers mitt. It also is pricey, but again something that will work well and last. My girls need regular gloves yet, but the old ones will do until spring when season starts. Any reccomendations on regular gloves would be appreciated.

Thanks

Rob
 
Oct 8, 2008
30
0
Long Island, NY
Hello RobD, I just ordered the scorpion gear this week myself. I think you answered your own question about a glove, you are ordering the nokona catchers glove, so go with a Nokona fielders glove also. I still think they are the best gloves onthe market. Plus made in the USA...

Happy New Year Everyone....
 
May 7, 2008
172
0
Hudson, NH
As a guy that runs a school just for catchers that brings catchers in from all over the country I have been watching the different brands develop over the years. On the woman's side of the game I see far more girls wearing Easton then any other gear. The past year or two seems All-Star has caught up in popularity.

While Shutt and Worth market heavily to fastpitch I have not seen them as often. Many local sporting good stores don't carry much for the girls so the girls end up using the "baseball" gear where Easton, All-Star, Rawlings are very big.

As far as gloves go we see Nokona and Worth probably more then any other.
 
Jul 19, 2008
122
0
Well, just got the scorpion catchers gear ordered ($150)....shin guards, chest protector and the nice helmet,,,the Kandy painted one. Now workign on getting a good price to get the Nokona CM275BFC catchers mitt and the Nokona AMG1250BFC fielders gloves. Hoping to get a package deal on the gloves. Will be alot of money spent, but looks like good equipment and should last them a long time.

Rob
 
Jul 19, 2008
122
0
I got the set of scorpion catchers gear. It came as a set, in the adult size. Helmet and chest protector fits fine, the shin guards are a bit big. Their sizing instructions arent that good, they say measure from the knee cap to the ankle bone. Is it the center, bottom edge, or top edges of the knee cap and ankle bone? center to center my daughter is 13 inches, which is more than any of the 3 sizes. So now I will get a set of shin guards and keep the bigger set in case any of the other girls catch, maybe they could use them.

Rob
 
Jan 15, 2009
3
0
RobD - Just tossing in a few comments here... This is a new-to-me message board, and I love seeing something dedicated to catching. My 16yo daughter catches pretty much full time - high school varsity, travel ball, women's fastpitch league, fall HS fastpitch league, summer rec league. I have to admit to feeling a little lacking here given that her gear is a hodgepodge of different brands, typically gotten on closeout/clearance over the years, lol. But, it seems to work well for her. Chest protector - just replaced a Worth model that was cut REALLY short, now have a Wilson model that she likes fine. Helmet is a couple year old Rawlings hockey-style model that seems to work fine for her. But, you'll get a kick ouf of the shin guards.

My daughter uses these: Wilson A3457 EZ Gear 11 Inch Youth Catchers Shin Guards, Leg Guards Her original gear was the Wilson EZ Gear set my son got for Christmas, and she subsequently stole from him, LOL. Since then, she is insistant on using the velcro fastening shin guards. She'd been using the original set for several years. Last summer we were at a sports store that had the updated shin guards, which seemed to have better coverage and were more adjustable - came home and I ordered 3 pair for the kids - the 13" model for the 16yo and our 13yo son, and the 11" model for our 8yo son. Got all 3 pair for around $40 and my kids love them - the velcro is great for quick on/off - much faster than the metal hooks. My kid refuses to wear anything else, lol. Anyway, oddball set, but something you could consider until your DD grows into the Schutt ones. (Note, she does have knee savers attached to them).

As far as gloves go, I know you plan on the Nokona model. My daughter has a closeout model her grandma got her for Christmas a few years ago - can't even remember what brand. Been relaced once already. For her birthday last summer I got her the Akadema APM66 praying mantis version catcher's glove that I had read some great reveiews about - and she doesn't like it, keeps the fingers spread too wide. She keeps it in her bag in case something happens to her other glove during a game, and uses it once in a while to try and break it in better, but definitely not in love with it. On the other hand, I also got her the Akadema reptilian model fielders glove (for warm-up and she occasionally plays 3rd base if not catching) and she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES that glove - as do her dad and brother. I got the 12.5" ATS77 model rather than the 12.75" ABU73 since my daughter never plays outfield. I wasn't sure how she would feel about the reptilian model, but she absolutely loves it. Anyway, since your daughter needs a fielder's glove too, I thought I'd mention this as an option.

And just fyi - while our high school has catcher's gear, my daughter always wears her own. We were concerned her freshman year whether she'd be allowed to use the velcro shin guards, but every ump said that was no problem. She has been questioned about not having a throat guard a couple times (one like this Wilson Catcher's Youth Throat Protector - - HQ4SPORTS) but I don't think they are needed w/ the hockey style masks. It's been the same ump asking about it at different games, and none of the other umps have ever said a word - and she spends so much time behind the plate that she knows most of them quite well, and they wouldn't hesitate to say something to her.

And, something you didn't mention, but has been an issue for us - a bag to cart around all her gear. Any "normal" bat bag has just plain been too small to hold catcher's gear (helmet, shin guards w/ knee savers, chest protector), 2 catcher's gloves and a fielder's glove, palmguard glove, batting gloves, batting helmet w/ facemask, headbands, 2-3 bats, first aid kit, metal and plastic spikes (rec league didn't allow metal), drinks, etc. Even the biggest (and $$$$) bags designed for catchers weren't what she wanted - she didn't want a bunch of small sections where she had to very carefully and specifically put her stuff away into, she wanted one big open section, maybe one or two other smaller sections. I ended up getting her an Easton Synergy HOCKEY bag and she LOVES it. Her's is huge - 38x18x18" - our 8yo can curl up in it w/ a pillow and blanket, LOL. She just got it for Christmas and is in love w/ it - can easily toss her gear in after a game, and she sticks her cleats in the bottom pouch designed for skates. We got a similar model for our 13yo, but his is actually a "team bag" for baseball, so has a specific bat sleeve, and is not quite as huge (EASTON A163579 - TEAM WHEELED EQUIPMENT BAG* - Baseball Bargains, I think) since he doesn't cart around a batting helmet w/ facemask. Very happy w/ both bags though - exactly what we were looking for and MUCH better than a big bag w/ many smaller sections or carrying around 2 bags.

Good luck w/ your search for gear and with your daughter's catching - hope she enjoys it as much as my daughter does!
 

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