Inspect your DD's Face Mask!

[MNDad]

You guys amuse me.... In one sentence... masks"do squat for protection", then in same post "I DO think the masks are a good idea".
There is no way, Rip-it or Schutt are going to assume the liability of selling a protective mask that has not been tested. It's not a full helmet, so it doesn't meet NOCSAE standards... yes there is a standard for defensive head gear. It's basically a batting helmet.

View attachment 14774

Yes, unfortunately, I have seen many girls take a hit to the head/face. Consider yourself lucky, you've never seen a pitcher carried off the field after taking one to the face/head.

I said the padding does squat for protection. Especially against concussions. Masks are great for girls learning to play catch and beginning fielding. They offer limited protection from line drives, but nobody knows how much because there's very little data available. I've never seen any testing data from Rip It or Schutt. Their web sites are almost entirely about comfort and style.

I'd agree Rip It and Schutt are probably the best masks out there. When people talk about mandating masks it could be a $90 Schutt or a $8.99 Champro. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess a mask under $10 isn't all that safe. I don't see why wanting masks that actually protect kids is so controversial.

 

[MNDad]

I feel like we've spiraled a bit. "I've seen dozens of girls take a ball off the face mask and get right back into the game immediately." "Take a ball off the face mask," in no way means line drive to the dome.

I read that as "in the years of playing softball many girls have taken a glancing blow, that might have otherwise caused injury (e.g. bloody nose, black eye). This is a fact. A face mask (RipIt, Schutt, Champro) will in fact protect the face from a bad hop, ball tips off glove and hits face, etc. These are the things that the masks are designed to protect against. None of these require concussion protocols.

Considering that as girls age up they may elect to not wear a mask at all, there really is no need for the mask to be NOCSAE certified because they aren't designed or intended to comprehensively protect players from injury (read line drive to forehead). Additionally, because they are not designed or intended to be a comprehensive personal protection device, the padding is not designed to absorb, insert arbitrary psi number here. Should someone decide to increase the protection of this device then I say, well played.

I think it is important to remember that by and large these players wear masks to prevent most likely injuries rather than catastrophic things that can happen.

I absolutely agree with everything you said. You’re talking about facts and common sense, but we don’t see that from most of the people who want to mandate masks. They preach about them saving lives and questioning the parenting of people who aren’t in favor of mandating masks and damn near accuse them of child abuse. The injuries you bring up are cosmetic and I agree masks will prevent them and that’s what they’re designed for. It’s still a fine reason for a kid to wear one. It doesn’t make a kid weak, they shouldn’t be shamed and it won’t affect their recruiting. I just don’t think that raises to a standard of mandating them. Encourage, great, but it’s still a personal or parental choice.

 

[The Man In Blue]

You guys amuse me.... In one sentence... masks"do squat for protection", then in same post "I DO think the masks are a good idea".
There is no way, Rip-it or Schutt are going to assume the liability of selling a protective mask that has not been tested. It's not a full helmet, so it doesn't meet NOCSAE standards... yes there is a standard for defensive head gear. It's basically a batting helmet.

View attachment 14774

Yes, unfortunately, I have seen many girls take a hit to the head/face. Consider yourself lucky, you've never seen a pitcher carried off the field after taking one to the face/head.

Well, that’s actually a lacrosse helmet ...

Batting helmets are not designed to provide adequate defensive protection. Again, better than nothing, and it will provide some brain trauma resistance, but not being used properly for what it was designed for can lead to other potential hazards.

 

[wheresmycar]

Well, that’s actually a lacrosse helmet ...

It does resemble a Lacrosse helmet, but actually, it is Schutt's ST1 Softball Pitcher's Protector Helmet. It is unclear if this has passed the NOCSAE Standards testing yet, but based on the Standard for Defensive Player Headgear, it likely would easily pass.

ST1 Softball Pitcher's Protector

www.schuttsports.com

From NOCSAE DOC ND-029
"Fielder’s headgear that includes face protectors as an option must meet the Face Protector Impact Tests. At least two (2) sets of each face protector model in each of the sizes must be tested with the appropriate ball. Face protectors shall be mounted to a fielder’s helmet that bears the NOCSAE logo and is listed by the protector manufacturer as being compatible and in a size that is appropriate for the protector. The face protector is to be installed by the manufacturer, or may be installed by the test technician, in accordance with supplied instructions. A different face protector is to be used for each test position at each temperature condition (a set constitutes five face protectors which are needed for the complete test series per ball type, and size). In cases where the protector is furnished in one size and fits more than one size of helmet testing shall be conducted on the medium head with helmets sized for the medium head."

Schutt's Basseball PItcher Protector helmet looks like this... Which could easily be confused for a batting helmet.

Schutt Sports

www.schuttsports.com

 

[MNDad]

It does resemble a Lacrosse helmet, but actually, it is Schutt's ST1 Softball Pitcher's Protector Helmet. It is unclear if this has passed the NOCSAE Standards testing yet, but based on the Standard for Defensive Player Headgear, it likely would easily pass.

ST1 Softball Pitcher's Protector

www.schuttsports.com

From NOCSAE DOC ND-029
"Fielder’s headgear that includes face protectors as an option must meet the Face Protector Impact Tests. At least two (2) sets of each face protector model in each of the sizes must be tested with the appropriate ball. Face protectors shall be mounted to a fielder’s helmet that bears the NOCSAE logo and is listed by the protector manufacturer as being compatible and in a size that is appropriate for the protector. The face protector is to be installed by the manufacturer, or may be installed by the test technician, in accordance with supplied instructions. A different face protector is to be used for each test position at each temperature condition (a set constitutes five face protectors which are needed for the complete test series per ball type, and size). In cases where the protector is furnished in one size and fits more than one size of helmet testing shall be conducted on the medium head with helmets sized for the medium head."

Schutt's Basseball PItcher Protector helmet looks like this... Which could easily be confused for a batting helmet.

Schutt Sports

www.schuttsports.com

View attachment 14815

I wasn’t aware they made these. Thanks for sharing.

I looked at the website and there’s a couple of reviews of baseball parents who’s kids wore them and liked them. I couldn’t find info on NOCSAE certification yet, but this appears to offer considerably more protection than current fielding masks. When masks are mandated by the major sanctioning bodies I’d expect them to look something like this. It’ll be interesting to see how these are received in baseball, and I would expect soon, softball.

 

[The Man In Blue]

It does resemble a Lacrosse helmet, but actually, it is Schutt's ST1 Softball Pitcher's Protector Helmet. It is unclear if this has passed the NOCSAE Standards testing yet, but based on the Standard for Defensive Player Headgear, it likely would easily pass.

ST1 Softball Pitcher's Protector

www.schuttsports.com

From NOCSAE DOC ND-029
"Fielder’s headgear that includes face protectors as an option must meet the Face Protector Impact Tests. At least two (2) sets of each face protector model in each of the sizes must be tested with the appropriate ball. Face protectors shall be mounted to a fielder’s helmet that bears the NOCSAE logo and is listed by the protector manufacturer as being compatible and in a size that is appropriate for the protector. The face protector is to be installed by the manufacturer, or may be installed by the test technician, in accordance with supplied instructions. A different face protector is to be used for each test position at each temperature condition (a set constitutes five face protectors which are needed for the complete test series per ball type, and size). In cases where the protector is furnished in one size and fits more than one size of helmet testing shall be conducted on the medium head with helmets sized for the medium head."

Schutt's Basseball PItcher Protector helmet looks like this... Which could easily be confused for a batting helmet.

Schutt Sports

www.schuttsports.com

View attachment 14815

Thank you wheresmycar! I did a pretty specific (I thought!) search before I posted and it did not come back with anything. I assumed it was a lacrosse helmet then.

I did find that second helmet you posted though. Just by the look of that design, I’m curious about its effectiveness. There is nothing to secure the mask/helmet during an impact. For concussion purposes, that may be better (the impact force is sending the protective device into motion instead of concentrating the force into the impact point), but it is still allowing for a chance of a direct force impact to the player’s face (either from the ball or the protective device itself).

It is not “unclear” if either of them have passed NOCSAE testing — neither of them bear the NOCSAE stamp. By that same token, we cannot say they failed either. We can say it is unclear whether or not either has even been tested.

Personal opinions: I’ll say this: if you are going to market a piece of protective headgear like this, I would think meeting the NOCSAE standard would have been your first priority before going on the market. That leaves me to wonder why it does not bear the stamp. As you posted, there is a standard available.

Again, not an anti-protective gear stance ... an opinion that it should be done right. It is still better than nothing.

 

[The Man In Blue]

On an interesting tangent ... has anybody been following the story in the NFL with Antonio Brown and his battle to wear a 10-year old helmet?

 

[The Man In Blue]

Found this interesting one also ...

Worth Legit (says it designed for slow pitch)



If you are feeling patriotic:

 

[no_glove_no_love]

Found this interesting one also ...

Worth Legit (says it designed for slow pitch)

View attachment 14816

If you are feeling patriotic:

View attachment 14817

Those worth pitching mask fit huge and loose unless you have a huge melon head.

 

[Beeg]

Thank you for the reminder! DD's has her masks since t-ball. So it is almost 6 years old! (She's tiny so still fits.) I am planning to check out the Schutt Youth Titanium mask.