Upgrading Catchers gear

[PlaySundaySoftball]

My daughter will be 13 in a few months but is the same size as most high school players. Think it is time to upgrade from intermediate size catchers gear to adult sizes. Any suggestions on gear that has worked good for your daughters.
has always used Easton, but am open to other brands. Problem with catchers gear is that it is hard to find quality stuff in a store where you can try it on. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Daddylawman]

It's a matter of comfort and personal taste. A lot of folks are making quality stuff. That being said, my DD loves Schutt, especially the helmet. She is 17 and has worn it the past 5 years. Also likes the custom paint jobs.

 

[quincy]

Play it Again sports stores by us always seems to have a wide variety of equipment, you don’t have to purchase the equipment there but might give you an indication of what your DD likes.

 

[redhotcoach]

DD is getting a Schutt S3 set soon. I checked them out when out of town, looked like the best quality I have seen. The prob as you said is finding a place to try it on. Non of the our local listed dealers actually have any.

 

[absdad]

When my dd was catching, we splurged on the Schutt gear and she loved it. I would definitely not try to be frugal with the equipment. A good fitting, light helmet, with good ventilation will make a huge difference when they're catching several games on a hot july weekend. And good leg guards with removable gel inserts make all the difference in the world when they're blocking and dropping all the time. Schutt makes really good stuff, as does a few other companies. Just don't bother looking at the cheaper lines that they offer. There IS a huge difference.

 

[guero_gordo]

Not sure if this is relevant or helpful to your situation, but:
Last conversation I had with the local retailer I actually trust, he was recommending UA helmets(made by someone else,obviously) for having better visibility than the rest of the new generation Eastons, etc.

 

[chazbz1]

Several companies make some very good gear. The DD has always used Easton and I have liked the gel pads they used to have in the knees of theri shin guards. These offered excellent padding and wear removeable for washing and positioning directly behind the kneecap. . Some of the catchers I work with have newer Eason gear and they are getting cheap with their foam knee pads in the shin guards. The top of the line Easton gear still has good padding. Mizuno has some very good shin gaurds as does Schutt and some others. As for chest guards, I think of blocking and having a chest guard that stays square and provides a padded, flat surface to cushion and stop the ball. For this reason I don't like chest protectors that have a seam directly down the center line. Thet tend to create a "V" out front like a snow plow and deflect the pitch to one side or another. This means the catcher will have to chase down the blocked pitch instead of throwing runners out. Almost everyone has a high visiblilty hockey style mask these days. One of the biggest differences is weight. All Star has some of the lightest catcher's masks. Some of Easton' mask have a thin rubberized coating that resists scuffs and scratches and absorbs some additional impact. Wislon masks have built in shock absorbers. There are a lot of excellent masks out there.

Bottom line is how serious your catcher is about thier position. If they are serious and it shows in their practice, play and attitude, they will benefit from higher quality gear. Great gear is somethimes hard to find to try on locally. Most on-line stores have buying guides that include how to measure your catcher for their gear. This and a good return policy help inmmensely.
-Chaz @ ACC

 

[PlaySundaySoftball]

Great Info, her current gear doesn't have the gel pads, sounds like it would be nice after a long weekend of catching though. She is very serious so I will buy her the best gear I can find, especially since she is big enough to wear adult sizes, wont outgrow it before she wears it out. Never thought about the "V" pattern on chest protector either. Makes good sense. She is playing in a big invitational tournament during spring break, may wait until then and look at some of the gear other catchers are wearing there. Thanks again!

 

[redhotcoach]

Have been checking last two days. We are down to either diamond or schutt. Emailed schutt asking the difference between the s2 and the s3. They said basically just the colors.

 

[MsDinosaur]

When my dd was catching, we splurged on the Schutt gear and she loved it. I would definitely not try to be frugal with the equipment. A good fitting, light helmet, with good ventilation will make a huge difference when they're catching several games on a hot july weekend. And good leg guards with removable gel inserts make all the difference in the world when they're blocking and dropping all the time. Schutt makes really good stuff, as does a few other companies. Just don't bother looking at the cheaper lines that they offer. There IS a huge difference.

I really agree about those leg guards with the removable gel inserts. DD has a pair of All Star System 7 Pro leg guards and they are very nice.

I know it's not as neat looking as having all one brand, but there's also no rule that says your daughter can't pick and choose guards from one maker, a chest protector from another and a helmet from a third to make a set that she's comfortable with.