Baseball Catchers Gear

Helmets and Masks   I   Chest Protectors   I   Shin Guards  

Choosing the right catcher's gear for yourself or your rising baseball star is one of most important decisions you can make in your game. More than any other position on the diamond, catchers demand great gear to perform at their highest levels. Crouching right in the line of fire, catchers purposefully put themselves in the most dangerous position on the field, and need solid protection to stay in the game. They also need lightweight, performance-ready gear to stay sharp.

No other player has to move quite like a catcher. From second to second they must be ready to catch a fastball, block a wild pitch, field a bunt, or gun the ball to throw out a runner, all while squatting for hours on end. For all these reasons and more, a catcher's set of gear should not only fit properly, but provide plenty of strength, flexibility, and protection. Catchers gear should also improve performance by maximizing visibility, breathing, wicking moisture, and absorbing impact energy, to keep your game sharp and honed.

At Sports Unlimited, we offer a huge selection of catcher's gear from the best brands in the industry, all at the most affordable prices around. Whether you're buying a catcher's helmet for your 5 year old, or suiting up for the majors, we have the gear to fit your needs and your budget. With almost endless colors and options, you're sure to find exactly what you need here. But with so many types of gear and technologies out there, it can be all kinds of confusing just finding the right ones for you. Do you choose by price, by brand, by color, by closing your eyes and pointing?

Read on, and we'll help guide you through finding the perfect pieces of catcher's gear for you, so you can gear up from head to toe, in advanced, comfortable, and strong protection behind the plate.

• Catcher's Mask or Catcher's Helmet
• Chest Protector
• Leg Guards or Shin Guards
• Knee Savers
• Cup or Jock Strap
• Throat Guard
• Catcher's Mitt

With all of that gear, it can be a pain to transport everything around and keep things protected and scuff free. That's why we recommend using a catcher's equipment bag to haul your new gear from home to the diamond, and keep your investments organized and safe.

A catcher's helmet is a key piece of safety equipment, designed to block shots to the head, prevent concussions, and protect your face...what I like to call the "money maker," from injury. It's there to shield you from foul balls and even collisions at home plate, so it's got to be built tough.

But a good catcher's helmet or mask has to be so much more than a tank. It should fit comfortably, without restricting movement or visibility, so you can act at the drop of a hat, and read every pitch and motion on the diamond with ease. Thankfully, every catcher's helmet we offer features a size chart, to help you choose the helmet that fits you best, and most are easily adjustable, with sliding plates, to create a customized, snug, and secure fit. Our selection of higher end catcher's helmets, from companies like Mizuno, Nike, Under Armour, and Easton, feature enhanced peripheral vision, moisture wicking materials, breathable vents, and added padding to absorb harder blows.

Many catchers in the game argue over the two different types of catcher's helmets. The classic catcher's mask and backwards helmet combination has been a favorite amongst catchers for years. Hockey style catcher's helmets are a relatively new fixture behind the plate, but are gaining popularity due to their improved safety ratings, larger protection area, and mandatory use in little league baseball and other junior leagues. It's important, though, to understand the pros and cons of each, and make up your own mind before purchasing a new helmet.

2-Piece Catcher's Masks

• Flap-less helmet, worn backwards, with a mask pulled down in front of the face
• Moderate coverage and protection of the head
• Provides good visibility
• Easy to remove if necessary

Hockey Style Catcher's Helmet

• Protects the front, top, and side of head with one solid helmet piece
• Typically has a longer face, for greater coverage of the neck and throat
• Can be difficult to get off quickly, if necessary

The chest protector is central to the safety of any catcher. Most wild pitches, foul balls, missed catches, and hard plays at the plate are blocked by the chest protector, and without it, would cause some real damage. Think giant ba

Our collection of advanced and affordable chest protectors are incredibly lightweight and durable, without compromising protection. Lightweight designs, foams, and materials keep catcher's quick, protecting without restricting movement. These materials also keep players cool on hot days and nights behind the plate, and as we all know, a comfortable catcher is a better catcher.

At Sports Unlimited, we have chest protectors for all sizes, ages, skill levels, and budgets. But the best chest protector is one that fits correctly. Thankfully, sizing for a chest protector is easy.

Most modern chest protectors range from 11 to 18 inches, from youth to adult.

Shin guards are vital to your protection as a catcher. With durable, strong shells, shin guards protect against batted balls, prevent bruised knees in the dirt when playing the ball, and keep shins and knees away from a runner's spikes when sliding into home plate. To find the right shin guards for you, it's important to understand

First, determine your size, to find the leg guards that fit securely and comfortably. Using a measuring tape or ruler, measure from the middle of your knee to the top of your foot. Correctly fitting shin guards will stay in place regardless of whether you're crouching behind the plate or running to make a play at first. Most catcher's leg guards are adjustable, so you can always get the right fit, even if your preferences change.

Once you've figured out the size shin guard you need, it's good to know which features are important to you. Many modern shin guards feature:

• Moisture wicking linings and breathable padding, to keep your legs and knees dry and comfortable all game long.
• Double or triple knee caps to deliver improved knee coverage when crouching.
• Additional toe cups that protect feet and ankles from injury.
• Added material to cover the inside of the knee and shin.

When you know your size, and understand the features you're looking for, finding shin guards within your budget, age, and skill level becomes easier. Also keep in mind that many catchers prefer Knee Savers, that provide additional padding to the back of the knee when crouching.

Just as it is with the rest of their equipment, catcher's use a different glove than anyone else on the diamond. A catcher's mitt is specially designed to protect the catcher's hand from fast balls in excess of 100 mph, and give the pitcher a nice sized target to aim for. To achieve this, catcher's mitts lack individual fingers, in favor of a single large pocket, and use plenty of extra padding. The larger the

Typically, youth catcher's mitts are 31" and smaller, while adult catcher's mitts range from 32" to about 34" in circumference. Some catchers prefer the largest possible mitt for added protection, while others like smaller mitts that help them get the ball out and in their hand faster. Your choice should be based off of skill, training, and preference.

Sports Unlimited offers mitts for everyone, from entry level catchers to pro-level players. We even have the exact same mitts that current MLB catchers use on the field! With mitts from Wilson, Mizuno, Easton, Rawlings, and more, we're sure you'll find the perfect one for your game right here.

As you probably already knew (and if not, you certainly know now), catchers use plenty of specially designed equipment and armor to get the job done. And even with all of the latest lightweight and durable materials, advanced polymers, and innovative technologies, lugging that stuff around gets cumbersome, heavy, and just plain annoying. That's why it's important for your back, and your sanity, to use an equipment bag to keep your gear organized and protected when hauling it from home to the field and back again.

Catchers equipment bags are specially designed to hold and organize everything in a catcher's arsenal. These bags have huge main compartments, with plenty of specially designed pockets, compartments, hooks, and features. They are built tough, with durable polyesters, strong stitching, and reinforced areas to combat wear and tear. Most of them feature wheels (and some of them even have speakers!), to make hauling easier than ever. Sports Unlimited carries a huge variety of baseball equipment bags for any need, so check them out and find the one that works for you.

When you're behind the plate, the last thing you should be thinking about is your catchers gear. You should keep your focus on the ball, not on the bar configuration of your helmet. You should be snatching up the wild throw and looking to second, not worrying about the weight or rebound technology in your chest protector. You have to be able to read the pitch, instead of concerning yourself with the quality of leather in your Catchers Mitt. But during the game, you'll never have to worry about that stuff if you think about it when you're looking for new catcher's gear.

You know you have the best catcher's gear when you get through an entire game without noticing it. That's why they call catcher's gear the "tools of ignorance." But to find the best gear, you shouldn't have to think too much either. That's why you come to Sports Unlimited. We've got some of the latest and greatest catcher's masks and helmets, chest protectors, shin guards, gloves, and gear sets on the market today, made with the strongest, most-functional, comfortable and highest-performing technologically advanced materials and designs out there. From lightweight and rebound deadening chest protectors to moisture managing, breathable hockey-style catchers helmets, we have all the gear you need, so whatever you choose, you know you're getting top quality stuff.

Sports Unlimited is committed to protecting our athletes, young and old. So no matter what your age, skill level, or style of play, we have the catcher's gear for you. Just getting behind the plate for the first time, or looking for completely new gear? We offer a huge selection of catcher's gear sets for youth, adult, and softball players. Or maybe you're just looking to round out your gear set with something new. Well, we offer a wide array of new shin guards, helmets, and chest protectors. We even carry an impressive selection of baseball catcher's mitts made from the highest quality leather, chock full of incredible features like snap-shut designs for easy ball pick up and transfer to your throwing hand.

The right catchers gear can make a good player great, so check out our full selection of catchers gear and gloves from popular and pro-tested brands like Mizuno, Nike, Under Armour, Rawlings, Wilson, Easton and All Star to find what's right for you!