Are you looking for a great set of gear at a reasonable price? Would you like some good quality and long lasting catchers gear? If so then we think we may have the right solution for you with the Easton M7 series. This series replaced the popular Natural Series that was worn by numerous catchers worldwide. We feel quite confident in believing the M7 series will have the same success. Some of the main benefits that have been reported include a great level of comfort and superior features to keep a catcher protected.
Easton is not only one of the largest but also one of the best manufacturers of sports equipment worldwide. The have a goal to take your game to a whole new level that other manufacturers fail to do. Although you don’t see too many professional level catchers wearing Easton, that does not mean it is not quality gear. Easton normally does not endorse players so you often won’t see the pros wearing it. However if you go to any big youth tournament, including the Little League World Series, you would see a ton of it.
On this page we break down each piece include the chest protector, leg guards, and helmet. It comes in Adult, Intermediate and Youth sizes so is perfect for any level.
Chest Protector
Chest protectors are one of the main requirements when you need and think of as a catcher. When selecting a chest protector, you want to look for one that offers maximum protection, and one that will keep the ball in front of you in the case of wild pitches. If you’ve ever played, you’ve probably seen a time or two where the catcher has no idea where the ball is after a wild pitch. With the multiple layers of high quality foam used on the interior of the M7 chest protector, this should not happen. It certainly would be nice to keep the ball in front of you and not allows further damage on the base paths.
This foam should also do more than an adequate job of keeping the catcher protected. As expected it covers your entire chest area, but also sounds like it is still quite comfortable to wear. As an upgrade to the old style it used to have, The M7 has carefully placed vents throughout so that the cool air comes in while the hot, and sticky air moves out. If your playing in any sort of heat wave you’ll gladly accept this nice feature.
In terms of customization or fitting, the shoulder pad can be adjusted or removed completely for all versions (i.e. Adult, Intermediate, and Youth). In the youth versions, the groin protector can also be removed if needed.
Leg Guards
Leg guards probably should be considered to be a catcher’s best friend. Why do I say that you ask? If it were not for leg guards, catchers would have never-ending bruises on their knees. Basically anytime a catcher would need to move their legs could possibly results in bruising and scrapes. Imagine a foul ball that re-directs right into your knee cap…ouch! The great thing about leg guards are that they gone through a ton of advancements in terms of newer technology which has led to better plastic material and more strategic coverage of the entire leg. The Easton M7 leg guards would fit this bill.
One of the greatest benefits the M7’s provide is in their design. Where most leg guards feature a double knee design, the M7 series has a triple knee design aimed at protecting your leg in better ways when you are in and out of the squatting position. Depending on your experience, you may remember using some under achieving leg guards in the past that needed to be re-adjusted just about every time you stood up and down again. Not only was this unsafe, but quite annoying. If you’ve never tried triple knee protection you probably should at least try it out and experience the big difference.
Another great inclusion is the Inner Knee Protection (IKP) specific to Easton leg guards which offers more memory foam where a catcher needs it the most – right by the knee. It makes me shiver when I think of the damage that your knee cap can sustain with a foul ball. Thankfully Easton might have been shivering as well when adding this.
Helmet
Every catcher’s helmet should be as comfortable as possible. When you play the position finding a helmet that properly fits is important otherwise you will be uncomfortable for many long innings and hence unable to play at your best. If you step back and think about it, having all of that extra weight attached to your neck isn’t easy, therefore comfort should be a consideration for any helmet. Outside of comfort it is also imperative to find something that can withstand impact and keep your head safe when that occurs. We feel like the M7 helmet would do a great job at both of these.
First and foremost the M7 mask is built using an ABS high grade plastic shell. This provides the helmet with a great amount of strength and durability as it would take a lot to inflict any sort of permanent damage. With this highly protective exterior a catcher can feel safe even though there is potential for a foul ball to ring right off of their mask.
Secondly to take care of potential injuries to the neck area and to eliminate discomfort, Easton has design the M7 to have a streamlined profile. This design essentially allows for a closer and more snug fit so that the helmet stays closer to your head and moves with you. Although it would be impossible to not notice your helmet around your head, this design sounds like it would help in at least making things more bearable.
Lastly similar to the chest protector, the mask has 18 ventilation holes that have been placed in specific areas. This vents help to eliminate some of the sweat and moisture so that you can simply concentrate on being the best catcher possible.
Conclusion
As you can see there is quite a bit to like about the Easton M7 series. From the comfort level to the great amount of protection it provides, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the top purchased set of the year when it is all said and done. After all the Natural series where this one was based from lasted many years and was extremely popular. Along with its nice price point, the M7 catchers gear looks to be a winner!
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