Welcome to our page dedicated to what feel feel are the best choices a catcher can make when looking at Nike catchers gear.
Nike is arguably one of the most popular brand names around the world and has such a large market share that they can hit just about every piece of equipment there is.
One of the great things about owning a set of Nike gear is the increased confidence you will have knowing how well you are protected allowing you to focus on your catching duties. This company performs an extensive amount of testing day in and day out to ensure that athletes are well protected without being hampered by heavy equipment. Just about everyone has heard of the Nike brand, and let’s face it they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
>> Read More: Part 1 – Nike Full Sets
>> Read More: Part 2 – Nike Chest Protectors
>> Read More: Part 3 – Nike Leg Guards
>> Read More: Part 4 – Nike Masks
>> Read More: Part 5 – Nike Catchers Mitts
That being said, unfortunately Nike has not been releasing much for catchers over the past couple of years. This page however does provide an overview of the equipment that is available for this year. We will keep this page up to date as more gets released.
Full Sets
As mentioned in the introduction, there aren’t many choices when it comes to full sets of Nike equipment. The most recent ones we’ve seen include the DE3539 series along with a youth specific set.
DE3539 Catchers Gear Set
If still available, the top set offered by Nike has got to be their DE3539 series. Right away when it was released there were quite a few positive comments from catchers on how comfortable and durable the equipment was. Many also noted that the gear provides great mobility which is one of the most sought after features when it comes to the right set of gear.
Quick Hits
- Pros: Lightweight, Rebound Control, Full Field vision
- Target: Competitive
- Sizes: Adult
- Colors: Black, Red, Royal, and Navy
- Price: $300- $350
Some of the major features included in the DE3539 series are:
- Chest Protector – The brand new chest protector features never before seen 4 layers of light weight padding providing the catcher with protection while still allowing them to be move around. With a new ergonomic design and new vents, this chest protector is a winner!
- Leg Guards – The leg guards have also been improved drastically and could be one of the most popular this year. With a newly enhanced calf protection, these legs offer much better fit and stability.
- Mask – Upgrading the previous Pro Gold mask, the DE3539 has increased the amount of vision the catcher will have and has provided additional benefits such as increased ventilation and more padding.
Youth Series
Quick Hits
- Pros: Inexpensive, Great Fit
- Target: Beginner
- Sizes: Youth
- Colors: Black only
- Price: $150- $175
The easiest way to get everything you need to get behind the plate is with a full set of gear. No longer do you have to fiddle around to find matching equipment. When picking up a full arsenal of equipment, you don’t have to choose anything other than your size. This is especially true with youth players as not as much specialization is required.
Perfect for the youth level player, this series can be used by both recreational (house league) and competitive players just the same. Each piece included has been designed to keep the young player safe at all times while in the catcher stance. With a helmet that meets NOCSAE standards, the young player is always protected from any sort of head or face damage. The chest protector features a number of different lightweight foam pieces giving a nice sturdy feeling but keeping the catcher as mobile as possible when required. The final piece are the leg guards which have been enhanced to surround the full leg giving them a great feel and precision. For less than $150, youth players will never be disappointed.
Chest Protectors
The next part of our page looks at the different chest protectors we’ve seen offered by Nike. As we said in the intro, there is no guarantee these models are still available however. Based on the features alone I think both the Pro Gold or DE3539 would be great for your next catching season. When comparing all of the different features, one thing that is perfectly clear is that these models are jam packed and built for performance.
DE3539
For catcher’s looking for even greater protection, the Elite DE3539 series may be exactly what the doctor ordered. Featuring four layers of padding, this is one of the top chest protectors when it comes to keeping you protected at all times.
You may think that 4 layers of padding may slow you down, but you would be wrong as you will not notice a difference from your what you were previously wearing. The special padding that surrounds the four layers has been improved substantially from the Pro Gold version to further deaden rebounds keeping passed balls closer to your body.
For an even better fit, the DE3539 chest features an ergonomic shoulder harness allowing you to feel as comfortable as possible standing or crouching.
- Sizes: Available in Adult (17 and 18 inch), and Intermediate (15 to 16 inch) sizes
- Colors: Black, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, and Red.
Pro Gold Chest Protector
The Pro Gold version promotes high performance with its large feature set. The padding on the Pro Gold Precision is made from dual-density energy padding that helps to slow down rebounds and allows for baseballs to remain closer to home plate.
The padding within the Precision is ultra light and has a ventilation system to ensure that the catcher becomes cooler at a quick rate. On hot days, some equipment can leave you feeling sweaty and heavy, but with these strategically placed ventilation ports, you will feel much cooler and comfortable even on the worst days of summer. The design of the Pro Gold harness was made with catchers in mind as it has increased the flexibility while keeping a stable and comfortable fit.
- Sizes: Available in Adult (17 inch) sizes
- Colors: Black, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, and Red.
Leg Guards
Similar to our chest section, Nike offers the same line of leg guards: the DE3539 and Pro Gold series. We feature these models in the sub-sections that follow.
DE3539
The newest leg guards created by Nike are the DE3539 series. These DE3539’s provide the catcher with an exceptional fit and provide features such as calf stability, and further patella support.
To keep the them as light as possible while still providing the catcher with the protection they need, a Precision system has been added for extra protection to the areas that take the most damage during a game. Using a triple knee design, a catcher can rest assured that they will be protected under any circumstance and in any position whether upright or crouched.
The DE3539 series also features large ventilation padding which increases the cool air flow that circulates through during the game.
- Sizes: Available in Adult (16 – 18 inch), and Intermediate (15 inch) sizes
- Colors: Black/Grey, Navy/Grey, Royal/Grey, and Scarlet/Grey
Pro Gold
Although a bit older, the Pro Gold series are still a good choice when it comes to leg protection. One of the main reasons is that they feature what Nike has labelled as a “Precision” system. This precision system is designed to cover the more important and most used areas surrounding the catcher’s knee area. It is also designed to be able to absorb and protect the areas that make the most impact when hitting the dirt.
A common complaint among catchers is that they can often feel uncomfortable when a catcher places their leg or knee on the ground to block or throw. With a brand new knee cap design, the Pro Gold series provide much more comfort to the catcher and allow them to feel more controlled and precise.
- Sizes: Available in Adult (17 inch) sizes
- Colors: Black, Navy, Royal, and Red
Masks
The next part of our page takes a peak at the most important part to your gear: the mask. The key thing in choosing a mask is to find one that offers a strong outer shell but remains comfortable enough so that you don’t have to feel like it is a burden behind the plate. At the time of that this post was added there were two different models of masks available – the DE3539, and the popular Pro Gold model.
DE3539
The newest mask made by Nike is the Elite DE3539 series. Priced at under $100, this mask meets all of the important safety standards including NOCSAE. With a full ABS shell, the DE3539 is one sturdy helmet that is guaranteed to last you many years and keep you full protected at all times.
This hockey styled helmet also provides catchers with excellent field vision allowing them to see the plays come before their own eyes. As a catcher having a nice full vision of the entire field is critical, otherwise you can’t help figure out defensive shifts or keep running close to their respective bases.
The interior of the DE3539 features some of the most comfortable foam you will ever use. This double padding system is perfect for keeping your head nice and snug while still leaving you as comfortable as possible.
Speaking of comfort levels, the helmet looks to include of a couple of nice features to keep a catcher cool and comfortable behind the plate. First, like many other helmets, special ventilation holes have been added so that your head does not become a sweat factory. As you can imagine, as a catcher you are the one who is most prone to the heat with all the extra weight you are carrying. The chin area is also equiped with its own Dri-Fit lining system which is advertised about being quick drying.
- Sizes: Available in Adult (7 1/4″ – 7 3/4″), and Youth (6 1/4″ – 7″) sizes
- Colors: Black, Navy, Red, and Royal
Pro Gold
Very similar to the style you would see being worn by a hockey goaltender, the Pro Gold features a full field view cage to allow the catcher to have greater visibility without sacrificing comfort and protection. As a catcher you’ll never be able to see the full field perfectly like other players as if you’d be leaving your head quite exposed! Therefore having a helmet that features a thinner facemask is quite ideal for the position. Thankfully the facemask of the Pro Gold looks to be quite strong as well so it should help in keeping the helmet together and free from damage.
One neat feature of this helmet is that the inside cage is made from camo cage technology allowing the inside to give a tinted color. I know this is only an aesthetic feature but it certainly does give you a little more mystique while playing.
The ABS shell provides extra protection in the head area, and the dual density foam padding on the inside provides ultimate comfort. Finally, the Pro Gold has airflow vents which make the helmet feel cooler. This feature in itself may be worth the entire cost of the helmet especially on hot summer days.
- Sizes: Available in Adult (7 1/4″ – 7 3/4″), and Youth (6 1/4″ – 7″) sizes
- Colors: Black, Navy, Red, and Royal
Mitts
Although there are not many made, a catchers mitt may be Nike might be a really smart choice to make as it could very well become your best friend when you are crouched behind home plate. Currently the only model we have seen positive reviews for is the N1 Air model. You can see other models from here but on this page we have provided a brief overview below of the N1.
N1 Air
The Nike N1 Air mitt is the most popular and most purchased that is offered by Nike. Instead of offering many different styles, they have decided to put most of their focus on this particular one instead.
The N1 Air mitt screams quality as it has been made with high quality oiled steerhide to provide it with the longevity you’d expect. To make it even strong and longer lasting, it also includes anti-abrasion edges to prevent breaks, and leather lacing to give it a profound amount of strength. For catching specific features, the Air mitt has you covered to help accelerate your game. With a nice large pocket, Nike has placed their Air curves along the palm to finger areas.
These curves provide an increased stability for the catcher during the catching phase itself allow the player to feel much more in control. With a greater reduction in potential ball sting in the palm area, and using a quick release pro-level pattern, this will allow you to perform at the high level you have been looking for. A final important feature to note about this mitt in particular is the quick break in time. There is nothing more annoying for a catcher than not being able to squeeze the ball properly. Based on how the Air was constructed, a catcher can make all of the snapping motions required to succeed.
Conclusion
I can’t imagine that you would have never heard of this company so there is not much point in explaining how good the brand is. For years Nike has been creating innovative sports equipment designed to make the athlete better. They always offer a high quality product, and therefore you can expect any gear to be of superior quality. Although not a huge selection, anytime you can find gear made by Nike you should be happy in your choice.