Mizuno Archives | Sports Unlimited Blog

Best Baseball Backpacks – Top 5

With baseball season upon us, players everywhere will be grabbing their gloves, bats, and cleats to head over to the nearest diamond. Keeping track of all your equipment can sometimes be a trying task, particularly if you’re in a rush out the door. Today’s top Baseball and Softball brands have addressed this issue, taking the convenience of a backpack and combining it with the effectiveness of a traditional equipment bag. The Batpacks, as they are often referred to, have become a staple for most players who need to transport their gear from place to place. With space for bats, gloves, cleats, and helmets, these bags keep everything together in an organized fashion.

But deciding which Bat Backpack is going to suit your needs best can be as complicated as hitting a curve-ball. To make this process as easy as possible, we’ve put together our Top 5 Baseball Backpacks from the leading manufacturers. Broken down by their different design features and value, choosing your next bag is simpler than ever.

Mizuno Organizer G4 Batpack

The Mizuno Organizer G4 is the perfect bag to start our Top 5 because it is
the perfect bag for a baseball beginner. Complete with all the standard features like dual bat holders, felted valuables pocket, and J Hook fence clip, this backpack has space for the essentials. This bag is ideal for newcomers in part because of its simplistic design. It gets what you need, where you need it, without complication. It is also at a price point that allows you to confidently purchase, knowing you’ve got a great value from a brand like Mizuno.

Louisville Slugger Series 7 Stick Pack

The Series 7 Stick Pack from Louisville Slugger is an excellent option for any ball player. With plenty of room for all your gear in the main compartment, an additional cargo pocket in the front is great for those who require extra space when headed to the ball park. Two Neoprene bat sleeves offer additional protection to your bats during transport, and the padded back straps make this Backpack comfortable to carry. Easy to load from the top and available in 8 different colors to match your team colors.

Under Armour Undeniable Batpack

Under Armour has quickly become one of the most popular brands in baseball. What’s noticeable in the Undeniable Bag, as with their other products, is that performance driven technology is featured in all of their designs. Using the same water resistant STORM treatment found on their rain gear, this backpack was developed to keep your equipment safe and dry. Space for 4 bats and a helmet/cleat specific compartment lets you store everything you’ll need.

DeMarini Voodoo Rebirth Backpack

The DeMarini Voodoo Rebirth is an exceptional combination of performance and value. Loaded with features that are found on more expensive bags, the DeMarini is unsurprisingly one of the most popular bags on the market. A generously large main compartment, neoprene bat sleeves, and vented cleat compartment are all wrapped in a waterproof shell. Spacious, durable, and easy to transport, the DeMarini Voodoo Rebirth is a standout amongst others.

Easton Walk-Off Backpack

It’s no coincidence that Easton named their most popular bag the Walk-Off, as it’s undeniably a winner. Two stand out features make this our top pick in a very competitive market. Firstly, Easton has designed an external helmet holder that has freed up valuable space for you to store more equipment inside the bag. Secondly, an additional external padded compartment in the back is ideal for large valuables like a laptop, or extra clothes. The addition of these two space increasing designs, paired with today’s baseball backpack standard features, make the Easton Walk-Off our first choice in getting your gear to field.

Written by Dylan Hamilton, Sports Unlimited

Best Youth Catchers Sets – Top 5

One of the toughest decisions made gearing up for the 2017 baseball season is which equipment is best for those behind the plate? As kids continue to grow, sizing always becomes important, not to mention the significance of safety. Today’s top baseball brands all manufacturer youth catchers gear sets to simplify the shopping process. These catchers sets all include a helmet, chest protector, and leg guards. One question that still needs to be answered, what is the best youth catchers set for me?

With such a wide variety of manufacturers and different lines, it can be a bit overwhelming deciding which set of pads to purchase. You can visit our Catchers Gear Buyers Guide to see exactly was size you’ll be looking for. Once you have that, you can review our selection of Top 5 youth catchers sets, to see which best matches your needs.

5. Louisville Slugger Series 5 Youth Catchers Set

The Series 5 youth from Louisville Slugger is everything you need from a youth catchers set. Featuring a hockey style mask that offers excellent protection and a moisture-wicking chin pad that keeps your little leaguer comfortable. The Chest protector is made with a high density foam and quick release over-the-shoulder harness make for east on and off. Complete with the double knee design shin guards for extra protection. The Series 5 youth is perfect for a team set, or someone just learning the position. With a variety of color options and a friendly price point, the Louisville Slugger youth catchers gear set is an excellent value at number 5.

4. Easton M5 Qwikfit Youth Catchers Set

The M5 Qwikfit youth set offered by Easton certainly had parents and coaches in mind during its design process. The greatest feature to this set of helmet, chest protector, and leg guards is undoubtedly the Qwikfit strap system. Developed specifically to make for easy adjustments by the player, no longer are coaches or parents forced to help players get ready to go onto the field. This is particularly important if the set is being shared by a team with kids coming in different shapes and sizes. Offered with a range of other features that you would find on a higher level set, including steel wire cage for improved visibility, multi layer perforations to keep you cool, and a TruBlock anti-roll designed leg guard that increase stability and protection. All of this, plus a reasonable price, make the Easton M5 Qwikfit youth gear our recommendation for the ideal team set.

3. All Star System Seven Youth Camo Pro Catchers Set

The All Star System Seven Youth Camo Pro Catchers Set is everything is sounds like and more. This set offered by All Star is essentially their professional level pads scaled down to fit a youth player. Everything from removable liners and an I-Bar vision cage on the helmet. To moldable protective plates in the chest protector and a Patella Plus gel knee pad in the shin guards. This catcher set has all the bells and whistles, and will outperform most sets like it. It finds itself at number 3 for one simple reasons. This set was designed for serious players, and the pricing reflects that. For most players at the youth level, this is probably more than they need. But if your a serious player on a travel ball club, than the All Star System Seven catchers set is the one for you.

2. Under Armour Junior Pro Youth Catchers Set

Under Armour has quickly become one of the most popular brands when it comes to baseball equipment. The reason for this is their dedication to designing cutting edge products that perform and protect. The Junior Pro catchers set follows in that tradition and provides an excellent option for all youth players. The helmet comes with the I-Bar vision from professional helmets with a sleekly designed ABS plastic shell. The chest protector has plastic inserts for extra protection and a customizable strap and harness system for optimal fit. Triple knee designed leg guards are extremely comfortable with 38 ventilation ports. Carefully designed from head to toe, the Under Armour Junior Pro could easily have been number, but still remains an excellent choice for any youth ball player.

1. Mizuno Samurai Youth Catchers Set

As our top choice for youth catchers gear, the Mizuno Samurai is easily the most popular set offered by Sports Unlimited. A perfect combination of protection, performance, personalization, and price; it’s no surprise the Samurai is king. All the features you’d expect from a top pick; including 3-Layer EVA foam padding in the helmet, patented detachable wings for a customizable fitting chest protector, and flexible lightweight leg guards. What sets the Mizuno Samurai apart is the wide range of color options. No other set comes with a variety like the 17 colors offered by Mizuno. This allows you to match your team, or stand out. At a price that is competitive with the other top catchers sets, the Mizuno Samurai is our top pick for youth catchers gear set.

Check out all of Sports Unlimited Youth Catchers Gear

Written By Dylan Hamilton, Sports Unlimited

New 2015 Baseball Gear is Here

With new 2015 baseball gear from Easton, Evoshield, Rawlings, Wilson, and more, our baseball selection is living in the future, but available today. With brand new bat technology such as the Easton Torq and Mako series as well as new glove designs and colorways, 2015 will be a year that showcases the future of baseball. There’s no doubt that the best new baseball gear gives players a level of confidence that can’t otherwise be found, but the real trick to becoming the best is by practicing like the best.

One of our favorite pieces of gear this year is the Little League World Series Catcher’s Gear Set from Easton that was used in this past year’s LLWS. Using Easton Mako Chest and Leg Protectors as well as an advanced M7 Catcher’s Helmet, this catcher’s set is one of the best in the world and has the design and performance to back that up. Staying protected behind the plate is completely vital to being able to make successful plays and the LLWS Mako Set makes no sacrifices in protection while being designed to get the best performance possible from making snap throws, to blocks, to keeping cool and comfortable for the entirety of the game.

With multiple colorways, you can choose your team colors or just your favorite colors to make you stand out as the games best catcher. When it comes to youth baseball equipment, it doesn’t get much better.

Get your 2015 gear early and get training.

Unlimited Potential Project: Ryan Marquez

The Unlimited Potential Project is going to shine a spotlight on some of our Sports Unlimited athletes around the world to acknowledge their sporting achievements because family involvement, community involvement, and playing sports we love are such important parts of life.

Relatively new to SportsUnlimited.com, I (Isaac) have been striving to provide content on the blog and e-commerce site that is engaging and positive for the sports community in general. While it does help for SportsUnlimited.com to sell products, the idea is to not just provide the newest, coolest, and best products to the customer, but to provide the right product that will make that customer the happiest. This has led me to develop a side project that allows me to have a bit of fun and not sell, sell, sell with something I’m calling “The Unlimited Potential Project”.

I am very happy to announce that for the first ever Unlimited Potential Project post, I will be highlighting a remarkable 10-year-old boy from Carrollton, Texas…

Ryan Marquez

Team: Brooklyn

League: North Texas Little League

Favorite Team: Texas Rangers

Favorite Player: Nolan Ryan

Favorite Active Player: Mike Napoli

Hits: Switch (L/R)

Throws: Right

Ryan plays ball for Brooklyn in the North Texas Little League and has had quite the year. Primarily a catcher, Ryan has also put in some time as a pitcher and third baseman, but his favorite part of baseball is, in no great surprise, hitting! Using his skills as a switch hitter, which he has honed since he was just five years old, Ryan leads the team in RBIs. Through natural athleticism, great focus and instruction from his hitting coach, JT Blair, Ryan has had many keys hits this year to help his team to a 12-1 record, which has Brooklyn tied for 1^st place in the league.

One example of his prowess as a hitter occurred early in the season with a lot on the line. In a game against arch rival Yankees (12-1), Ryan was up to bat with 2 outs and the game tied. Providing Brooklyn with some clutch hitting that the team has become accustomed to seeing from Ryan, he drove the ball to the opposite field and went on to win the game by a score of 6-5. Being able to achieve consistent success for the team in critical situations signifies the drive and the ability of an extraordinary player even at such a young age.

Hitting can often times affect the result, but defensively, the skill of the catcher affects the game every single inning. The catcher must work with the pitcher, block pitches, block the plate, throw out runners attempting to steal, and keep the defense in control of the inning. Ryan’s poise behind the plate has come to him not only because he has the innate ability of a catcher, but because he practices hard and trusts his protective gear. His father, Joe Marquez, and some of the other coaches have worked with him over the past year on getting quickly to his knees and taking short hops and bad pitches off his chest protector. When we see major leaguers, not so much Mike Napoli anymore, but perhaps someone like Yadier Molina, blocking a bad pitch in the dirt, we take for granted how difficult it is to willfully put our bodies in the way of a pitch to prevent runs. Ryan, through his desire to help the team in any way he can, does just that, in what he calls, his “Samurai Warrior Gear“.

With remarkable intuition and secretive hand signals with his first baseman, Isaiah Escalona, Ryan uses ‘snap throws’ to pick off unsuspecting runners who have strayed off base. If you fall asleep on first, Ryan and Isaiah will get you out before you even realize it happened.

With clutch hitting, smart defense, and all-around athleticism, Ryan is a Little League All-Star in his league and an Athlete of Unlimited Potential for SportsUnlimited.com. We are proud to highlight Ryan’s year and wish him and Brooklyn the best of luck in the playoffs.

I’d like to extend special thanks to Ryan’s very gracious father, Joe Marquez, for his willingness to participate in the project.

Do you think you or your son/daughter is an Athlete of Unlimited Potential?

Shoot me an email at [email protected] with your story and for all of your youth catchers gear and other baseball needs, shop Sports Unlimited!

By Isaac ClarkIsaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.

How to Buy a Baseball Glove

Buying a new baseball glove can be a confusing process. Most gloves look the same to the layman, so learn how buy a baseball glove, tell gloves apart, and find the one that works for your needs, and fits into your budget.

Handing down your old baseball or softball glove to your kids for a game of catch in the yard can be a loving rite of passage…and something moms and dads look forward to for a long time. But when it comes to serious little league games and beyond, that worn out old glove just isn’t going to pass muster. At some point, your kids are going to need a new glove, and hey…you might need one too! But to most new baseball moms and dads, all gloves look exactly the same.

So how do you tell baseball gloves apart, let alone find one that meets your needs and fits into your budget?

Glove Features:

Even I’ll admit that almost all baseball gloves have a similar look. But there are three main features of a glove’s build that make it unique, and determine its use and performance in the field. Recognize them, and an entire world of differences will open up before you:

Webbing – This connects the thumb of the glove to the fingers and expands the catching area well beyond the hand. There are many, many different types of webs, each with their own cool name (like the Modified Traz-eze web!), but they all generally fall within two categories:
- Closed Webs feature tight woven patterns of leather that create a solid, strong web.
- Open Webs use loose cross patterns of leather or leather lacing to create spaces between each piece of leather webbing, for a web you can see through.
Pocket – The indentation in the palm of the glove where the ball rests when it’s caught. Pockets range from shallow to deep, and pocket depth can affect your hold on the ball, as well as determine how long it takes to retrieve it from the pocket.
Back– The wrist closure of the glove.
- Open backs have a space above the Velcro adjuster for more flexibility around the wrist.
- Closed backs have no space for more strength and support.

Glove Patterns:

Every baseball glove on the market uses these three features in various combinations to create a unique glove “pattern.” This pattern, along with the size of the glove, tailors its performance to meet the needs of players at different positions around the diamond. For instance;

Outfielders need a longer reach, wider catching area, and added support to catch pop-flys. To meet their needs, outfielder glovestypically feature:
- A closed back for strength and wrist support
- An open web to see through when catching fly balls, filtering out glare from sunlight or stadium lights
- A deeper pocket for better hold on the ball
Infielders need to stop hard hit shots and make fast throws. To get that kind of performance, infielder gloves generally feature:
- Shallower pockets for faster catches and quicker throws
- Open backs for added wrist flexibility and faster movements
- Open webs for 3^rd basemen, to help field hard hit balls down their baseline,
- Closed webs for short stops, 1^st, and 2^nd basemen, for faster transfers from glove to throwing hand
Pitchers are less specific in their needs, and generally rely on personal preference in a glove pattern. But almost all pitching gloves use a closed web to help hide the ball and grip from the batter.
Catchers have a very specific role behind the bag, and all they’re typically worried about is catching the ball and not breaking their hand. That’s why catcher’s mitts are unique and finger-less, designed to protect the hand with heavy padding. A shallow pocket provides easy access to the ball for fast throws, and a closed web snaps shut when catching pitches.

When choosing a new baseball glove, it’s also important to consider the leather it’s built with. Leather quality has a dramatic affect on the glove’s durability, longevity, softness, performance, look, feel, and break-in time. It also happens to be a central factor in its price! High-end gloves with pro-stock, pro-choice leather, like the Wilson A2000, are definitely worth the price as they practically last forever, and can dramatically improve your game. However, if you’re looking for a youth baseball glove for your son or daughter, who is just starting out, playing in smaller leagues, or still growing rapidly, it’s not practical to buy such an expensive glove. Instead, check out Mizuno Prospect Series baseball gloves or Franklin baseball gloves, for a more affordable, but still high quality option.

This is a great year for baseball gloves, and there are tons of new 2012 baseball gear and gloves that you and your kids are sure to love! So look around, and use all of your new-found baseball glove knowledge to find something perfect. And if you still need some more help, be sure to check out our complete Baseball Glove Buying Guide.

By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

The Latest Under Armour, Nike, and Mizuno Catchers Gear Sets

Behind the plate, you need that perfect combination of lightweight performance and durable protection in your gear, to enhance your natural abilities and keep you off the DL. Thankfully, in 2012, the three big names in baseball catchers gear are back with new catchers sets that combine industry experience, technological advancements, and new performance materials to improve your game like never before!

Nike Pro Gold 2012 Adult Baseball Catchers Gear Set:

Play like a pro, and look the part too, in this advanced and striking catchers gear set from the masters at Nike. Designed for advanced, adult catchers looking to up their game, each piece in this set is built for lightweight manuverability, comfortable ventilation, and tough-as-nails durability. We particularly love the Camo Cage technology in the helmet, which tints the inside of the facemask giving you a clearer, unobstructed view of the field.

Other interesting specs include:

Lightweight four-layer chest protector, designed with Dual-Density Energy Arrest Padding, that kills ball rebound, to keep wild pitches in front of you and speed up throws out to the field.
Layer of “diamond vent pattern” padding vents out hot air and reduces the weight of the chest protector.
Precision Protection System in the shin guards shifts protection to the medial side of the leg, covering high-risk areas not normally protected.
Reinforced high-wear areas keep the shin guards playing like new longer.

Mizuno Samurai 2012 G4 Pro Youth Baseball Catchers Gear Set:

The next generation of Mizuno quality behind the plate; the G4 delivers improved comfort, ventilation, protection, and performance for the youth catcher. Trusted by parents and loved by players all across the country, Mizuno catchers gear is designed for serious, competitive play and high performance.

The new Samurai G4 catchers helmet improves on last year’s popular design, with a 3-layer, impact absorbing EVA foam liner and adjustable, moisture-wicking jaw pads, for a safer, more comfortable fit.

The Mizuno G3 chest protector uses a DryLite liner to wick moisture and lessen weight, for quicker manuevering. Detachable, customizable wings and shoulder pads let you strike the perfect balance between protection and performance.

Flexible, durable, and protective, the Mizuno G3 leg guards utilize a detachable kneepad and triple knee cap, for maximum performance and fit. Stainless steel buckles and a Grip-Tech slip-proof coating maintain the perfect fit all game long.

Under Armour Senior Pro Baseball Catchers Gear Set:

Built with innovative Under Armour technology, performance materials, and strikingly intimidating style, the Under Armour Pro Series Catchers Gear Sets are perfect for the serious catcher of any age. With sets designed for adult, senior, junior, and softball catchers, Under Armour gives everyone the quality, performance, and comfort they need behind the bag.

Injection molded ABS shell helmet with I-Bar vision cage gives you pro-level protection with maximum visibility
Chest protector enhanced with plastic throat, shoulder, and abs inserts, plus low-rebound foam to keep the ball in front of you.
HeatGear material wicks moisture and kills odor-causing bacteria in the chest protector
Shin guard with triple knee cap and thicker plastic in high impact areas for maximum protection.
Breathable mesh lining and 38 ventilation holes keep legs cool and comfortable all game long.

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

New for 2011: Mizuno Baseball

Spring Training has begun, meaning the baseball season is almost here. This year, we have added another behemoth of a brand to our baseball lineup: Mizuno.

Mizuno has been in the sporting goods business since 1906, and made their first footprint in the United States in 1980. Since then, they have become a powerhouse in the baseball goods scene. Top-notch professional baseball players continually use Mizuno gear in the big leagues, as Mizuno endorses a bevy of MLB stars, including, Ian Kinsler, Chipper Jones, Corey Hart, Ichiro Suzuki, Brian McCann, and more.

Some of Mizuno‘s most popular products are the Mizuno Samurai Catcher’s Gear, including the Mizuno Samurai G3 Helmet, Mizuno Samurai G2 Chest Protector, and the Mizuno Samurai G2 Leg Guards. The Mizuno Samurai G2 Catcher’s Gear is top-of-the-line, high-quality gear that is the same equipment that the pro’s where. The Samurai G2 Chest Protector, for instance, is worn by MLB All-Star Catcher Victor Martinez. Each component of the Samurai G2 line is highly adjustable, allowing you to have a custom fit tailored for your game. Check out the Mizuno Samurai G2 Catcher’s Gear Set to get all your catcher’s gear in one bundle.

Check out the Mizuno Section Page to see all the latest Mizuno Baseball Gloves, Softball Gloves, Baseball Bats, Softball Bats, Batting Gloves, Catcher’s Gear, Equipment Bags, Protective Gear and More! For younger players, check out our selection of Mizuno Youth Catcher’s Gear!