Tag: new

Under Armour HeatGear vs Nike Dri-FIT – The Sports Apparel War

Nike vs Under Armour. Technological sounding names dominate the athletic apparel war between Nike and Under Armour, but what do they mean? Comparing Nike’s Dri-Fit and Under Armour’s HeatGear, we are going to review what these technologies do and which one is better for you!

UAVNIKE

Under Armour HeatGear vs Nike Dri-Fit

Technological sounding names dominate the athletic apparel war between Nike and Under Armour, but what do they mean?  Comparing Nike’s Dri-Fit and Under Armour’s HeatGear, we are going to review what these technologies do and which one is better for you!  Finding the right performance shirt, compression pants, running shorts, and compression socks for the summer can be tough, but when you discover the right ones for you, you may never go back to wearing regular clothes while working out.

Under Armour built its company with a foundation in performance apparel and turned into something much more significant.  In 1996 the founder of Under Armour created the first t-shirt made of moisture-wicking synthetic fabric, effectively inventing the industry of ‘Performance Apparel’.   To this day, the company continues to produce and improve upon their signature HeatGear.

Let’s get into the nitty gritty about these sportswear rivals.

Under Armour HeatGear

Basics:

HeatGear uses super lightweight fabrics to keep you cool and dry in warm and hot conditions whether you’re out for a walk, training hard, or dominating the football field. Its exceptional moisture transport systems wick sweat away from your body, while maintaining ventilation. Sounds like any ‘performance apparel’ I’ve ever heard of, so let’s dive a little deeper to get a greater understanding.

What Does Under Armour HeatGear Provide?

UA-performancedna

Moisture Transport Systems: Hydrophobic fabrics wick the moisture from your body and pull it through the material so that it evaporates quickly, keeping your clothes light and your body cool and dry.

Odor Control – Anti-microbial technology resists the growth and spread of bacterial odors within the fabric. The evaporation of sweat quickly and efficiently combined with the anti-microbial technology reduces odors better than any other system.

UPF – Ultra-Violet Protection Factor – UPF protects you from the sun, plain and simple. Extra protection from UV rays is always a good thing for your skin, body, and overall health and Under Armour has added this screen to their impressive arsenal.

Some Under Armour gear is equipped with additional features.  Check the tags for the following!

Strategic Ventilation +  Armour Stretch

Modular Protection Zones + 360 Degree Reflectivity

Wind Resistance + Armour Grip

Those features are the foundation of HeatGear, but HeatGear is separated into different fabrics to help you differentiate what gear you need for what situation. Here is a run-down of Under Armour’s lineup.

FABRICS:
Under Armour Heat Gear Shirt TechUnder Armour Tech –

This is the classic, super-soft, natural feeling material that mimics cotton, but provides the performance benefits of synthetic material. Traditional UA look and feel and is generally the most affordable option.

Underarmour Heat Gear Shirt Charged CottonCharged Cotton –

It’s cotton, but better. With Charged Cotton, you get the feel, weight, and comfort of cotton with the impressive moisture transport system that wicks 5% faster. This cotton dries 5x faster than standard cotton. Perfect for athletic activities or just relaxing, it’s a soft garment with performance tech built in.

Underarmour Heatgear Shirt CatalystUnder Armour Catalyst –

Surprisingly made entirely of recycled plastic bottles, Catalyst is super soft and smooth. Incredibly light with body temperature regulating tech, the best feature of this fabric is how light and smooth it is.

HeatGear coldblackUnder Armour coldblack –

It shocks me how noticeably coldblack affects the temperature of the garment and in turn, your body. The technology makes dark fabrics act more like light fabrics in the sun, retaining less heat during performance. Oh, and it makes light colors act like nothing at all. Providing the best moisture-wicking tech and all other HeatGear benefits with the temperature regulation technology makes athletes flock to coldblack.

Under Armour Flyweight Women's ShirtHeatGear Flyweight –

Ultra-light and smooth fabric with strategically positioned mesh panels to help regulate heat and allow sweat to evaporate faster. Raglan sleeve design and smooth Flatlock Seams do not restrict range of motion. This is lightweight, lightweight, lightweight.

All of these different fabrics are available in multiple fits: Compression, Fitted, Semi-Fitted, and Loose.

Under Armour Running ShortsHeatGear Sonic –

The newest innovation from Under Armour, Sonic is a compression material that increases muscle power through ultra-tight fit. They call it a “second skin” because it provides the benefits of compression technology without sacrificing comfort so that you can wear it all day.  Shirts, tanks, pants, shorts, they have it all.

Shop Men’s and Women’s HeatGear

This isn’t all about Under Armour. It’s Under Armour vs Nike, so let’s get to Nike!

Nike Dri-FitNike Dri-FIT graphic

Basics:

Dri-Fit uses microfiber, polyester fabric to wick moisture from your body to the outer surface of the fabric so that it can evaporate quickly to keep you cool for a… dry fit. This sounds mighty similar to Under Armour’s signature moisture transport system.

What Does Nike Dri-Fit Provide?

Moisture Wicking – It does that whole ‘wick moisture from your body’ thing. This allows sweat to evaporate to keep you light and dry.

Dri-Fit UV – Provides minimum of 30 SPF to protect you from ultraviolet rays. This is only in certain Dri-Fit products so make sure you look for it on the label or tags!

LINES:
Drifit Shirt For WomenNike Pro Dri-Fit –

Mesh panels and flat seams are featured in the Nike Pro Combat line to fit smoothly to the body for a close and comfortable fit. Different Pro products can be made of different materials so be sure to take closer looks at these.

Nike Drifit Legend ShirtNike Legend Dri-Fit –

Crew neck and inside taping bring comfort through mesh design. Made of 100% recycled polyester and is constructed with flat-seam to reduce chafing.

–

Nike Drifit Miler ShirtNike Miler Dri-Fit –

Basically the same as the Legend, but with added panels in the side improve mobility. 100% recycled polyester.

–

Nike Drifit Tailwind SleevelessNike Tailwind Dri-Fit –

This line features a mesh fabric panel and three eyelets in the underarm to provide air flow and reduce chafing. Nike designs this with flat seams to improve range of motion as well. Body is made of Dri-FIT 85% polyester/15% cotton. Side panel constructed of Dri-FIT 86% polyester/14% cotton. Also this line has a cool zip pocket at the waist/back for easily securing valuables when running.

Nike Drifit Knit WomensNike Knit Dri-Fit –

56% polyester and 44% nylon, the knit line is a soft touch Dri-FIT moisture-wicking fabric.   Knit fabric is designed with mesh panels for lightweight ventilation.

The Conclusion:

We can breathe easy, the information dump is over.

The major benefit that these workout clothes provide is their moisture wicking/transportation systems. If you have never tried these products before, it is amazing how different a run, a game, or a workout can feel when wearing clothes that are specifically designed to improve your performance rather than simply not get in the way.

Both brands of performance apparel are great choices for your athletic activities, but there are so many fabrics and so many lines just within the HeatGear and Dri-FIT names. In my years of using these fabrics and diving deeper into their technology and construction, it seems as though any of the Nike products would work for me and feel great, but I can find the proper sportswear specific to my needs through the fabrics and fits that Under Armour provides.

Nike has proven that people love their comfortable, performance fabric, but it seems as though Under Armour, the originator of performance apparel, may have a multitude of additional benefits and defined options.

Making informed decisions is the best way to choose between Nike and Under Armour, but sometimes it takes trying both to truly understand!

What do you think?


New Schutt Big Grill 2.0 Facemask Now Available to the Public

The new Schutt Big Grill 2.0 football facemask is available for immediate sale at Sports Unlimited! The single most intimidating facemask ever created by man, the Big Grill 2.0, made famous by a certain New York Giants defensive back, will transform your game! Available in a wide variety of colors and styles, including the new Aqua Tech specialty color designs.

Schutt Big Grill 2.0 Football FacemaskThe wait is over and one of the most insanely aggressive football facemasks ever devised is finally available for sale to the public! That’s right, the infamous Big Grill 2.0 facemask (made famous by a certain New York Giants defensive end) is here and ready for immediate purchase (at Sports Unlimited).

We all remember where we were the first time we saw the original Big Grill on TV. It was unlike anything else out there; 6 horizontal bars and three vertical pegs made it look like a dangerous Darth Vader mask of intense football aggression. Then the guy goes ahead and one up’s himself…starting the 2012 NFL season with a completely new and even more ridiculously intimidating facemask!

Justin Tuck wearing the Big Grill 2.0The new Big Grill 2.0 revamps the original grid design, creating something completely unheard of. A modified ROPO (Reinforced Oral Protection Only) facemask with a 5 horizontal bar structure, and 12 diagonal bars cutting across the face, literally daring any opponent to just try and get his fingers in there. It’s intense athletic aggression sharpened to a razor’s edge!

Available in a wide variety of colors, Schutt has released the new Big Grill 2.0 in DNA and Super-Pro styles. The Schutt Big Grill 2.0 DNA facemask will fit on your youth or adult Schutt DNA Pro +, and the Big Grill 2.0 Super Pro will fit your youth or adult Schutt AiR XP, AiR Advantage, or XP Hybrid. XL versions of both of these Big Grill 2.0 facemasks are also available for players, to fit your extra large helmets.

For those of you with a brand new Schutt Vengeance, don’t fret; the The Big Grill 2.0 is designed to fit the Vengeance as well! An XL Super Pro Big Grill 2.0 will fit on any Schutt Vengeance helmet easily. But if you’re more interested in the DNA Big Grill 2.0, that will fit as well, with slight modifications. All you’ll need to do is drill holes in the pre-marked spots on the Vengeance shell, and the DNA facemask should fit perfectly.

Big Grill 2.0 Facemask Colors
Big Grill 2.0 Aqua Tech FacemaskFor an even more intimidating and unique look, check out the exclusive Schutt Big Grill 2.0 DNA Aqua Tech or Super Pro Aqua Tech Facemasks! Designed with permanent specialty coloring effects, Aqua Tech graphics turn your face guard into something sleek, beautiful, and dangerous on the gridiron.

Buy your Big Grill 2.0 today, and protect yourself with the single most impressive and aggressive football facemask on the planet!

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

Today’s Best Football Helmets: Riddell 360 vs. Schutt Vengeance

Compare the design and features of the Riddell 360 and Schutt Vengeance football helmets, to decide which is the best football helmet today!

A lot of people have been asking, lately, what is the best football helmet; the Riddell 360 or the Schutt Vengeance, and I’ve found it a really tough question to answer!

Both of these helmets are the absolute pinnacle of performance and protection, from two companies at the top of their game. Schutt and Riddell have spent decades dominating the football equipment industry, and each of their next-generation football helmets are the end result of vast experience, endless experimentation, advanced research and development, and countless hours of on-field testing and hit-analysis. They both not only protect the player better, but with the latest facemask and shell designs, create a more aggressive look than ever before. And while it’s hard to say which the best football helmet is, what I can say is that both are really impressive!

To give you a better idea of what each football helmet offers, and help you decide which the best football helmet is for you, we’ll delve deep into each new helmet, investigate their advanced features and technologies, and review their designs. So without further ado, I give you the Schutt Vengeance vs Riddell 360:

Riddell 360Riddell 360

In a Nut Shell:

After analyzing over 1.4 million helmet collisions with their HITS impact-severity recording devices, Riddell concluded that many of the impacts that result in concussions are caused by massive forces to the front of the head. So with major re-designs and improvements to the traditional helmet, the 360 utilizes new features and technologies to not only protect the entire head, but shifts the focus of protection to the front of the helmet and the jaw area.

Most Interesting New Features:

Flex Impact System: To improve frontal protection, Riddell’s new Flex Face Guard, combined with new facemask hinge clips, absorbs more impact force, reducing the shock felt by the player and the force transferred to his head.

Enhanced Facial Frame: Expanded to protect more of the front and jaw areas, Riddell improved the face frame of the polycarbonate shell, reducing impact force from side hits.

360 Hexagon LinerHexagonal Liner System: One of the most noticeable new features of the 360, the unique hexagonal helmet liner not only looks cool, but is made of energy-managing foam that absorbs more impact force, while improving and securing helmet fit, and delivering comfort and stability to the helmet. This liner is extended around the sides of the football helmet and the jaw areas, adding even more protection to the front of the head.

Occipital Lock: Placed in the back base of the helmet, this new feature cradles the back of the head, creating a more secure fit, and improving comfort and helmet stability. It also helps protect the head in the case of backward falls and tackles.

All-Points Quick Release Facemask System: You saw the Quick-Release face guard system in the Revo Speed. Now the 360 steps it up a notch, giving you quick-releases at each of the four facemask attachment points, letting you remove the new facemask faster and more easily than ever before.

Our Impressions:

This is a serious helmet for serious players. If you liked the Revo Speed, you are going to love the 360. It is definitely heavier than the Revo Speed, but the new liner and frontal protection, along with the lightweight facemask make up for the added weight. It delivers a stiffer, more secure fit inside as well, so you’ll feel almost indestructible. The increased shell offset and more aggressive shell detailing are really impressive too, and give you a great look on the field. Because of its price and weight, I’d suggest it to high school, college, and pro-level players, although it also comes in a lighter-weight youth 360 version, which is great for really serious younger, middle school players.

Schutt Vengeance

Schutt Vengeance Adult HelmetIn A Nut Shell:

Three words; Dual Compression TPU! Years of clinical and on-field research showed that football concussions can result from consistent low-impact collisions, as well as less-frequent high-impact, violent collisions. So Schutt went about improving the popular TPU cushioning system, found in the ION 4D and DNA, to protect the player from both levels of impact force. DCT adds a second layer of less-dense TPU, on top of the traditional stiff TPU cushioning, designed to protect you from both the typical, low-impact hits, and the infrequent hard, high-force collisions, changing helmet protection forever!

Most Interesting New Features:

Two-Layer TPU: An outer layer of stiffer, harder TPU cushioning, and an inner layer of softer, less-dense TPU, protects the player from every type of impact on the field. TPU never compresses, cannot be cracked, won’t break down, and resists heat, mold, mildew, and bacteria.

Vengeance Mechanical Cushioning AttachmentsMechanically Attached Padding: Different than any football helmet before it, the Vengeance TPU cushioning system is now attached directly to the helmet shell with screws instead of Velcro. These mechanical attachments stabilize the TPU cushioning and keep it exactly where it needs to be, even after hard hits.

Aggressive Mohawk Shell: With the largest shell offset of any Schutt football helmet, the Vengeance packs more Dual Compression TPU in, for enhanced protection without a significant weight or profile increase. The aggressive shell also features a new Flexural Resistant Shelf, which makes for a stronger, more impact-resistant back-of-the-head.

Vengeance FacemasksNew Vengeance Facemask: In a radical move, Schutt completely re-designed the traditional football facemask, creating one of the most innovative, high-performing, and aggressive-looking facemasks ever seen. Its larger offset, flexible design and arched brow take the place of the popular Energy Wedge system, and absorb even more impact force than before, while also providing an incredibly wide field of view. Also, by not using the energy wedges, Schutt lets you use existing DNA and XP XL facemasks on the Vengeance as well as the specially designed face guards.

Fit Liner System: High-impact foam inside the football helmet’s liner increases impact protection to the front and crown, helping to improve force-absorption in critical and vulnerable hitting areas.

Our Impressions:

The Vengeance is a bold, aggressive, and unique looking helmet, that delivers inside and out. The new two-layer TPU is incredibly cool and seems to really absorb a wide variety of impact forces, while the new liner and foam system cradle the head and feels secure and comfortable. The new facemask takes some getting used to, but it looks sick, definitely absorbs more force, and gives you crisp and wide field visibility. Overall, it’s a heavier helmet, but with the aggressive new look and vastly improved protection features, absolutely perfect for upper-end high school, college, and pro players.

There you have it, my review of the top two helmets in football today. I hope this has helped you gain a greater understanding of what these helmets have to offer, and maybe answered the question for you, which is the best football helmet.
By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

 

New Justin Tuck Facemask Revealed

New Justin Tuck Facemask Revealed! With five horizontal bars and 12 diagonal bars, the new facemask is a total beast!

New Justin Tuck FacemaskSo apparently, having the baddest looking facemask in football wasn’t enough for Justin Tuck. Last year, the New York Giants defensive end made headlines with his six horizontal bar facemask. The custom job was built to keep fingers out of his facemask, when he suspected opponents of attempting to get their hands inside and yank his helmet, after word of a neck injury got out. Some called it ridiculous…some called it amazing. Regardless, after Schutt designed them for the public, it became one of the best selling facemasks of the year!

Now, he’s taking the ridiculousness to a new level, and anyone who dares put their fingers anywhere near his facemask this season is going to be picking them up off the turf! Tuck’s new facemask reduces the horizontal bars to five, but the 12 diagonal bars he adds more than make up for the loss. These cross bars turn Tuck’s facemask into a gloried cheese grater, or more accurately, a face fortress from which there is no return!

I’m not sure if these will be available for purchase by the public, but as soon as they are, I’m getting one just to wear around the house! What do you think?
By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

Nike Finally Reveals New NFL Jerseys

Nike unveils brand new NFL jerseys for all 32 franchises. All new Nike NFL jerseys now available at Sports Unlimited!

Nike NFL JerseysTuesday night, in the low lights of a Brooklyn film studio, and somewhere between the muddy fields of the NFL and sleek runways of Bravo, Nike finally unveiled its long-awaited, newly designed NFL jerseys. Sleek and modern, yet somehow comfortingly familiar, all 32 franchise jerseys have been re-imagined by the sporting goods giant for the 2012 season.

In a huge media display, starring top players from every team, Nike showed off the new look, feel, material, and performance of each jersey, demonstrating their sleek design, closer fit, innovative ventilation system, durable fabric, and enhanced stretch and movement.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was on hand, and explained that the Nike redesign combined tradition and innovation.

“You can put innovation into the uniform without changing the look, necessarily, about it.” Goodell said.

New Nike NFL UniformsLeaning more towards the “tradition” end of the spectrum, most franchises chose not to follow the trend of some college teams, like the Oregon Ducks or Maryland Terps, and left their classic colors and styles largely unchanged. Other teams, like the Seattle Seahawks, took a turn for the flashy, upgrading their look with bright neon and metallic linings. But all in all, every jersey got the full Nike treatment, for a cooler-than-ever look.

“Seattle has the hottest uniform right now,” New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas admitted. “So I’m a little jealous. But I still love my all black. I think it looks nice.”

After many years with Reebok, the NFL signed an exclusive deal with Nike in early 2012, to supply all 32 teams with new jerseys, belts, pants, socks, and gloves.

And now that they’ve been revealed, Sports Unlimited is happy to announce that we have a full shipment of Nike NFL jerseys in stock and ready to go! Available in youth sizes, our wide selection of jerseys from all your favorite teams and players will let you take your fandom into the next generation! Complete replicas of what your favorite player will wear on the field all season long, these new Nike NFL jerseys will be with you from the stands to your couch while you root for your team every Sunday.

NFL Jerseys

Available for purchase starting at 12 AM, Friday May 27th.

By Brandon Porter.

Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

New 2013 BBCOR Bats Available at SU

A review and overview of the latest BBCOR bats from DeMarini, the 2013 CF5 Composite Bat and Voodoo Aluminum Alloy Bat. Both utilize the advanced TR3 FLO carbon composite technology to deliver incredibly lightweight, fast, and powerful bats that continue to adhere to all BBCOR standards and regulations.

We know that the past few years have been tough for high school and college baseball players. Since the implementation of BBCOR bat standards, learning, understanding, and conforming to them has forced parents and players to re-think how they shop for new baseball bats. It’s not just about performance anymore! Now you have to be sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you can even use your new bat in a regulation game!

Thankfully though, bat companies like DeMarini have had ample time to assess the new BBCOR standards, and develop incredible technologies and insanely powerful, lightweight bats that knock the guts out of the ball…while still adhering to all standards of performance. Enter the future of your game; the 2013 season DeMarini BBCOR Baseball Bats. Available for pre-order now from Sports Unlimited, these bats are ready to ship May 1st (5/1/12).

DeMarini 2013 CF5 BBCOR Composite Bat

DeMarini 2013 CF5 Composite Baseball BatIn the world of baseball bats, nothing performs like composite. It’s lightweight, strong, and gives you some serious power at the plate. And in the new world of BBCOR bats, there’s nothing that swings, strikes, and slams like the brand new 2013 DeMarini CF5 Composite! You may have swung last year’s version, but nothing can prepare you for the advanced design, feel, and performance of this season’s series.

2013 BBCOR CF5 BatIt starts with the latest in composite technology; the TR3 FLO, or Fused layer Optimized Composite. Using a complex, technical process that is way beyond my high-school grasp of science and engineering, DeMarini randomly fuses carbon fibers to create an incredibly compact carbon composite material. This lightweight, strong material makes up the barrel and handle of the bat, evenly distributing weight for perfect balance, and making for some seriously fast and powerful swings. DeMarini fuses these two pieces together with its Half + Half technology, giving you the largest sweet spot possible, to destroy any fast ball that comes down the line.

Consistently powerful, yet BBCOR certified and ready to play, the 2013 CF5 is the lightest and strongest composite bat in DeMarini’s arsenal.

Available -3 BBCOR certified for adults, or -11 for youth players.

DeMarini 2013 Voodoo BBCOR Aluminum Bat

DeMarini 2013 Voodoo Aluminum Composite Baseball Bat

With sick new barrel graphics and the added performance of the new TR3 FLO composite technology in the handle, the 2013 Voodoo packs the powerful punch of advanced aluminum alloy, with the lightweight speed of composite carbon, for a serious bat that is not to be messed with.

2013 Voodoo Baseball BatMade of X10, a propriety aluminum alloy, the new Voodoo’s barrel is not only incredibly light, but has also been finely tuned to create the ultimate sweet spot. Thin and strong, for that solid trampoline effect off the bat, it still strictly adheres to all BBCOR standards for 2013 and beyond.

Inside the aluminum barrel, you’ll feel a new taper ring. Strategically moved closer to the composite handle, the taper ring lowers swing weight and enhances the sweet spot, so the bat feels lighter and swings faster, without actually reducing weight beyond standards.

Combining the most advanced aluminum alloys and composite technologies in the game, the 2013 Voodoo baseball bat puts ultimate power in your hands, and strikes some fear in the heart of any pitcher you step up to.

Available -3 BBCOR certified for adults, or -13 for youth players.
By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist 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.

Adult Baseball GlovesHanding 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 Glove Websthe 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.
  • Glove BackBack– 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 3rd basemen, to help field hard hit balls down their baseline,
    • Closed webs for short stops, 1st, and 2nd 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.
  • Baseball Catchers MittCatchers 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.

New Easton Lacrosse Helmet Debuts Adjustable Tilt

If you’re a lax fanatic, then you know how it feels to get the perfect tilt out of your lacrosse helmet; to hit the field with your helmet sitting low, like an ancient gladiator staring down a hoard of enemies…and maybe a tiger. You strive for it, rip apart your helmet for it, and adjust chin straps, buckles, and padding to get it to sit just right for the perfect tilt…that sick, intimidating look.

Easton Lacrosse DesignersThankfully though, some lacrosse players grow up to design lacrosse gear. If not for that, then Cort Kim, Blake Kim, and Doug Appleton would never have inspired Easton Lacrosse and lead designer Genia Harbenova to finally create the world’s first lacrosse helmet with adjustable tilt!

Easton Lacrosse Helmet

Enter the Easton Raptor Helmet! This baby is the end result of decades of lacrosse experience meeting genius design skill, blended together with Easton’s ridiculous resources and a drive to flip the game on its rear. And we have to say, they did one hell of a job! The Raptor is everything lax players have been dreaming of in lacrosse helmets. Its shell is made of a single piece of polycarbonate, with a single-piece, impact-absorbing EPP foam liner heat-bonded to the inside. What does all that jargon mean for you? Well basically, the Raptor Helmet is the lightest lacrosse helmet in the world (1.8 lbs / 28.8 ounces). That’s feather light. Leaf-in-the-wind light. Obscenely, should-be-illegal, outright ludicrously light! And that’s just the first thing you’ll notice when you pick up the Easton Raptor Lacrosse Helmet.

Put it on, and you’ll feel the difference immediately. First, you can barely feel it on your head. Second, it’s crazy comfortable. Let me repeat that, because it bears repeating. There’s actually a comfortable lacrosse helmet out there!

Raptor Fit SystemThe difference with the Raptor, over any other helmet in the game, comes down to fit. Since the dawn of the modern game, lacrosse helmets have come in one size, with adjustable buckles, straps, laces, and maybe a micro-adjuster in the back…maybe. Easton Lacrosse threw that tired old model in the wood chipper and designed three different sizes (S/M, M/L, and L/XL). Then they went ahead and made each helmet completely customizable and adjustable…in every dimension. Get the best fit around your head with an In-Form Fit micro adjuster, the easiest-to-use fit band in the game. Adjust the helmet up and down, for the first time, with an innovative tilt system, to get the perfect helmet tilt, and avoid middle bar syndrome…all without going crazy adjusting chin straps and whatnot, or exposing the back of your head and chin to injury and impact. Heck, even the cheek pads come in two different thicknesses to give you that perfect, customized, comfortable fit!

But don’t think it’s all style and no substance here! When it comes to strength and performance, this Easton helmet doesn’t hold back either. Inside, the EPP foam liner delivers the maximum amount of thickness without adding weight. This way, it distributes impact energy over the widest possible area, reducing the risk of concussions and injury.

Raptor Helmet Chin BarThe chin bar is a separate piece, made of rigid fiberglass-filled nylon, for a stiffer, stronger construction than other injection-molded bars.

Easton tapered back the sides and top of the visor as well, intentionally shifting the steel facemask back and away from the face to improve facial protection, giving it a strikingly different look than other helmets out there.

We know it’s new, we know it looks cool…but trust us when we tell you; it’s so much more than that! The Easton Raptor Lacrosse Helmet is the future of lax gear, finally giving players the style, the tilt, and the safety they’ve been screaming about for years now. Also check out our lacrosse bags to store you new helmet, along with the rest of your lacrosse gear.
By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

New Life Is Good Spring 2012 Apparel!

With all of this cold, grey winter weather, the warm greenery of spring may seem impossibly far off. But to the people at Life is good, the scents of backdoor barbeques and fresh cut grass, the sounds of softly strumming guitars, and the joys of pure relaxation are never out of reach. That’s why we figured there was no better time than now to unveil the brand new Life is good spring line at Sports Unlimited, and to reveal our sweet new life is good deal! Stock up on these new styles, and when you buy 2 life is good shirts, get the 3rd 50% off! Sweet deal right?

2012 Life is good Women’s Spring Line:

Celebrating the many moods of the season, the new life is good women’s apparel spring line delivers a range of new, cool colors and styles, offering something for everyone and every occasion. Check out a few of our new favorites:

2012 Life is good Men’s Spring Line:

The latest life is good men’s wear continues to honor all that is man! From fishing to camping, golfing to barbecuing, life is good men’s spring apparel details the best parts of being a guy this season!

Life is good for the kids too! The life is good kids apparel spring line has the coolest school clothes and weekend tee’s to keep them stylish, with that unique flare. Plus, there is no higher quality brand than life is good, so you know these shirts will last through years of horsing around!

Known for their unimaginably comfortable shirts and sweatshirts, sporting the cool colors of the seasons and uniquely heartwarming graphics, life is good has built their success by embodying happiness. What started with a simple t-shirt and the undeniably lovable grin of their character “Jake,” has evolved into full lines of apparel and accessories that define the many things that make life good! But it’s what life is good does outside of the stores that makes them really unique, and what makes them a favorite here at SU. Constantly and consistently charitable, life is good is dedicated to improving the lives of children everywhere, and hosts countless festivals every year to raise money for causes that bring joy and education to kids around the globe. So when you rock life is good this spring, know that you’re also making life a little better for others!

New Oakley Sunglasses

We’ve made it all the way to June, which means it’s time to step outside and embrace the sun.  Soak up that Vitamin D (did you know that sun is the best source of Vitamin D?) and protect your eyes with a brand spankin’ new pair of Oakley Sunglasses.  We’ve redesigned our entire Oakley Sunglasses website for a cleaner, more enjoyable experience so you find the right pair of Oakleys for you.

Some New Oakley Sunglasses that you might like are:

1. Oakley Jupiter Sunglasses

2. Oakley Impatient Sunglasses

3. Oakley MLB Sunglasses