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Helmets & Catcher's Gear · Head to head

Rawlings Velo 2.0 vs All-Star S7 AXIS: the two catcher's sets for a 12- to 15-year-old

When a kid stops being a youth catcher and starts being a catcher, these are the two sets the coach names. Same torso length, same age band, different philosophies. The certification lines, sizing and construction, quoted from each maker, and a verdict by catcher.

By Mike M.Updated Sourced · gear tested by us: 0

#adReader-supported: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides a pick. How we pick · Disclosure

The contenders

Side by side

  • Illustrative stock photo: a catcher and umpire in position during a game on a grass fieldStock photo

    Velo 2.0: the value intermediate set

    Rawlings Velo 2.0 Catcher's Set

    Youth (12U), Intermediate (12–15), Adult (15+)NOCSAE8.7 /10

    Hockey-style helmet, Arc Reactor Core chest protector the maker states meets the NOCSAE commotio cordis standard, Heat Exchange leg guards. Sold in Youth, Intermediate and Adult.

    Check price · Amazon

    #ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Rawlings Velo 2.0 Catcher's Set

  • Illustrative stock photo: a catcher and umpire in position during a game on a grass fieldStock photo

    S7 AXIS: the specialist's set

    All-Star S7 AXIS USA (Ages 12–16)

    Ages 12–16 (maker's size name)NOCSAE8.5 /10

    MVP helmet, LINQ-hinge Axis leg guards, helmet and chest protector SEI certified to NOCSAE per All-Star. Sized as Ages 12-16 with a 15.5 in chest protector.

    Check price · Amazon

    #ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to All-Star S7 AXIS USA (Ages 12–16)

A softball catcher in full gear behind the plate as the batter waits on a sunny day
Illustrative stock photo. It does not show a specific product on this page.

The verdict

Certification, quoted

Rawlings Velo 2.0: “The chest protector meets NOCSAE commotio cordis standard thanks to its Arc Reactor Core.” The helmet is described (hockey-style, adjustable chin pad, three-way backplate) without a printed certification line on the set page. All-Star S7 AXIS USA 12–16: “Helmet and chest protector SEI certified to the NOCSAE standard,” and the product name itself ends “15.5 Meets NOCSAE.” Both chest protectors are stated to meet the standard; All-Star also says it of the helmet. What that standard is, and why it exists, is on the catcher's sets page.

Sizing

Rawlings' chest-protector table: Velo 2.0 Youth/Small (12 and under) 13.5 in, Medium/Intermediate (ages 12–15) 15.5 in, Large/Adult (15+) 17 in. All-Star's naming: Top Star 12–16 and S7 AXIS 12–16 at 15.5 in. So at the intermediate size the two sets are the same torso length, and the choice is not about fit. Measure collarbone to just past the navel per Rawlings' instruction; a 12-year-old under about 14 inches stays in Youth. The full method and every brand's lengths are on the gear size chart.

Helmet, chest protector, leg guards

Helmet

Velo 2.0: a hockey-style helmet with optimized ventilation, a moisture-wicking liner, an adjustable chin pad and a three-way adjustable backplate (Rawlings). S7 AXIS: the MVP helmet, which All-Star describes as designed for “Maximum Vision and Protection” and tested to professional levels of play. Both are one-piece hockey style.

Chest protector

Velo 2.0: Arc Reactor Core, a Dynamic Fit System 2.0 harness the maker describes as more form-fitting and more flexible at the shoulder and back, with better airflow. S7 AXIS: All-Star describes the set as recommended for elite-level catchers and tested to professional levels; the chest protector is SEI certified.

Leg guards

Velo 2.0: Heat Exchange foam, a conforming lightweight design and an over-the-shoe elastic toe strap. S7 AXIS: Axis leg guards with the patented LINQ hinge system “for optimum mobility.” This is where the S7 earns its price for a kid who blocks fifty pitches a game.

Side by side

EvidenceRawlings Velo 2.0 Catcher's SetAll-Star S7 AXIS USA (Ages 12–16)
CertificationChest protector meets the NOCSAE commotio cordis standard (maker)Helmet and chest protector SEI certified to the NOCSAE standard (maker)
FitsYouth (12U), Intermediate (12–15), Adult (15+)Ages 12–16 (maker's size name)
SizesRawlings chest protector table, Velo 2.0: Youth/Small (12 & under) 13 1/2 in, Medium/Intermediate (12–15) 15 1/2 in, Large/Adult (15+) 17 inAges 12–16; 15.5 in chest protector (maker's naming)
IncludedHockey-style helmet with adjustable chin pad and 3-way backplate; Dynamic Fit System 2.0 chest protector; Heat Exchange leg guards with over-the-shoe toe strapMVP helmet; Axis leg guards with patented LINQ hinge; chest protector (maker)
Construction——
Score8.7/108.5/10
Rawlings figures from the Velo 2.0 set page and the Rawlings chest-protector size table; All-Star figures from the S7 AXIS USA 12-16 product page. A dash means the figure is not on the cited page.

In detail

The contenders, in full

Illustrative stock photo: a catcher and umpire in position during a game on a grass fieldStock photo

Velo 2.0: the value intermediate set

Rawlings Velo 2.0 Catcher's Set

Catcher's gearYouth (12U), Intermediate (12–15), Adult (15+)NOCSAE8.7 /10

Hockey-style helmet, Arc Reactor Core chest protector the maker states meets the NOCSAE commotio cordis standard, Heat Exchange leg guards. Sold in Youth, Intermediate and Adult.

Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us

CategoryCatcher's gear
FitsYouth (12U), Intermediate (12–15), Adult (15+)
Certification (quoted)Chest protector meets the NOCSAE commotio cordis standard (maker)
CertificationChest protector meets NOCSAE commotio cordis standard thanks to the Arc Reactor Core (maker description)
SizesRawlings chest protector table, Velo 2.0: Youth/Small (12 & under) 13 1/2 in, Medium/Intermediate (12–15) 15 1/2 in, Large/Adult (15+) 17 in
IncludedHockey-style helmet with adjustable chin pad and 3-way backplate; Dynamic Fit System 2.0 chest protector; Heat Exchange leg guards with over-the-shoe toe strap
How the 8.7 score breaks down
Certification (NOCSAE / SEI) (35%)
10
Fit range for the age (25%)
8
Ventilation and comfort (15%)
9
Face-guard compatibility (10%)
9
Value (15%)
6

What the spec sheet supports

  • Commotio cordis standard stated by the maker
  • Intermediate size covers the awkward 12-to-15 stretch
  • Hockey-style helmet

Where it falls short

  • Roughly double the Players 3 price
  • Overkill for a rec catcher who splits time

Skip this if…

…the kid is 9 and catching two innings a week.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Rawlings Velo 2.0 Catcher's Set

Illustrative stock photo: a catcher and umpire in position during a game on a grass fieldStock photo

S7 AXIS: the specialist's set

All-Star S7 AXIS USA (Ages 12–16)

Catcher's gearAges 12–16 (maker's size name)NOCSAE8.5 /10

MVP helmet, LINQ-hinge Axis leg guards, helmet and chest protector SEI certified to NOCSAE per All-Star. Sized as Ages 12-16 with a 15.5 in chest protector.

Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us

CategoryCatcher's gear
FitsAges 12–16 (maker's size name)
Certification (quoted)Helmet and chest protector SEI certified to the NOCSAE standard (maker)
CertificationHelmet and chest protector SEI certified to the NOCSAE standard (maker)
SizesAges 12–16; 15.5 in chest protector (maker's naming)
IncludedMVP helmet; Axis leg guards with patented LINQ hinge; chest protector (maker)
How the 8.5 score breaks down
Certification (NOCSAE / SEI) (35%)
10
Fit range for the age (25%)
8
Ventilation and comfort (15%)
9
Face-guard compatibility (10%)
9
Value (15%)
5

What the spec sheet supports

  • Explicit SEI/NOCSAE statement for both pieces that need it
  • Built for the high-school-bound catcher

Where it falls short

  • Premium price
  • Too big for most 11-year-olds

Skip this if…

…the kid is under 12.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to All-Star S7 AXIS USA (Ages 12–16)

How we picked these

Gear we claim to have tested: 0

Plenty of sites say they swung every bat on the list in a lab. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: check each bat against the governing bodies' certification rules and the maker's stated stamp; compile sizing from the makers' own age, height and hand charts; read the published specs (drop, barrel, construction, closure, cleat type); and read the complaint patterns in retailer reviews for the “skip it if” line. Every figure links to where it came from.

Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not test results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.

Questions parents ask

Frequently asked

Is the Rawlings Velo 2.0 NOCSAE certified?
Rawlings states the Velo 2.0 chest protector “meets NOCSAE commotio cordis standard.” The set page does not print a line for the helmet; check the mark inside the shell.
Is All-Star S7 AXIS good for a 13-year-old?
It is sized as Ages 12–16 with a 15.5 in chest protector, the same length as Rawlings' Intermediate. A 13-year-old with a 15-plus-inch torso fits; a smaller 13-year-old stays in a youth set.
What is the difference between the Velo 2.0 and the Velo Pro?
The Velo Pro is Rawlings' adult/high-school set (Pro Fit, Dynamic Fit System, stated to meet the NOCSAE commotio cordis standard). The Velo 2.0 is the line sold in Youth and Intermediate sizes, which is why it is the one on this page.
Which catcher's set lasts longer?
Neither maker publishes durability data and we have not worn either. All-Star sells replacement pads and repair kits for its lines, which is a reasonable proxy for a set meant to be kept.

Keep reading

Related on Bat & Bucket

Receipts

Sources

  1. Rawlings: Velo 2.0 catcher's set
  2. Rawlings: Velo Pro catcher's set (adult/high school; meets NOCSAE commotio cordis standard)
  3. Rawlings: Players 3 Series catcher's set (Youth/Junior/T-Ball; chest protector size table)
  4. All-Star: S7 AXIS USA ages 12-16 catcher's kit
  5. All-Star: Top Star Series ages 9-12 catcher's kit
  6. NOCSAE: Commotio cordis and the ND200 chest protector standard

We don't claim to have swung, worn or tested this gear, and we don't pretend to. Gear we claim to have tested: 0. Certification rules come from the governing bodies' own pages (Little League, USA Baseball, USSSA, NOCSAE), sizes from the makers' sizing charts, and specs from the maker's product page or the retailer listing named on each product. Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.

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