Last year I saw one JV umpire using a Balloon.
He was also wearing his shin guards on the outside of his jeans.
They actually offer great protection.
The funny thing is, guys will give you a hard time for using one because of the way it looks. Just like they do if you wear a Hockey Style Mask (HSM). Seems looks are more important than functionality sometimes. Sign of the times.
Maybe I should start using a Balloon and my HSM together. That aught to really shake up the old (decrepit) dogs !
