Someone has stated that the West Vest is hot, heavy, and difficult to maneuver in. I was sold on it til then. What do you think of that?

It's not particularly heavy, nor hot. I don't know what kind of maneuvers are restricted in this rig, but certainly nothing a normal umpire would encounter. I wouldn't play golf in though.

My Cooper UMP1000 is cooler, my former Douglas WV was thinner and less restrictive, and I could probably play 18 in my old Diamond. But the Platinum is the best of all worlds, IMO. Plus, it's freakin' bulletproof.

Maybe it's dependent on size. I'm 6'1" and 185lb.

Your mileage may vary.

I've had a WVP for several years. I wouldn't trade it for anything else!

The design of the Platinum protects best those umpires using the scissors stance. The Gold protects best those umpires using heel-toe and box stances.

Just curious: how's that? I mean, there are obviously some variation in the designs: do they make much difference in protection, depending on what stance you use?

FWIW, I have a Gold, which I love ['tho the shoulder padding is a bit thicker than I see a need for, given the hard shell]. I recently switched from the scissors [knee issues]: be interesting if I also improved the performance of my gear in doing so.

Check them out side by and side, paying particular attention to the placement of the "shoulder pads."

Which do you think will protect you better when working the heel-toe or box stance and which will work better when the body in angled forward as in the scissor stance?

[Edited by GarthB on Mar 22nd, 2005 at 12:06 PM]

I have a WVP myself, and I think it works just as well as my original WV while using the heel-toe/box stance. Never the less, I would not recommend any other protector to an umpire other a WV.

It is the best chest protector out there for any level umpire.

Hmmmm,
 

John commented:

"It is the best chest protector out there for any level umpire."

How about a Ridell Power?

How about a Carlucci?

How about an original Douglas.

I think you meant to say, "In my opinion . . ."

OR

"From those that I have seen . . ."

Garth,
When looking to upgrade chest protectors at the end of last year, I was looking at various models, including the West Vest Platinum. Someone had mentioned that they were wary of the WVP because the shoulder pads seemed like they were more on top of the shoulders and that the WVP wouldn't protect an umpire properly in that position.

At first I has those same thoughts. Then I really started to evaluate my stance, in terms of how far forward my shoulders faced when I was in my plate stance. I was actually a bit surprised to find out that the tops of the shoulders are actually further forward than I thought. my old protector didn't cover the tops of my shoulders when in my stance.

In trying out both a heel toe and scissors stance in the mirror, I think that the difference in forward rotation of the shoulders between the two stances is nominal. Now I grant you that I don't use a scissors stance, but I think that my casual experiment is fairly accurate.

I think most people would be surprised how much of the top of the shoulders is exposed when they are in position to call strikes. I ended up purchasing a Honig's K1 Elite. It covers the tops of my shoulders nicelyand I think it offers plenty of protection while being very light. I not sure there is much difference in the two stances. IMHO. Your mileage may vary.

I have gone through a plethora of chest protectors, including WV Platinum, Honigs K-1, Pro-9, and Riddell Power, among many others, and I always keep coming back to Old Faithful, my West Vest Gold.

As Garth noted, the Gold's shoulder pads are more "front-mounted" where as the Platinum's are more "top-mounted." Also, I did experience a modest amount of restriction of movement with the Platinum that I don't notice with the Gold. For some reason, a shirt was harder to put on over the Platinum than the Gold.

But of all the chest protectors I've tried, ranked on comfort, protection, and durability, nothing compares to my West Vest Gold.

Interesting. I have a WVGold but find the pec pads really effect mobility (my previous Douglas did no have them). I was thinking about picking up a Platinum to solve this, but sounds like that may not do it.

Re: Hmmmm,
 

From the master of the conclusory statement, a plea that someone else identify a statement as an opinion. Weird.