New Umpire Questions

[Texas Aggie]

Crossover from football/basketball considering baseball. I liked the idea of being outdoors and I love baseball.

With that, I don't want to drop a small fortune into gear I'm not going to like. Understanding there are no guarantees, I'm wondering the following:

1. What's the minimum amount of equipment I need to get started (first 3-4 weeks)?

2. Are the combo pants really big enough to fit the shin guards for the plate? Do they look like bell bottoms on the bases?

3. From what I understand, the chest protector and mask are pretty much your key pieces of equipment. What do I need to look for here?

4. I don't like the look of pure plate hats. Does the combo hat come off when you pull off the mask or do you have to work on that to keep it from coming off?

5. Indicator on the bases to start out or no?

6. I've worn under-armour stuff all season in football and basketball and expect to do the same baseball. Is UA stuff sufficient for the base layer under the equipment?

I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this will get me started. Thanks!