Hydrate properly. Just like your car, put the coolant in BEFORE you get on the road. If you wait until you are on the side of the road with your hood up and a geyser coming out of the radiator, you have waited too long.

Drink, drink, drink, drink before your first game. Drink until your urine is clear. And then continue to drink between games. Then you will be able to call as many games on a hot day as you need.

I am from GA where there is as much heat as anywhere. The water you drink does not have to be cold, although it does taste better cold. But I have guzzled many bottles of warm water for hydration and it was very effective.

The difference between being properly hydrated and not is like this:
Yes: Man, it is hot today, but it is not really bothering me
No: Man, this heat is really taking it out on me.

Hydrate properly and you won't need any sophisticated cooling systems.

I bought a thermal sleeve with a clip at Wal Mart. I freeze half a Gatorade and put water in the other half right before the game. I clip it on the fence and drink between innings.

I'll agree wholeheartedly with this post. My association is in the same boat. Most of the leagues are good about giving water or gatorade but some will not supply it. I like bringing my own anyway.

I don't see why anyone would care if you brought your beverage in a camelback or some type of jug as long as you've placed it out of the way. I of course agree that you should not wear a camelback while umpiring. I use my camelback for almost anything that requires hydration because it is so convenient.

How 'bout one of those 'beer helmets'?

http://www.drinkingstuff.com/images/...fff/1358_l.jpg
Bottle of water on either side...straw down the front...what do you guys think?
We could even get them with association logos on them!

Surely that'd be as acceptable as a water-filled backpack!

Drink when the players drink- between innings.


Bainer.

im sure you could put together something similar to the beer helmet, but based on a HSM...

Bainer, when I read the first post in this thread, I immediately thought of that beer helmet. Thank you for posting it. I think it should now be the headgear of choice when the temperature exceeds 85 degrees. :D

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I still don't understand how ANYone can ever worry about appearances, credibility--whatever--when criticizing others for bringing water onto the field. When the weather requires it, I bring an igloo one-gallon jug cooler with me. It's filled usually with ice water. I place it somewhere near the backstop (depending on which field I'm working, since I'm familiar with the layouts of all the venues at which I work), somewhere discreet. I go to it whenever I need to.

For some games, I already know which teams are playing and whether they'll have water coolers. Today, for example, the home team had 3 huge Gatorade jugs filled with cold water. I left my cooler in the trunk and used it between games. I used the home team's water when needed, and they understand quite well.

You want to tell if you're getting enough liquids, aside from the usual dehydration symptoms? If your urine is nice and yellow or dark, you're not getting enough fluids. The clearer it is, the better that is for you.