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Plate Shoes
Hey guys,
Im lookin for some reccommendations on plate shoes... not lookin to spend a bunch, but lookin for a quality pair that i can get relatively cheap. thanks |
Many threads on this subject. Search.
General options include: New Balance Honigs Tanel Gerry Davis |
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You can expect to spend at least $90 for a quality plate shoe. Purchase Officials Supplies has the the New Balance plate shoe on sale for $94 and I've seen it as low as $90. You can find the Tanel360 for less than $100 if you search for it. Both are good quality shoes. When it comes to protective equipment, you get what you pay for. Spend the money and buy quality the first time. It's cheaper in the long run. |
Save up a little longer, and buy pro gear. You'll never regret it.
The New Balance 450 is light, comfortable and offers great protection. I've purchased these for several guys who work for me, and they all agree that they're the best. Buy them a half size larger than normal, trust me. http://www.gerrydavis.com/Merchant2/...1/ps5351-s.jpg Some good reasons to buy pro gear. One, it will out last the cheap stuff. It will protect you better. If you decide you don't like umpiring, you can sell top grade stuff on eBay and get most of your money back. Plus, if you find you like umpiring, you'll want to replace your cheap stuff with pro gear after one year anyway. Your cheap gear will be a waste of money. A favorite motto of mine is "you never regret buying the best". |
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Do not go cheap (as others have advised) because you will pay for it with pain and loss of wages on your job. Many umpires seem to like the New Balance brand now so look at those. I saw someone mention Tanel, stay away from those! About a dozen of our new recrutes bought Tanel from a visiting Honig dealer a couple of years back. Not one pair lasted the HS season (about 3 months here in CT)! They went to either Gerry Davis or New Balance and bought real plate shoes and are very happy now. |
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Santa brought me a pair of Gerry Davis Hi-Tops last Christmas. They are a heavier shoe, but quality all the way. They are now my regular plate shoe. |
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And as far as plate shoes that are "relatively cheap": I ask, are your feet relatively cheap? Take care of your feet--especially when you're working behind the plate. Games go poorly when your feet are screaming. To give you an idea how I feel about my feet: I spent $36.00 on insoles and $18.00 on snowboarding socks. I put those over a $10.00 pair of Under Armour thin socks. So I'm $64.00 deep before I pull on the $100.00 NB 450s. |
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Sometimes saving $10.00 isn't worth risking the shipping costs if you need a different size. New Balance and a couple of others offer free or low cost shipping and/or a perfect fit free shipping guarantee. That can be worth a lot.
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eBay
If you are just getting started and need to get a lot of equipment on a tight budget, your best bet is used equipment. I've had very good luck on eBay.
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Whatever shoe you choose, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to remove the insert and install a cushioned insert. You're feet will thank you at the end of that double header day.
BTW I use the NB Plate and Base shoes. |
I have a pair of Tanel's. Love them, eight years old; the heel has finally broken down, need a new pair. Will probably go Tanel, although I am intrigued by the Reebok's. I have a pair of NB's, very nice but low cut is for me.
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Wear Combo Plate/Base Shoes
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Buy steel toe oxfords or tennis shoes and add padded throat guards over the laces. Can be worn on and off the field for added value. The following link is a steel toe shoe made by a company owned by New Balance. Amazon.com: Men's Dunham® Steel Toe Athletics Black: Shoes All black throat guards, similar to one of these. Riddell Goalie Throat Protector : Target Diamond Baseball Umpires 6" & 4" Throat Guards FM (RMP) - Baseball Equipment and Gear Edited to add: The steel toe shoes alone with metatarsal protection from quality leg guards would be acceptable. |
I feel like an idiot, buying NB 450s, instead of those Earth shoe-looking Dunhams. And I already have the throat guards!
Things like that are why I'm not a millionaire from umpiring. |
Instead of a shoe made by a company New Balance owns, you could buy a shoe that is made by New Balance, and made just for working the plate.
As for a quality shoe at a good price, I don't think you can do better than the NB 450. |
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$70 affordable?
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Plate : Discount Umpire Gear The Protector Hi-top leather plate shoe - $69.90 : Discount Umpire Gear The Protector Hi-top leather plate shoe : Discount Umpire Gear Doesen't beat $30-$40 steel toe shoes with metatarsal protection from quality leg guards. Edited to add: Wearing combo plate/base shoes wasn't "a bad" idea for saving money. "Them boys sure do look purdee in their high-dollar uniforms." ;) |
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...dL._AA280_.jpg
I went this route during my rookie season. Got 'em from Sears, and actually put throat protectors on them. Then I fell on my @ss, because the slippery soles weren't designed to deal with wet turf. An additional bonus was those throat protectors clacking like castenettes when I ran. I looked like the rookie dork I was. But I didn't know any better, and had no one to steer me in the right direction. But you no longer have this excuse. Buy pro gear. You'll never, ever regret it. Plus, looking good is half the battle. Well, not really half, but it really does make a difference. p.s. Some guys are rookie dorks year after year. It's a shame no one tells them. |
Oh, wow. It wasn't a joke.
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I wouldn't step out onto any field without proper plate shoes. My current ones are the NB450. My first and best were the +POS shoes which I had to abandon after 6 years when I broke my ankle -- the shoes were just too heavy to lug around while I was rehabbing my ankle. |
Here's a good story about buying pro gear.
My first real plate shoes were +POS, that got for $45 off of eBay. They were used, but in great shape. I wore them for five years, and they were built like a Checker cab. When I got my Gerry Davis patent leather shoes, I sold my 5+ year old +POS shoes on eBay for $65. Even if I broke even on the deal, I wore professional level gear, that looked good and protected me well, for five YEARS, and it cost me nothing. ZERO! I paid $90 for my NB450s, and could sell them for $60 easily. So, I could wear these pro level shoes for three years, and it would cost me $10 per year to do so. So how good of a deal are those steel toed athletic shoes sounding now? Oh, and feel free to print this out to justify the expense to the War Department. She'll now understand that it's an investment in your protection, and not just some new toys. |
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Shoebuy.com is running a 20% off sale with the checkout code BLOWOUT and free shipping.
I got a pair of NB 450's for 79.56 delivered. Stores got a long and successful track record although I hadn't heard of them before. Less than 80 bucks is a steal for these! |
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But the NB are FAR more comfortable. It's not even close. |
Plate Shoes
If you are looking for $ deals, there was a company who hadd a special last year for a Pair of plate shoes and pair of base shoes for $100. I think he's up by about $5 a pr this year. Not that I would deviate from my Gerry Davis shoes, but you asked.............
Official Call - Baseball/Softball |
I recently also purchased the new reebok plate shoes in the low top version. I don't really care for the look or that of the new balance either, but didn't see NB in a low version. The shoes seem a little narrow. I am hoping that they will break in nicely, but only time will tell, will probably wear them around the house, inside the house that is, and see if they lossen up a little, as they are just a hair snug.
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I wasn't down with the NB look when they came out. I don't care for the look of high tops either. That held true until I tried on a pair of the 450s. Heaven. The big cutout in the back takes out the hightop feel, so you can get out of the box quickly.
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I got em from Honig's and I did get half a size bigger. I tried on like 8 different pair at the clinic in San Diego, and they shipped em to me. It was the closest low top that I could get to my old school plate shoes with the goodyear sole on em, which finally after 6 years blew out in July. And Honig's takes care of their customers like that, at least that has been my experience.
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Gotcha.
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I can't wait to get them on the field........ |
The first pair of NB 450's I got...
felt so good on my initial wearing/try on that I went out and worked a game in them that very day, within minutes of trying them on. They felt great immediately. I Never looked back. Sold my Gerry Davis high tops the next week.
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The reflective silver N logo comes in very handy when you're jogging at night in your plate shoes.
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I polished over it on my original pair and I left it alone on my back-ups. (If you rotate between two pairs of shoes, they both last twice as long. Don't ask me why. But once I settle on a good pair of shoes, I immediately buy a second pair.)
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You know the old saying, "To both his own." :) JM |
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And damnit, it's kinda true! They last longer. At least sneakers do. |
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Maybe this will help: innumerate: Adjective having no understanding of mathematics or science |
Oh!
I'm really glad that I read this forum on a regular basis; I learn so many new words. |
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