JL,

Kyle puts a lot of cash into his equipment, which is a good thing. For starters though, you'll want to go economical on a few things. Here are some cheaper alternatives to people's suggestions:

---Buy $4 cotton undershirts from walmart instead of getting under armor... although walmart does have cheap imitation under armor if you want it for $12 - I think it's Athletics Wear brand.
---You can get away without buying a designated equipment bag. If you have a big duffel bag at home you can use it, but a bag is not a necessity since you'll rarely have to take your stuff into a locker room (except in kyle's area... lucky!). Plus bags generally run kind of expensive.
---You'll be fine with 1 indicator for the whole year, but you should have another just in case. You can also get away with 1 ball bag, but having 2 is so much more convenient (and I think it looks a little better too).
---Combo hats are fine to wear for both plate and bases for the first year or two. Eventually, you'll want to accumulate some base hats, but my first year I bought 2 combo hats - 1 wool and 1 micro-mesh from Richardson.
---Get 1 pair of good combo pants for the year. Don't go cheap on the pants, but you can get away without buying plate pants and base/combo pants for your first few years. Again, you'll probably want to get a pair of plate pants in the future.

Having said those suggestions, you should not go cheap on things like your chest protector, mask, and plate shoes. Like I said in my original post, go with the Wilson MLU. It's 99 bucks and is a fantastic protector for the money (you won't have to fork out $150+ for a gold or platinum and it should last you many many years). Also, don't cut corners on your uniform. Buy everything from an offical's supply store (so don't be getting your pants from macys or using old baseball cleats as base shoes. That's just sloppy).



Here is a link to the MLU
http://pa.purchaseofficials.com/prod...&cat=63&page=1

I did the same thing Major Dave did. buy the cheap stuff.... Wrong. Spend some money and buy good stuff. Like said here

CP...West vest gold or platinum. Only way to go...

Mask any single bar. But get some thing real light, schutt makes a mask that is really light and cost about $80...

Shoes... NB 450 best i have ever had, comfy and look great. base shoes NB 350 but hard to find now so the 995 are looking good.

Shin guards well I have some honigs ones that I really like that cost 50 bucks..

Shirts. Cliff kleen are really good and so are the honigs.. but you will pay a little more. Of course all of these are just my opinion...LOL

I think the approach is different if you are sure you will stick with it. It's also different if you jump in right at the high school level with no youth ball.

It amounts to $200.00 for crap you'll replace after one season or less of unnecessary risk; $335 for suitable comfort and protection for years of competitive umpiring; $550.00 for the ultimate in comfort and protection:

Cheap mask: $50.00; Good Mask: $80.00; Great Mask: $200.00
Cheap Chest Protector: $50.00; Good CP: $100.00; Great CP: $150.00
Cheap Leg Guards: $40.00; Good Leg Guards $75.00; Great Leg Guards: $100.00
Cheap Plate Shoes: $60.00; Good Plate Shoes: $80.00; Great Plate Shoes: $100.00

As far as the equipment bag:

I agreed with Bossman about the bag at first. I just emptied out my son's catcher's bag and loaded all my umpire gear into it and hauled it away. And I struggled to keep things organized and clean, and I had to employ a system of other bags to segregate and carry all of my accessories and undergarments.

Then, I sucked it up and bought the Diamond Wheeled Umpire's gear bag.

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...re_2036_994875

Good grief, you wheel the thing out to the SUV (Standard Umpire Vehicle), throw it in the back, and aside from your slacks and shirts, absolutely everything you need to umpire a game is in one bag! (I keep the pressed duds on hangers.) The big gear (plate shoes, leg guards, chest protector, two masks and an HSM) is all situated in the bottom compartment. In the top section there are three main compartments, which hold two cap keepers with six caps and a travel kit on the left; a dozen compression shirts, two pairs of tights and a cup in the middle; knee, thigh, back and ankle braces, belts, socks and ball bags in the right section (I don't put my uniforms in it like the picture shows); and in a separate vented compartment: base shoes. The top flap has mesh pockets for your brush, wallet, indicators, stopwatch, sunglasses, etc. And it has several zippered pockets for your other supplies and accessories. It's awesome. Wilson makes a similar one, but, despite being a Wilson man, I went for the Diamond. And it takes a beating.

It helps you stay all managed and prepared and eliminates a great deal of the stress and anxiety about having everything you need when you're going to a game. It's not cheap ($120.00-$150.00), but it is easily the best investment in organization and peace of mind that I have made as an umpire.

Now, my straps are fuzzy when new, but hairy?:)

Apparently he's a college student. (Not an English major, I assume.) :D

thanks guys I appreciate all the information you have been giving me I am definatley going to buy the good stuff it seems like it is with anything else you get what you pay for and that is why I asked you guys your opinions i figured this was no different Thanks

History with Teacher Liscensure, for the record. I plan on extending my grammatical inaccuracies to another generation if this whole crazy umpiring thing doesn't work out... :p

Will your license have liscense written on it?

You've gotten some great suggestions about buying top quality gear, etc. Keep umpiring long enough and you might end up with something approaching Tim_C's (in)famous list!:D

I have been looking at the west gold and platinum and it seems they have two different sizing methods one by chest and one by plate size so I am 5'7 165lbs my chest is about 40 inches I was just wanting to make sure the one I bought was going to fit well so if anyone has my build or even if you dont and have an opinion I would appreciate you advice on what size and style you have the experience with I hate to buy one & wish I had the other lol

Thanks for all your help guys

Great question.

I'm not small 6'0''/210, and I use a Platinum and it fits perfectly. Both guys I know who are your size or even a little thinner use the Gold.

I know the gold comes in two sizes...and your the same height as me.. get the meduim size.. big difference between the 2 CP WV GOLD is thicker, and the WV Plat has a little more shoulder protection.. I think either way you go will be the right way.

this is a great bag... the evans bag is great, and I have the Wilson bag which is awesome as well... I have seen the diamond and its pretty cool. and they have 2 different sizes..

It's six Diamond/half-dozen Wilson it seems. I think one inspired the other. The Wilson actually looks better.

But our point, Mazza's and mine, is that a specially designed umpire's bag prevents a lot of problems (as all good organization tools do), and makes going from the house to the car and back as easy as possible.

I don't look at equipment expenses in dollars; I look at them in games. How many games do you need to work to get this fabulous bag? Less than two?! Where do I order?

Doesn't that seem less costly?