Tights for work behind the plate
 

Last summer I umpired with a few guys that emphatically recommend wearing (loose fitting) tights while behind the plate. They insist that it is extremely comfortable and cool. Does anyone here wear tights for work behind the plate?

-Josh

"Loose" tights would be an oxymoron, no?

I wear long "copmpression" tights when workling the plate. They wick moisture away from the body and provide a degree of "protection" from irritation from shinguard straps.

I think you'll find that anybody who's umpired for any amount of time, wears some sort of full compression under their plate pants. The increased comfort is something I'll never give up.

Ditto for the same reasons.

McDavid grays with a floating cup pocket on the plate and on the bases. The thigh and calf support they offer is just as essential on the bases. Because they wick the moisture away, they're actually cooler for your legs than nothing at all. They're not cheap, and they don't last forever (especially if you wash them in the washer), but they are essential.

(Never use fabric softener with any of your wicking compression gear or wicking uniform shirts. It ruins them. Also, the compression stuff lasts longer when you just quick wash them in the sink with mild soap and hang them to dry.)

McDavid Brand
 

Long gray tights for both bases and plate. McDavid hexpad shorts over those when behind the plate. Took a pitch and a foul ball directly to each leg/inner thigh last year in same game then again the next day. Bought these on advice of a college catcher I know/used to coach that is known for his ability to block everything in the dirt using any part of his body.

I highly recommend both.

I have the hexpad tights, and I wear them too--especially at any varsity and above. The padding is seemingly thick, but once they're on, they're less detectable than any other gear. Very light. But I never tried the two-layer deal. Maybe it works in cooler weather?

I wear them too, but in black with the floating cup pocket. Lester's is the only place I can find em in black. And no hex for me.

MSBL Nationals game: Righty batter, catcher moves way inside. Now I'm working a little higher and right over the top of his head, instead of being in the true slot. Slender catcher, and a big right-hander throwing high-80s/low-90s. He throws this sweeping sailing fastball and the catcher does a Russ Martin, and I catch a straight shot in the inside of my right thigh, right behind where I have my thumb.

I went right home, and as my football-shaped thigh bruise was forming, I went to Lester's, PayPal'ed him $53 bucks plus shipping--a mere portion of that day's game fee--and the next time and every time since, I have worn them behind the plate. The compression is not as great as with the unpadded tights, but they are very comfortable and the protection is outstanding.

The hex pads are extremely hot in the summer. I still wear them for the protection regardless of the temperature, but they are almost unbearable when it gets in the high 90s or low 100s.

Underarmor
 

I wear black long underarmor tights on both plate and bases...."cold gear" in the spring; lighter-weight ones if it's warmer

I have only worn them since the end of last summer, so I haven't given them the true test any higher than 85 or so, and I didn't notice. But if it's over 85, I'll use the regulars and take the risk. It's somewhat rare to have a straight shot right there. It usually bounces first and shoots up and those don't hurt.

I've always used black, but just bought the gray ones...they're underneath...I guess I don't care what color they are...I've had my current pair for over 10 years now, always air dryed them, but they don't have the cup pocket so I was adding another layer over them for my cup stuff...I'm excited to cut a layer. I don't think I'll ever go HexPad...if I were doing Kiddie ball where there are some weak catchers I'd consider it.

I've used the gray McDavids for several years, and like them a lot. The real bonus is no rub from the shin guard straps. I've got a pair of Shock Doctor hockey tights, that have a cup pocket, that I'll be trying on the field next week. They're really well built, and cheaper.

Buddy, even the shots that you take from high school freshmen don't hurt. The youth ball shots are like mosquitos.

The hexpads are for the high-80s straight shots.

Shock Doctor is moving into the territory very rapidly.

I have black UnderArmour compression shorts with a cup pocket that I wear when I am coaching with shorts on, and they are extraordinary. Their tights--I would assume--are the best, if they're like these. (Only problem: UA cup pocket doesn't float.) But I understand that Shock Doctor is more similar to UAs than the McDavids.

One caveat with the hockey tights is that you should remove the velcro tabs on the legs that are there to hold up the long socks. They'll snag on your pants otherwise. Five minutes with a seam picker deleted them.

yeah, i guess you're right. i'll shed the extra layer and take my chances. i remember one shot in the last 10 years...a lot of luck...yes...could get hit 20 times this year...maybe I'll change my mind and upgrade by mid-May.

Get information gentleman! I know I can always count on everyone in the forum to give it to me straight. I just cannot imagine that on a hot, steamy day it would be any cooler to wear tights but I'm willing to give it a shot.

-Josh

As soon as the moisture wicks away from your skin, it provides a cooling layer that is cooler than just your slacks. Honest!

McDavid blue, at the plate & bases no matter what the temperature or humidity. Cup used in the cup pocket at the plate, no extra padding as if I get hit, the catcher is history! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Heh,heh,heh!

When I was younger all the players used to tell me how nice my pink tights looked when I wore them behind the plate. They looked so good with my heather grey TuTu and Navy top.

Twenty something years later and everyone starts complaining how bad they look now. Unbelievable. Guess its time to get a new pair. I understand they come in powder blue and ivory colors now. And I am allowed to use dark grey now for my TuTU. So many choices to make. It was much easier in the old days.

Why do you umpire when you should obviously write comedy?

I get a lot less boo's umpiring. Except when I wear those dam pink tights.

Actually the first game of the season is Monday night and after a couple of seasons off I am really looking forward to being behind the plate again. Dressed properly of course.

Have a good season. And have fun out there.

And you have fun, too. Feb. 28 [date of first game] can't come too soon.

Jim Evans and other MLB'ers wear long john underwear on hot days. Theory is the sweat wicks to the absorbent fabric and cools, thus cooling the skin. Did it once when I forgot the McD grays at home. Worked.

I wear McDavid long tights in hot weather. In cold (rare around here) I wear long cotton/poly underwear. In warm weather I wear McDavid shorts.

I believe that we are certifiable.

I was a non believer until last year. Not only do they make you more comfy from rubbing straps, they keep you cooler. I have McDavid navy blue with cup pocket. I may try a pair of hex pad this season.

I just got back from teaching at a four hour clinic (even had Brian Runge show up), and the Shock Doctor tights are great. It was from 55-70 degrees, and they are far more comfortable than my Under Armour shirts, as far as being cooler.http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...ML._AA280_.jpg Thumbs up on the Shock Doctors.

McDavid with floating cup pocket - plate and bases. Before I got the McDavid I used some form (UA, Starter...) of compression pants on both. It's cooler and more comfortable. Been wearing something on my legs for so long I can't stand to do a game without them - I can't tolerate my pants touching my legs - did it once and found out just how much cooler it really is with the compression pants on.

Fwiw
 

McDavid hex pads behind the plate, black compression type on bases.

I just got my first pair of McDavid Hexpad shorts today from Honig's.

They fit great and are really thick for great protection in the thighs.

I should have bought a pair of these years ago.

Lighter and less cumbersome than you thought they'd be, huh?

Hexpad question
 

I wear Nike sliding shorts or sliders every now and then.
Protects the outer thighs. Same as hexpad?

Why not just get the long tights? They would prevent chaffing from shinguards as well as offering protection.

Who has the best price on the hex pad full length tights??

Lesters Upstate Sports :: Baseball & Softball :: McDavid Intera Wear :: McDavid Hexpad Umpire Pant w/Floating Cup Pocket

There's never a very good price on them, but Lester's always carries all the sizes, and at $53.00, they're a couple of bucks less than most of the other places.

I just ordered the regular McDavids...paid $33...plus shipping on two items...so $38...don't feel like that was too bad. they'll probably last me another 10 seasons...cheap comfort.

I umpire quite a bit in the summer and fall and the long tights would burn me up in the warmer weather. I have long thick black tube socks that they sell 3 for $15 at Honig's that go under my shinguards anyway. I really can't believe how light and flexible these McDavid Hexpad pants are and how much protection they offer on each thigh.

It will be nice not to get "bitten" by foul balls or pitches that bounce in the dirt in front of the plate and miss the catcher before bouncing off my thighs.

I've had to walk around many times in pain after the ball hit me on my thigh and when the catcher asks if I got hit in the nads I smile and tell him no if it hit me there my cup would give me protection.

Gotta love those catchers that bail on a pitch they should be blocking.

I thought that too, until I wore them - it doesn't get much hotter than Mississippi in July and August and I won't set foot on the field without long compression pants under my uniform pants. It IS cooler!!!!

I had my first H.S. game today with two skinny catchers. I took one look at each of them and I thought I was going to get riddled. They were like two Benito Santiagos. I never got touched, and stuff was getting buried all day by both pitchers. They were fabulous. I can't wait for things to get back to normal, so I can take at least one good hexpad shot. So far, they've all been glancers, and those don't even hurt without the hexpads.

Absolutely! Lower legs with over-the-knee socks? Oh my. I couldn't imagine that in the San Fernando Valley from May to October. No way. Comfortable, maybe ... in the winter or on a cold spring night.

Moisture-wicking compression tights are cooler than nothing at all.

I did the over the knee, soccer socks, thinking I was smart. Not!

Now, it's these things. 35 bucks, with a cup. My McDavids are now my backups.

Amazon.com: Shock Doctor Men's Power Hockey Jock Long with BioFlex Cup: Sports & Outdoors

Listen to MIB and KF. If there were nothing to it, the MLBU would not have been doing this for the last 4 decades at least, and maybe longer. They play some hot afternoon games in hot states. The MiLB do this also and them games in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Mississippi are brutal at times in both heat and humidity.

FTP is a new manufacturer of compression gear. I think the founder used to work at UnderArmour or McDavid (I forget which). Same quality, for a lot less. I found them here:

The Sports Loft / Officiating Uniforms / Chuck DeCarbo

I did some research. There were 2 that left Under Armour. One started FTP and the other started Power-Tek. Both compete with UA, both are comparable in quality, and both are much less expensive.

I'm sold on Shock Doctor hockey tights. I ordered a pair and worn them for the first time yesterday. It was a little chilly when we started and heated up quickly starting the 4th inning for the first game. They are comfortable and well built from what I can tell thus far. I'm currently removing the velcro off the thighs (which it easy enough). I would recommend them

-Josh

New Balance and Nike Jogger's Tights
 

New Balance has very "thin" under-tights that breath well and look or feel as smooth as white panty hose while providing leg compression support. The heat and chaffing support they provide from jock/cup and shin guard straps is unbeaten. It took a couple of games to get use to wearing them because of their breathability {evaporative cooling} in high temperatures can be felt immediately in the groin area. These tights can be washed and hung to dry overnight and also eliminate the need for more expensive compression shorts and knee high socks. One can find some cheap black Nike tights for use on cooler evenings. Considering the NBA recently banned the use of under-tights like these during league play, I would say {ala Alan Iverson et al.}, they provide the medical support and a coolness factor professional athletes require.

I used to take old pairs of socks that were wearing out and cut the top 4-6 inches off, then put those above the tops of my socks to keep the shinnys from rubbing me raw. Worked great.

I did the long sock thing before I got tights.

Get the tights, trust me on this.

p.s. leave the pantyhose to Broadway Joe.

Just saw a pair of "Duofold mid weight", not heavy weight, long john thermals 60% cotton 40% polyester for $12.99 at Model's that should do the trick. You could buy another pair and cut them off for the thigh length or you could just get some thigh length Hanes for the bases. Just put your Bike banana cup jock over both and you should be OK. This is for guys on a budget. You could also go to Kohl's and get their Croft & Barrow light blue, black or navy pullovers if you are not forced to get the official brands from the major dealers. Once again, just trying to help some of the guys who do not need to have official brands to work their games, and should not make them look like a smitty. I would sink wash and hang out unless you know for sure how they might shrink, and also get a size larger for a plate shirt. You can get a good black leather belt at Army/Navy store for $10. As many will suggest, you can go big time for everything and then sell on ebay if you decide to quit later.

Is McDavid still making the tights with the floating cup pocket?

The last pair I ordered (about a year ago) had a fixed pocket. I just assumed they stopped making the floating pocket.

Thanks.

Is this the item you're looking for?

Today I thing I'll skip the thin McDavid's and wear the UA shorts with Under Armour cold gear tights over top. Brrrrrrrrr!!!!

It most certainly is... I must not have stated the floating cup pocket.

Thanks.

As far as I can tell, this just says "cup pocket". I think it's the "sewn in / fixed" cup pocket. I never found that to be too useful. I wear a jock / cup under the tights.

Interesting
 

Thanks for the thought Bob, but I am exactly the opposite, I prefer the sewn in "fixed" pocket. The other ones shift the cup around too much.

All my McDavid tights are starting to wear out, I have used them for 8-10 years now. Are the McDavids still of comparable quality to all these other brands, or has the newer manufacturers passed them by?

I have a pair of entry level tight w/o the cup pocket that I've used for 11 years now and they're still in great condition...I just wore an extra layer for the cup...this year I'm trying the McDavids w/ the cup pocket to get rid of a layer. I'm excited to try it...

if you want tights w/o the cup pocket, $30 will get you the best you'll need IMO

I keep wondering why Under Armour doesn't make ankle-length compression tights with the built-in cup pocket like MacDavid does. UA has the shorts with the built-in cup pocket, but for years has not made the ankle-length ones with the pocket. If they did, I'd buy them over MacDavid any day.

Probably not a big enough market for it.

Then why does MacDavid continue to make and sell them?

How is this thread still going?

i don't know i'll tell you tomorrow.

You could restart the one on hats if you like. Or how about a ball bag thread?

the last time you say a ball bag on the bases was _____________

I enjoyed the thread on shoe laces!

that was a good one.

Anybody ever have their base partner call time and jog over to a bag and whip out a plate brush and clean off the bag?

I swear I did. The catcher and I started crying. We couldn't hang. "Hey, Kevin, did your partner just call time and brush off a bag." "Uh ... yeah, man ... [starts crying]."

The only cool thing is that he didn't need a ball bag to carry his ... base brush.

Let's start a preferred indicator thread!

I worked college fast pitch for a few seasons. Saw a guy do this at second, then trot in and sweep the pitching rubber. Catcher turned to me and said, "What the crap is that? Is is gonna do the plate next?"
The guy was wearing a dazzle shirt, too. No joke.

I think that is an accepted mecahnic at some levels of softball.

Stuff like that is why I quit softball.

I use my partner's brush on occasion to wipe off a base. If he's unwilling to share, I pick the base up and kick it a couple times to get the dirt off. Works like a charm.

I'm kidding.

Was PU with a BU that did primarily softball. After a play at 3B, he called time, took a plate (base) brush out of his back pocket and brushed off 3B. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

I work with a guy that does it after every slide into 2B. He's big into softball. I too think this is an accepted mechanic in softball. He brushes off the rubber between innings too.

Hell, I would call time and go kick the dirt back on the base or pitchers plate. What a smitty.

Yup! Heck I've done it myself though only on a softball diamond. :)

Somebody
 

Somebody ought to post this thread on the SB forum, and then sit back and watch the sparks fly..

Or we could tell them how bad the hammer looks when SBumpires do it on every pitch and out.....

Cleaning the pitcher's plate is actually expected in softball. It's not a big deal to me. I don't usually clean the bases. If I can see the base, it's fine.

If I umpire softball, do I wear my tights on the outside of my pants?

Sorry guys, just trying to steer this back to the OP's question.

Some of the guys I saw in softball only wore shin guards under the knee (like soccer shins), so I guess there wouldn't be any need for tights.
I had one man who laughed at me for wearing baseball gear, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I secretly wanted him to take one off the kneecap that day.


Back to the OP, my McDavids seem to run just a little big, and I don't like the feel of the floating cup. I wear a pair of UnderArmor compressions with the tights over the top. I like the feel of the extra pair, and the UA cup pocket is more comfortable to me.

If you think that's bad, my partner wears the soccer-like shin guards for baseball!!! This is the first full season that I have worked with him and I'm just amazed by it. I grew up playing baseball with his son and he does a great job but he wears those tiny shin-only guards. I think he is crazy and I've told him that. I told him this weekend that I'm not going to pick it old a$$ up and take him the hospital if he gets hit in the knee on a foul ball straight back. He laughed and I replied, "no, I'm serious. Get yourself some real shin guards!". I just couldn't imagine not being protected.

-Josh

Yes. That is asinine. Totally.

I can sort of (but not really) understand it for LL stuff. He wears a westvest for high school and lighter chest protector for LL. I certainly like my knees too much to even take a LL foul ball. Obviously he has never taken one squarely off the knee.

-Josh

When I was coaching 13/14 PONY, there was a local guy who rolled without shin guards. I asked him about it, and he said he just got behind the catcher, and had never been hit. So it got me thinking.

I had my catcher squat down about a foot off the plate. Not move over, but start there. Sure enough, this PU went with him, and called those pitches strikes all game long. Needless to say, we won all of those games.

What a bonehead.

I use the McDavids, and when it is brutally cold , I think that is all season in Illinois, I wear a pair of windstoppers with them. Started wearing them in football and I wear them more in baseball season.

When you guys wear your tights behind the plate, how does the cup fit? I wore a pair of compression shorts with a jock strap on the outside holding my cup and it didn't feel like it protected my "guys." It felt like it rode up and they were hanging below the cup itself.

My summer tights have a cup pocket and it feels fine. My winter tights are long underwear with a standard jock and cup over. Also feels fine. In fact, I recently wore this combination and was quite comfortable. You using a bannana cup?

No, standard cup.

Put the cup on under the tights.