Officials Choice Pants
 

The officials choice is introducing some charcoal gray pants. When someone gets a pair in, will you please tell me how well the quality is. I'm wanting to get some new pants and usually get honigs but if I can save some money I may try these if they are of good quality.

After seeing their shirts, I don't think "Price From $39.95 to $44.95" is a low enough to entice many. Honigs "ultimate" pants are $50-$55, Ump-Attire has Smitty charcoal pants for $45-$48, and purchaseofficials.com has smitty charcoal for $37-$44 (they have some closeout smitty charcoal for $24.99- size 34 are sold out, but 33 and 35s are still in stock). For me, and I'm sure many others, these other companies are probably worth the extra $5-$10 not to mention the officials choice has higher shipping costs most of the time.

Sorry, the officials choice is a sore subject for me because many of our new umpires bought shirts from there and they now don't really match the rest of our association because TOC uses different size stripes and the color shades don't really match the other shirt makers. Heck, their polo blue shirts that guys bought this summer now have purple buttons (How does that happen?!).

The $24.99 Smitty pants at Purchase Officials are very nice. They are the same quality as the newer models only without the expander waist. There is still plenty of stretch in the regular waistband. I got these for the bases and I'm very happy. Their prices are better than Ump-Attire for these items as well, which is always a plus.

Officials Choice will never see a dime of my money.

You can take three or four of my Official's Choice posts and cobble them together, and it would read like this post. :D

Anyone want to order the new pink shirts and partner up for a game soon?

http://www.theofficialschoice.com/im...EntryLevel.jpg

Yeah, and it'll be their only shirt where the buttons don't turn pink. Great.

I don't plan on buy a pair and I'd recommend no one else does either. One of the biggest complaints about their shirts is that they are thin and see-through.

The pant picture they gave has the same problem. If you look at the bottom of the pant legs, you can see through the front portion and see the hem line in the back. i think that may give you an example of the actual thickness and quality of the material.

My best guess is that the crotch will rip out before the first pitch is even thrown, or you'll wear right through the material when the knees rub against the pants.

I had a terrible experience with two pairs of Smitty's pants in 2007. They were horrible (bunching waistband, clasps ripping apart, buttons falling off, improper sizing). I didn't judge their shirts accordingly, and gave them a try. And they're fine shirts--attractive, comfortable, good-fitting, easy-care.

Smitty's completely overhauled their slacks, to their credit, and although I haven't tried them again, I hear they're fine from several guys. They're interested in improving their product and have done so to the point that they're the best value in umpire uniforms.

But the Official's Choice company has no humility or apparent willingness to make a better product--only a cheap one. In fact they seem bent on doing things as laughably and woefully as ever. Don't give your money to a company that doesn't earn it. After you buy their slacks at $37.50 or more, you have to replace them after a few games with a pair of decent quality brand slacks for $45 or more. For that amount, you can instead buy a pair of Honig's polywools that'll last for about 900 games. That's the way I look at it.

i just started umping, and looking for "good deals" I went with Officials Choice for a couple pairs of shirts. Over Labor Day weekend, they ran a huge sale...their premium short sleeve shirts started at $11.87. Not too bad of a deal I thought, even if they only look good for a year. The only problem is that they still have not sent my shirts that I ordered....:mad: They debited my account the same day and it cleared the next morning. Here I sit two weeks later and the order status is still "ready to ship". I have tried calling and emailing customer service and they have never returned a call or message.
I guess I have learned a lesson already...sometimes it is worth paying a little more money from a more reputable company than trying to save a couple bucks. My advice.....stay away from them unless you want to get screwed over by them

Another Official's Choice testimonial that you won't see quoted on one of their cheesy email ads.

Official's Choice
 

Maybe it wasn't KellyRoder's turn to be the one offical at a time to be changed. :D