Umpire Pants
 

My GD's are wearing out after two seasons. I'm looking at getting the Smitty Brand. Has anyone here wore these? How do they stand up to the Honig Poly Wools or the GD pants?

2 seasons seems about right for pants. Do you like the GDs or are you looking for something different? What don't you like about the GDs?

Rich....I actually like the GD's. I have them dry cleaned and pressed each month when it is convenient to do so. That's the key to keeping them looking sharp. They are beginning to fray at the bottom and I suspect they may be faded a bit. I thought I might try something different this time. There is a color contrast between the GD's and everything else. We as umpires are the only ones who see this. What do you wear?

Do not, DO NOT get the Honig's poly-wool slacks.

Unless you are willing to dump all the other pants in your closet, and wear nothing but the poly-wools. They're so good, that you won't want to wear anything else.

I have the GD's, and only wear them in really muddy conditions, or if my partner has them. Everything else pales in comparison to the p/w's.

The Smitty's are a reasonably close match to the Honigs (held side-by-side you'll see a difference; from BU to PU it won't be noticeable). I have a couple of pair (each base and plate) and like them. I did also get the Honig's this year.

Agreed. But they are the only reason to do business with Honigs any more. Everything else can be purchased either better or cheaper, or both, elsewhere.

Well said!

Where can you find the "Smitty Brand"? Also, I hear lots saying you can find things cheaper than Honigs on most everything. I am wanting a new FM this year. Looking for a Hollow Tube one. What do you guys think of the Hollow Tube masks? Where else besides Honigs and GD can one find masks at?

Thanks.....

Purchase Officials, for one. And, whatever the new name of "Purchase Officials PA" now is (they went back to their old name, but I forget it -- officially sports", or something like that)

Check out Ump-Attire.com . I can't recommend them enough.

You have to check out ump-attire if you're shopping for umpire gear.

If I was to pick a hollow core steel face mask, it would either be the new All-Star FM2000UMP or one of the "old guard" Wilson Dyna Lites.

As for on-line retailers, I have an incomplete list going at: Midwest Ump: Online Retailers

Thanks guys for your input on Ump Gear. Right now I am deciding on I guess two different masks for this year. One of which is the K94 from Honigs which I can get 20% off to make it $60 vs the Allstar FM2000UMP which I can get from Baseball Plus store for $45. Any thoughts on either one of these?

Honig's Whistle Stop - K94 - SINGLE BAR PRO-LINE MASK WITH Team Wendy ZORBIUM PADDING

Allstar fm2000ump super light weight umpires helmet

Have you tried the Diamond lightweight?

$72 here

The Sports Loft: Home

The Honig's Poly-Wool is the best way to go. I buy a pair of plate and base every other year. The new ones are for DI and I dry clean only for 2 years, the last set becomes everything else and machine wash, the set before that gets donated at a HS meeting and they are still in excellent condition. That rotation works well for me. and keeps them looking good.

Durham, do you wash them in the machine with regular detergent or do you use something like Woolite?

The set that I do wash gets washed in All Free and Clear, it is what my wife has had us use for for the last 5 years since my first kid was born. Before that I used Era on them. Both worked equally well. The sets that I give away, dry cleaned for 2 years and machine washed for 2 years are better than some of the slacks that I see some partners wear as far as color and condition. I usually just wash them with my umpire clothes, socks, shirts, undergarments in one load together on cold. Dry on low and fold as soon as the dry goes off.

Two seasons, hm. :eek: Do you kneel?

Thanks Dash, I got the Diamond Lightweight DFM-iX3 off of eBay for $65, including the shipping. Cant believe how light this thing is.

The ALL Star link doesn't resolve to a helmet. If your choice is mask v.s helmet, and you want the best protection? Helmet.

I have heather gray from Honigs for when I work with someone who only has heather, and the charcoal from Honigs for when I work with someone who has those (growing in numbers). Wash in machine, light on the detergent, hang up immediately when dry.

Only things I have that did not come from Honigs is the current mask I am using (Diamond lightweight silver) and my chest protector (a knockoff, but Champion sells one that looks just like it). I do have 4 other masks that came from Honigs, but when I got the Diamond they went to closet.