GD vs. Smitty pants
 

Looking to buy some new plate pants....currently own Smitty plate and base pants.

The GD pants (referencing pictures on his web site) look like older style of Smitty's before Smitty went to the thick non-roll waistband.

Do the GD's still look like the web picture or have they upgraded the waistband like Smitty?

If you know the differences in these two brands, let me know?

Thanks for your help.

I don't know what the old Smittys looked like, but I can tell you the GD pants are excellent. I use them (plate and base pairs) and have been very happy with them--comfortable, easy to clean, and professional-looking.

I wear the Davis pants soley for muddy days, or when I work a little guys game from one knee behind the plate. They're very stout, and take a washing/drying well. That said, they're not very good looking, and don't match other pants.

The Smitty pants look closer to the benchmark (Honig's polywools, if you need to ask). Not quite as robust, but the look better. I don't wear them, but have bought a few pair for other umpires in my crew. For the money, they're not bad.

If your waist size fluctuates, the stretchy waistband in kinda nice, in both these sets of drawers.

And the reason for not wearing polywools is................................?

I find this comment totally without merit. BTW, tell that to the MLB Umps.

No, it's that the other pants don't match the Davis or Honig's.


I can tell you what numerous umpires have said: "They're significantly more expensive and have to be ironed periodically in order to maintain their look."

Um, MLB umpires wear Hardwick pants, which are made by the same folks who make the nearly identical Honig's polywool slacks. They look nothing like the Davis pants.

Honig's has recently lowered the price other premium pants. And yes, they require more maintenance, and are initially more costly to purchase. But the are a very high quality product. Gotta trust me on this one. The polywools by Honig's are the best availible to the public, and are the benchmark from which others are judged.

MLB Umps for years had worn the GD pants and not the Honig's. Hardwick is now the supplier of the pants and plate coats. It's all about $$$ there.

I've seen and worn the Honig's. I don't think they're bad or anything like the old heather gray crappy pants; rather, I found them to be way overpriced and overrated. Definitely not worth almost almost double the price of the GD pants.

I take my expensive umpire pants to the cleaners every week.

Most nonprofessional umpires do not.

Just because I do not work for MiLB or MLB does not make me an "amateur" umpire. The baseball I umpire is at the amateur level, but I don't do it volunteer, I get paid. I've always considered myself "professional," as the first 20 years of umpiring baseball were 6 to 7 days a week, with multiple games on weekends, in an area that plays nearly year-round. I studied umpiring from MiLB and MLB umpires, who were and still are associated with my former group. Plus, I believe in looking as sharp as possible on the field.

For Pete's sake. There's no need to get your panties all in a bunch. Neither you nor I are professional umpires. We may be professionals, but we're nonprofessional umpires. My original comment stands.

I wasn't getting my panties in a bunch. I wouldn't even if I wore them.:rolleyes: I really hate that expression. Having a contrary viewpoint is not getting my "panties in a bunch." I will reword it then: I umpire professionally, but I'm not a professional umpire.

I think freshly dry cleaned pants look nice, have a really sharp crease in them, and are usually good for a couple of games before they go back in. It makes the pants last longer, fade less, and did I mention look really sharp? BTW, I know plenty of 'nonprofessional' umpires who take their pants to the cleaners. I also know quite a few who roll them up, throw them in the trunk, then unroll them for the next game. I would rather belong to the first group.

During the season, working almost every day of the week, I do neither. I can't afford, mainly time-wise, to keep taking my pants to the cleaners. I wash and dry them well, and my pants and rest of my uniform have always looked nice and neat.

Half my polywools (the Hardwicks) go to the dry cleaners, and the other half get hand washed, and line dried (out of the sun, of course). It works for me.

90% of my work is volunteer, but I still like looking sharp.

There's a $21 difference between the Davis and the Honig's. If you don't see the difference, or advantage between the two, you've just saved yourself a double sawbuck. Congrats!

Most umpires I know think the off-colored, polyester Davis pants don't look good, have about seven extra belt loops in the back, have the feel of a leasure suit, and match no other maker.

I know other fellows that swear by their near black Official's Choice pants, and think they match other pants. I also know guys who buy their suits at Sears. Viva le difference!

I've found I have no such bunching or twisting with a thong. Just sayin'.

If one also likes the look of the extra stitching in the @ss that the Honig's pants provides, I say go for it. Nothing looks gawdier than seeing your plate guy's @ss have an extra line of stitches wrap around the outline of his butt.

Hmmm mm. :)

Maybe a professional who umpires?

Trying to get your back here steve!