5-6 years ago, I felt Honig's was top notch and dealt with them exclusively. Their service was good, their products were good (a few of their HMLS shirts that were made in the USA from about 5 years ago are my favorites) and their quality was "worth it." I cant say the same anymore.

Their HMLS shirts are made in China now and although they are "similar" to the Ump-Attire Ultimate Shirts IMO, they are the same price. How can Jim afford to offer a shirt made in the USA & Honig's has a shirt made in China for the same price? And Im sure Honig's has a much higher volume of shirts ordered, too. Their business model with a significant number of locations adds overhead which results in a more costly product. Jim has touched on it before and said he has no plans to "expand" like Honig's has because of the cost and limited benefits.

In their old made in USA shirts, I wore an XL on the bases and a XXL for the plate. With their new shirts, that has changed to a L on the bases and an XL for behind the plate. I can attest that their sizing has changed.

During one of their closeout sales last year, I picked up a K17 jacket because it was only $39. I was shocked when I compared the quality to an older K17 jacket I had that was probably 8 years old or so. My observations echoed those in the opening post - much much lower quality and a lighter, paper feeling to the product.

I recently picked up one of their K14 "convertible" jackets and am pleased with the construction and quality. Its expensive too, but a far better value than their K17 jackets.

If you have followed them throughout the years, you will have noticed their prices went up by a dollar or two every single year until their HMLS shirts were around $33-34. Every year there seemed to be a difference in the material and construction (usually a decrease in quality) of their HMLS shirts as well. When they got to a point where they couldnt raise prices anymore, they brought in the shirts made in Pakistan for a year and then these current Made in China "Prosoft" HMLS shirts. I dont understand how a company of their size & "reputation" could even offer those Pakistan shirts? Didnt they receive protypes and test them for a season before offering them? Did they rush at the last minute because of a supplier issue and had to "settle" for those?

I look at the Smitty offerings and see a similar quality product for a much much lower price.

I was frustrated the one time I purchased a pair of Poly Wools and had an issue. If you look on the inside of the pants, the crease is lined with a glue/resin substance that maintains the crease for a long period of time. Well, on the pair I received, the substance was not properly applied and the crease was not straight - there were a bunch of little lines on the legs because the substance was not applied correctly. I had to jump through some hoops but then eventually took them back. I looked on some older pairs and noticed the same thing but didnt make an issue of it with them.

I ordered a pair of Dry-Lo bags from Evans over the winter and have been pleased with them. Mine dont have any velcro on the openings inside, though. They took a little while to "loosen up" ( I found the opening was a little tight on getting baseballs in/out at first) but I really like them and have no complaints.

Are you referring to these?
Honig's Whistle Stop - K40 - LARGE UMPIRES BALL BAG

I have a pair of these as well and they have velcro in them and the tag says "Made in China." I dont like these as much as the Dry Los.

noticed a difference as well
 

I noticed a difference in the quality of the shirts and jackets when I got my Midwest Collegiate League order as well. Jacket seems a lot thinner than the other Honig's Jackets I have and the shirts are quite a bit larger than the old models I have as well. Overall I still don't think it is a bad shirt.

I also don't order shirts from Ump-attire because of the numbering issue. It is one less thing I have to worry about when I order a shirt

I didn't like them either. I plan on sewing a line across so my brush doesn't get lost.

I just realized that jacket doesn't have a lineup card pocket once I got on the field. I knew something was weird when they said they don't offer the open-bottom version (at least for the black with polo blue stripes).

The jackets are shorter in the sleeves and tend to run a bit smaller
The jackets feel thinner and much flimsier; the collars are like paper

I bought one in January and sent it back straight away for the same reason.

Id like to see Honig's respond to these complaints

Someone I know did just that. He Emailed Honig's a polite but firm Email listing the complaints that I and others here also have experienced. He was able to return his polo blue shirt for the next size down, even though it had been embroidered with the MCL logo on it. He said he received an apologetic and explanatory Email from Bill Hoseney of Honig's.

As far as the jacket, when I asked him about this, my colleague told me, "I can't see what I can do about it. If this is the only blue-striped shoulder one they have, I'm stuck with it." He does agree with me and those here who believe this made in China jacket is noticeably different, and not in a good way.

A pocket is nice, Brian, but I don't even use the open bottom one for the plate. Those are just HUGE. I have always liked the elastic bottoms, and if I use one behind the plate, which is rarer now that I use a long-sleeved shirt or the thermal jacket, I just put my lineup card and its holder in my left ball bag or my rear pocket.

I've heard the people who owned +POS bought out Honig's.

If it wasn't for the fact that they've been dead a while, I'd almost believe you. :p

Serious question. Is the guy that ran the company dead? I know his wife died some years ago and she was the reason that company stayed afloat. When she died the company went into the toilet. But I did not know the guy died too.

Peace

Somebody who once worked there for many years and became a good acquaintance of mine has for the last several years worked at a Naperville Portillo's. I saw her not too long ago, and she mentioned that Buck died recently. I didn't hear this, so I didn't know the validity of that. I do know that his wife Sylvia died of cancer years before, but I thought the old man was still alive and kicking. I guess not.

The open bottom could have done with being a few inches shorter, but I've been a fan of it. I'm also a bit taller so I haven't had the problems a lot of people have with mass excess material.

I still want that pocket. It's on all of the shirts, I'm used to it, and there's no reason other than going cheap that it's not there. First world problems.

Their children want to continue their legacy............:D

Well he was alive soon after her death as he was even attempting to come to a came for IACO. But that has been some years before and I had not heard anything from them for some time other than online. I did not know if they were trying to come back or were doing other things. That is incredibly sad as I like them and been to that facility several times. The quality of their stuff had fallen off, but to start officiating where I did and first by my baseball stuff from them, then to actually go there some years later was special to me. Sorry to hear that if that is true and I am sure it is true. I will ask around to see if someone else knows and can give more information, but I have not heard anyone discuss his death. But that is probably mostly because no one has really heard of his company much since Sylvia's death. There is no question Sylvia was the backbone of that company.

Peace