Super frustrated with The Officials Choice

[kylejt]

The Honig's/Hardick pants "fur ball" if you throw them in the washing machine and dryer. Dry clean them, as directed, and they stay sharp.

The OC pants aren't uniform in color. We wear uniforms. If everyone is wearing them, and that goes for the Davis pants too, fine. If not, the OC pants really stick out as being a different color.

I've been round-n-round with the OC owner about this. From what I can gleen, he tries to order stuff from his off shore suppiers that matches other brands. They fail, and then he says he wants to set the market, not follow it.

First it was ill fitting, gigantic shirts. Then the stripes were too big, and the buttons were the "wrong" color. Their light blue shirts matched nothing on the market. The camo shirts, which had potential, were hunter's camo, and not military digital (which would have made him a fortune, IMO). The ball bags had inside pockets so big, balls could get stuck in them.

But he made one product that cinched it for me that he didn't know his customer: Light blue ball bags. Can you imagine what they'd look like after a game?

Then pile on that long gap in shipping time. The web site that rarely gets updated, etc. It just got old.

[robbie]

Originally Posted by kylejt

The Honig's/Hardick pants "fur ball" if you throw them in the washing machine and dryer. Dry clean them, as directed, and they stay sharp.

All of my pants are professionally dry cleaned only and as a matter of fact, my shirts go to the cleaners also.

I was not complaining about the Honig, but fact is the "balling" is only noticable with them and not the the OC pants.

You brought up size also. That was my only complaint about OC pants. The BASE pants are a little too thin in the leg for me. I still have a pair that I wear.

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by kylejt

The camo shirts, which had potential, were hunter's camo, and not military digital (which would have made him a fortune, IMO).

Why would anyone buy a camoflauge umpire shirt?

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by kylejt

The web site that rarely gets updated, etc. It just got old.

Gerry Davis has barely updated his website in 5 years, yet most enjoy his products.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by robbie

Why not? They are, in fact polywool. They are a little darker (almost charcoal) but other than that very very similay. The stitching was virtually identical. The material was slightly less heavy (not a derternt at all) and actually held a crease better and the material did not fur ball at all which the Honig does.

Well, they fit like compression Under Armour with plate gear, there's one difference.

I'm not wasting my fingers typing how these compare in no way to the polywools other than that they're both pants.

YMMV

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

Why would anyone buy a camoflauge umpire shirt?

Well, "the best umpires are the ones who go unnoticed"

I disagree with that quote ^^


What better way to go unnoticed than with a camo shirt?

[robbie]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Well, they fit like compression Under Armour with plate gear, there's one difference.

I'm not wasting my fingers typing how these compare in no way to the polywools other than that they're both pants.

YMMV

Guess you got a bad batch, or I got a good batch. Like I said, I have no skin in this at all, but I would buy 20 plate pants if they were offered again.

The plate pants ate identical in dimention to Honig, the base are narrower in the leg (At least the ones I purchased.)

[kylejt]

But their color was noticably different than any other uniform pants on the market. If everyone in your area chose them, that would work. But I've seen them on the field with fellas wearing other drawers, and they really stick out. Even more than the Davis pants.

Many folks don't care, and that's fine. Charcoal, heather, OC all look the same to them. And trust, the only folks who care is other umpires. Coaches, players and fans won't know, nor care what shade of gray you're wearing. I guess it comes down to who you're trying to impress, and how you want to look.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Many folks don't care, and that's fine. Charcoal, heather, OC all look the same to them. And trust, the only folks who care is other umpires. Coaches, players and fans won't know, nor care what shade of gray you're wearing.

That may be the case with regular season Little League and other rec ball. But if you're doing high school, college, summer tourneys, etc., there will be a lot more people who notice, and they will say something about it.

[rlund55]

Man I've had it with The Officials Choice. I ordered a couple of shirts in early May and haven't heard a word from them since. I've called and e-mailed 3 times now. They don't answer the phone or respond to e-mails sent to their support address. I just want an answer!

[Robmoz]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

Why would anyone buy a camoflauge umpire shirt?

Working Memorial tourneys or Veteran's events is when the camo shirt comes in handy as a supportive gesture, the response we get when we wear them is heartwarming. Its similar to wearing Pink when the event is an Awareness type of promotion.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

I've had great service every time from both Ump-Attire.com and Honig's Whistle Stop.
Neither place is paying me to say this either.

I use Honig's almost exclusively. Part of that is because I am within a reasonable driving distance of the Ann Arbor office. I try to support companies in my local area. The second reason is that I have never had an issue with anything product or service related from Honig's. Finally, I know family members of Mr. Honig.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by rlund55

Man I've had it with The Officials Choice. I ordered a couple of shirts in early May and haven't heard a word from them since. I've called and e-mailed 3 times now. They don't answer the phone or respond to e-mails sent to their support address. I just want an answer!

If it is this bad, and you paid by credit card, contact your credit card company about the lack of shipment of the order. You can generally dispute the charge. When the credit card company contacts the merchant, normally things get done quickly.

[bjenkins]

Why can't somebody do something about this company? I experienced the same thing as most everyone else who ordered from them. First, the equipment never arrived. Then when I called their customer support I was instructed to leave a voicemail which I couldn't because the voicemail box was full. The last straw was when I emailed customer support and it bounced back saying there was no such addressee and the message was undeliverable. The next step was simply calling my credit card company to have the charge removed from my account which they did immediately.

I agree that both Ump-Attire and Purchase Officials are good places to shop for ump gear. Honig's isn't too bad but their prices are almost always the most expensive. Lester's Upstate Sports is pretty good as well.