Pants

[michblue]

Are people having problems with honigs MLB poly/wool pants fading? If so, any secrets to the cleaning process without taking them to the dry cleaners? Anyone try/currently trying/or have tried the Smitty poly/wool umpire pants? Like them? Do not like them?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by michblue

Are people having problems with honigs MLB poly/wool pants fading? If so, any secrets to the cleaning process without taking them to the dry cleaners? Anyone try/currently trying/or have tried the Smitty poly/wool umpire pants? Like them? Do not like them?

No matter the manufacturer, heather gray will fade eventually from exposure to the sun. That said I have found the Smitty fades at a much slower rate than the pants that Honig's sells. I also think that Smitty is a better quality pant than Cliff-Keen, but that is just my opinion from experience.

MTD, Sr.

[michblue]

Thanks for your response Mark. Do you show the same thoughts with regards to the charcoal poly wool pants?

[jicecone]

ANY color material will fade if worn out in the sun over time. I generaly got two years out of most of the pants I wore and bought knew ones. It is about one game fee and deductible at the end of the year.

The biggest problem I have had with Honiqs is the metal clasps not being sewed securly. Poor workmanship. This happened on two pair. i returned one and got crdit for another. I agree that the Smitty pants are also good.

[Multiple Sports]

Each year I get a new pair of Smitty plate and base ( charcoal ) and keep them for two years......this way I always have two pairs on hand......

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Multiple Sports

Each year I get a new pair of Smitty plate and base ( charcoal ) and keep them for two years......this way I always have two pairs on hand......

Must be the new math ....

And, frankly, I think that this would be the minimum for anyone who has been in the game for more than two years and plans to stay in. I haven't counted in a while, but I think I have 7 pair of each.

[kylejt]

I have a bunch of the polywool pants. Some date back at least a dozen years.

Some I dry clean only, others get the "hand wash" cycle in the machine.

The older ones are just a fraction more faded than the newer ones. I never hang them in my car, and the only sunlight they see is during the day games.

The ones I machine wash really snap back to life after a trip to the dry cleaners.

I don't like machine drying them, though. Look at the lint basket after you, and you'll see why. That gray stuff is what you just took off your drawers.

[nopachunts]

Originally Posted by kylejt

I have a bunch of the polywool pants. Some date back at least a dozen years.

Some I dry clean only, others get the "hand wash" cycle in the machine.

The older ones are just a fraction more faded than the newer ones. I never hang them in my car, and the only sunlight they see is during the day games.

The ones I machine wash really snap back to life after a trip to the dry cleaners.

I don't like machine drying them, though. Look at the lint basket after you, and you'll see why. That gray stuff is what you just took off your drawers.

Kyle, haven't seen any posts lately. Glad your back.

[Manny A]

Since I predominantly umpire softball, I bought Fechheimer pants. They haven't faded on me yet. I bought two new pair last year to umpire in the ASA 18 Gold National Championship in Clearwater, FL, and I compared them to the Fechs I've been using for about three or four years now, and you cannot tell them apart.

Unfortunately, they only come in heather grey, and they don't make combo pants. So using them in baseball can be a problem if you require charcoal. But most baseball that I do is LL, so I'm okay with wearing my Fechs there.

[Out]

Spray a UV and/or IT retardant on your pants. Fading solved!

[johnnyg08]

Use a garment bag when your stuff is hanging in your car. A lot of the fading comes from umpires hanging their stuff in the back of the car and it sits in the sun all day causing fade to your shirts and pants.

If stored properly your polys will last much, much longer than Smitty.