Smitty Lanyards

[JRutledge]

I had issues with the Smitty type because the loop or the hook came loose. I have used the noose style for years and honestly will not go back at this time. All personal preference as stated. No right or wrong answer, just what you are comfortable with.

Peace

[jTheUmp]

Lanyards are cheap... in the $2-$5 range apiece.

At that price, you can afford to buy one of every style and length and see what works best for you.

Personally, I wear the clip-to-the-shirt type lanyards for basketball, because I don't like the feeling of the lanyard around my neck.

For football, I wear the Honig's extra-long lanyards, because I like being able to run with the whistle in my hand instead of in my mouth (I can tuck the lanyard into the collar of the shirt, so I don't feel it on my neck).

[BryanV21]

A fellow official had a breakaway style lanyard, but had to toss it as the breakaway part broke and would come apart at the slightest touch.

Personally, I don't see the need for a breakaway lanyard, as I've never had a problem with them getting snagged. Of course, I don't like anything around my neck, so I use those that clip to the shirt loop.

Like others have said, you just have to try the different types, and choose what you like best. Thankfully they are cheap, so going by "trial and error" is not costly.

[Dave9819]

I went ahead and ordered two of the noose style lanyards.

I have always used the shirt clip, but, on one of my newer shirts, the thread that tied the ring to the shirt snapped so I needed the noose style so I can still use the shirt.

[junruh07]

I use the noose style, but I didn't like it at first because I felt it was a bit too long. Then I read (I think on here) that someone pushed the end of the string out of the plastic, cut a couple inches off, then melted it again so it wouldn't pull through the plastic. Now I really like it. You just have to be careful not to cut too much off, or you won't be able to get it around your head.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I had issues with the Smitty type because the loop or the hook came loose. I have used the noose style for years and honestly will not go back at this time. All personal preference as stated. No right or wrong answer, just what you are comfortable with.

Peace

Me too. I use both, still, but if I'm not using a noose, I keep one on me as a spare.

[j51969]

I use no lanyard at all and have saved myself 10's of dollars over the years as a result

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by j51969

I use no lanyard at all and have saved myself 10's of dollars over the years as a result

One of the varsity officials who was part of my mentoring crew didn't use a lanyard, and fellow officials would always give him crap about it. Just good-natured, although the one without the lanyard once dropped the whistle out of his mouth during a live ball.

Originally Posted by BryanV21

One of the varsity officials who was part of my mentoring crew didn't use a lanyard, and fellow officials would always give him crap about it. Just good-natured, although the one without the lanyard once dropped the whistle out of his mouth during a live ball.

Interesting. I was an observer to a locker room confrontation where my partner was reamed for not using a lanyard. The guy used phrases like "when you don't use a lanyard you are making it all about you", "the fans see that and it doesn't look good", "this isn't the NBA", and my personal favorite "the state uniform guidelines require a lanyard" (they don't).

[j51969]

Originally Posted by AremRed

Interesting. I was an observer to a locker room confrontation where my partner was reamed for not using a lanyard. The guy used phrases like "when you don't use a lanyard you are making it all about you", "the fans see that and it doesn't look good", "this isn't the NBA", and my personal favorite "the state uniform guidelines require a lanyard" (they don't).

Kinda silly isn't it. 98.3% of anyone in attendance wouldn't even notice. Only people who frequent forums like this would only notice. The use of no lanyard would be 650th on the list of why fans think we suck out there. Peronally he is probably just jealous he doesn't have the coordination to do it himself.

Originally Posted by j51969

Kinda silly isn't it.

Kinda silly indeed, along with the insistence of using the weaker NFHS block and PC signals, and pointing with four fingers closed together.

[j51969]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

One of the varsity officials who was part of my mentoring crew didn't use a lanyard, and fellow officials would always give him crap about it. Just good-natured, although the one without the lanyard once dropped the whistle out of his mouth during a live ball.

I get jabbed occasionally by fellow officials for not wearing one. Like everyone else I cut my teeth in basketball doing CYO, YMCA youth leagues, and adult wreck ball 20+ years ago. Once after an adult game ended badly a player came up behind me and grabbed my lanyard and tried to rip my head off. Back them smitty's and break away's didn't exist. They were just the thick rope that hung in front. I swore to never have that happen again. It took awhile to get used to it, but I haven't dropped my whislte well over a decade. I always carry a spare in my right pocket just in case.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by j51969

I use no lanyard at all and have saved myself 10's of dollars over the years as a result

So you're a tenonaire?