Smitty Lanyards
 

Need an opinion -

Need to order some new lanyards - was looking at the smitty noose lanyard as well as the breakaway version. Anybody using lanyards like these? Any preference on one vs. the other?

I was using the lanyard that hooked onto the clip on the shirt, but the thread for the clip broke, so I need a lanyard that goes around my neck.

All comes down to personal choice.

Both of those lanyards will achieve what you're looking for.

I use the Smitty Noose and have had no problems with it.

I use the Smitty noose and like it alot.

I've used the noose type lanyard for a long time and really like it.

I like the noose just based on personal preference and I think it looks the best.

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

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).

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.

I found 3 or 4 breakaway lanyards at a Play It Again Sports shop a few years ago. Absolutely love them.

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.

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.

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

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

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).

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.

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.:p

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

If I may...

These are a lot of times the same who offer good constructive criticism (Most times). No matter how long you have done this a second eye is always beneficial in striving for excellence. Then you stay and watch the first QTR of the V game. You notice similar inconsistencies and non-approved techniques. Extremely small (like the ones they mentioned to you), but still ever present. It is even better when one of these men are 30-40 pounds overweight. I am never going to tell someone that they are fat. But come on....if you need a system of belts, pulleys, and levers to hold in all your chubby's maybe me missing a lanyard shouldn't be the focus.;)

I don't (and likely never will) use a lanyard for soccer. I do (and likely always will) use a lanyard for basketball.

In soccer the whistle is in my hand 99.9% of the time (it really should be 100% but I sometimes will switch hands while holding it in my mouth). I'd worry about dropping it in basketball since it would be out of hand so often.

I tried the "noose" lanyard a couple of times but I switched to the "break away" lanyard after coaches were telling that I wasn't using the "noose" lanyard properly, :p.

As far as officials (NFHS, NCAA, FIBA, and NBA/WNBA) that do not use a lanyard at all, my opinion is this: It looks sloppy as the dickens. And I do let partners that do not use a lanyard what my position is on the matter.

MTD, Sr.

That's fine, just don't be a dickens to them.

Rich "Uncle" Pennybags ???
 

So you're a tenonaire?

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.48405...=146&h=126&p=0

Curious why so? My whistle go from my pocket to my mouth back to pocket. Sloppy is some string dangling from my shirt I have to keep shoving back into my mouth. I went through this with all my kids and thier binkies.

I've always been told that if you go sans lanyard, then you should be able to do all signals w/o having to put the whistle in your pocket.

I don't get it why would that matter? There are guys who use lanyards that can't do all the signals.:D

It looks better and smoother than always having to reach into your pocket while reporting.

Don't listen to APG. Joey puts it in his pocket so can you! In fact, you should emulate everything Joey Crawford does.

Joe is the only guy I can think of, off the top of my head, that regularly does this...everyone else...and especially the newer officials don't...but Joe Crawford is...well Joe Crawford, and can do what he wants. ;)