NFHS Navy Blue Pants

[Dakota]

Like most others (I'd guess), our uniforms are set by the state association, not NFHS. Presently, we're heather gray with powder blue shirt (red/white/blue trim), no logos.

Originally Posted by UMP 64

... fading heather gray....

Heather gray is a crap color because of this. I don't have any problem with it as a color when new, but it fades very quickly. Quality umpire pants last a lot longer than the heather gray color does. Crap color.

[Tru_in_Blu]

New Hampshire has a default uniform of heather grey pants, powder blue shirt [same as ASA w/o a logo], and navy blue t-shirt [if worn]. Last season we were given the option to wear the navy blue shirt instead of the powder blue as long as both umpires were dressed the same.

Hats are navy blue w/ a "NH" logo on them.

[SethPDX]

In Oregon, the NFHS uniform is plain powder blue shirt (ASA style), heather gray pants, plain blue hat, white undershirt. You can wear the long sleeve powder blue shirt or a solid navy jacket.

Like Dakota, I have to replace my pants because the color has faded, not because they have worn out.

[Skahtboi]

Might as well sound off for Texas, then. The official uni is heather gray pants with powder blue shirt (navy/white trim.) However, we have the option of wearing the navy as long as both umpires wear the navy.

[bigsig]

NY has always been Powder Blue shirt with Navy pants. Navy does show dirt but not moisture.

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Heather gray is a crap color because of this. I don't have any problem with it as a color when new, but it fades very quickly. Quality umpire pants last a lot longer than the heather gray color does. Crap color.

I agree. The light gray fades relatively quickly and they also show sweat, especially when one sweats like I do. Those are the main reasons why I prefer the navy - regardless of the temp or humidity.

I'd like to see the charcoal gray accepted and used in placde of the heather. Let's see how they hold up.

[Texas Aggie]

As an outsider (football and hoops, but no diamond ball), I think the best combo is the black shirt and dark gray pants. Maybe a polo blue option, but the black and gray are simple and match the belt and shoes.

Incidentally, next time you run into someone arguing about tradition and all that, mention that baseball umpires for ages wore a suit and tie. That's an example of a tradition that needs to be broken!

Either way, I'm all for you guys deciding what to wear. The worst is to get some yahoo who knows nothing about what works, what wears well, etc. making the decision.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

As an outsider (football and hoops, but no diamond ball), I think the best combo is the black shirt and dark gray pants. Maybe a polo blue option, but the black and gray are simple and match the belt and shoes.

Incidentally, next time you run into someone arguing about tradition and all that, mention that baseball umpires for ages wore a suit and tie. That's an example of a tradition that needs to be broken!

Either way, I'm all for you guys deciding what to wear. The worst is to get some yahoo who knows nothing about what works, what wears well, etc. making the decision.

Well, for starts, this isn't baseball and we aren't called "blue" for wearing black and grey.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

...The worst is to get some yahoo who knows nothing about what works, what wears well, etc. making the decision.

Welcome to our world.

[Duke]

Well here in Maine we umpire NFHS games as ASA umpires using NFHS rules. Only need one set of uniforms although I have all combinations possible. Maine Principal Assoc contracts with ASA to call their high school games.

[BretMan]

All this talk about pants reminded me about a post I made earlier this year.

I have a couple of pairs of heather grey Cliff Keen combo pants that fit great, are comfortable and are structurally sound, with no rips, tears, stains, etc. As far as the fading, that's another story. I've seen umpires wearing pants that have that weird pinkish color and it looks awful. So, this fading issue is something I'm always aware of and looking for in my own pants.

These pants looked fine to me and I wore them without reservation. Then, one day as I'm getting home from a game my wife meets me in yard and casually says, "Why are you wearing pink pants?"

Naturally, I'm devastated! In an instant, I went from thinking I was a sharply dressed and properly uniformed umpire to being "one of those guys"!

Now, she did go on to say that, "They didn't look that bad", "They're not really bright pink", and, "It kind of depends on how the light is hitting them". But it was too late. I was on a mission to do something about my pink pants!

Replacing them was the obvious solution, but I wondered if there was some way to salvage these otherwise perfectly fine pants that I really like. When this subject came up last summer, I posted that the thought crossed my mind to try dying my pants, either to restore the heather color or maybe to match the newer charcoal shade. I mentioned that I would post the results of my experiment here, but never got around to doing that.

That is mainly because once I looked into what it takes to dye polyester I didn't even attempt it! Unlike other materials, dying polyester requires special dyes and toxic chemicals, combined with temperatures near the boiling point of water and potentially explosive conditions. Everything I read said that if a conventional dye was used (like the Ritz stuff you can buy in most stores) that it would not absorb. It would simply lie on the surface of the material, then rinse off when the pants were washed.

So now I'm stuck with some pants that will probably be relegated to lower level rec league ball- and a good reason to spend more money on new umpire stuff!

[Texas Aggie]

this isn't baseball and we aren't called "blue" for wearing black and grey

Baseball umpires aren't called, "blue?"

That's due to history, not what they are currently wearing.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Baseball umpires aren't called, "blue?"

That's due to history, not what they are currently wearing.

And I wasn't talking about baseball umpires, was I?