Beating the heat suggestions????
 

I am working in Florida and, of course, it is quite hot. I drink tons of fluids(usually 1/2 gatorade)

I bought one of those chill towels and they are great.

I have seen umpires use Ice Bests under their chest protectors.

Does anyone have any personal experience?

Flexi Freeze Ice Vest, Navy: Amazon.com: Sports & Outdoors

Joe in Orlando

Joe:

Since you live in Orlando, I am sure you know my goombah Torch of Torch's Referee & Umpire Supplies in Brevard County. I have officiated numerous AAU basketball nationals for him and a couple of AAU baseball nationals for him.

Start hydrating now. I take a insulated jug filled with ice, water, and a towel onto the diamond with me. I drink water between each half inning. I pour water into the inside of my hat every other inning at least and also soak my head with the towel at least every other inning. Drink Gatorade between games and eat fruit between games.

It can get slightly hot in Florida during the summer, :p.

MTD, Sr.

Spend every second you can on the grass and in the shade, if available.

I'm not a big fan of Gatorade or any other type of specialty drink. I prefer water and always have some on the field with me. Cold is nice, but not necessary, wet is wet.

Sunscreen. Yep, sunscreen. You start baking on the outside, you will become uncomfortable no matter how much you drink.

Sunscreen is a MUST.

It actually keeps your body heat lower.

Re-apply often

Neutrogena has a new one that can be used on wet skin.

Spirits of Amonia
 

As long as you don't have asthma use spirits of amonia. They are getting harder and harder to find though. Get a small ice chest (one that will hold a 6 pack) and half fill it with ice. Then add water to cover the ice. Then add about 2 ounces of spritis of amonia. Put a small towel in the ice chest. When you start getting hot take the towel and wring out most of the water. Then hold it over your face and breath deep a few times. Then put the towel on the back of your neck and rub it on pressure points on your arms and legs. This is a great pick me up and will last for a couple of innings.

Make sure you use spirits of amonia and not straight amonia. Also, if you have asthma DO NOT use this!!!

Talked to a friend in the pharmaceutical business and was told that retail Spirits of Ammonia were only coming in small "snap" packets because kids were abusing the spirits (huffing). So, again, Chicken Little, third grade mentality and attitude remove a useful resource that can be safely used by responsible individuals.

I don't know if the 2 oz bottles wil disappear altogether, but every time I see one in a pharmacy, I grab it.

Wear moisture wicking products. I have them as socks, compression tights, boxers and undershirts. They do a tremendous job of keep you dry, which will help keep your body temperature lower.

RiteTemp Athletics products also work really well, but some of them are expensive. The product for your hat will help keep your head cool and will last a good part of the game. Once it wears out, you can dunk it in cold water and be good to finish the game.

It also happens to the well prepared.
 

This past weekend MTD, Jr. (age 22), and I (age 60, I know, its heck getting old, LOL) umpired in the ASA-Ohio Girls' 16U Fastpitch State Championship. We were scheduled for 5 games on seperate diamonds on both Friday and Saturday starting at 8am on both days.

I had taken all of the pre-tournament precautions, i.e., drinking a Gatorade every night and mass quantities of water everyday. I was on the Plate for my 8am game on Friday, and still I didn't make it to the second inning of my 10am game that day, as I spent the most of the day in the emergency room of the local hospital with dehydration. It was a day to remember. And it ended my tournament weekend.

MTD, Sr.

Hope all is well!

Sorry to hear that MTD, Sr.
Hoping it was a fluke. Sounded like you did all you could to prepare.
I've worked the last 4 weekends in Florida and fortunately have not really had a problem..
I don't use sport drinks, but have been consuming massive amounts of H2O.
Also peeing a lot. ;-)
Knocking on wood.

This past weekend in Georgia was horrid, not so much the heat, but the humidity.
Only had 3 games on Sat and 3 on Sun. Game 3 on Sun was pure survival mode. It was 10x worse than the weekend before when I did 7 and 5.

Along with some pickle juice and lots of water, I've taken to drinking a bottle of pedialyte on each day of the tournament. That and using a cold compress frequently seems to have taken care of heat issues for me.

I have a miserable one scheduled for tomorrow night. 18U rec league game, two hour time limit, forecast calls for 100 degrees with a 105 heat index.

Gatorade alternative
 

I take a liter water bottle, put a 20 bottle of orange juice in. Add three of those salt packets from McDonald's. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.

This has all the potassium of Gatorade, a bit more sodium. But it doesn't have all the sugar and citric acid of Gatorade. Citric Acid bothers my bladder.

Worked very well for me. Better than Gatorade.

Rita

Orange Juice has less citric acid than Gatorade? That doesn't sound right.