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I've been using Smitty exclusively due to cost. However, the association I'm trying to get hired into insists on having a sharp crease. Smitty couldn't hold a crease if you welded them (sarcasm). I've looked at Gerry Davis, and they do hold a crease but they fade way too quickly to justify the extra cost. What else it out there that both holds a crease AND its color?

Tighter pants. I had this issue when I wore them very early this season. Then, my 15 year old wanted to start dabbling in the umpire world (the highest level of giddyness excitement that you can imagine, that was me) So, I went back to my Force 3's, and gave him the DaviShins. Well, he isn't going to work a 'ton' of games since he's also playing High School, so I just wanted one pair of combo pants. His combo pants are obviously a little tigher/form fitting than my Plate pants. He hasn't had this issue at all, one time.

I have the same issue with my F3's. For some reason, only the left leg grabs my pants like that - but I know the feeling. I've tried to grab my pants and pull up as I stand in one, smooth motion so they won't grab as easily, but it doesn't always work for me. The fix is to have a seamstress add about 4-5" of silk inside your plate pants at the knee. Then, your shins won't grab your pants, they'll slide right on by.

What if you put an ounce or two of material into the hem at the bottom of the pants? Would that pull the pants back over the knee?

In my experience, Davis pants fade much slower than Smitty pants.

Back in the day, the Hardwick made Honigs Poly Wools had these applied (I still have a few pairs 15+ years old) and the crease was “unbreakable.” As has also been said, wool blend pants will hold a crease better anyways and the Smitty poly spandex are terrible at holding a crease and wrinkling in general. Worth a shot with the poly spandex pants.

So I recently purchased a pair of the Wilson Davis Shins. I love the weight of them. Love the idea, but I can’t stand having to pull my plate pants out of the top knee after every time I stand up. has anyone figured out a hack to keep this from happening. I thought about wearing a pair of tights over them but seems like that’s just defeating the purpose.

I love my Davis Shins, with the exception of this issue. It's now second nature to pull my pants out when they get clamped. @wolfe_man based on your comments, I'm guessing you don't have firsthand experience specifically with the Davis design? The DavisShins are essentially a rigid design from top to bottom. Yes, there is a separate "knee cap" but it barely hinges at the joint. The only straps are behind your calf; nothing above the bend of the knee. When you squat, the shin guard (down the entire height) is fighting to be vertical (or on plane with your shin bone.) This pulls the knee cover away from your quad as you squat; only the tension in your pantleg resists the rigid knee cap from standing straight up. The gap created between the guard and the front of your thigh closes up when you stand from your stance, thus creating the "chomp" effect that gathers the pant material that was spanning the gap. Any methods that might work on standard designed guards are pretty futile on the DavisShins. Duct tape? Yes, if you can call balls and strikes with your knees locked completely straight!! 😆

I haven't yet gotten my new GD plate pants hemmed. They are heavier than my Smitty's. Will be curious to see if that helps.

Vanity, vanity... all is vanity. What difference does it really make? If the association you're auditioning for is a solely collegiate association (or, alternatively, led by collegiate umpires), I can venture an experienced guess why they perseverate on sartorial details like this. Insidiously, it's not someone who's 80 years old; oh no no, instead, it's someone younger... think mid-40s / 50s... What's absolutely maddening, is working for one particular association/assigner, who insists that we are to "look like the Big League guys", yet another association – often at the same or similar level of competition – insists, nay mandates, that we are not "Big League guys" and we will never wear that style of uniform (ie. shirts, shirt colors (ahem, Wisconsin just a few years ago), jackets, pants, etc.). Like that assigner / association head has a chip on his shoulder, or a grudge against the Big Leagues because he... oh... ohhhhhh... I get it. 😉 Again, if you provide the uniforms, then you have all the control and justification of directing what we wear. If ya don't... If you're too freakin' cheap or that much of a control freak over your little fiefdom...

Odd thing to focus on. I get a nice appearance. But an extra sharp crease in the pants? This has to be the work of someone that’s 80 years old.

Wool slacks are always going to give the "sharpest crease". They will also always be the warmest pants on a hot day so...priorities, it seems. ~Dawg

Hopefully the group you're auditioning for also appreciates those who get their calls right. This is something so minor and inconsequential, it must be a very elite group to be looking at creases in pants. This group probably wants you to also remove the "MLB" logo on the shirt b/c "you're not an MLB umipre" even though said shirts are simply sold w/ the logo...it's not like it was put on their by the umpire. Sigh

That's one way to create repeat customers and increase your income, right? And mask pads make sense, I mean they couldn't say we need to definitely change our shoes every year because our feet are important! Change your pants every season? A new shirt every year? Although some could use this and get rid of that old, faded, purple rag that they're still calling a uniform shirt.

Hello Everyone, was wondering if anyone has experienced wearing the new Mizuno umpire pants, and if so, how they compare to Gerry Davis and Smitty. Thanks, Michael

I need new plate pants. Bad. The sun and catcher's masks/buckets (when the F2 in front of my discards their mask/bucket, I like to pick it up and knock off the dirt. Knocking them against the buckles of my leg guards has burnished the fabric in several areas). I decided (with some questions answered and fears assuaged by @DerekGDS) to get the BFX Pro pants. I opted for the flat front straight fit, because I'm not as skinny as some. (I'm still in shape, though--because pear is a shape!) The pants arrived in a pretty nice (still plastic) outer bag. It's a nice shift from the crinkly plastic with the adhesive strip that have become the norm. I noticed the tag showing it's 100% polyester (vs the Smitty pants, which are 92% poly, 8% lycra) and I especially like they're not made in China (YMMV). Once removed from the bag, the pants have a similar feel to the Smitty pants. It's not until I compared the feel next to each other I noticed the GD pants actually feel a bit smoother than the Smitty pants. Inside the waistband, the GD pants have a rubberized shirt stay band that feels like it will work better than the wider, but less "tacky," strip on the inside of the Smitty pants. The zipper and fly button are basically indistinguishable from the Smitty pants. The stretch of the pants, despite having 0% lycra, seems very similar to the Smitty pants. When I put them on and crouched as if I was in the slot, the fabric didn't feel noticeably different than the Smitty pants the GD pants are replacing. The GD website says the pockets are shallow to help retrieve items from the pockets, so I was expecting very shallow pockets (maybe 2 or 3 inches deep). In reality, the pockets are normal sized and appear to only be an inch shallower than the pockets on my Smitty pants (first photo below is the pocket on the Smittys; second--sorry about the focus--is the GDs). In the photos, the wrinkle on the center/top right is the tip of my fingers. Comparing the Smitty pants (got them out of the laundry pile for this photo--I don't wear them wrinkly) without a belt in them one can see how terribly faded they are) and the GD pants side by side, they're very similar. I like the clean design cues of the GD pants (the lack of a button loop, the wider belt loop, the monochromatic GD tag). Overall, I really like the GD BFX Pro pants though I haven't had them hemmed or worn them for a game. The price was a bit more than other offerings (including those from GD) but with the elimination of lycra from the fabric blend (as well as me using the back of my leg to knock dirt from F2s' masks/buckets) I expect to get better use out of the GD pants. If you're on the fence about getting these, I'd tell you to get them. I likely haven't answered all the of the questions you may have; let me know what comments I can address. Note: I was not compensated for this review.

Ump Attire has a new item: https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/MZ128-CH/Mizuno-Charcoal-Grey-Flat-Front-Umpire-Plate-Pants-with-Expander-Waistband Kinda big logo, not sure how I feel about my butt being a billboard. Flat fronts are the "in" thing for softball - is it catching on for baseball too? Thoughts?

Has anyone tried them yet? I keep getting emails advertising them. They intrigue me.

There is nothing out there that clearly explains the difference between umpire pants. Looking for a pant that is going to last, and keep me cool, or as cools as possible when wearing gear. How does Smitty, Davis Pro, Davis light weight and Davis V2 match up?

I'm thinking about getting a second set of pants. My first set are the Smittys. Does anyone know how the GD 94X Pants compare to them (fabric, cut, etc)? I'm not sure, if I want to get the Smittys again. While I really like the fabric of them (super light and breathable), I'm not the biggest fan of the cut (base pants are too lose, seat of them is also a bit too lose imo) and I also had some (minor) quality issues with them right from the start.

This will be my first umpire season. I found 3 Smitty pants from facebook marketplace. The seller marked the pants himself; 2 being plate pants, 1 base pants. Trying on the base pants, they too seem to be wide/baggy in the legs. I'm thinking these might be combo pants instead of the specific base pants. The tag looks to say SM289 which doesn't seem to bring up anything Smitty product related. Is there a way to tell if these are combo or base pants?

Time for new pants. I gather, and am good with, charcoal being the preferred style. But am curious about people's views on 1) Plate vs Combo pants for the plate. I've always thought the wide wide wide plate pants and mad mad mad mad and have gone with combo as my plate pants. 2) Pleated vs flat front. I think flat looks cleaner but see mostly pleated for sale and in use.

Do SSK Plate Pants have a reinforced stitch in the seat? I ask because I see several pairs of SSK Pants for sale but it’s difficult to tell from pictures whether the pants are plate or bases.

What are the differences between the previous model of Honigs poly-spandex pants and the most current model?

Anyone tried the new Honigs pants out yet? Comparing to other brands of course.