WV Gold Chest Protector

[Umpire in Chief]

Well I finally did it and ordered a new CP. I received it yesterday. I decided to go with the WV Gold. After reading the reviews and chatting with a few people, including Majordave. It seemed like the best choice for me. I was debating between it and the Honigs K-1. I've adjusted the straps and have it fitting the way I like (for now). I got the L/XL size and have a slight concern that my bottom ribs are only protected by the soft padding when I stand straight up. I'm not too concerned because leaning forward in my stance looks like it will be well protected. I am now eagerly awaiting my game Sunday and put it to the test.

On a side note I ordered it from Ump-Attire, got a great price and I placed my order about 11:00 pm Friday. It was waiting at my door Wednesday when I got home. Awesome turn-around time.

[Stan W.]

I do not think you will be disapointed.....

I have a K1 for sub varsity work and my WV Platinum for everything above....

To me the WV is the best when it comes to confidence (instilled by hard shell) and performance.........(havent felt a shot)........that the K1 does not have......

[Majordave]

I hope your experience with WV gold is as good as mine and Stan's. I also got mine from Jim Kirk. Since he is here in KY, we had a good talk when I ordered. I am very happy with mine.

PLUS- I just got a call to work a high school fall ball DH this Saturday so I will get to put mine to good use again (I'm sure some or a significant portion of the kids playing will be JV level players so good hard shell protection is a necessity.) I also will get to put my new Wilson New View TITANIUM mask to work. I am excited. PLUS, I get to work with one of my very good friends JT Bullock (SHREK to his friends) AND another very good friend, Gus Curtis, just got back Monday from working the NorthWoods League in MN, WI, IA, MI and Canada this summer and he wants to come down from the big city of Lexington, KY and work three man in preparation for the Music City Umpires Camp we are attending late in September and pop a top or two after the games.

The field we are working is about 500 yards from my house. I can see the outfield from my back deck. AND my grill/smoker will be working on some ribs and pork butt all day so we will have a FEAST after the games (weather permitting). What a great life. Hope your weekend plans are as good.

[Umpire in Chief]

IThe field we are working is about 500 yards from my house. I can see the outfield from my back deck. AND my grill/smoker will be working on some ribs and pork butt all day so we will have a FEAST after the games (weather permitting). What a great life. Hope your weekend plans are as good.

Now thats a great partner. I want to work a game with you. I'll bring the FCABs.

[Kyle_Stevens]

I hope your experience with WV gold is as good as mine and Stan's. I also got mine from Jim Kirk. Since he is here in KY, we had a good talk when I ordered. I am very happy with mine.

PLUS- I just got a call to work a high school fall ball DH this Saturday so I will get to put mine to good use again (I'm sure some or a significant portion of the kids playing will be JV level players so good hard shell protection is a necessity.) I also will get to put my new Wilson New View TITANIUM mask to work. I am excited. PLUS, I get to work with one of my very good friends JT Bullock (SHREK to his friends) AND another very good friend, Gus Curtis, just got back Monday from working the NorthWoods League in MN, WI, IA, MI and Canada this summer and he wants to come down from the big city of Lexington, KY and work three man in preparation for the Music City Umpires Camp we are attending late in September and pop a top or two after the games.

The field we are working is about 500 yards from my house. I can see the outfield from my back deck. AND my grill/smoker will be working on some ribs and pork butt all day so we will have a FEAST after the games (weather permitting). What a great life. Hope your weekend plans are as good.

Well, you just barely beat my weekend plans of running new cable through the house, replacing my sons window he broke from a wild pitch, and fixing the side door in my garage. As you can probably tell, my weekend was planned for me.

Good grief Majordave, sounds like a blast!

[littleleagueump]

I am working with my second West Vest. The first was the cheap one and now I have the Gold. Both are very similar. They work great. Hardly no effects of getting hit by pitches, Doen't protect the belly button as much, you will get hit in the lower tummy but it is great. I got my first one to end getting hit on the collar bone. I have never about dropped to a knee from a hit until I got hit for about the thrid time there. You made a good choice.

Now, there is maintaining your gear. I wrote a story of how is the best way to clean your gear. I used to was mine in the bathtub, others use febreeze. Febreeze will mask the smell, not clean your gear. I was at work one day. I thought of an unusual was to clean my gear. I took it upon myself to ask my wife, this is funny, when I got home from work one day, asking her if I could use the diswasher to clean my gear. She said yes, to my suprise. Shin guards and mask on the bottom and the CP on the top. NO SOAP NEEDED. The water is hot enough to do the job.

Give it a try.

[Majordave]

It is not going to be the best baseball and friends weekend plans after all. The A-hole coach for the home team is not one of my favorite people. The good friend who asked me to work with him (Shrek) was called by this coach to work the DH tomorrow. Unfortunately, the coach does not like me and I do not like him. It goes way back to when I coached and where I work now. I teach and coach football at the cross-town rival high school. The A-hole coach used to coach at our school but got fired for some inappropriate activity so now he works for the enemy and has a hard-on for us. Anyway, when my partner told him I was working with him the coach had his assistant call this afternoon to tell Shrek that they found another guy to work the game and I would not be needed. A little politics and personality clash. I am the only NCAA umpire in our area. I do not call regular season high school in this region where I teach and live to avoid the conflicts and drama. I work a neighboring region with a much better quality of ball and more qualified coaches and superior facilities. Five of the last seven state champions come from the high school region I call in.

Nevertheless, I will still have some meat on the grill and tops popped tomorrow evening, A-hole coach or not. It is supposed to be 95 here tomorrow so maybe he is doing me a favor.

As to the West Vest Gold, I also had the original West Vest that was adjustable with velcro. I got hit in the stomach just to the left of my navel by an 87 mph fastball from a lefty pitcher two years ago. I know it was 87 because I asked the guy with the JUGS gun between innings how fast the kid was throwing. He said: "the one that got you was 87." Anyhow, the kid that hit me two years ago just signed with the Rangers this week with a 1.25 million dollar signing bonus. I love West Vests.

College fall ball starts in a couple of weeks. I will get some work in then.

Edited August 23, 2008 by Majordave

[BrianC14]

It is not going to be the best baseball and friends weekend plans after all. The A-hole coach for the home team is not one of my favorite people. The good friend who asked me to work with him (Shrek) was called by this coach to work the DH tomorrow. Unfortunately, the coach does not like me and I do not like him. It goes way back to when I coached and where I work now. I teach and coach football at the cross-town rival high school. The A-hole coach used to coach at our school but got fired for some inappropriate activity so now he works for the enemy and has a hard-on for us. Anyway, when my partner told him I was working with him the coach had his assistant call this afternoon to tell Shrek that they found another guy to work the game and I would not be needed. A little politics and personality clash. I am the only NCAA umpire in our area. I do not call regular season high school in this region where I teach and live to avoid the conflicts and drama. I work a neighboring region with a much better quality of ball and more qualified coaches and superior facilities. Five of the last seven state champions come from the high school region I call in.

Nevertheless, I will still have some meat on the grill and tops popped tomorrow evening, A-hole coach or not. It is supposed to be 95 here tomorrow so maybe he is doing me a favor.

As to the West Vest Gold, I also had the original West Vest that was adjustable with velcro. I got hit in the stomach just to the left of my navel by an 87 mph fastball from a lefty pitcher two years ago. I know it was 87 because I asked the guy with the JUGS gun between innings how fast the kid was throwing. He said: "the one that got you was 87." Anyhow, the kid that hit me two years ago just signed with the Rangers this week with a 1.25 million dollar signing bonus. I love West Vests.

College fall ball starts in a couple of weeks. I will get some work in then.

WTH??!??

Are you saying that coaches choose the umpire(s) are going to be?

Please telll me that I'm mistaken in what I'm understanding here.... :D

[Majordave]

(Sorry, Brian not UIC) around here there are few assigners for anything but regular season sanctioned ball. The summers and fall ball are basically the coach picks who he wants. It sucks. That's why I call in the neighboring region 35 miles or more away. I do work some around here in the summer just not for this particular coach that pulled that crap today. Odd thing is that the coach had asked me in person to call a game for him on a Friday evening two weeks ago but I declined due to a football scrimmage I was involved in as one of the coaches. I may never get to the bottom of it but as it works out I had other things to do and did not have to sweat a lot for a guy I do not care for. I have called games with this guy coaching in my regular region. I usually have to either warn him or restrict him to the dugout. Any close call that does not go his way he complains that I will never give him a break. Funny thing is that his team wins when I have worked a game involving his team.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Majordave

[Kyle_Stevens]

WTH??!??

Are you saying that coaches choose the umpire(s) are going to be?

Please telll me that I'm mistaken in what I'm understanding here....

In my area this happens a little. The more established coaches (some great, some RATS) are able to call and coordinate officials themselves.

[Majordave]

Shrek worked with a partner who is not certified and the baseball was not very good. It was VERY hot and humid.

I postponed the meat on the grill/pop-a-top thing until Sunday. The meat was marinated smoked pork AND beef ribs with my special spice rub and smoked chicken wings (chicken with a tan) and my homemade BBQ sauce named after my daughter (Cassie's Sweet and Sassy Sauce)(I used to name it after my wife: Nancy's Sweet Stuff, but she made me quit labeling it as such for obvious conflict of interest reasons) with cole slaw, fried okra, baked potatoes, grilled peach pie with Maker's Mark Bourbon (a Kentucky product) and honey sauce topped with vanilla ice cream and of course cold adult beverages and spiced iced tea. It was fan-effing-tastic! I cooked it all, too.

My two cents, your mileage may vary. I am moving slowly today due to some increased weight allowances after stuffing myself Sunday evening.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Majordave

[JonWessel]

I start fall ball Saturday with the possibility of working two games back-to-back. I have been struggling with decisions on what equipment to buy. I get almost all of my equipment from Ump-Attire and have talked to Mr. Kirk several times concerning the type of cp to get. I finally decided on the Wilson WV Gold. It fits great and isn't bulky. In two days I will get the chance to use it and we'll see how it works for me.

BTW, I would like to put in a plug for Ump-Attire. They not only have good deals on top-of-the-line equipment, but they also have great customer service. They ship quickly and I usual get my stuff in 1 to 2 days. They are very courteous and prompt. I highly recommend them and give them 5 stars!!

[Majordave]

Not mine. Just providing information.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230292137636&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching

About five days left as of this posting.

[BrianC14]

Not mine. Just providing information.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230292137636&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching

About five days left as of this posting.

Wow, $67+ ... of course, the real bidding will come in the last 5 minutes.

I wonder why the seller talks about a "Buy It Now" option and there's not one available...?

[slo8140]

Just got my Gold this week. I have worked two games in it so far and I am having a hard time getting it to fit right. After the first game I tightened the torso strap and top Y straps so my head barely fits through, but it still feels loose up top. It doe not slid around, but it does not fit as well as my K1 does. Any ideas? it feels like it needs to be pulled down of my shoulders more and closer in on the top of the chest.

I know that it has to be broken in...maybe I am just impatient.

[AllanA]

At the top of the Y strap loosen it so your head fits through it.

Then tighten the bottom Y strap and tighten the torso strap.

I am on my 2nd gold and this arrangement works for me.

Just play with the adjustments you will get it. And when you do

man its as comfortable as my k1 or my WV charcoal.

Allan

[mstaylor]

The other thing is to roll the shoulders everytime you put it on and take it off. Eventually it will take the proper shape.