Pants

[Umpire in Chief]

My primary association just made the switch this hear to charcoal. We're grandfathered for a year or so for those who recently got Heather. I'm getting my new pants soon.

With the long thread about washing them, I was wondering about what I should do.

Option 1. Buy the Ump-Attire.com polys only

Option 2. Buy the Ump-Attire.com polys to use on higher level games and Smitty for lower level and bad weather.

What would you do?

[hckyosgood30]

I'd buy Honigs poly wool pants. But I'm not a fan of the expander. As for the smitty for lower ball its not a bad idea but once you go to poly wools you'll have to have a really really bad game to want to change out of them.

[SAB_UIC_TX]

I'd go with Honings, they are cheaper and you WILL end up there eventually so why not make tomorrow today.

[JaxRolo]

Buy the Honigs then buy the Smitty's at Ump-Attire

Personally I like the expander but i'm not paying extra for it.

[johnnyg08]

Is it true that the Smitty plate pants are a nice light-weight alternative?

[JaxRolo]

Is it true that the Smitty plate pants are a nice light-weight alternative?

I love the Smitty Pants.

Also when I hold them side by side to my Poly-wools I can not tell the difference in color. To me they are identical color. (then again I'm color blind!) jk

[Fittske24]

Personally, why spend your money on anything other than poly-wools? I understand the concept of having a "bad weather pair of pants", but why not just get you two pair of poly wools and have one set you dry clean, and another "All-a-round" set that you beat the heck out of? Trust me, nothing out there matches the fit, look and feel of poly wools. It doesn’t matter if you wash them or dry clean them, the will ALWAYS look better than SMITTY. Ever since I slipped on my first pair of poly wools, all I will own or wear is poly wools until something else comes out that is better.

When I step onto the field I want to look my very best no matter the level or weather conditions. I stand by the statement, "Once you go Poly-wool, you will never go back."

[Kevin Finnerty]

I echo most of the views of everyone's so far. I suppose that if the UA polywools are made by Hardwick, then the sole criterion for buying them is whether you would like a waist expander on your slacks (the price difference is negligible). If you do, go with the UAs.

Your strategy is sound, because you really should have less-expensive, easily maintained slacks that you can get muddy or dusty, and the Smitty's, being the best match in color and texture, are the natural choice. Generally the games that are played on those muddy or dusty fields aren't the kind of games that require the best stuff.

I fully understand Fittske's point, and I must concur that once you wear the polywools, you'll really be reluctant to wear anything else. The field conditions have to be really bad. I think I used my bad-weather alternates four times in the last year (two men's league rain games, and two winter one-man scrimmages). And I wouldn't have bad-weather alternates if I didn't already own them. I'd just have an extra set of older polywools like Fittske said.

[Triguy29]

I would like to use poly-wools since everyone on here say they are the best. However, we still use heather grey and I haven't found any poly-wools in heather gray and PIAA is probably swithing to Charcoal soon.

[JaxRolo]

I would like to use poly-wools since everyone on here say they are the best. However, we still use heather grey and I haven't found any poly-wools in heather gray and PIAA is probably swithing to Charcoal soon.

Our HS association uses heather. Unfortunately there are no heather polys. This is why I also buy Smittys.

But we are also told that as long as you match you partner then we can wear the poly-wools.

[Umpete]

One day all you flat-bellys out there will appreciate the waist expanders. ;)

[Kevin Finnerty]

The day I have to have waist expanders on my polywools is the day I ... aw, never mind.

[semper_fi_72]

One day all you flat-bellys out there will appreciate the waist expanders.

I have a flat belly and appreciate them.

Have a 33 waist.

Try finding 33 waist umpire pants.

32 with expander works great.

PS... I love my Smitty's.

Just bought 3 new pair as the other 3 got me through approximately 650+ games in 2.5 years, but are definitely a little faded now.

I also am not dry cleaning anything.

If it can't go in the washer, I won't get them.

If I needed Poly Wools for a particular reason, then I would get them.

Until them Smiity's are fine with me and anyone I work games for or with.

[SAB_UIC_TX]

Might have to look at some Smitty pants as an altertnative

[AZump78]

I would just buy Polywools (whatever brand suits your fancy).

You will never regret it, and it will be your favorite piece of umpire "gear".

Plus, why would you want to look anythig less than "impeccable" regardless of the game?

[Umpire in Chief]

I placed my order and got both!

I work so many fields which are "less than stellar" I wanted to have some I could look good in and will reserve the Polys for the good games.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Good for you, Warren. My you only muddy your Smitty's.

Oh, and remember: with the polywools, dry clean only. :stir

[johnnyg08]

*laughs...Kevin don't you read these threads, you can machine wash poly wools!! :angel4:

[JaxRolo]

*laughs...Kevin don't you read these threads, you can machine wash poly wools!!

I have a creek in my backyard and use a washboard and a big rock to clean my polywools then hang them on a string to dry.

[KLAH316]

*laughs...Kevin don't you read these threads, you can machine wash poly wools!!

I have a creek in my backyard and use a washboard and a big rock to clean my polywools then hang them on a string to dry.

have a wife...... LOL!! :wow:

[kylejt]

Long after the money is spent, you never regret buying the best.

[dumbdumb]

My primary association just made the switch this hear to charcoal. We're grandfathered for a year or so for those who recently got Heather. I'm getting my new pants soon.

With the long thread about washing them, I was wondering about what I should do.

Option 1. Buy the Ump-Attire.com polys only

Option 2. Buy the Ump-Attire.com polys to use on higher level games and Smitty for lower level and bad weather.

What would you do?

Although you have already made your purchase, you might want to tell the others to buy 2 new pairs of polywools this year for the better games and wear their old ones (or heathers) for the poorer fields. Then next year buy 2 more polywools since the heathers are no longer good. That would give them a phase in period of buying only 2 pairs per year.

I would imagine if you cannot always dry clean as recommended, you can at least wash on gentle cycle and then hang dry or use very low heat for a short while and then hang dry. You could also dry clean periodically to firm up the crease.

I don't remember any MiLB guys out there on this site mentioning whether the clubbies dry clean their polys during the 140 game season or just use regular wash and be careful. Maybe those guys will weigh in. Although dry cleaning any kind of quality pants has to be the true way to go if one can afford the cost, it would seem with careful washing, one could get good performance also.

Oops, this was mentioned about the MiLB guys from the 12/26 poly wool topic by Thunder---edited 1/21/12 dd

[Kevin Finnerty]

I'm up to three plate and two base by doing it this way. I bought the first set, then a while later, I bought the second plate, then a couple years or so later, another full set. My mudders are some Honig's Ultimate "charcoal gray" slacks. But when you work with a good partner, they have either Smitty's, Honig's polywools, or at least Gerry Davis, which are all significantly darker than the "charcoal gray" Ultimates. So I find myself working some lower level games in sub-standard conditions wearing polywools anyway.

Funny thing: Since I dry clean my polywools, I can't tell the difference between the new ones and the two-year-old ones.