Are the New Smitty Performance Polyspandex the Next New Umpire Pant?

[JimKirk]

13 hours ago, Majordave said:

We have been discussing pants from a more modern material for a while. I've seen but not purchased the underarmour golf pants (since I don't play golf) but liked them and believed that material may make good umpire pants. I wish they'd left pleats out of them. Just make fat guys look fatter and thin guys look fat. (In my opinion). 

@JimKirk I'm a little peeved you didn't try to clue me in when we were taking in Chicago a couple weekends ago about this very subject. But I'll forgive you if these pants turn out to be the thing we've all been seeking and discussing.  Haha  

So, I too pulled the trigger on a pair of each (along with another six things) and anxiously await their arrival. Question for you Jim. Did you have anything to do with this product being developed or does the credit go elsewhere?

@Majordave You were "peeved" and STILL bought 7 items! That's great. Imagine how much you would have bought otherwise!

First of all, great catching up in Chicago. Second, myself and others on our crew were all instructed to be tight-lipped on sharing ANY info until we had our actual quantities in hand.

Things can go wrong such as items not turning out quite like the prototype or a shipment getting delayed, and we just wanted to make doubly sure we knew we had a big hit and when we had it before sharing.

On the development side, most of the credit goes to Smitty. They did a great job seeking and listening to not only our input and insights throughout the process but also that of others.

Note duly recorded on a flat-front alternative. Will gladly pass along.

[Umpire in Chief]

I just looked at these pants here at the Baltimore clinic and I like them. I think they're going to be wildly popular.

[JaxRolo]

I wonder what the fade factor will be!

[Ricci67]

Just ordered a pair of combos. Might have ordered base and plate if I hadn't just got a set of factory seconds snotty poly-wools.  One had the wrong tag on the inside and I couldn't find the defect on the other. Love my adidas golf shorts and hoping these are similar. If I like em it may be easier to convince SWMBO I need plate and base after I have some game fees in the bank!

[kylejt]

After I loaded my cart with plate pants and NB low tops yesterday, I got up to find my wallet, When sat back down my size was sold out. Dang!

 

Best to order right away, or wait 'til the next batch comes in.

[umpstu]

On 1/27/2017 at 8:10 AM, Thunderheads said:

close, but not as good of a price

$54.95?

 

[umpstu]

And they shall be called Polydex.

[umpstu]

On 1/27/2017 at 3:53 AM, JimKirk said:

Does not.

What is the recommendation on ironing?

[Stk004]

3 hours ago, Ricci67 said:

Love my adidas golf shorts

Golf where it's warm enough for shorts? Must be nice. 

[Ricci67]

 

6 minutes ago, Stk004 said:

Golf where it's warm enough for shorts? Must be nice. 

North Carolina isn't bad most of the year. 

[Stk004]

1 hour ago, Ricci67 said:

 

North Carolina isn't bad most of the year. 

We bust out the shorts in like..... July. 

[zm1283]

I iron the basketball version of these pants sometimes and they come out fine. There is no glued crease like the original polywools but you can iron the crease back into them pretty easily. 

[JimKirk]

12 hours ago, kylejt said:

After I loaded my cart with plate pants and NB low tops yesterday, I got up to find my wallet, When sat back down my size was sold out. Dang!

 

Best to order right away, or wait 'til the next batch comes in.

February 10th is the estimated date for more to arrive. Smitty's next shipment is being expedited due to the overwhelming response.

Currently out of stock of about half of the sizes plate and base. More combo sizes still in stock than are not.

[kylejt]

Thanks Jim. I'll be quicker on the trigger in a couple of weeks.

Can't wait for this revolutionary new standard in gear. I wonder how long it will take to trickle up to the bigs. There's no good reason to wear wool in July.

Next product for upgrade: Hats.

[JimKirk]

All:

It was GREAT to meet so many UE forum members & also Warren Workman who's helping me get my login/pw issues situated. Id like to get on here and interact, but it's been an issue he's helping us get resolved.

OK...pants. First, go watch the videos if you haven't already done that. These pants fit true to size. Listen to me, I'm the ONLY Umpire that went down a size and put full gear on and TRIED my best to split these out. They didn't split. They didn't snag, rip, tear or get caught up on my shin guards. In the video, I even have on 2 different brands of shin guards without telling anyone until the very end!! 

Poly Spandex material ....golf pant play cousins....yes, it's THAT material. Even with a nutty buddy, tights and shin guards on - NOOOO....you don't feel golf pant material. How could you? The point is you are now wearing lightweight breathable material. These pants MOVE with you and stretch when they need to stretch. They breathe when it starts to get hot. I ran these pants underneath a sink faucet and watched the water bead up and roll off. 

Yes .....these pants are legit. Everyone that was in Baltimore loved them. MiLB guys loved them...MiLB big league call up guys loved them. CWS Umpires loved them. Coordinators loved them. I LOVE THEM! Hear me when I type:

Do you think I'd wear these pants on TV every weekend for ACC/SEC if they were going to split or embarrass me and/or my crew?? No way! THAT'S how confident I am in these pants.

ive attached a picture of side by side comparison in simple overhead lighting. Wools are in MY right hand and Spandex in MY left. Even the wife says, "different material is the difference, not the shade of color." 

[MadMax]

1 hour ago, kylejt said:

Thanks Jim. I'll be quicker on the trigger in a couple of weeks.

Can't wait for this revolutionary new standard in gear. I wonder how long it will take to trickle up to the bigs. There's no good reason to wear wool in July.

Next product for upgrade: Hats.

I'm with you in your enthusiasm, @kylejt, but a trickling "up" into the Major Leagues is not going to force the change that we need to see happen. The High School associations have had three... _3_... revisions of the umpire uniform in the Major Leagues since 2010, and they still cling to the traditional navy shirt, navy jacket with shoulder stripes, and polyester pants. Some even still endorse heather grey!

No, the change will happen when companies resolve and enact to stop producing the old styles / versions. If there are no longer navy shirts being made in that style, then there will be no other recourse. Use by the Big Leagues doesn't encourage Association Administrators to adopt something new; in fact, sometimes, it steels them against it. "It works for us, it's still available, why change it?" becomes the comfortable, safe excuse. So, cut off, wholly and resolutely, the source of the availability. Then we'll see real change happen.

#ListenUpAdministrators #MoveForwardYouPutzes

[Stk004]

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

I'm with you in your enthusiasm, @kylejt, but a trickling "up" into the Major Leagues is not going to force the change that we need to see happen. The High School associations have had three... _3_... revisions of the umpire uniform in the Major Leagues since 2010, and they still cling to the traditional navy shirt, navy jacket with shoulder stripes, and polyester pants. Some even still endorse heather grey!

No, the change will happen when companies resolve and enact to stop producing the old styles / versions. If there are no longer navy shirts being made in that style, then there will be no other recourse. Use by the Big Leagues doesn't encourage Association Administrators to adopt something new; in fact, sometimes, it steels them against it. "It works for us, it's still available, why change it?" becomes the comfortable, safe excuse. So, cut off, wholly and resolutely, the source of the availability. Then we'll see real change happen.

#ListenUpAdministrators #MoveForwardYouPutzes

It could be like That 70's Show where they burn all the disco records in the park, but instead of disco records we can all bring navy shirts. 

[udbrky]

I think I wore a shirt only for 5 HS games last year - the rest, the heavy jacket. Was a cold spring.

[BT_Blue]

On Sat Jan 28 2017 at 7:32 AM, JimKirk said:

@Majordave You were "peeved" and STILL bought 7 items! That's great. Imagine how much you would have bought otherwise!

I'm mad just like @Majordave . That is why I too am placing an order with 5-7 things including shoes, pants, shirt stays, and shin guards. Lol

[udbrky]

Just now, BT_Blue said:

I'm mad just like @Majordave . That is why I too am placing an order with 5-7 things including shoes, pants, shirt stays, and shin guards. Lol

You show em!

[BT_Blue]

8 minutes ago, udbrky said:

You show em!

I speak with my hard earned dollars!

[acpar72]

On ‎1‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 4:47 PM, alex7 said:

I'm with MadMax on the name - PolyDex sounds better.  One of the first thoughts when these came out was why they'd keep spandex as part of the name. 

"Polydex" does not work as well.  Here is my case..."hey guys do you like my new polydexes, polydex's, polydexs?"  Huh? Compared to "hey guys do you like my new polyspans"  End of argument.

[kylejt]

For those of you who work for backwards associations, what would happen if you and your partner wore the latest and greatest black shirt on the field? Are there that many umpires out there that you'd just be fired?

 

Instead of waiting for change, or asking for permission, why not just wear what you want (within reason, of course. No flags or ugly camo, please). What would be the ramifications?

 

Now I don't work HS or above because I still have a nine to five, so I really don't know what would happen.

[LMSANS]

3 minutes ago, kylejt said:

For those of you who work for backwards associations, what would happen if you and your partner wore the latest and greatest black shirt on the field? Are there that many umpires out there that you'd just be fired?

 

Instead of waiting for change, or asking for permission, why not just wear what you want (within reason, of course. No flags or ugly camo, please). What would be the ramifications?

 

Now I don't work HS or above because I still have a nine to five, so I really don't know what would happen.

A fine would be levied up to a full varsity game fee.

 

[kylejt]

Wow, how inane is that?

How 'bout getting the membership together, and making some demands/requests? Not to the point of creating a union, but to get the pulse of the membership, and to lean on the few that make the choices.

Sometimes the Smitty with one shiny navy jersey, Sears combo pants, and a McGregor chest protector is making the choices for everyone ("By gum, that's all you need!"). Umpires are in too high of a demand to be walked over, and dictated to like this. RISE UP!