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

[JoHart10]

Thanks @Razzer. 

[Aging_Arbiter]

I can't seem to get them completely wrinkle free.  I've tried low heat in the dryer, low temp on iron, warmer temp on iron.  Anything using the iron without using another cloth leaves marks from the iron.

 

Suggestions?

[kylehutson]

5 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

I can't seem to get them completely wrinkle free.  I've tried low heat in the dryer, low temp on iron, warmer temp on iron.  Anything using the iron without using another cloth leaves marks from the iron.

 

Suggestions?

I've not had this problem (dryer gets them wrinkle-free for me), but if I did, I'd get a steamer.

[Stk004]

6 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

I can't seem to get them completely wrinkle free.  I've tried low heat in the dryer, low temp on iron, warmer temp on iron.  Anything using the iron without using another cloth leaves marks from the iron.

 

Suggestions?

How do you hang them up? If I pull them straight out of the dryer they are wrinkle free but I use one of those hangers that has the bar across the bottom instead of clips. I'm sure that type of hanger has a name. 

I do iron them on occasion and that seems to be 50/50. It's great for the crease but yesterday I tossed them in the dryer for a few minutes afterwards for a better look. 

[umpstu]

15 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

I can't seem to get them completely wrinkle free.  I've tried low heat in the dryer, low temp on iron, warmer temp on iron.  Anything using the iron without using another cloth leaves marks from the iron.

 

Suggestions?

I iron them on high heat.

[Razzer]

9 hours ago, Stk004 said:

How do you hang them up? If I pull them straight out of the dryer they are wrinkle free but I use one of those hangers that has the bar across the bottom instead of clips. I'm sure that type of hanger has a name. 

I do iron them on occasion and that seems to be 50/50. It's great for the crease but yesterday I tossed them in the dryer for a few minutes afterwards for a better look. 

I use the hangers with the clips...just put both legs together and clip. The weight alone keeps them straight and any wrinkles will disappear 

[NWA_UMP]

Reviving this thread. Has anyone noticed fading after season 1 of use? I purchased a set of pants from Honigs, Ultimate poly, and after one season of use both the base and plate pants were showing significant fading. In fact, the fading was bad enough I had to replace them after one season. I expect things to fade in the sun, but these pants turned to a brown-ish then pink-ish just like Heather pants do. 

[umpstu]

43 minutes ago, NWA_UMP said:

Reviving this thread. Has anyone noticed fading after season 1 of use? I purchased a set of pants from Honigs, Ultimate poly, and after one season of use both the base and plate pants were showing significant fading. In fact, the fading was bad enough I had to replace them after one season. I expect things to fade in the sun, but these pants turned to a brown-ish then pink-ish just like Heather pants do. 

Are you talking about the Smitty poly spandex or Honigs poly wool?

[BT_Blue]

Also the "new" Honigs Polywool (assuming the revamped Honigs will still be selling the non US-made Polywool) are made in Mexico and not nearly the pants the Hardwick made pants were.

So, fading would not surprise me in the least with the new pants.

[NWA_UMP]

12 hours ago, umpstu said:

Are you talking about the Smitty poly spandex or Honigs poly wool?

Smitty Poly Spandex pants...or as Kyle calls them "golf pants". The majority in our area use the Davis poly pant. I don't like the way they feel or look. If fading is an issue I will opt for the PolyWool from either Smitty or Davis. I like the idea of a pant with a little give and a lightweight fabric for when the heat picks up.

 

[Stk004]

5 hours ago, NWA_UMP said:

Smitty Poly Spandex pants...or as Kyle calls them "golf pants". The majority in our area use the Davis poly pant. I don't like the way they feel or look. If fading is an issue I will opt for the PolyWool from either Smitty or Davis. I like the idea of a pant with a little give and a lightweight fabric for when the heat picks up.

 

I haven't noticed any fading on my polyspandex, which is all I wear. Those Davis pants are notorious for fading though. 

[Aging_Arbiter]

No fade on the ones I got from UA

[umpstu]

On 1/10/2018 at 8:20 AM, NWA_UMP said:

Smitty Poly Spandex pants...or as Kyle calls them "golf pants". The majority in our area use the Davis poly pant. I don't like the way they feel or look. If fading is an issue I will opt for the PolyWool from either Smitty or Davis. I like the idea of a pant with a little give and a lightweight fabric for when the heat picks up.

 

Used them for one season and no fading yet

[kylejt]

So far, so good with the golf pants.

And good grief don't use the HIGH setting on your iron. You'll melt them. I'm at 2/3 heat.

Go to a tailor, and the get travelers crease put in them. Men's Warehouse did mine.

I'm so done wearing wool pants on an athletic field. All my Honig's/Hardwicks are gone.

[coachump4]

I will be ordering the Poly pants along with the Force 3 shin guards.  I normally wear combo pants but  have read where the base pants have wide legs would they work with the Force 3?

[kylejt]

Now, the base pants are a bit too wide for my liking, and I might have them tailored at some point. But I did forget my plate pants one night, and did slip my Wilson platinums under the base pants.They looked like 10 pounds of potatoes in an 8 pound bag. (not good). 

Most of us who have been doing this a while when through the combo pants phase. Then graduated to plate/base. 

 

[JDavis225]

7 hours ago, coachump4 said:

I will be ordering the Poly pants along with the Force 3 shin guards.  I normally wear combo pants but  have read where the base pants have wide legs would they work with the Force 3?

I wear the F3 shins and they fit well under the combos. I wouldn't push it and try wearing them with the base pants. 

[JSam21]

On 1/12/2018 at 10:52 PM, kylejt said:

So far, so good with the golf pants.

And good grief don't use the HIGH setting on your iron. You'll melt them. I'm at 2/3 heat.

Go to a tailor, and the get travelers crease put in them. Men's Warehouse did mine.

I'm so done wearing wool pants on an athletic field. All my Honig's/Hardwicks are gone.

What did this run you at MW?

[kylejt]

$10 per. Well worth it, IMO, as they're so easy to iron now. 

 

[Majordave]

I used Jos. A. Bank for the "traveler's crease".  Same cost.  $10 per pair.  Well worth it.  Looks great.

[BT_Blue]

Ditto on the travelers crease.

[cp9]

I'm not sure exactly HOW it happened, but last week between innings I looked down and saw a small hole on my Smitty pants leg at the mid point of my shins.  I took a ball off of the leg earlier in the game.  I can only assume the high seams of the Wilson 1010's we were using hit me just right and ripped a hole.  Very disappointed.  Hopefully the tailor can fix them up without it being too noticeable.  

[Jimurray]

On 2/12/2018 at 3:05 AM, JDavis225 said:

I wear the F3 shins and they fit well under the combos. I wouldn't push it and try wearing them with the base pants. 

I have the base pants and now will pull the trigger on plate pants. My partner suggested that I get the combo for the plate as the actual plate pants are too wide. The difference in "diameter" (wrong term for that measurement on the website) is 11.75" vs 12.5". I use an old Honigs basic pair (taken hits up thru JUCO without effect)  that are not very high profile. 

[MadMax]

Hey @JDavis225... do the Combos have the reinforced seat (like the actual Plate versions do)? If so, I think you just sold me on getting a set in Combos. The Plate pants, as @Jimurray is bemusing, are rather... billowy. It’s a darn shame that Smitty made them to accommodate Cricket pads Wilson shinguards, as there are such better, trimmer, lower profile shinguards on the market nowadays, from a variety of manufacturers.

My Base pants rarely get tarnished much, so I can go several games between washings, while my Plate pants get trashed after one game, primarily because the plate areas on these fields are horrible, and I am HOK in my stance. So I could use a second set of “plate” pants.

[Stk004]

23 minutes ago, MadMax said:

Hey @JDavis225... do the Combos have the reinforced seat (like the actual Plate versions do)? If so, I think you just sold me on getting a set in Combos. The Plate pants, as @Jimurray is bemusing, are rather... billowy. It’s a darn shame that Smitty made them to accommodate Cricket pads Wilson shinguards, as there are such better, trimmer, lower profile shinguards on the market nowadays, from a variety of manufacturers.

My Base pants rarely get tarnished much, so I can go several games between washings, while my Plate pants get trashed after one game, primarily because the plate areas on these fields are horrible, and I am HOK in my stance. So I could use a second set of “plate” pants.

Building on the combo train here, do any of you guys have problems with your plate pants riding wayyyyyyy up when you get in your crouch? I know @harrisonj23 has this problem with the Smittys, as do I. Do you think a pair of combos would help with this? Any suggestions on how to fix this without buying a new pair of pants?