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

JimKirk

By JimKirk
in Umpire Equipment

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JimKirk
JimKirk

Max, With all due respect, Smitty is not changing their name. I've said it before. The name Smitty came from an actual person's nickname that started the company. His last name was Smith. Who else k

Stk004
Stk004

UA is a dangerous place. 

Kevin_K
Kevin_K

ummmmmm.....ok

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LMSANS

LMSANS

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, kylejt said:

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!

If we cared enough about what color/style shirt was popular, maybe we would.  Our bylaws call for navy for baseball and powder for softball.  This is a windmill I choose not to fight.

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celt62

celt62

Posted
Posted
On 1/27/2017 at 10:15 AM, JimKirk said:

Yes @celt62. Scott says he will have his on.

I met Scott in Baltimore and told him that I'm a big fan of his videos.  A very nice and receptive gentleman (for an umpire, lol).  He indeed was wearing the pants when I introduced myself and I was impressed how roomy they appeared not clingy.  I did comment to him that I thought they were a little darker than the other Smitty pants but not by a whole lot.  The color was reminiscent of the old Davis pants.  I'll definitely get them for summer ball.  Nice job fellas.

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Richvee

Richvee

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, kylejt said:

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!

NJ just mandated new shirts for 2017 with a NJSIAA logo. Navy is still the main color, black can be worn as an alternate. (Until the state playoffs, then navy)..Anyway, the backlash over having to buy one navy shirt from many leads me to believe there's hardly enough of us to force a change of any kind. I just ordered the state's new black shirts to have along with my navy. My bet is less than half my partners will have a black shirt with the new logo, and most will be bitching they had to buy a new navy shirt.

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umpstu

umpstu

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, Scott Kennedy said:

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." 

IMG_3015.JPG

Scott, Thanks for the review.  I spent a career in the Navy, so I have to iron and shine, etc.  What is the recommendation for ironing?

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umpstu

umpstu

Posted
Posted
7 hours 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

But change is a terrible thing, right?

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umpstu

umpstu

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, kylehutson said:

"Polydex" sounds like something you'd use to look up people'e phone numbers

"Polyspan" sounds like something you'd use to build a long bridge.

Back to the drawing board for both of you.

And umpire pants sounds like, umpire pants?

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Thunderheads

Thunderheads

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Scott Kennedy said:

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." 

IMG_3015.JPG

appears the same 'base' color but with no "heathering"  ...........

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Aging_Arbiter

Aging_Arbiter

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, kylehutson said:

"Polydex" sounds like something you'd use to look up people'e phone numbers

"Polyspan" sounds like something you'd use to build a long bridge.

Back to the drawing board for both of you.

Sounds like time for @Umpire in Chief to put up a poll for the naming of the flex pants.:stir

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alex7

alex7

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, kylehutson said:

"Polydex" sounds like something you'd use to look up people'e phone numbers

"Polyspan" sounds like something you'd use to build a long bridge.

Back to the drawing board for both of you.

come on old man!  Already half the planet doesn't remember what the heck "looking up people's phone number" means!  :D

 

You could call it the PolyJaxRoloDex and people would STILL not get your inference.

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alex7

alex7

Posted
Posted
On 1/28/2017 at 6:03 PM, 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.

let me know if this is deemed inappropriate, but there are common sizes for these same pants available at another retailer. I had to go there to get mine - hat tip to someone who mentioned it in here somewhere.

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BT_Blue

BT_Blue

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, Majordave said:

I like "golf pants" as a name for them since that was the first known sport to use this particular fabric weave and weight. 

Would that then make them "charcoal umpire golf pants?" Or "charcoal golf umpire pants?"

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Majordave

Majordave

Posted
Posted

Just "golf pants". I don't play golf anymore (Interferes with my umpiring) but if I did the base pants would probably come out onto the links with me and pull double duty. I have worn my poly-wool base pants with a blazer and tie before when my other gray pants were at the cleaners. 

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