Slim-fit Pants

[sd181612]

Hi all, I’m finally getting my big break and going behind the plate this season. I wanted to look professional so I was thinking of getting a pair of pants. However, I would like for the pants to have that combo use to them so that I won’t have to spend as much. That being said, I like wearing my pants a little close to my legs, because, you know, “trends.” Are there any pants that I should consider that would help me achieve my duties as well as the desired look? 

 

Thank you

[tpatience]

26 minutes ago, sd181612 said:

Hi all, I’m finally getting my big break and going behind the plate this season. I wanted to look professional so I was thinking of getting a pair of pants. However, I would like for the pants to have that combo use to them so that I won’t have to spend as much. That being said, I like wearing my pants a little close to my legs, because, you know, “trends.” Are there any pants that I should consider that would help me achieve my duties as well as the desired look? 

 

Thank you

They make the smitty poly dex in combo

[conbo61]

Uniforms are usually immune to "trends."

And for good reason.

Sincerely,

"The Get Off My Lawn Guy"

[kstrunk]

If umpiring is something you want to learn to do well and do long term, remember that in most aspects of umpiring, there is a right way, and a wrong way, and most things in umpiring are NOT relative to personal preference. Even those that are have 'minimal standards'. 

This includes personal presentation and uniform. 

Your best shot at success is to find those standards in your area/group, and follow them exceedingly well. 

[Majordave]

2 hours ago, kstrunk said:

This includes personal presentation and uniform. 

Your best shot at success is to find those standards in your area/group, and follow them exceedingly well. 

Ditto!  Do This^^^^^^!!!!   Slim fitting pants are nice.  I HATE pleated pants.  They make an in-shape guy look fat and a fat guy look fatter/obese.  But, you know what?  They are the standard.  i've been at this a long time.  Enjoyed some moderate success very early in my career.  I got to work games WAY beyond my ability at the time.  Why?  Because I looked and acted the part.  I listened to the senior/experienced guys and did what they told/asked me to do, which includes uniforms and equipment.  And, I was rewarded for it by those guys asking the assigner to let me work with them.  So, do what you want young grasshopper but beware the consequences.   

To quote Crash Davis from Bull Durham: "If you look classy, you'll be classy!"  

Get the Smitty Poly-Spandex/whatever "golf" pants.  Get combos if you like, but don't have your shinguards looking like you had to stuff them into the legs of the pants.

Most assigners I know are looking hard for good young umpire talent.  How you look and how you handle yourself are a huge part of how you get those guys attention. 

Good luck.  

[MadMax]

As long as your shin guards are low profile or tight(er) fitting, you’ll achieve a slim look as a PU by using Combos. Where it all goes wrong for combos on PU is when the shin guards are so “over the top” with double and triple knees, or far too bulky (e.g. Wilsons), or have these elaborate foot /toe guards creeping out the bottom (e.g. Wilsons, or standard catchers guards), which are completely unnecessary when you wear even an average set of plate shoes.

I wore Combos for the first five years of my umpire career, teamed with All-Star LGU313’s, which are a very minimalist and low-profile set of guards. When I purchased my Force3 Ultimate Shinguards, I continued to use my Combos for 1.5 years until they faded, shrunk, and lost their professional look. When that happened, I purchased an actual Plate & Base set of Fechheimer polywools and have been tremendously pleased with them since.

Recently, I did purchase the Smitty PolyDexes (again, in a Plate & Base set) and have them as a major part of my rotation.

The Fechheimers are a very top-notch style, and lay quite well and complimenting for being pleated. The Combos I used for so long were Boombah -brand and flat front (Western cut), and I resisted getting another brand for so long because I hated how pleated pants were cut so unflattering. One of my advantages is that I’m tall with a very athletic build, and I did not like how pleated pants made me look (especially Smitty and other brands).

Because of the material used in the Smitty PolyDexes, though, the pleat is not very pronounced or noticeable.

The really interesting pant product is coming very rapidly on the horizon, though... from UnderArmour. Next year may bear witness to a paradigm shift for us in uniforms because UnderArmour will employ many of their forward-looking designs from golf and tennis into baseball (finally!).

[umpstu]

Buy a pair of plate and base pants.  Look the part. It's noticed when you walk on the field.

[sd181612]

Thank you all! You guys are far more experienced so I’ll go with those who know.

[Thatsnotyou]

I use combos behind the plate (base pants on bases). I'm a slimmer guy, about 5'9" 150, and the plate pants are just a bit too big for my liking. The combos feel enough like plate pants to me. The actual plate pants feel a little clown-y, and I think they look like that on any other slimmer/shorter guys I've seen as well.

As others have said, if your shin guards are form fitting and look OK in combo pants - I think you'll be fine with those. The combo pants won't appear tight, and may even appear better on you than regular plate pants. It's a bit personal preference, IMO. I hated the look of having my chest protector on tight, tight tucked in shirt...clown pants on the bottom. As long as the combos aren't restrictive/look too tight, I wouldn't be afraid to go with them.

[BT_Blue]

7 hours ago, MadMax said:

The really interesting pant product is coming very rapidly on the horizon, though... from UnderArmour. Next year may bear witness to a paradigm shift for us in uniforms because UnderArmour will employ many of their forward-looking designs from golf and tennis into baseball (finally!).

Someone needa to tell Warren we need a "surprised" or "shocked" option in the like/thanks/confused/sad/haha.

[MadMax]

Follow-up on Smitty PolyDex (Poly-Spandex) in Combo:

I’m 6’2”, 210, wear a 36 in Umpire pants, and use Force3 Ultimate shinguards... I already own and use Smitty PolyDex plate pants, but after noticing how much they “billow in the breeze”, I gave combos a try. Well, I can report, they worked perfectly. Still roomy enough in the waist and seat for a personal protector and repetitively getting into a plate stance (and the combos do have the reinforced seat), while there is adequate space in the legs and shins to cover the Ultimate shinguards. Standing upright, you can’t tell that shinguards are worn. And even when I go hands on knees for my stance, there are no hang-ups or tightness.

All-in-all, for a slim or athletic body frame, these might be the way to go.

[kylejt]

On ‎6‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 11:03 PM, MadMax said:

Follow-up on Smitty PolyDex (Poly-Spandex) in Combo:

I’m 6’2”, 210, wear a 36 in Umpire pants, and use Force3 Ultimate shinguards... I already own and use Smitty PolyDex plate pants, but after noticing how much they “billow in the breeze”, I gave combos a try. Well, I can report, they worked perfectly. Still roomy enough in the waist and seat for a personal protector and repetitively getting into a plate stance (and the combos do have the reinforced seat), while there is adequate space in the legs and shins to cover the Ultimate shinguards. Standing upright, you can’t tell that shinguards are worn. And even when I go hands on knees for my stance, there are no hang-ups or tightness.

All-in-all, for a slim or athletic body frame, these might be the way to go.

That's great info, as I'm about the same size, and my plate and base pants are a bit too "flappy". I may go combos, and have the base pants taken in a bit at my tailor. Thanks!

[catsbackr]

On 2/13/2018 at 3:28 PM, umpstu said:

Buy a pair of plate and base pants.  Look the part. It's noticed when you walk on the field.

This ^^^^^^^ X 1000!