Umpire gear for youth aged umpire

[mjenkins3113]

Hi all,

I am new here and looking for some advice on gear for my son who will beginning to umpire behind the plate this year. He is 5'0 and 90 pounds and I have been struggling to find gear that fits him that isn't his catchers gear. The main piece I want to have upgraded is his chest protector from his catchers gear. If you have suggestions on any of the piece of gear for him, it would be appreciated. I do run our youth umpire program as well, but I want him to have his own gear over sharing gear so it is always sized properly for  him. 

[wolfe_man]

A Champion CP might be a very good fit for him.  To me, they're nice for smaller-bodied umpires and still offer hard-shell protection. 

https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/P2/Champion-Body-Armor-Umpire-Chest-Protector

 

 

[tpatience]

1 hour ago, wolfe_man said:

A Champion CP might be a very good fit for him.  To me, they're nice for smaller-bodied umpires and still offer hard-shell protection. 

https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/P2/Champion-Body-Armor-Umpire-Chest-Protector

 

 

Exactly what I was going to suggest 

[MadMax]

1 hour ago, mjenkins3113 said:

gear for my son who will beginning to umpire behind the plate this year.

“Wilson’s all ya need.” 
“Buy for the baseball you want to be doing.” 
“If the guys in the Bigs use it, it must be right.” 
 

Whew! Aren’t we glad that ya came here and talked with us, huh? 

I think my esteemed fellow gear-geek Wolfe’s got you on the best track for your son’s first few years of umpiring – either a Small Champion P2xx (in your case, it’d be a 13” P220), or a used Wilson Gold in Small (but even this might be a bit hefty). The advantages the Champion have over the Wilson are on width (narrower), bulk (lighter, less superfluous material), and cost (half the price tag, and your money doesn’t go off to pay some ridiculous licensing fee, patent cost, or somebody’s retirement fund). 

[Thunderheads]

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

“Wilson’s all ya need.” 
“Buy for the baseball you want to be doing.” 
“If the guys in the Bigs use it, it must be right.” 
 

Whew! Aren’t we glad that ya came here and talked with us, huh? 

I think my esteemed fellow gear-geek Wolfe’s got you on the best track for your son’s first few years of umpiring – either a Small Champion P2xx (in your case, it’d be a 13” P220), or a used Wilson Gold in Small (but even this might be a bit hefty). The advantages the Champion have over the Wilson are on width (narrower), bulk (lighter, less superfluous material), and cost (half the price tag, and your money doesn’t go off to pay some ridiculous licensing fee, patent cost, or somebody’s retirement fund). 

Max, Max, Max .... you can't help yourself, can you?    No one above mentioned Wilson, did they?  

[Kevin_K]

3 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

Max, Max, Max .... you can't help yourself, can you?    No one above mentioned Wilson, did they?  

Just because no one said doesn't mean they didn't think it. Not only does  @MadMax have mad skills with gear, he also has the inside track on posters' inner thoughts.

[boyinr]

Another option would be a 12” Douglas.  Picking one up used at a decent price might be possible. 

[BT_Blue]

Beat me to the Champion recommendation as well.

Hit your local Play It Again sports as the season gets closer and people start trading stuff in to replace it with new stuff. You might be able to find a steal of a deal there.

But at around $60 or so. The Champion is hard to beat.

(Cool side note about the Champion... at one point, it was amongst the fastest growing choices for MiLB umpires because of its protectiveness and its low price point.)

[Aging_Arbiter]

dang...........you guys are good.   I was going to suggest double helpings of meat & potatoes. 

[BLarson]

What age/level of games will he be doing?   If it's younger 7/8/9u rec ball, I imagine his catcher chest protector would work fine.

[BT_Blue]

17 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

dang...........you guys are good.   I was going to suggest double helpings of meat & potatoes. 

I mean... "meat and potatoes" could be a valid answer for many of life's problems. 

[mjenkins3113]

Thanks for the replies and info.

[acpar72]

@mjenkins3113

https://www.playitagainsports.com/product/11651-S000286368/powertek-v3-0-junior-bb-sb-umpire-equipment

[Mudisfun]

My youth umpire program typically has 20ish 15 and younger kids officiating games at the LL level. For most of these games, an outside protector works just fine. It provides great protection, and since the kids see it as a shield, they stay in the slot, stay locked in, and in the lower level games, they love seeing the number of ball marks on the front of the protector at the end of the game. Helps build confidence that they are not going to get hurt.

I use a pillow quite often when getting roped into anything under 12U. 

[BT_Blue]

41 minutes ago, Mudisfun said:

My youth umpire program typically has 20ish 15 and younger kids officiating games at the LL level. For most of these games, an outside protector works just fine. It provides great protection, and since the kids see it as a shield, they stay in the slot, stay locked in, and in the lower level games, they love seeing the number of ball marks on the front of the protector at the end of the game. Helps build confidence that they are not going to get hurt.

I use a pillow quite often when getting roped into anything under 12U. 

I'm contemplating getting one to use randomly if I don't feel like strapping all the gear on. That and it would be fun to watch my kids play with it too. Lol

[Mudisfun]

On 2/3/2021 at 10:24 AM, BT_Blue said:

I'm contemplating getting one to use randomly if I don't feel like strapping all the gear on. That and it would be fun to watch my kids play with it too. Lol

 

I love using it, especially in the summer months, when solo and when working the 12U groups... You stay nice and cool and don't get your arms beat up by catchers who dont know how to block.

[kylejt]

For my Junior Umpires (mine are down to age 11), I've got the Champions and a S/M Wilson Gold. The Gold is much smaller, and works well for the smaller kids. And yeah, they can use a raft if they wish. Don't DON'T DON'T use a catcher's chest protector at any level. 

 

[BT_Blue]

22 hours ago, Mudisfun said:

 

I love using it, especially in the summer months, when solo and when working the 12U groups... You stay nice and cool and don't get your arms beat up by catchers who dont know how to block.

I actually worked a men's game with one of your OC guys back when I was still in Long Beach. 110 degrees at the start of his plate. Pregame he looks at me, pulls out the pad, and tells me "we are working 'ol foogy mechanics'. You have everything on the bases." I look at him and say "no problem". Lol

[Mudisfun]

On 2/5/2021 at 12:31 PM, BT_Blue said:

I actually worked a men's game with one of your OC guys back when I was still in Long Beach. 110 degrees at the start of his plate. Pregame he looks at me, pulls out the pad, and tells me "we are working 'ol foogy mechanics'. You have everything on the bases." I look at him and say "no problem". Lol

Sounds like several OC guys I know!

 

[BT_Blue]

13 hours ago, Mudisfun said:

Sounds like several OC guys I know!

 

I think it was K2. But then again, he could just be a memory of working with him on another game. 

[Mudisfun]

16 hours ago, BT_Blue said:

I think it was K2. But then again, he could just be a memory of working with him on another game. 

Fun and really nice guy to work with. 

Sad how the games all meld into just one big game after a while!

[BT_Blue]

On 2/9/2021 at 4:21 PM, Mudisfun said:

Fun and really nice guy to work with. 

Sad how the games all meld into just one big game after a while!

Yeah... I do remember enjoying being around him.

And for sure. Some games are really memorable. But for the most part. I couldn't tell you who I worked with last week (or in my case, last year). Let alone over 10 years ago.