Crew How-To: Fitting Your Umpire Chest Protector

[JimKirk]

Crew How-To: Fitting Your Umpire Chest Protector

View the full article

[MadMax]

Some points that jump out: 

• Everything Ty demonstrated is correct. 
• With that said and understood, by using a Wilson Gold as the exhibit, we just revealed its deficiencies... 
• Getting a modern, Flex-style harness is paramount, if not at least key, to getting a proper fit. That the Wilson CPs (still) don’t come with one standard is inexcusable. That U-A includes one in a purchase is a testament to U-A’s premium professionalism and customer service. 
• The origin of the Gold (and its sibling Platinum) is 20+ years ago in Professional baseball. As such, they aren’t sized or designed to cover one’s abdomen (lé tummy). This misconception is likely the #1 reason CPs like this are worn incorrectly. As soon as you fit a hard shell CP to an amateur umpire properly – especially a Wilson – they become immediately aware and self-conscious about tummy protection. It’s as if a thousand GIFs and Twitter-vids of an umpire getting nailed in the guts by errant youth pitches suddenly flashed before their eyes. Their hands instinctively start to tug the (Wilson) CP down, only for an experienced outfitter to nudge it back up again, scolding and reminding them that the collarbones and upper chest are what’s important here, notsomuch the beer tank. If you want abdomen coverage, get an extension. ... ... ... ... Oh right, the Wilsons don’t have an extension, nor an accommodation for one! Huh! What have they been doing for 20 years??
• The weakest strap in a conventional Y-yoke harness is that main lateral strap. It loses its elasticity. Best way to improve the fit of your CP, without getting a Flex harness, is to get some 1.5” Knit Elastic strapping, and replace it. 
• We start to see how unnecessarily “poofy” and bulky the Gold is, even when properly fit. The thickness of the upholstery foam is doing no favors, both in unnecessary heat retention, and overall size. This is especially true at the shoulder pauldrons (caps). Not only are the pauldrons oversized on a Gold, but they’re also backed by the same upholstery foam in the torso... which causes them to flatten out... and lift up and project out... which makes you look like a linebacker from the 1980s... which also causes a lot of guys to default to a size larger of shirt on the plate... usually unnecessarily. The fit and profile of many CPs are improved by removing and/or replacing the pauldron backs with a thinner foam. 
• Metal T-hooks are a holdover from the football pads that hard shell CPs are borne from. They are/were cheap, and wouldn’t break on impact, nor would they crack under stress. If they deformed under stress, you could bend them back and finish the game. Not so much with side-release buckles. However, side release buckles have improved over the years, and the gear designers are finally starting to strategize on where to place them (All-Star infamously raised some eyebrows on their Cobalt prototype with those buckle placements. One big advantage of using plastic SR buckles instead of metal T-hooks is the preservation of the shirt(s). Take an impact on a T-hook, you’re likely to tear or bruise the shirt. 

 

[SeeingEyeDog]

Equipment is a personal choice. Always has been and always will be. If there were one set of gear that was best, that's all that we would wear and that's all retailers would stock.

I have no torso so, a lack of extension is of no concern to me in a chest protector. I love my Wilson West Vest Gold. I have taken my share of hits with it (Varsity and down) and have never sustained an injury of any kind. I would highly recommend it for all levels of baseball. Admittedly, the stock harness is terrible and should be replaced if you don't buy from U-A who provides an upgraded harness.

~Dawg