"upgrade" my indicator, fixup my plate shoes.

[ErichKeane]

I had some free time today, so I figured I'd spent some time fixing up the big bothers of my umpire gear. 

 

First, the coating on the toe of my plate shoes was tearing and looking ugly. I chose to use shoe goo to give it a textured hard toe looking thing (as these ARE the matte shoes). Hopefully they will last for a while longer this way; 2 months out of plate shoes isn't enough!

 

Second, my favorite indicator. This is the only one I could find with a left-strike 2-3-2 setup, the cast all star metal one. The weight is much higher than the plastic ones, but I don't mind that unless I put it in a chest pocket.

However, the bigger problem for me has been the shiny ness! It basically blinds me at the plate when it gets the sun wrong.

So, I hit it with a maroon scotch Brite pad to make it a brushed look. You can see the copper is showing through in a few places from the undercoat to zinc coating.

[ErichKeane]

Also discovered the P clips on my F3 defender V2 mask were slipping. Damaged the paint a little, but I guess that is something I'll have to have redone in the off season.

I grabbed some .003 and .002 brass shim stock from my stash and piled them up around the bar under the clip, and all was good. About 5 thou of shims (x2 because it goes all around the bar) did it and kept it tight.

Disappointed that I'd have to do this on a mask that hasn't hit double digit number of games (though, @ATXBluesaid he has a few games under it too!), but at a certain point I might engineer a better solution.

[The Man in Blue]

While I love the resourcefulness … it is time for new plate shoes.  Those belong on the guys with the brown-ish pants and white-ish shirts.  🍻

[ErichKeane]

2 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

While I love the resourcefulness … it is time for new plate shoes.  Those belong on the guys with the brown-ish pants and white-ish shirts.  🍻

Yeah, you're probably right   But spending ANOTHER $100 on plate shoes (That said, I got these way cheaper, lightly used...) is a pretty painful ask, particularly when these didn't make it through 1/2 a season.  The photo makes them look way worse than they are, but I'm hoping if I need to I can use a sanding block to make them look less awful when they dry.

[Mussgrass]

How many games did you work to wear them out that quickly?

 

[ErichKeane]

34 minutes ago, Mussgrass said:

How many games did you work to wear them out that quickly?

 

I worked about 30 games so far. BUT quite a few on turf which I think is what tore up the coating.

[boyinr]

I would have used some soap and water, leather dye and if needed the Leather Luster treatment.  I replace my shoes more often then most and I get about 200 games out of them.  They still look typically look great but the midsoles start to break down.  I have no problem finding someone to take them.    

[ErichKeane]

6 minutes ago, boyinr said:

I would have used some soap and water, leather dye and if needed the Leather Luster treatment.  I replace my shoes more often then most and I get about 200 games out of them.  They still look typically look great but the midsoles start to break down.  I have no problem finding someone to take them.    

The problem wasn't the color, it was that the 'no more rubber coating' part would attract/stick dirt immediately, so it looked like 1/2 my toe was a light-brown panel.  It was hideous.

[The Man in Blue]

They look like 3N2s, correct?

My first pair lasted me about 10 seasons, mostly on dirt.  I tried to take good care of them though, cleaning them after using them (not before the next game) and using polish on them.  I finally broke down and replaced them because the "leather" (I use that term loosely) started cracking and flaking off.  I suspect that is what you are describing.  Oddly, mine didn't do it at the toe (and they are still passable), but rather on the inside at the arch of my foot.

I know it is tough to lay out money for big purchases, especially when we are early in our career, but we tend to forget how often we need to make those purchases.  For example, if you drop $100 on a pair of plate shoes and get 5 seasons out of them, you only spent $20 each year.  How many games did you work over that time?

It took me a long time to get comfortable with spending a little more money on better/newer gear, but it is well worth it.  I still don't buy top of the line, but I don't buy cheap either.  (I am still a bargain whore though.)

This gives me a good idea for a spin-off thread ... 

[ErichKeane]

7 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

They look like 3N2s, correct?

My first pair lasted me about 10 seasons, mostly on dirt.  I tried to take good care of them though, cleaning them after using them (not before the next game) and using polish on them.  I finally broke down and replaced them because the "leather" (I use that term loosely) started cracking and flaking off.  I suspect that is what you are describing.  Oddly, mine didn't do it at the toe (and they are still passable), but rather on the inside at the arch of my foot.

I know it is tough to lay out money for big purchases, especially when we are early in our career, but we tend to forget how often we need to make those purchases.  For example, if you drop $100 on a pair of plate shoes and get 5 seasons out of them, you only spent $20 each year.  How many games did you work over that time?

It took me a long time to get comfortable with spending a little more money on better/newer gear, but it is well worth it.  I still don't buy top of the line, but I don't buy cheap either.  (I am still a bargain whore though.)

This gives me a good idea for a spin-off thread ... 

Yep 3N2s.  I suspect the reason I got wear on the toe is because I spend a lot of time on Turf fields, and when I go out on an infield hit to get angle at first, I often 'drop to a knee' to keep out of the way of the throw.  Its sorta my punishment for 'too much hustle' I think

I'd be more OK with spending on some more shoes if I didn't just finish spending ~$300 on OTHER things (including new Shins, a 2nd set of pants, some decent ball bags, and a fleece jacket), AND still need a set of base shoes (I've been doing a mix of just wearing the plate shoes in the field, or wearing a set of crappy trainers, which end up being slick on wet turf).  I'm only ~ 2 months into umpiring, and am already at $1279.30 spent on equipment, so another few hundred is painful 😕

I'm hoping to get these shoes to last long enough to make it to the point where my "money in" has done a better job at outrunning "money out"

[ErichKeane]

Update: Found a $30 pair of black leather spikeless golf shoes, so my total spend so far is $1309.29!  BUT at least I don't have to wear my plate shoes in the field anymore.  I'm still hoping some sanding can make these look half decent until I can get enough of my games 'paid' to buy a new set.

[wolfe_man]

6 minutes ago, ErichKeane said:

Update: Found a $30 pair of black leather spikeless golf shoes, so my total spend so far is $1309.29!  BUT at least I don't have to wear my plate shoes in the field anymore.  I'm still hoping some sanding can make these look half decent until I can get enough of my games 'paid' to buy a new set.

I'd try some leather luster or something similar over the entire shoe.  I think if it had a more consistent finish that it wouldn't stand out so noticeably.

[The Man in Blue]

@ErichKeane ... I guess that explains it.  I was trying to figure out where you would be getting toe-drag, especially on turf.  (Mechanics note: don't do that!  You are going out WAY too far on your angle if you are getting near the throw.  Adjust based on the angle the throw is coming from.)

Base shoes?  Just get a decent pair of black (personal preference -- I don't like white accents on black, but it is acceptable now) tennis shoes.  I was brought up in the "you have to be able to polish it" generation, but that has changed.  Particularly since I went to working mostly turf down here, I started looking for the lightest, most comfortable shoe that could breathe.  I have fat feet, so I almost exclusively wear Asics ... I wear these on the bases:

 

You spent more than I did getting started, but I completely understand it.  Baseball/softball are the most expensive sports to get into from an officiating standpoint.  My best advice is shop sales and good used equipment; pace yourself with a budget; and eventually get the good stuff you want -- for now just get what you need.

[ErichKeane]

9 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

@ErichKeane ... I guess that explains it.  I was trying to figure out where you would be getting toe-drag, especially on turf.  (Mechanics note: don't do that!  You are going out WAY too far on your angle if you are getting near the throw.  Adjust based on the angle the throw is coming from.)

Base shoes?  Just get a decent pair of black (personal preference -- I don't like white accents on black, but it is acceptable now) tennis shoes.  I was brought up in the "you have to be able to polish it" generation, but that has changed.  Particularly since I went to working mostly turf down here, I started looking for the lightest, most comfortable shoe that could breathe.  I have fat feet, so I almost exclusively wear Asics ... I wear these on the bases:

 

You spent more than I did getting started, but I completely understand it.  Baseball/softball are the most expensive sports to get into from an officiating standpoint.  My best advice is shop sales and good used equipment; pace yourself with a budget; and eventually get the good stuff you want -- for now just get what you need.

I thought I was past the "get what you NEED" and on to the "get what improves life a bunch"   This is entirely a hobby for me, but one I would LIKE to at least pay for itself.  So I did some 'nice to haves' (like the fleece jacket, the Force3 mask, the Force3 shins, 3 colors of shirt, etc), so I'm probably quite a bit higher budget than many.

Getting the proper 'angle' is a little tough some times, though thinking about it, the times I wore those on the bases are probably the ones I needed to duck the most (when in B/C and grounder to 3B).  So it probably happened then.

As far as those shoes, i have a similar pair (NB I think?), but I find that when the turf is wet (my tourney league will play the turf games in EVERYTHING except lightning!) that I fall on my butt non stop!  I'm hoping the Golf shoes do a little better, but yeah, they DO have some white on them unfortunately.  Frankly though, I'm one of the 'best dressed' anyway I think

 

[concertman1971]

On 6/2/2022 at 6:53 PM, The Man in Blue said:

While I love the resourcefulness … it is time for new plate shoes.  Those belong on the guys with the brown-ish pants and white-ish shirts.  🍻

These guys typically wear the "pro chocolate" shirts. Those shirts/jackets are so hard to find at retail. Only available from the guy with the hanger in the back window of the 88 Ford Aerostar. (And he would never sell,as the shirt has "plenty of life left on it")

[kylehutson]

I've been too busy umpiring (and other stuff) to visit this site much for the last month or so.

I have that same indicator (and I love that I never have to look at it because I can "feel" it). I actually took mine apart, scratched up the front with some sandpaper and painted it with a matte black rattle-can. If you're still getting flashed with it, I recommend this approach.

[ErichKeane]

40 minutes ago, kylehutson said:

I've been too busy umpiring (and other stuff) to visit this site much for the last month or so.

I have that same indicator (and I love that I never have to look at it because I can "feel" it). I actually took mine apart, scratched up the front with some sandpaper and painted it with a matte black rattle-can. If you're still getting flashed with it, I recommend this approach.

That was my backup plan I have some etching primer I was considering, but I've been ok with it as-is so far.