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Greg Gibson CP


The Ripper

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On 11/23/2023 at 3:01 AM, BT_Blue said:

Yup! You can see the edge of that floating plate looped over the lapel of the coat.

 

On 11/22/2023 at 4:27 PM, wolfe_man said:

Looks like an original Douglas West Vest with the adjustable chest plate 

Thanks for the help, thinking of getting one. 

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8 minutes ago, UmpWRB4 said:

 

Thanks for the help, thinking of getting one. 

They are nice but not easily available. If you can, get one that says Douglas. Beyond being a US company (based out of Houston) you can get the padding and such refurbished for a nominal charge. Many umpires have done so already. 

I had plans for one I had purchased through a fellow UEer a few years back. Had planned on getting a new outer jacket on it with orange piping (Go Giants). Unfortunately it was not the right size.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/24/2023 at 6:45 PM, BT_Blue said:

They are nice but not easily available. If you can, get one that says Douglas. Beyond being a US company (based out of Houston) you can get the padding and such refurbished for a nominal charge. Many umpires have done so already. 

I had plans for one I had purchased through a fellow UEer a few years back. Had planned on getting a new outer jacket on it with orange piping (Go Giants). Unfortunately it was not the right size.

How do you go about this?

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59 minutes ago, Chartwig03 said:

How do you go about this?

If you need anything from Douglas...new equipment purchases (including customized builds), repairs, refurbishments (as mentioned above), I would encourage you to contact Jeff "Cookie" Cook. His email is: jeffcook@douglaspads.com and his phone is 713-697-9787. Whatever you need, Cookie will take care of you...

~Dawg

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On 11/27/2023 at 7:09 AM, Razzer said:

I have worked on this for Gibby a few times and can confirm it is an original Douglas WV

OT, but hopefully Thunderheads will have patience.

Razzer coming in and name dropping like:

giphy.gif

 

Honestly my second-favorite thing about U-E:  knowing some of the posters (and readers) have worked, or know personally guys who have worked, the highest levels of our craft. John Tumpane, if you read this, give me a thumbs up.

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17 hours ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

If you need anything from Douglas...new equipment purchases (including customized builds), repairs, refurbishments (as mentioned above), I would encourage you to contact Jeff "Cookie" Cook. His email is: jeffcook@douglaspads.com and his phone is 713-697-9787. Whatever you need, Cookie will take care of you...

~Dawg

Was just thinking about this. Wonder how long Jeff has been at Douglas. I am pretty sure I remember his name being mentioned for over a decade. If not longer. 

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4 hours ago, 834k3r said:

OT, but hopefully Thunderheads will have patience.

Razzer coming in and name dropping like:

giphy.gif

 

Honestly my second-favorite thing about U-E:  knowing some of the posters (and readers) have worked, or know personally guys who have worked, the highest levels of our craft. John Tumpane, if you read this, give me a thumbs up.

👍 

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6 hours ago, BT_Blue said:

Was just thinking about this. Wonder how long Jeff has been at Douglas. I am pretty sure I remember his name being mentioned for over a decade. If not longer. 

I know this is very late 1900s because I don't "take Cookie onto the field with me" but, I was very hesitant to spend that kind of money on a CP. But, after having a terrible experience getting an Adams CP refused for service by the manufacturer, Cookie's service, professionalism, communication, handing me off to their cashier, telling me 2 weeks and it was here in 1 and finally, following up after delivery to make sure everything was ok and so on...that all puts their gear over for me. Anytime I need anything new, I am checking with them first. Unfortunately, their focus appears to be on football but, whatever business I can give them... I will.

~Dawg

 

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I've had two. One was a 15in black-on-black CP. I really liked it. But hated the extra 2 inch plate at the bottom. That was while I was using my All American before my current Cobalt.

The one that stings a little was the original WV I had gotten. Unfortunately it wasn't my size. And has since been to Douglas and then onto its current (I believe) home.

I wouldn't mind getting a hold of another one and being able to truly make it my own. But that won't happen for a while.

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I’ll never forget a few years ago I sent in my gray Douglas for some upgrades (add the shoulder gap protection and add t-hooks).  Jeff literally called me less than 24 hours after they received it for my credit card info and to let me know it was on its way back.  Great service and responds quickly to emails.

Feel like Jeff has been there at least 20 years. Probably more.

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  • 1 month later...

I have the Douglas and the first Wilson "West Vest" and the second generation Wilson which incorporates the "gap" covers. Other than the names and stickers on each CP, they look almost identical to me. Same plate thicknesses, same pads, same carapace and shoulder plates, same modular breastplate, same harness. Same impact resistance/feel when I've worn them. 

Why is the Douglas so sought after and the Wilson is not? 

Douglas west vest original.jpg

20230125_130348.jpg

Wilson west vest original.jpg

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On 2/9/2024 at 7:16 PM, ump7tony said:

Why is the Douglas so sought after and the Wilson is not? 

Douglas west vest original.jpg

20230125_130348.jpg

Wilson west vest original.jpg

True, they are basically the same. The advantage of the Douglas is the ability to send it to the to refurbish over the off season. They will clean it up and make it look good as new (or even customize the padding to some extent for a nominal extra fee) for half the price of a brand new CP.

Plus... and this probably only matters to a large part of the community... Douglas is an American company based out of Houston. So it is supporting American Made as well.

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On 2/11/2024 at 2:00 PM, BT_Blue said:

True, they are basically the same. The advantage of the Douglas is the ability to send it to the to refurbish over the off season. They will clean it up and make it look good as new (or even customize the padding to some extent for a nominal extra fee) for half the price of a brand new CP.

Plus... and this probably only matters to a large part of the community... Douglas is an American company based out of Houston. So it is supporting American Made as well.

Plates are not the same, the Douglas is a much nicer, sturdier version! 😉

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On 2/9/2024 at 7:16 PM, ump7tony said:

Why is the Douglas so sought after and the Wilson is not? 

Simple. REAL simple... 

Douglas was and still is made in the US-of-A. 🇺🇸 This means that the craftsmanship is more responsible, and the ABS plastic – which is injection-mold-cast – is denser. 

Wilson, being a division of an international corporate conglomerate, took their production wholly overseas to China 🇨🇳. The craftsmanship is nowhere near as good, any issues or grievances you have are settled by replacement or refund (not repair), and the ABS plastic is lighter, less robust, so as to cut down on shipping weight, so as to cram in as many as possible in a container. 

If only Riddell had paid Joe what he was due... my, how the (umpiring) gear world woulda been different. 

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