Smitty Tapered Poly Spandex Pants Conundrum

[pbear]

I'm struggling with Ump-Attire and am looking for help sorting an issue.

I ordered two pairs of Smitty Poly Spandex pants in charcoal gray. One was a pair of plate pants. One was a pair of the new tapered base pants. They are totally different colors. In the picture, the plate pants, on the right, are the charcoal I expected, and the base pants are the lighter, textured ones. I am required to wear charcoal so I went about getting them replaced.

I've tried working with Ump-attire customer service, but they just say send the base pants back and we'll send you the correct ones. I've done that twice, with notes explaining, and I'm back where I started with a light gray textured version of the tapered pants. Before I send them back a third, I wanted to ask for your help.

My questions: Am I going crazy or does Ump-Attire keep screwing up? In other words, is this lighter gray textured base pant (tag has SMITTYBBS364CG34) just the new charcoal gray for the tapered version of the pant (and I need to order the standard pant to get "true" charcoal)? Or am I getting sent a new version of "Textured Poly Spandex Fabric Matches Polyester Pant Color" and that is why it is lighter? Or is this actually the heather gray? Has anyone gotten these tapered base pants in a true charcoal?

Thank you for any insight you may have!!

[Replacematt]

You're not alone, it seems.

https://umpire-empire.com/topic/81541-smitty-tapered-fit-base-pants/#findComment-439790

[pbear]

Ah, thanks for linking that thread, it did not come up in my search!

[Richvee]

Just send them back for a refund and order these

Your card will get hit again but you’ll get the credit when they get the heather/charcoal mix pair. (BTW, they are hideous. I don’t know why they were thinking when they made these.)

[pbear]

6 hours ago, Richvee said:

Just send them back for a refund and order these

Your card will get hit again but you’ll get the credit when they get the heather/charcoal mix pair. (BTW, they are hideous. I don’t know why they were thinking when they made these.)

Thanks, Richvee. I may just have to do this. Sad that Ump-Attire can't do the exchange correctly. And yes, totally ugly, why in the world did they introduce these!?

[MadMax]

2 hours ago, pbear said:

Sad that Ump-Attire can't do the exchange correctly.

I’m one to cut U-A some… slacks… (weak pun! weak pun! 🛎️ 🚨)… because there are an utterly maddening number of SKUs at play here. 
The “hideous”, problematic pants: #S367X-CG

The “better”, preferable pants: #S367X-DG

What… the… Fabric???  
Instead, I’ll hold all my vitriol and contempt for Smitty, the manufacturer, who likely didn’t do the due diligence, and found themselves buying an entire run of pants, sourced in the “wrong” color, and now are stuck with them. 
 

@Richvee, you’re from Hamburg? Huh! 

[Richvee]

3 hours ago, MadMax said:

@Richvee, you’re from Hamburg? Huh! 

Yes sir. You've heard of our little hamlet?

[pbear]

4 hours ago, MadMax said:

I’m one to cut U-A some… slacks… (weak pun! weak pun! 🛎️ 🚨)… because there are an utterly maddening number of SKUs at play here. 

Agreed this is on Smitty!

[DerekGDS]

Ump Attire just posted this on Facebook. Apparently Smitty did not color match any of their other colors so now they have 6 colors...
 

• 𝗖𝗚 - Charcoal Grey best match to 100% Polyester Charcoal Grey Pants (S374-CC, S375-CC, S376-CC)
• 𝗛𝗚 - Heather Grey best match to 100% Polyester Heather Grey Pants (S11X, S17X, S24X, S377-HG)
• 𝗗𝗚 - Dark Grey best match to 92% Poly / 8% Spandex Charcoal Grey (S390, S391, S392, S394X, S395X, S396X)

[MadMax]

1 hour ago, DerekGDS said:

• 𝗖𝗚 - Charcoal Grey best match to 100% Polyester Charcoal Grey Pants (S374-CC, S375-CC, S376-CC)
• 𝗛𝗚 - Heather Grey best match to 100% Polyester Heather Grey Pants (S11X, S17X, S24X, S377-HG)
• 𝗗𝗚 - Dark Grey best match to 92% Poly / 8% Spandex Charcoal Grey (S390, S391, S392, S394X, S395X, S396X)

What a clusterf£€k. 🤬

Lemme guess. Completely different sources overseas, with little-to-no direct liaison over quality controls. 

Quantity over quality. 

2 hours ago, pbear said:

Agreed this is on Smitty!

(The following isn’t directed at you, pbear; this is directed at certain POI and PTB who might catch wind of this)… 

Ahem… 

So we’re supposed to get Smitty pants because they are the “approved”, “(un)official” uniform for our league/conference/association??! 

🤬 that. I wasn’t going to buy them anyway, and this just cements that decision. 

Until you (PTB) provide it, I ain’t buying it. 

[pbear]

2 hours ago, DerekGDS said:

 

• 𝗖𝗚 - Charcoal Grey best match to 100% Polyester Charcoal Grey Pants (S374-CC, S375-CC, S376-CC)
• 𝗛𝗚 - Heather Grey best match to 100% Polyester Heather Grey Pants (S11X, S17X, S24X, S377-HG)
• 𝗗𝗚 - Dark Grey best match to 92% Poly / 8% Spandex Charcoal Grey (S390, S391, S392, S394X, S395X, S396X)

Hmm. So when I bought a pair of plate pants in charcoal gray and base pants in charcoal gray they should at least be the same color?!

 

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

So we’re supposed to get Smitty pants because they are the “approved”, “(un)official” uniform for our league/conference/association??! 

This!

[834k3r]

2 hours ago, DerekGDS said:

Ump Attire just posted this on Facebook. Apparently Smitty did not color match any of their other colors so now they have 6 colors...
 

• 𝗖𝗚 - Charcoal Grey best match to 100% Polyester Charcoal Grey Pants (S374-CC, S375-CC, S376-CC)
• 𝗛𝗚 - Heather Grey best match to 100% Polyester Heather Grey Pants (S11X, S17X, S24X, S377-HG)
• 𝗗𝗚 - Dark Grey best match to 92% Poly / 8% Spandex Charcoal Grey (S390, S391, S392, S394X, S395X, S396X)

I know @MadMax provided his own response, but I'll sum up: