Midwest Ump Turns Fashion Police

The first requirement of the umpire's uniform is that it is, well, uniform. Like those fellas at the left, uniforms should match. Good job matching guys!

After that first requirement has been met, some associations or leagues require the umpire to dress in a certain uniform. The basic umpire uniform always includes black shoes and a black belt. The uniform is also comprised of a hat, a shirt, pants, and a ball bag for the plate umpire. Pants are ordinarily a shade of gray, either charcoal or heather, however some groups wear navy.

Some of us less fashion aware umpires struggle with color combinations. To help with questions about matching your hat to your shirt to your ball bag, Midwest Ump has pulled some photos of umpires wearing different uniform color combinations. We all have our personal preferences, but hopefully these photos will help give you an idea on how these colors work (or perhaps do not work) together. Click on the pictures below for a more detailed view:

[Left] Black hat, black shirt, black ball bags is today's classic professional umpire uniform [Right] Black hat, polo blue shirt, black ball bags is another professional umpire uniform standard

[Left] Navy hat, navy shirt, gray ball bags [Right] Black hat, navy shirt, black ball bags

[Left] Navy hat, navy jackey, navy ball bags [Right] Black hat, navy jacket, gray ball bags

[Left] Navy hat, powder blue shirt, navy ball bags [Right] Black hat, powder blue shirt, black ball bags

[Left] Navy hat, red shirt, navy ball bags [Right] Black hat, cream shirt

[Left] Navy hat, powder blue shirt, gray ball bags [Right] Black hat, gray shirt

Midwest Ump Readers' Favorite Umpire Shirt

Midwest Ump asked its readers to select their favorite brand of umpire shirt. Here are the results:

Brand	Vote%
Smitty	35%
Honig's	24%
The Official's Choice	10%
Ump Attire	7%
Majestic	6%
Cliff Keen	6%
Dalco	3%
Gerry Davis	3%
Teamwork	1%

Smitty Apparel shirts are gaining in popularity in the umpire world due to the combination of durability and price. Smitty's Comfort Tech 100 shirts finished second behind the Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt in the 2009 Midwest Ump Shirt Comparison.

Smitty Apparel Comfort Tech 100 shirts are available at the following on-line retailers:

Ump-Attire for $22.99 ($17.99 when you use the coupon code mwump)

Homerun Monkey for $19.99 ($18.99 if you use the coupon code rmnsave5)

Majestic Cool Base Umpire Shirt

This is dating myself a little, but I remember when Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987. Now, I don’t profess to know the difference between a “Trekker” and a “Trekkie,” but I did notice a difference in the uniforms from the original Star Trek show to the new series. Others did too and debates still rage over the best and worst Star Trek uniforms (no, that's not me at left).

Jim Kirk at Ump-Attire, no relation to the Star Trek Captain, sent me a Majestic Cool Base Umpire Shirt to review (Majestic and VF Corp have been unwilling to provide any sample apparel to this site for review). When Majestic changed the design of the shirts provided to MLB umpires during 2010 my immediate reaction was, naaawwww. . . The new uniform eliminates all piping in favor of a solid color on the collar. The new shirt cuff has a thin white band, but it only extends ¾ around the cuff. Another thin white band runs up each side of the shirt to just under the arm. Why these changes? I dunno.

The Majestic Cool Base Umpire Shirt is made of 100% polyester with a closed hole design. It appears fairly well constructed, although I did find some sloppy work along one interior seam. Unlike other umpire shirts made with a polyester (or cotton) knit around the collar, the Majestic Cool Base uses the same polyester material for its shirt and collar. This makes the collar lay flatter and blends in with the shirt. At right is a picture of Joe West wearing this shirt last season. Notice how the collar is not stiff and appears weak and wrinkled.

The Majestic Cool Base weighs 11 ounces, which is heavier than all other shirts this site has tested except the Gerry Davis Signature shirt. The Cool Base in XL measurements are:

26 chest
24” bottom hem
18.5” shoulder

Those measurements run a little on the large side and are comparable to the Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt tested in 2009 (shirt comparison review here).

The Majestic Cool Base is made in the Kingdom of Swaziland. Where? Swaziland is a small, land-locked country in south Africa bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique. The US State Department states that Swaziland has the world’s most severe Aids/HIV epidemic, with an estimate 39% of the adult population infected. A reported 28% of Swaziland’s GDP comes from manufacturing (mostly textiles and sugar processing). According to aneki.com, the unemployment rate is 40% and the State Department cites 69% of the population live in poverty. Some authors have stated that “deplorable working conditions and low wages” which creates a “large number of ‘working poor’” people in Swaziland. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/03796/17swaziland.pdf

In 2005 Majestic became the sole provider of MLB jerseys, and then in 2007 Majestic was purchased by VF Imagewear, Inc., a subsidiary of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), which owns many brands including The North Face, Nautica, Wrangler, and Lee. Interestingly, I pulled a couple older Majestic shirts from my closet and the tag says, "Made in the USA." The tag on the recently introduced Therma Base jacket says "Made in Indonesia."

Fair or Foul?
Aside from questions concerning the ethical manufacturing practices of VF Corporation and its Majestic brand, my opinion is Majestic missed the mark with the Cool Base Umpire Shirt. The shirt is a very important part of the umpire uniform and should convey an understated confidence and authority. The Cool Base has a weak, flat collar that seems to undermine the umpire’s presence. For my money, the Cool Base shirt can "boldly go" away from my field.

Matching Polo Blue Shirts

Before I begin this article, I want to say that I agree that it is important that you and your partner wear matching uniforms. However, there are degrees of matching, from partners that wear identical shirts from the same manufacturer, to those items that "match pretty close." For instance, not all umpire pants match, although some manufacturer color hues match better than others.

The subject of polo blue shirt color has been discussed on several umpire forum sites. The argument is that the various umpire shirt manufacturers produce polo blue shirts in different hues, some matching better than others.

At left are four shirts (from front to back) from Majestic, Honigs, The Official’s Choice and Ump-Attire. Although the flash photograph and the color adjustment on your monitor makes it less obvious, the Majestic shirt is a brighter, bluer color than any of the other shirts. Click the photo at left to enlarge the picture. The shirt from the Official’s Choice is the darkest shade, possibly owing to the open hole design. The shirts from Ump-Attire and Honig’s are in between the Majestic and The Official’s Choice shirts in hue and shade. This is also apparent by examining the blue stripe in the collars.

The collars and cuffs do not match. The Ump-Attire shirt has a very thin white stripe that is hardly noticeable. The Majestic shirt has wider black stripes that more closely match the Ump-Attire’s black stripes. The shirt from The Official’s Choice has thicker white stripes. The Honig’s shirt is somewhere in the middle of all of these.

Fair or Foul?
If you and your partner walk out onto the field wearing polo blue shirts from Majestic and The Official’s Choice, coaches and spectators will see from a distance that you obviously do not match. Any other color combination will be a closer match, and, in my opinion, the Honig’s and Ump-Attire shirts most closely match in color, although the sleeves do not match.

Long Term Test Results

The summer season is winding down and school is starting soon. . . so now is a good time to do a long-term evaluation of gear. Today’s post reviews gear from last year’s U.M.P.Y Award winners.

Champro PRO-PLUS Gold Super-Xtreme Lightweight Face Mask

I began using the Champro magnesium face mask in May, 2009 and fell in love immediately. It is incredibly light (less than a pound!!!) and very comfortable after switching out the standard pads.

The Champro is also surprisingly durable. I have taken several shots to this mask from different angles and it did not shown a scratch, until. . .one particularly vicious foul ball during a college game hit the Champro mask and caused the upper eye bar to bend. I contacted Champro regarding its warranty. Champro is a solid company that is committed to customer service. I learned that Champro has a one year warranty from the date of purchase that covers product defects. However, foul balls are part of the game and bending from a serious force is expected. Given enough force any mask will bend (but hopefully not break).


Wilson Shock FX 2.0 Titanium Umpire Helmet (Product of the Year)

The Shock FX 2.0 was introduced in late 2009. It contains many safety features and is comfortable. However, I do not wear a helmet while working the plate, so I can’t speak first-hand regarding safety or durability.

Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt

Jim Kirk sent me a navy blue Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt to test and I have used it for two high school seasons. After several hundred washes it looks good as new and I intend to use it again next spring. As I expected during my initial testing, the Ultimate breathes well and is well constructed. I highly recommend this shirt.

Honig’s Poly Wool Umpire Pants

I wore the same Honig’s Poly Wool umpire plate pants and base pants to every college and high school game I officiated this year. These pants have seen 30 degree ice and 100+ degree sun. The Poly Wool pants do not seem to suffer from the same fading problems of previous Honig’s models.

Despite the label directions, I wash my Poly Wools in cold water after every wear. They are also dried on a permanent press cycle. I have been careful not to over-dry these pants, and there has been no sign of shrinking or unraveling.


Nutty Buddy

The Nutty Buddy is an essential piece of equipment.

Umpires are fond of telling the “took one to the jewels” stories. Hey, I think these stories are funny like the next guy, but you know what? I don’t have a story because I wear the Nutty Buddy. When I do get hit (it happens to us all), it is not serious – heck, it isn’t even uncomfortable! I hope Mark Littell makes a billion dollars from the Nutty Buddy because it is truly incredible.

I have worn the Nutty Buddy for two seasons. It has retained its shape and has not cracked or dented. It is not hot to wear and is comfortable even under extreme conditions. I put it on and forget about it.


Ump-Attire Ultimate Ball Bag

The Ump-Attire Ultimate Pro Style Umpire Ball Bag was introduced in 2009 and has been a big hit with umpires. Jim Kirk at Ump-Attire sent me one to review in March, 2009, and I purchased a second bag a little later to replace the Dry-Lo Ball Bag sold by Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring.

I have been very impressed with the Ultimate Ball Bag which boasts double stitching and a nylon interior. I have washed these bags a number of times in cold water and low heat dry cycle. There is no fading, no unraveling or fraying, and the Ultimate Ball Bag looks as good as new a year and a half later.


Wilson DaviShins Leg Guards / Diamond DLG-LITE Featherweight Shin Guards

I stopped using the Wilson DaviShins after testing the Diamond Featherweight Shin Guards. The Diamonds guards weigh a mere 13.5 ounces! While these guards are light and comfortable, I have experienced two issues with these guards worth noting. First, during an 18U summer “prospects” tournament I took a foul ball directly on the knee cap. The impact hurt, but was not disabling. My opinion is that the result of this impact was a little more serious than I have experienced with other shin guards. This is likely a result of the loose-fit design around the knee.

The second issue also involves the loose-fit design at the knee. I typically wear long compression shorts that cover my knee cap. However, whenever I do not wear a covering on my knee, the shin guard rubs at my knee and is irritating in the 90+ degree heat.


Wilson West Vest Platinum Chest Protector

I have worn my Wilson Platinum chest protector for three years. This protector scored best in my “amateur scientist” drop test and I can attest to its protective qualities. It is built like a tank.

After three years and hundreds of games, the buckles are starting to rust. I spray my Platinum CP with Lysol after every use and it does not seem to retain odor.


Reebok Field Magistrate Plate Shoes

I get more questions about my Reebok plate shoes than any other equipment. I was a big fan of the New Balance MU450MK plate shoes until I tried the Reebok. This shoe is very comfortable and has proven very durable. It has not separated in any area from use. I have not experienced an impact that is noteworthy. Unlike the Reebok, a few years ago I took a foul ball off the toe of my New Balance MU450MK plate shoes and it hurt!

I use Scrubbing Bubbles and Armour All leather wipes before every game and my shoes look good. I have been wearing these shoes for over a year for every plate assignment and they are still going strong!


Bottom Line

All of the choices for last year’s U.M.P.Y Awards have proven very durable. There were a few noteworthy observations, but overall I have been very impressed with these products.

Comparison of “Performance” Undershirts

I have been a fan of Under Armor undershirts for years. Last fall I was at a discount clothing store waiting for my wife and teen-aged daughter to finish their shopping (we’ve all been there. If not, just give it time), and I discovered a Nike undershirt on sale. It was considerably cheaper than the Under Armor shirts I purchase, so it got me thinking: just what is the difference?

During the off-season I purchased eight different t-shirts at various locations. I was able to get most of the shirts at a sale price for hot weather clothing during the winter months, so you may be able to beat the on-line prices during the off-season.

I have been personally wearing these shirts during the spring college and HS season. I really didn't know what to expect when testing these shirts, but after three months of umpiring I have formed some opinions.

Shirts

I ended up with nine shirts from eight manufacturers for this comparison. Seven of these shirts are loose fit and two are compression shirts:

Reebok Play Dry Tech
Under Armour Heat Gear (loose fit)
Under Armour Heat Gear (compression)
Champion C9 Duo Dry
Fila Sport Sprinter
Diamond Hotsport
Nike FitDry Legend
Starter Dri-Star (compression)
Russell Dri-Power


Testing Methodology
Since all of these shirts are advertised as performance, moisture wicking shirts, one problem I faced was how to measure the wicking effect. So here’s what I did: first, I weighed each shirt while dry. Then I ran all the shirts through a wash cycle and measured each shirt again. My reasoning is simple: an effective moisture wicking shirt transfers the moisture, it should not absorb the moisture. That’s why a cotton t-shirt weighs a ton after a July doubleheader while a moisture wicking t-shirt stays light. The cotton shirt absorbs while the polyester shirt transfers. My test simply measures how much water the shirt absorbs and should tell us something about its transference properties.


#9: Starter Dri-Star Compression
Remember when the Starter brand was AWESOME? I do. Back in the day my favorite clothing item was a Starter MLB jacket, the same one my favorite player wore. I purchased this Starter Dri-Star t-shirt right off the rack at my local Wal-Mart for around $8.00. They are available through the Wal-Mart website for $7.50.

This shirt is a compression style and the quality control seems very, er, “relaxed.” The seams on this shirt are unraveling and the label is only partially attached. The label states that the fabric is 81% Cationic Polyester and 19% Elastane. Its weight dry is a mere 4 ounces, the lightest in this comparison. The Starter weighs 5 ounces wet.

I wore this shirt once and was miserable. It was too short and too tight. It seemed to moisture wick just fine, but the fit was aweful for my frame. These tight fitting shirts are just not suitable for the over-forty-carrying-extra-pounds umpire. At least that’s my opinion. I’m sure it would work great for a thin umpire. As a side note, regardless of the compression "style" of this shirt, the Starter is last on my list because of the poor quality of construction.


#8: Under Armour Heat Gear Compression
I purchased this Under Armour Heat Gear Compression t-shirt at a big box sporting goods store for $20.00. Also available on line at Amazon for $19.99.

The Under Armour Compression shirt appears better constructed than the Starter. Made of 80% Polyester and 20% Elastane, the feel of this shirt is identical to the Starter. It is a little heavier than the Starter. Its weight is 5 ounces dry and 5.5 ounces wet (indicating a better moisture transfer than the Starter).

As with the Starter shirt, I am not a fan of the compression shirt. The advantage to a compression undershirt is that it takes full effect of the material's moisture transfer qualities. The compression shirt acts as a second skin to wick perspiration away from your skin. Although I have been a fan of the Under Armour Heat Gear loose t-shirts, I can’t tell a significant difference in feel between the Starter and the Under Armour.


#7: Fila Sport Sprinter Performance Tee
I purchased two Fila Sport t-shirts from Kohl’s during a sale (which is like saying “during business hours” ‘cause there’s always a sale at Kohl’s). The Fila shirt is available on-line at Kohl's for $14.99.

The Fila is the heaviest undershirt in the comparison at 7 ounces dry and 9.5 ounces wet. Made of 100% polyester. This is a well constructed shirt, but it is more of an outer wear shirt than a performance undershirt. That said, I have worn this shirt regularly while on the bases during the spring and it has kept me warm, dry and comfortable.


#6: Russell Dri-Powder
The fact that I can't remember where or why I bought the Russell Dri-Powder shirt should tell you something. It is a very un-remarkable shirt. Available on-line from Sports Authority for $17.99.

The Russell is made of 100% Polyester and weighs 6 ounces dry, 8 ounces wet. It is made with a mesh weave. I personally don't like it as much as the Fila which performed worse in the moisture testing.



#5: Under Armour Heat Gear Loose
I have worn Under Armour Heat Gear undershirts exclusively for the past few years. I buy my Under Armour from my local sporting goods store, but it is generally available on-line and can be purchased through Under Armour for $19.99.

The Under Armour shirt weighs 6 ounces dry and 8 ounces wet. It was a surprise at how poorly the Under Armour shirt performed in the moisture wicking test. Under Armour shirt have kept me cool and dry during brutal summer baseball, and I considered it an essential piece of equipment.

The Under Armour Heat Gear can retain odor even after washing. I can attest to this trait, although I cannot state definitively that other shirts in this comparison do not retain odor. What I can say is that during the limited testing during this review, the Under Armour is the only shirt that held an odor after washing.


#4: Reebok Play Dry Tech
I purchased the Reebok Play Dry at another discount store. The shirt is available through Amazon for $22.50.

The Reebok is made from 100% polyester. It weight dry is 6 ounces and 7.5 ounces wet. The Reebok Play Dry Tech is the second best performing loose fitting shirt in the moisture wicking test which is why it is ranked so high in this comparison.

The bottom line is that the Reebok Play Dry Tech is a solid shirt that is comfortable and durable. The material is thin and suited for an undershirt.


#3: Nike FitDry Legend
The Nike FitDry Legend was the impetus for this undershirt comparison. I found this shirt at a discount store (Marshall's) for $7.00. It is red and I have only used it a couple times with my navy blue shirt during non-Fed games (my state requires a navy undershirt for NFHS games). It is available through many on-line retailers including REI for $20.

The Nike FiDry Legend weighs a very average 6 ounces dry and 8.5 ounces wet. It is made of 100% polyester, like many of the other shirts in this comparison. So why is it rated so high?

The Nike FitDry Legend screams quality. It is actually a disappointment that it performed so poorly in the moisture wicking test because it is a good looking and feeling undershirt. It has a much more substantial feel and look than the Under Armour shirt.


#2: Champion C9 Duo Dry
I purchased the Champion C9 Duo Dry Tech Tee at Target for $9.99. Also available on-line from Target for $9.99. The Champion C9 Duo Dry is available in several colors and my local Target has these consistently in-stock.

The Champion C9 is odorless and weighs 5.5 ounces dry, 7.5 ounces wet. That is remarkable performance considering its low price and availability at a big box store.

If you haven't tried the Champion C9 Duo Dry, you are missing out on a terrific value. This shirt is a outstanding combination of quality and price. I purchased the Champion C9 in black, and I found myself grabbing my black Champion undershirt without thinking during the spring college season as my plate undershirt. It has held up very well and shows very little sign of wear from my chest protector straps. It is a Midwest Ump "Best Buy."

#1: Diamond Hotsport
Just before the season I purchased a navy blue Diamond Hotsport from Ump-Attire for $18.99. This purchase was really an after-thought and was the last undershirt I bought for the comparison. My wife asked, "Do you really need another t-shirt?" I had never seen a Diamond undershirt, but I have learned to trust the retail judgment of Jim Kirk at Ump-Attire and I think very highly of the Diamond protective equipment I have tested.

The Diamond Hotsport is made of 100% polyester and weighs 6.5 ounces dry. Here's the crazy part: it weighs 6.5 ounces wet! That is the best result of any shirt in the moisture wicking test. This comparison has really opened my eyes to the transfer properties of different polyester materials. Apparently all polyester is not the same!

The Diamond has been my favorite undershirt since I purchased it. I knew the Diamond was keeping me dry and cool and it is light-weight. It also feels similar to the Under Armour loose fit shirts I have been wearing for years. You want the best? The Diamond Hotsport is the best undershirt in this comparison.

Review of Majestic MLB Umpire Shirt

You know that proverb: "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence?" Well, as a gear junky I had been coveting a Majestic MLB Umpire Shirt for some time. You know, "Wear what the pros wear."

I obtained a Majestic MLB polo blue shirt in April and I have tested it over about a 100 days period. It has seen extreme conditions: 100 degree heat, extreme sun, wind, rain, heavy sweat. . . you know, the usual. It has been worn probably 30-40 days (sometimes up to 8 hours at a time).

At the time of this article I only know of one retailer that sells the Majestic MLB Umpire Shirt: Ump-Attire.com. The folks at Ump-Attire are first-rate and offer lightning fast delivery, fair prices, and owner Jim Kirk really does care about the customer's needs and opinion. The Majestic is offered for $34.95 plus shipping. That puts the Majestic at the extreme high end of the umpire shirt market. Compare that price to the top three shirts in my Spring 2009 shirt review:

#1 - Ultimate Umpire Shirt by Ump-Attire, $32.95
#2 - Smitty Pro Knit Mesh Umpire Shirts, $22.95
#3 - Signature Series Umpire Shirts by Gerry Davis, $25.90

The Majestic looks great right out of the box. It is a closed hole polyester mesh design with a cotton collar. It fits well, breathes as well as any closed-hole mesh shirt, and accomodates my Wilson Platinum protector easily.

During the ball season I am what would best be described as a "working umpire." My day job offers a lot of flexibility, so I am able to work late afternoon weekday games and, of course, evenings and weekends. Consequently, I do laundry in the evening for a quick turn-around for the next day's games. Laundry is done the same way every time - cold water, permanent press cycle, and permanent press dryer on medium heat.

Unfortunately, the Majestic MLB Umpire Shirt requires line drying. The effect of drying this shirt in my dryer has been a pilling, wear and fading of the Majestic collar. No other shirt I own has had this problem (or required line drying). Below are pictures of the Ultimate Umpire Shirt (which has seen about the same number of games and laundry cycles as the Majestic), and an old Honig's (that has been worn in easily three times the number of games and laundry cycles). As you can see, little or no pilling, wear or fading.

In summary, I am disappointed with the Majestic. The shirt is no better than any other closed hole mesh umpire shirt, and requires special care. The MLB guys can keep this one. My side of the fence has better shirts.

Umpire Shirt Comparison Review

Many umpires cannot select their equipment and apparel in person and must make decisions based upon the advice of others and descriptions both on-line and in catalogs. Questions concerning fit and durability are frequent subjects on umpire forums. Today’s post takes a comparative look at seven different umpire shirts from different manufacturers.

My goal in this article is to provide information to umpires regarding the more popular umpire shirts and hopefully make the decision process a little easier. Shirts will be evaluated in seven categories: Weight, Breathability, Construction, Value, Appearance, a “Prick” test, and a Wrinkle test. The line-up is:

1. Gerry Davis Signature Umpire Shirt with thanks to Mary
2. Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt with thanks to Jim Kirk
3. Honig’s Major League Umpire Shirt
4. Dalco D260 Umpire Shirt
5. Smitty Apparel Umpire Shirt with Comfortech 100 with thanks to Dawn
6. The Official’s Choice Umpire Shirt with thanks to Paul Anderson
7. Cliff Keen MXS Umpire Shirt

Initial Research
Before I begin, I need to discuss an important matter. When I set out to evaluate these seven umpire shirts I did not expect such a variety of different fabrics. All of the umpire shirts tested are made from some type of polyester fabric, however five of the shirts (The Official’s Choice, Cliff Keen, Ump-Attire, Dalco and Smitty Apparel) claim to be made from moisture wicking fabric.

The concept of moisture wicking clothing has been around a long time. The idea is to draw the moisture away from your skin to a place where it is either absorbed or can evaporate. An old hunter’s trick is to wear silk socks under wool socks. The silk socks wick away the moisture and the wool absorbs it.

Older polyester fabrics, like the disco shirts from the 1970s, did not breathe well which consequently trapped sweat and made Disco Stu into Stinky Stu. Early polyester clothing also tended to snag easily. Cotton breathes very well, but as every umpire knows cotton absorbs and holds moisture. The best sports fabrics are blends of high-tech polyester and cotton which use the best features of both: moisture wicking and breathability.

In the 1990s a Maryland Terrapins' football player tired of his soggy t-shirt worn under his football pads developed an undershirt that became the Under Armour brand. Under Armour (and all the copy-cat materials developed in its wake) wicks away sweat from your body so it can evaporate. Does it keep you cooler? I don’t know, but I can attest that my UA Heat Gear t-shirt keeps me feeling drier and more comfortable. I love my UA Heat Gear and recommend it to all umpires.

A moisture wicking undershirt is a great benefit, but that begs the question, “What benefit is provided by an outer layer of moisture wicking material?”

I asked this question to TUG (The Undershirt Guy) at UnderShirtGuy.com. TUG has done personal testing and review on undershirts and has this to say:

“I wouldn't say I'm an expert in moisture wicking technology, but from my research, it is my understanding that it would be better to have a single close/tight fitting moisture wicking product that would allow air to flow freely over the outer part of the garment to allow the wetness to dry out quicker. One thing to remember, if the garment is not tight fitting, the moisture from your body will not make contact with the garment and will not transfer to the outer layer of the fabric as effectively.

Also, from my personal experience, some moisture wicking materials dry much faster than others. I've had some that dry in 15-20 minutes and others that take hours to dry. So, these fabrics are definitely not all created equally. In the event you're interested, I've also been doing some additional research and have been finding evidence that moisture wicking products hold odor much more than other non-wicking materials like cotton so people have noticed, for example, that moisture wicking undershirts hold on to someone's B.O. a lot more than standard undershirts.”

Thanks to TUG, his research and his input. TUG has a number of informative articles on his site that are of interest to anyone sweating in the hot sun, including this one on moisture wicking undershirts:

http://www.undershirtguy.com/2008/06/13/moisture-wicking-undershirts-which-one-to-choose-and-why/

Testing and Measurements
Shoulder measurements were taken from the collar seam along the shoulder seam to the bottom of the sleeve. Chest measurements were taken from under the arm hole across the chest to the under the other arm hole.

To test breathability I used my wife’s hair dryer on cool setting to force air through the shirt onto my face. To weigh the shirts I used a postage scale. For the pricking test I ran a car key over the inside of the shirts to see if it would snag (and I wore each shirt with my Wilson Platinum chest protector). Unscientific? You bet! My apologies to the ghost of Lavoisier.

Now on to the review. . .

DALCO D260 UMPIRE SHIRT

Construction
The Dalco Umpire Shirt is one of five shirts made from moisture wicking material (the manufacturer description is “treated with Comfort Finish for moisture management”). I purchased this XXL shirt from a local retailer when asked to do a last minute USSSA softball tournament. It is one of two open-hole shirts in the review (the other is The Official’s Choice). The shirt performed poorly in the prick test and snagged frequently on my chest protector. The feel of the mesh is cheap and stiffer than the other shirts. The dimensions of this XXL shirt are quite large:
28.5” chest
28.5” bottom hem
19.5” shoulder

Breathability
As one of two open-hole shirts in this review, it is not surprising that the Dalco shirt performed extremely well in the breathability test, second only to the other open-hole shirt, The Official’s Choice.

Appearance
The shirt looks good although the open-hole design makes the shirt a little transparent. While not as transparent as The Official’s Choice shirt, a different undershirt shirt color will bleed through. The shirt performed adequately in the wrinkle test.

Weight
The Dalco shirt weighs 11 ounces and is surprisingly heavy for an open-hole shirt.

Value
Ump-Attire sells the Dalco D260 for $27.95.

$26.95 at CAT Sports

Final Rank: Last place
The Dalco shirt is cheaply made and costly. For the price of a Dalco D260 I can get a much nicer Gerry Davis Signature Shirt, or a Smitty Apparel Shirt and a Big Mac, or a shirt from The Official’s Choice and dinner at Applebee’s.


CLIFF KEEN MXS

Construction
The MXS stands for Moisture eXchange System and is one of the five shirts in this review made from moisture wicking fabric. The construction is fair, but with limited use shows wear faster than other shirts I have owned. The XL shirt dimensions are:
25” chest
25” bottom hem
19” shoulder

The Cliff Keen MXS accommodates a chest protector and fits me well enough on the bases. The Cliff Keen MXS feels “spongy” like a polyester shirt from the 70’s. The shirt construction is good and appears well-made around the seams. It is close-holed construction and the holes are very small. This shirt performed best in the prick test and the fabric is very soft and smooth (and spongy, did I mention that?).

Breathability
The Cliff Keen shirt performed the worst in the breathability test allowing almost no air through the fabric.

Appearance
This shirt looks good on the field, although it performed poorly in the wrinkle test.

Weight
The Cliff Keen MXS weighs in at 10 ounces - the middle of the pack in weight.

Value
A quick search for the Cliff Keen MXS found that it sells between $33.00-$36.00. This is a premium price for an umpire shirt:
$33.00 at Lester’s Upstate Sports

$36.00 on the Cliff Keen Website

$35.90 at Gerry Davis

Final Rank: 6th out of 7
I purchased this Cliff Keen MXS shirt from a local retailer last year when I needed a blank powder blue shirt for a few college softball fall games. I do not like the feel of this shirt or the lack of breathability. It is also one of the most expensive in the review. Even though it actually scores higher than the Dalco, it is my least favorite umpire shirt. A friend of mine owns this shirt and commented that the shirt stains easily and is hard to keep clean. Of course, maybe it’s my friend that is hard to keep clean.


THE OFFICIAL’S CHOICE

Construction
I have previously reviewed The Official’s Choice shirt. The shirt is open hole and made from a moisture wicking material the company calls “UmpDry.” I would rank the construction below average, but still very acceptable. The stitching is neither tight nor consistent and the seams are not as substantially bound (hey, I’m not a tailor, so please forgive my poor description. In simple terms the seams and stitching are not as “good” as other shirts). The Official’s Choice shirt performed poorly on the prick test although I have not had a problem with snagging with this shirt from my chest protector.

Be warned: The Official’s Choice shirts run large. The dimensions of the L shirt I tested are:
25” chest
25” bottom hem
18” shoulder

The XL measures:
25” chest
25” bottom hem
19” shoulders

Breathability
The Official’s Choice shirt performed the best in the breathability test. The open-hole design allowed the most airflow of the shirts tested. As discussed above, creating airflow is extremely important to the evaporation process.

Appearance
As detailed in my previous post, the open-hole design tends to show print underneath it and a different colored undershirt can bleed through. The shirt performed below average in the wrinkle test.

Weight
The Official’s Choice shirt weighs 8.75 ounces – the lightest of the shirts.

Value
These shirts are currently offered by The Official’s Choice starting at $19.84.

Final Rank: 5th place out of 7
Since the open-hole design has a greater “see-through” factor, I am reluctant to use this shirt behind the plate where the MLB emblem of my Wilson Platinum chest protector is plainly visible. However, my association requires a navy blue t-shirt under the navy blue baseball shirt, so I suspect this will be my favorite shirt for hot weather wear on the bases. As August rolls around, I might even talk myself in to using this shirt behind the plate. It is light weight, inexpensive, and very breathable. The bottom line is that I will purchase more of these shirts for hot weather wear.


HONIG’S MAJOR LEAGUE SHIRT

Construction
The Honig’s Major League Shirt is one of two shirts not made from moisture wicking material (the other is Gerry Davis). The holes are closed, but larger than other closed-hole shirts tested. After hundreds of ballgames I can personally attest to the durability of this shirt. However, this shirt does sometimes snag on my chest protector and performed below average in the prick test.

The Honig’s Major League Shirt is cut slimmer than other umpire shirts, but accommodates my chest protector adequately. The dimensions of the XL shirt I tested are:
24” chest
23” bottom hem
17” shoulder

Breathability
The Honig’s shirt performed surprisingly well during the breathability test and was the best of the closed-hole designs.

Appearance
The Honig’s navy baseball shirt is a lighter shade of navy blue than any other shirt tested. Since the shirt is cut a little slimmer it fits better and therefore looks better in the field. The shirt performed below average in the wrinkle test.

Weight
The Honig’s shirt weighs only 9.5 ounces, and tied with the Ump-Attire shirt as the second lightest shirt.

Value
These shirts are currently offered by Honig’s for $32.95. Honig’s also offers flat-rate ground shipping and 10% discounts for members of many associations.

Final Rank: 4th out of 7
Honig’s has a great reputation in the umpire community. Many umpires swear by the brand, including myself until conducting this review. Honig’s is a very good umpire shirt and its combination of light weight and breathability make it a good choice for year round work. On the other hand, it costs considerably more than other all-season shirts (like Smitty Apparel).


GERRY DAVIS SIGNATURE SHIRT

Construction
The Gerry Davis Signature Shirt is one of two shirts not made from moisture wicking material (the other is Honig’s). This shirt is actually manufactured by Cliff Keen. The holes are closed. This shirt has a very substantial feel to it and the stitching at the seams appears very well made. The Gerry Davis shirt was average during the prick test.

I described my frame (48” jacket, 5’10” 210#) to the folks at Gerry Davis and they sent me an XXL shirt. I wrote back before testing that I thought the shirt was a little large and was told that the shirt is “sized to accommodate your chest protector.” The dimensions of the XXL shirt I tested are:
27” chest
27“ bottom hem
18” shoulder

I found the XXL shirt obviously too large for me. Its dimensions are large, but not as large as the XXL Dalco reviewed here. Keep that in mind when ordering.

Breathability
The Gerry Davis shirt performed poorly in the breathability test.

Appearance
The Gerry Davis shirt is a sharp looking shirt. If looking your best is your only criteria, choose this shirt. It also performed surprisingly well in the wrinkle test.

Weight
The Gerry Davis shirt weighs 14 ounces, the heaviest shirt in this review and 5.25 ounces heavier than The Official’s Choice shirt.

Value
These shirts are currently offered by Gerry Davis for $25.90.

Final Rank: 3rd out of 7
Reading the above ranking might give the reader an impression that I dislike this shirt. Not so. The testing is heavily weighted to prefer shirts that perform well during hot summer days. But not all games are played in August. I remember playing in a snow storm during college when I couldn’t see the outfielders from the plate (yep, we got an official game in that day). I have also seen my share of snow, sleet, and freezing rain while umpiring. The Gerry Davis Signature shirt screams quality. It is also almost a half pound heavier than the other test shirts. I rank this shirt at the bottom of the list for a hot weather shirt, but at the top for cold weather.


SMITTY APPAREL UMPIRE SHIRT WITH COMFORTECH 100

Construction
The Smitty Apparel Umpire Shirt with ComforTech 100 is one of the five shirts made from moisture wicking material. It is a closed-hole design and well constructed. It also performed above average in the prick test and did not snag on my chest protector. The dimensions of the L shirt are:
23” chest
23.5” bottom hem
17.5 shoulder

The dimensions of the XL shirt are slimmer than most and very similar to Honig’s:
24” chest
25” bottom hem
17.5 shoulder

Breathability
The Smitty Apparel shirt performed average in the breathability test behind Honig’s and the two open-hole shirts (The Official’s Choice and Dalco).

Appearance
The shirt performed very well in the wrinkle test. In my opinion the Smitty Apparel shirt looks slightly better than the Cliff Keen shirt.

Weight
The Smitty Apparel shirt weighs 10.5 ounces and is in the middle of the pack.

Value
A quick search for the Smitty Apparel Umpire Shirt with ComforTech 100 found prices between $22.95-27.90:

$26.00 at The Official Call

$27.90 at Discount Umpire Gear

$22.95 at Ump-Attire


Final Rank: 2nd out of 7
I was pleasantly surprised by the Smitty Apparel shirt. At this price point I expected a cheaper quality shirt and did not expect it to perform as well during testing. Just like a scrappy middle infielder, the Smitty shirt just kept showing that it could do the job and hang with the big boys. It ended up second in the test, one point behind Ump-Attire, but over $10.00 cheaper in price than the Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt.


UMP-ATTIRE ULTIMATE UMPIRE SHIRT

Construction
The Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt is one of five shirts made from moisture wicking material. Jim Kirk, owner of Ump-Attire, reports an extensive process in the development of the Ultimate Umpire Shirt. It was important to Jim that these shirts withstand the rigors of umpiring and remain comfortable. He writes:

“What we found was a material used by the military that not only was comfortable and wicked moisture but also was wrinkle-free and most importantly could stand up to any metal or hard plastic rubbing against it. In other words, the fabric will not "pick".”

The holes are closed and the shirt is very well constructed. As Jim predicted, the shirt performed exceptionally well in the prick test and did not snag on my chest protector. The dimensions of this XL shirt are:
25.5” chest
25” bottom hem
18.5” shoulder

I like these dimensions on the plate. It is a little larger than the Honig’s shirt and accommodates my chest protector a little better.

Breathability
The Ump-Attire shirt performed below average in the breathability test.

Appearance
The shirt looks great and performed best in the wrinkle test. While I prefer the appearance of the Gerry Davis Signature Shirt, the Ultimate Umpire Shirt is a close second.

Weight
The Ump-Attire shirt weighs only 9.5 ounces, second lightest of all shirts (tied with Honig’s)

Value
Jim Kirk states that these shirts will be offered by Ump-Attire and sell for $32.95. That’s a competitive price with Cliff Keen and Honig’s for a nicer shirt.

Final Rank: First Place
The Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt will be available in late March, 2009. Is this the ultimate umpire shirt? Well, after tallying all categories it scored the highest overall. This is definitely a quality shirt that was designed with care and attention to appeal to umpires across the board.

SCORES

Scale is 1 to 7; 7 being best

Weight

The Official's Choice 7, Ump-Attire 6, Honig's 6, Cliff Keen 4, Smitty Apparel 3, Dalco 2, Gerry Davis 1

Breathability

The Official's Choice 7, Dalco 6, Honig's 5, Smitty Apparel 4, Ump-Attire 3, Gerry Davis 2, Cliff Keen 1

Construction

Gerry Davis 7, Smitty Apparel 6, Ump-Attire 5, Honig's 5, Cliff Keen 3, The Official's Choice 2, Dalco 1

Value

Smitty Apparel 7, Gerry Davis 6, The Official's Choice 5, Ump-Attire 4, Honig's 3, Dalco 2, Cliff Keen 1

Appearance

Gerry Davis 7, Ump-Attire 6, Smitty Apparel 5, Cliff Keen 4, Honig's 3, Dalco 2, The Official's Choice 1

Prick Test

Cliff Keen 7, Ump-Attire 6, Smitty Apparel 5, Gerry Davis 4, Honig's 3, The Official's Choice 2, Dalco 1

Wrinkle Test
Ump-Attire 7, Smitty Apparel 6, Gerry Davis 6, Dalco 4,Honig's 3, The Official's Choice 3, Cliff Keen 1

Total

1. Ump-Attire (37)

2. Smitty Apparel (36)

3. Gerry Davis (33)
4. Honig’s (28)
5. The Official’s Choice (27)
6. Cliff Keen (21)
7. Dalco (18)

CONCLUSION AND FINAL THOUGHTS
I encountered a few surprises in writing this article. As stated the first surprise was the different moisture wicking materials used in these shirts. I was also surprised by the differences in weight and breathability. Finally, I was surprised that the quality of construction was actually very similar – none of these shirts will fall apart on you.

So which is the best shirt? For me I found the answer to this question depends on the weather. The best cold weather shirt is undoubtedly the Gerry Davis Signature Shirt which is heavy, does not breathe well (a plus in cold weather), and costs only $25.90. A close second is the Ump-Attire shirt with a $32.95 price tag.

In warm to hot weather I would choose the Smitty Apparel shirt for its decent breathability, wrinkle resistance, solid marks across the board, and very low cost ($22.95). Note that the weight difference between Smitty Apparel, Honig’s, and Ump-Attire is merely one ounce.

In the dog days of August I choose The Official’s Choice shirt at under 9 ounces for its open-hole mesh design and superior breathability. It is also the cheapest shirt in the review at $19.84. When its 98 degrees, no wind, and high humidity, I’ll take the lightest and most breathable shirt I can find. The Official’s Choice is the ideal shirt for that day.