Buyer’s Guide: Finding Baseball Umpire Equipment

A baseball umpire puts himself on the line at every game in a very different way than players which makes it necessary to wear proper baseball umpire equipment. The umpire must stay still in the middle of the commotion of the baseball game and keep his eye on players in motion. As an umpire, you are quite vulnerable to a mitt or shoe flying up in the air towards you, or a swinging bat! It would be smart to mind prices when it comes to buying baseball umpire equipment. Buying cheap baseball umpire equipment is not the way to go, unless you want to compromise comfort, safety and flexibility. This is very important if you want to have a fun and safe baseball game. Proper baseball umpire equipment is the key.

It goes without saying that an umpire’s helmet and face mask should be engineered to provide maximum protection and durability, specifically, powerful shock resistance and a tough shell like ABS. What is often neglected here is the value of comfort, which should not be the case as you will sweat and squint through that titanium face mask for the entirety of a game. You will want baseball umpire equipment to be somewhat comfortable. Air flow and visibility should be excellent as well as the fit, such as with form-conforming and wide-angle styles plus Velcro adjustments. Padding and lining should be absorbent and able to control moisture penetration, such as with multi-tiered durable EPP foam and open cell foam.

Whether for baseball or softball, an umpire needs a protective helmet, first and foremost for his baseball umpire equipment. A protective gear package for umpire baseball equipment will typically consist of a face mask, leg guard plus shin guard, and chest protector. Wilson Sporting Goods, labeled as the “Official Umpire Gear” of Major League Baseball (MLB), will certainly have some of the most trustworthy baseball umpire equipment. Wilson has invested heavily in research and development plus innovation, and enlisted Major League umpire Joe West, who has now launched his own line, West Vest Equipment, and Gerry Davis to help design its products.

These are just a small handful of tips in what to look for when purchasing baseball umpire equipment. Now that you know what you are looking for you can check out the following stores for some great gear and prices. Look at www.BetterBaseball.com, www.MajorLeagueUmpires.com, www.DirectSports.com, and www.wilsonstaff.com. Enjoy playing baseball in your new baseball umpire equipment!