Monday, March 11, 2013

Umpire Shin Guards Buying Guide

Caution. Below could be the most comprehensive buying guide on umpire shin guards ever written or the driest. Most likely, it's both. Never the less, reading it should help you choose which shin guard is right for you. This is why you are reading it, right?
Okay, umpire shin guards today do offer greater protection than ever before. The correct name should actually be "leg guards" instead of "shin guards" as all styles provide more than protection to the shins but also to knees, ankles and in some cases to the thigh and foot as well.
Keep reading and we'll look at the specifics.



Most Thigh Protection

If you decided not to wear any leg protection, although not recommended at any level, the best place to get hit is on the thigh. The reason is you have more meat there to cushion the blow and depending on your stance, you're least likely to take a direct blow in that location.
Having said that, you may still want lower thigh protection. That's more than ok. You'll find this additional protection in the topmost "knee" of extended or triple-knee umpire shin guards.
The Wilson Pro Platinum shin guards used by Major League Baseball umpires, the Diamond iX3 model, the MacGregor's and the Diamond iX3 (not shown here) provide this above-the-knee protection through their triple-knee style.


Wilson MLB Logo
WILSON PRO PLATINUM UMPIRE LEG GUARDS
Endorsed by Major League Baseball
Your Price: $84.99
Diamond iX3 Umpire Shin Guards
Diamond Logo
Diamond iX3 Umpire Shin Guards
Most Popular Triple-Knee
Customers Choice Seal
Your Price: $64.99




 MacGregor

MCB67 Umpire's Leg Guards
  • Molded ABS knee and shin plate 
  • Your Price: $39.99

If you're interested in one of these but still undecided, you might prefer at upper levels Wilson's thicker padding and complete hard shell ankle protection. For lower levels, the padding and hard plastic ankle insert of the Diamond iX3 or MacGregor will usually do.

Customer Popularity and Satisfaction

The Diamond shin guards sell better than average when compared to other shin guards and have an average rate of return overall. However, the 15 1/2" has the highest rate of return at 8.2%, the 17" at 3.8% and the 18 1/2" at 2.5%. These numbers indicate that when in doubt, to size up to the larger size.
Fit Guide Size Popularity
Customers purchase nearly 3 of the 17", 2 of the 18 1/2" and 1 of the 15 1/2" size for every 6 shin guards sold.

Staff Notes

4/2/08
These shin guards no longer come with the diamond shaped holes/vents on the inside padding and outer shell in shin area as shown in the topmost image. See the "Worn Front" image for accurate representation of outer shell.

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