Umpire Jackets Buying Guide

Umpire jackets are meant to keep you warm and dry. It can get cold and wet in the early or late part of your season and in most areas farther away from the equator.

Contents: Warm | Warmer | Warmest

There are more choices available in umpire jackets than ever before. No longer are jackets only available in one medium-weight style. Now they are also available for any climate from lightweight convertibles with zip-off sleeves to heavyweights with fleece lining.

You can also find jackets specific to NCAA softball.

Warm (For cool or changing weather)

A jacket that has zip-off sleeves just above your elbow is called a convertible jacket. It provides the best versatility in adapting to cool conditions or changing temperatures and weather conditions.

The newest releases are Smitty's NCAA Softball Convertible Umpire Jacket and a Convertible with Charcoal Grey Accents geared for baseball. Both are weather-resistant coated micro-fiber outer shell that is moisture-wicking and water repellent for warm or rainy conditions.



If you are looking for a solid color, see the Smitty Black Convertible, worn by most college baseball conferences and Minor League Baseball. This jacket is a single layer, water-resistant shell based on the style of the no-longer-available Majestic MLB CoolBase convertible.

Short sleeve jackets (without the zip-off sleeves) are still popular. They have the crisp and neat look of a pullover in those games where the temperature and a long-sleeve pullover will leave you sweaty. They are available in multiple colors.

Warmer (For cold weather)

If you are looking for a traditional umpire jacket, the most popular ones are the Smitty Half-Zip Jackets. These have been around the longest, offer medium weight and are available in 4 color-trim combinations.

Warmest (For Coldest temperatures)

Consider Fleece Lined Umpire Jackets your winter coat for umpiring, but without the bulk of a typical winter coat. A wind-proof outer shell with warm fleece inner lining jacket keeps you toasty through cold innings.

These are availabe in a variety of styles including NCAA softball and traditonal trim jackets that were based on a Majestic model called the Thermabase Jacket (no longer available).

Advanced tips
Which umpire jackets can you wear behind-the-plate and which can you wear on-the-bases?
In the past, it was frowned on to wear an umpire jacket behind the plate. Now with more extreme weather conditions and eariler season games, it is acceptable to wear umpire jackets on the plate or the bases.

Indeed, umpire jackets arew sized for wearing behind the plate and for sizing down for base work.

Why Two Convertible Jackets in Your Bag?
Seasoned umpires tell us they purchase two convertibles. In this way, they leave one with their sleeves on and the other with their sleeves off. By doing so, they simply wear the jacket with the desired arm length without having to unsecure and/or re-secure the arms.

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