Wilson West Vest Platinum Umpire Chest Protector (#A3215)

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Wilson Platinum Chest Protector Description

Along with the Wilson Gold, the Platinum is only 1 of 2 umpire chest protectors endorsed by Major League Baseball and is the popular hard shell choice for youth, high school, college and Minor League umpires.

• Contoured fitted chest protector with extra side padding, neck pad and contoured shoulders for comfort and protection
• Removable plates for easy cleaning

• Wilson gold and MLB logos on outer shell - Wilson is the Official Umpire Gear of Major League Baseball® and Minor League Baseball®.
• Weight: 3.6 lbs
• Named best umpire chest protector 2009 by Midwest Umpire Blog

Reviews

"Love it! I have to keep it tight to stay up to my throat but you are virtually "bullet proof" with this one. The double pad on the shoulder is the greatest AND they are up higher than many other vests so it's on top of your shoulder, not in front of it. I do 100+ plate games per year of adult baseball and have never gotten hurt in the 6 years I've had this vest."

"I umped thirty-five games behind home plate last season (High School and Babe Ruth). My previous chest protector a light weight Rawlings better suited for Little League level of protection. With the Wilson A3215 I was looking for improved/additional protection, good fit, light weight,and comfort. The Wilson A3215 provides great protection. I cannot recall a foul tip, wild pitch, etc that resulted in a "painful" experience after hitting the chest protector. I found the protector to be cool and flexible when worn. It did not hinder movement, and moved nicely with the body. The only problem I encountered with the Wilson A3215 was it did not fit snugly around my neck.I would often pull/push the protector up during games, which becomes a distraction.No matter how I adjusted the protector straps, it always seemed to be an 1 inch - 2 inch below my neck.Towards the end of the season, I believe I became accustomed to the protector sitting below the neckline and the protector became less of a problem, as long as the straps were tight (normal build/ no belly) to the body.I would have liked the protector to be several inches longer (towards the waist line), however I quickly overcame this concern early in the season."

"I really have enjoyed the protection that the Wilson West Vest Platinum Umpire Chest Protector (#A3215) has given me during the season and I am very happy that I purchased it. Just used it last night for a High School Fall ball championship game with a pitcher throwing 89 mph and thankfully the catcher was experienced enough that I didn't take one off the chest. During the American Legion State Tournament, I took a hit from a foul tip and I can say the "noise" was worse than the hit to the shoulder. As a matter-of-fact, I felt absolutely nothing. Thanks for the recommendation and I certainly will recommend the Wilson West Vest Platinum Umpire Chest Protector (#A3215) to others as well."

"The west vest platinum is great at any level. It is light enough to wear in the middle of July but tough enough to withstand 90 mph (found that out first hand). Have already recommended to friends. By the way, I love your company shipping is fast and your prices are the most competitive. Your warehouse is awesome along with the people there. While I was in Crestwood and looking, I stopped in to make sure of the fit and your staff was so helpful. Thanks for helping us officials out."

"Thank you for the follow up inquiry. Your company and staff are first rate. You take the extra steps to make sure the customer is completely satisfied. I can't believe that it took me so long to make up my mind to get the Platinum vest. If I got it at the beginning of the season, I would have saved myself some bumps and bruises. It truly is the best on the market, well worth every penny."

"The best..worked everything from Little League to college games on some of the hottest days of the year...very comfortable and took the best shots any pitcher had to offer."

"The vest is awesome. I have one and got one for my son Ben, who is 20. He loves it too. He is 6'3 and I'm 5'11 and one issue for both that could use improvement is maybe a velcro pad that can attach and cover the belly area. The vest is a little short there. I have taken a couple in the gut and they (high 80 foul tips) knocked my wind out. The other possibility would be attachments for the upper arm, but for me, a little protection in the stomach area would help. Otherwise I've taken some hard hits in the vest that I barely felt at all and I Love the vest as does my son!"

"The vest worked very well. It took a little time to get it to loosen up, it was rather stiff out of the box, but it was still light weight and took blows really well. I worked the Babe Ruth Pacific Southwest Regional for the 13 year olds and it was wonderful. Thanks for the vest and am looking forward to getting more things in the near future."

"I've been using this chest protector for over 7 years and love it. When fitted properly even the hardest of foul tips are no problem. The chest protector itself is a breeze to clean.

After a couple hundred games, I have no real problems with this chest protector. My only problem I have ever had with it is it tends to ride up a little bit at times during games. Other then that I would recommend this protector to any umpire that wants superior protection."

Customer Popularity and Satisfaction

Gold and Plantinum chest protector comparison Besides the obvious differences in color and price, there are a few, minimal size and protection differences. The Gold offers three size options based on chest sizes allowing for a closer fit in larger and smaller umpires. While the Gold has slightly thicker padding, a little more shoulder protection and more contouring around the clavicle, the Platinum has additional upper sternum/lower neck protection. Learn more in the chest protector buying guide.

Wilson Gold Chest Protector

Learn More from the 'Officially Un-Officially' Blog

• Umpire Protective Gear Return Rates Show Bigger is Better
  Discusses huge gap between excellent low return rate of standard size compared to high 20% return rate for smaller 11" size.