Force3 V3 Ultimate Umpire Chest Protector With Dupont™ Kevlar®

I owned the V1 of this chest protector since 2013. It's been getting a bit ratty and I had to replace the strap a few years ago. I upgraded to V3 and WOW! It fits better, it's noticeably lighter and clearly has just a bit more protection. I know V1 was awesome so I expect that by the feel of this, it will be better.

I have been umpiring for 8 years at many levels of baseball and softball competitions, from 10u rec-ball, travel ball, to high school and some college scrimmages. I was replacing the Champro chest protector that I have been using and am extremely happy with the customization and fit of the Force3 V3. I have taken some shots to the chest so far and this product delivers with protection and comfort. I am 6'0" tall, weighing 285 and have pretty wide shoulders and an 18 1/2" neck. I was able to fit this nicely around my neck without chafing and extend the shoulder protection to cover my shoulders. The adjustability and extra length in the abdominal region does not restrict my movement when squatting into position. Definitely worth the expense for a top-of-the-line chest protector.

Low profile and adjustable. Definitely takes some getting used to, but so far it's on the top of my list of best chest protectors that I've worn.

Best Umpire Chest protector I have ever worn. Took a 85 mph fastball to the chest and didn't feel a thing. Super comfortable and amazing on hot days, too!

Great product! Less bulking than the Diamond vest I have. Only taken one ball off the vest so far and didn't feel it! Love the light weight and how it keeps me cool.

I want to give 5 Stars, they’re not quite there but very close. I own the All-Star Cobalt and the Wilson West Vest as well. The Force3 is the most customizable, lowest profile (tied with the Cobalt), and the coolest (temperature wise). It’s also clearly not as protective as the Cobalt or West Vest. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe I’d ever be injured wearing it, but I took a 90+ Fastball from a Pac 12 commit that he spiked short of the plate, hopped over the catcher’s shoulder, and hit me square in the Pectoral muscle. Stung for only 5 minutes, but had a bruise for week. That said, I’m still keeping it for those 100 degree plus summer games.

A++++ well worth the money!!!

The Force 3 umpire chest protector is great in hot weather.

It feels great, I don't feel anything when I get hit. The only down side is is there is nothing to keep the shoulder pads from coming out. It would be nice if there was a strap or something. All in all a good chest protector.

I’m 6’1 and this fits me better than my old Champro, and better than any Wilson I tried. Also very light weight and not too hot in the Texas heat. Well worth the money - highly recommend.

The changes made from the V2 to V3 are significant and make this a much more comfortable to wear. Still the same great protection and lighter weight makes this a must have.

Fantastic edition of the Force3 family of chest protectors. I fitted it immediately with some help so that I would get it to wear on me properly. The V3 fits better than my V2 chest protector, is lighter, and molds to my upper body better than the V2. I have worn it five times since receiving it and it still fits like a glove. I have been hit once already on the upper shoulder and I didn't feel a thing. I am very pleased.

It is simply the best umpire chest protector I've ever worn in terms of both comfort and protection. I started using this chest protector in 2017 and bought the new V3 for the 2020 season. No regrets. Love the quality and the design.

Great flexibility in fitting to any size. Protective with soft feel. Harness is comfortable and snugs the body and love the plastic snap better than the metal clips on other chest protectors. Only negative is the high price, but you get what you pay for. Definitely recommend.

Took a bit of getting used to, but now that I've worn it for a few games, I really do enjoy the lightness of it, and how much cooler I feel on hot days. Happy that I invested in it, and look forward to the protection it provides over my old umpire chest protector.

In my opinion, THE BEST UMPIRE CHEST PROTECTOR ON THE MARKET! I started out with the Champro, then swapped to the West Vest. Loved the protection of the Wilson West Vest, until I found the love of my life FORCE 3 V3 it’s so slim fitting. You don’t get that bulky look like the others. You get the protection of the hardshell but the feel and look of a softshell. BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!!! I’m just going to tell you, once you buy anything FORCE 3, you will be swapping everything to them from mask to shin guards! And don’t forget to buy the Force 3 bags to go with them! You will thank me later!

I absolutely love my new Force3 chest protector. Lightweight and has many adjustments to fit you perfectly. Wore it in 95-degree heat and it allows you to breathe. Much better than my West Vest, which I loved. I read that some have issues with the clips. My suggestion is to reach for it under the chest protector, not across the outside. Zero issues. Then, the second one is a piece of cake. I recommend this to anyone doing upper-level baseball. You don't feel a thing. There is also excellent protection around the neck area with the adjustable pad. Just buy it...although mine was a gift :-)

Great chest protector. Very light and low profile. I like that its customizable and there are no metal parts to rust. Love the F3 harness. Truly a great investment.

I like the low profile of this product and the lightweight design. It's very well built. The only reason I sent it back was that it didn't have arm straps and left my shoulders and biceps open for getting hit. I'm of smaller size and when I got into position to make a call, the shoulders and arms were left open, more so the upper arms than the shoulders. But all around seemed to be a great built product.

This is the best umpire chest protector I've ever used!!! Lightweight and low-profile. The addition of the blast shield has made a tremendous difference in the protection offered. Wore this chest protector doing D3 college scrimmage and during varsity high school. I took a few shots and didn't feel a thing!!! I would highly recommend this chest protector to umpires at all levels. It needs to be formed to the body a little as it's a little stiff initially...but most chest protectors have that issue. Fantastic product by Force3!!!

Since my first review, I've taken 2 very hard shots. The first one shattered my pen to pieces at a JUCO game. Just the pen got its feelings hurt. The same game, took a good one to the non-pocket side. I knew I got hit but, 0 pain. I sewed the straps so they would not come loose. I wear it very tight and it feels great!

Used this umpire chest protector so far two games. So lightweight easy to move around with. Was taught by Jim Evans, a hall of fame umpire and you can see a video on YouTube of him taking a 90 plus mph fastball and feel nothing so I know it's great for protection well worth the money.

At 6' and 205 lbs, the fit and feel of this is really great! It doesn't ride up when getting into the slot like some other protectors I tried. Previously, I wore a basic umpire chest protector but the Varsity and JuCo guys throw a little harder. This one absorbs the shock of a foul tip quite nicely!

LOVE the Force3 umpire chest protector. I'm keeping my tried-and-true West Vest Platinum for spring ball when I'm wearing a coat, and am not concerned about breath-ability. But, the Force3 really is in a class by itself...it's slim, comfortable, and provides great protection. In the summer, it's WAY cooler than the Platinum.

I've used this chest protector twice. I like it's trim appearance in uniform. I have not taken a real hard shot to the body yet. One thing, the fit is a bit confining in the chest area, particularly when you have to bring your hands together in front of you, such as when writing on the line-up cards. I have a 40" chest and at first I found it slightly awkward taking notes; however, I'm starting to get used to it now. On future models, I would recommend considering shortening the center breast plate and substituting smaller hinged segments to the ends of the main breast plate area to provide slightly more ease of movement for the arms.

Worth every dollar! I'm 6'1 and this umpire chest protector gives great coverage without the bulkiness. It is lightweight and comfortable. It's also surprisingly cool (in comparison to other umpire chest protectors I've worn) on the hot days.

Very adjustable chest protector. Took some time at home to get everything right, but it's worth it. Got hit first game with college-age players who hit hard, and the chest protector worked great. It's a sizable investment, but in my opinion well worth it.

I can't say enough great things about this chest protector. I'm 6'3" and 205 pounds. It's perfect for a taller umpire. It's easy to adjust and is a snug fit. You can adjust the shoulder pads, neck and lower pad that comes down to your belly button. I took two fouls tips right to the middle of chest and one to the shoulder, I barely felt a thing. This is a low profile chest protector. It provides a slimmer look when I am working behind the plate. I highly recommend this protector and it's well worth the money. If you are a taller umpire and want to be protected all the way to your abdomen, this is the chest protector for you.

This umpire chest protector is lower profile than my current West Vest Gold. The Force3 is solidly built and easy to configure to your body. The upside to the WV Gold is an added 3" in the stomach which is adjustable/removable. I have not had the chance to use in a game setting so only 3 1/2 stars for now.

Excellent protector. Comfortable, easy to adjust, not as bulky as other protectors can be. Pricey, but well worth it for maximum protection.

I switched to the Force3 from the Wilson Gold. I have a lot of positives for both. With this protector, I like the low profile, the added length versus the Gold, the light weight, and the ability to fit in my bag. I will say, having taken my first foul shot off the chest with this protector, you will feel it. That said, in my experience, it doesn't last. It feels like it spreads the impact out so that any pain doesn't linger. All in all, it's a pretty good protector.

You have to wear this protector snug to experience how great it is. Very slim and very protective. I umpire college baseball and feel very protected with this protector. Additionally, Force3 has excellent customer service. I originally received the protector from Ump-Attire and the stomach extension had some loose stitching. I sent Force3 a direct message on social media and they got back to me in five minutes. I had a new piece in my hands in three days - no questions asked.

There are a few positives with this chest protector but just as many negatives. Positives: Lightweight, extremely adjustable, looks good in the bag. Negatives: No break across the chest, so it didn't confirm to your body...outriggers are useless flaps that constantly flip under. Looks like you're wearing a box.

Very comfortable, looks great with a LOW profile. Protection is excellent and I love the extension for the stomach. Worth the $$$!

Low profile, great coverage. Took shot to shoulder first game I wore it and did not feel anything. Took a few times to get it adjusted after getting it out of box, it fits great now. In my opinion it is worth the price. Can't wait to use it for a full season in spring.

This umpire chest protector is low profile and seems to offer good protection, it has good coverage. It is very form fitting and offers protection lower on the stomach that any previous chest protectors I have used. The neck-piece was digging into my neck when the chest protector was adjusted to where I wanted it so I just removed it and it feels much better and still offers the protection for the collarbone. I haven't taken any hard shots on it in the few games I have used it so far.

Nice light protector. It is difficult to adjust since I am a smaller build at 165 pounds. A little disappointing in that respect. I guess the Champion umpire chest protector could have been a better choice at a much cheaper price. The bigger built guys will love this CP in my opinion.

Although you'll need to plan on spending some time adjusting the chest protector out of the box, once you're finished, it will absolutely fit you like a glove. In response to it not fitting the slender build, you'll definitely need to tighten the shoulder straps much more than the torso straps. Having taken a shot off of the collar bone/shoulder area and with how comfortable this chest protector is (I thought that my West Vest was comfortable), I'm giving it 5 stars!

This is just not for the narrow umpire...unfortunately. The wider guys should seriously consider it however. The more this chest protector is wrapped around you, the more the rigid plates will protrude and become visible through your shirt rendering it not low profile. It should be developed in multiple sizes as the Wilson line is. Impact is definitely less dampened contrasted to the Wilson line as well.

Just switched from West Vest Platinum a week ago have done 6 plates with it and taken a couple shots. Felt nothing but pressure and it is much lower profile and flexible and it goes down much farther for protection. Worth the purchase.

Recently switched from West vest gold to the Force3. As a bigger guy, the Force3 being thinner makes for a much better look underneath the shirt. Also it covers more of the torso, almost down to the waist, which is a good feature. Sure it's expensive, but in my opinion worth it. Great piece of equipment, Force3 is putting out the best products lately. I use the mask and now the chest protector, and plan on getting the shin guards soon as well.