Which Rockies uniform is the best?

In addition to the Sim Rockies, we’ve all been watching a lot of historic Rockies baseball, so I’ve been pondering a question: Which Rockies uniform is the best? It’s an issue fans tend to have strong opinions about.

The list below isn’t comprehensive—just the ones we argue about the most—and I’m leaving out details like font changes and special uniforms. (Frankly, who would want to return to those dreadful Players Weekend uniforms of 2019?) Instead, I’ve focused on iconic Rockies looks, though you can read Marc Carig’s take on the uniforms here and vote in Kendra Andrews’ survey on Denver sports uniforms here.

As Phil Hecken of UniWatch notes of the Rockies’ uniforms, “Consistency has been their hallmark and rather than making wholesale adjustments, they’ve been content over their history to make mostly tweaks and to add a few alternate looks.” The Rockies are a conservative team, a fact reflected in their uniforms.

The Purple Pinstripes

Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images

What’s good about them? They’re iconic, a classic and a smart revision of the traditional Yankees pinstripes.

What’s bad about them? Nothing. These are great uniforms. They looked great on the Blake Street Bombers in the 90s, and they look great on the Rockies today.

What could/should change about them? Nothing.

The Road Grays

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

What’s good about them? These are utilitarian uniforms, imminently practical and nothing fancy. Every team needs the equivalent of a comfy pair of jeans, and the road grays are that uniform.

What’s bad about them? They’re a little dull. The purple provides a nice splash of color in a sea of gray, but that’s about it.

What could/should change about them? Probably nothing. Every team needs a gray uniform, and these are fine.

The Black Alternate

Photo By John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

What’s good about them? There’s a lot that’s good about them. It’s a clean, classic look. They’re like the little black dress of uniforms: They’re versatile and can be dressed up for a night out or dressed down for an evening with friends. Plus, they lack the complications of the black vests.

What’s bad about them? They were retired after the 1993 season.

What could/should be changed about them? I’d support a revival of this jersey.

The Pinstripe Road Grays

Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB via Getty Images

What’s good about them? It’s an attempt to bring the Rockies’ signature home pinstripes into a road uniform and to spruce up the road grays.

What’s bad about them? The purple doesn’t pop on these uniforms like it does on the solid road grays. Frankly, they’re a little busy and look like precursors to the Padres new uniforms. I’m a fan of pinstripes (slimming and all that), but these just seem unnecessary.

What could be changed abut them? Probably nothing without undermining the original design intent.

The Pinstripe Vests

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

What’s good about them? They were a unique look.

What’s bad about them? They were a unique look.

What could/should change? Probably nothing, but you may disagree.

The Black Vests

Photo By Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

What’s good about them? Maybe the black vests are more iconic than the purple pinstripes. We will forever remember Todd Helton in that historic moment. Plus, the black vest was generally Chad Bettis’ uniform of choice, and his return to baseball after completing his cancer treatment marks yet another important moment in Rockies history. They look cool and can be worn with either gray or white pants.

What’s bad about them? Jon Gray has said he feels like he has a muffin top when wearing them. There’s just a lot going on with these uniforms—they’re complicated. Some would argue that, like the pinstriped vests, the black vests should be relegated to history.

What could be done about them? In his MLB The Show sim, David Dahl had the black vests with a purple undershirt. I’d like to see that.

The Purple Tops

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

What’s good about them? The color is terrific—“purple mountain majesty” and all that. No other team in baseball has a jersey like this one, and that’s good.

What’s bad about them? Nothing. These jerseys are already perfect.

What could/should change about them? The jerseys are awesome. But the Rockies need to go back to the purple pinstriped pants with them. The white pants with purple piping the Rockies adopted last year are just, well, boring.

What do you think? Vote in the poll, and leave your thoughts in the comments.