Use this football referee gear checklist to get your essentials right, then level up one piece at a time as your schedule grows — written by working officials. For Refs, By Refs™
Quick disclaimer (read this first)
Your association and your state high school athletic association set the rules. Shirt stripe width, pants, logo requirements, bean bag colors, and radio specs can all vary. Use this ladder as your baseline, then confirm your local requirements before you spend money.
Essentials
Show up with these items and you can work games without borrowing gear or looking out of spec.
Youth football essentials
- striped jersey (mostly 2″ stripes, some 2 1/4″, a few 1″) – get short- and long-sleeved versions
- black shorts with belt loops, some associations require white stripe on outseam – check before you buy
- cap
- whistle(s) – Bring a backup. Always.
- flags (2)
- down indicator
- scorecard and pencil
- bean bag(s) (color per association standard)
- black leather belt (1¼” to 2″ wide) with a plain black or silver buckle
- black socks
- predominantly black shoes (some white is fine but minimize logos) with black laces – should be shined before each game
Bold items are available in the Don Stripes Football Collection.
High school essentials:
High school is where requirements tighten up.
- state-required shirt – Have both short and long sleeves for cold weather assignments.
- long pants with 1¼” white outseam stripe – Some states require a state logo.
- same accessories as youth (cap, whistles, flags, down indicator, scorecard/pencil, bean bag(s), belt, socks, shoes)
Upgrades (worth it once you’re working regularly)
These aren’t always “required,” but they solve real problems: weather, chafing, staying tucked, and staying functional late in the game.
- black moisture-wicking undershirts (short + long sleeve)
- black compression shorts (chafing control)
- black compression tights – Helps with chafing, warmth, and avoiding scrapes during contact.
- shirt-stays – Keep your shirt tucked all game without EVER thinking about it.
- cap keeper/washer – Keep your hat in shape in both in your bag and when you wash it.
- black gloves (preferably water resistant) – Keep the wind and rain off your skin in bad weather.
- black turtleneck – Extra layer against cold and wind. Mock turtlenecks are also good for this.
- black balaclava – When the weather is brutally cold – protects lips, nose and ears.
Position-specific gear (don’t buy everything day one)
- Referee (R): white cap, play clock timer (4-man), coin, pregame outline, coaches meeting outline
- Umpire (U): ball position indicator, black towel
- Head Line Judge (HL): chain clip for 5-yard line marking
- Line Judge (LJ): stopwatch (backup plan for game clock malfunction in 4/5-man)
- Back Judge (BJ): play clock timer (5/7/8-man), extra bean bag (of a different color)
- Field Judge (FJ): play clock timer (6-man)
- Side Judge (SJ): stopwatch (6/7/8-man)
Pro tips (stuff experienced crews do automatically)
- Crew Radios + Earpieces are a gamechanger for crew communications. Many associations now REQUIRE them for HS Varsity games. Make sure that your clock operator is equipped, too. Confirm the exact spec with your association.
- Protect your feet – consider shoes ½-size bigger and wear 2-pair of socks to reduce blisters during a long day of youth football games.
- Pack a neatly folded kitchen garbage bag in a pocket of your suitcase/duffel. When your uniform is soaked after a rainy game, bag it before it goes in your suitcase.
- Add a waterproof shoe bag (or a second trash bag) for wet shoes.
- Emergency rain/cold layer: cut head + arm holes in a black kitchen garbage bag. If the weather forecast was wrong and you’re about to get much colder or wetter weather than the crew expected, wear this bag under your uniform shirt.
- Travel size sunscreen, bug repellent, and shampoo in a resealable bag (prevents spills on your gear). Early season games are still sunny at kickoff and insects can ruin your focus. If your host institution offers a locker room with a shower, take advantage and drive home clean. Your vehicle (and your significant other) will thank you.
- Extra battery for your timer and/or stopwatch. Extra charger if you’re using your smart watch as either or both.
- If your association promotes Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, there are pink accessories available – whistles and lanyards, down indicators, sweat bands (wrist), penalty flags, bean bags, even pink piping on black caps. Coordinate with your crew so that you match as closely as possible.
One last thing
Good gear won’t make you a great official. But the wrong gear will absolutely make your job harder.
If you want the short version: start with the essentials, confirm your local spec, then level up one piece at a time as your schedule grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with the essentials: striped shirt your association uses, black shorts, cap, whistles (with a backup), two flags, down indicator, scorecard/pencil, bean bag(s), belt, black socks, and mostly-black shoes. Confirm stripe width and bean bag color with your association before you buy.
High school usually tightens the spec: state-required shirt and pants with the correct outseam stripe, sometimes even a state logo requirement. The accessories are basically the same — just less room for “close enough.”
Not always on day one. It depends on your crew size and mechanics. In some systems the Referee handles it (4-man), in others the Back Judge / Field Judge does. If you’re not assigned that responsibility yet, don’t buy it first. If you have a smartwatch, there are free apps to handle the play clock, too.
In a lot of places now — yes. Radios are becoming standard for varsity, and some associations require a specific model/spec. Don’t guess. Ask your association what they use, and make sure the clock operator is covered, too.
Shirt stays and compression gear (shorts or tights). They’re not flashy, but they solve the problems that actually distract you during a game: staying tucked, chafing, and cold/wet weather discomfort.