Baseball Gloves
Through the years,
sporting goods, with baseball gloves you get what you pay for.
@tableOfContents(omitlevel1)
Making The Right Choice
Your choice of glove should depend on a few things. Take into consideration your own ability as a player, how often the glove will be used, and the level of competition you will be playing at. If you are the parent of a child who is new to game, their is no need to spend $200 on a glove that is probably better suited for a high school or college ballplayer. You might be better off buying a glove that costs somewhere between
$25 and $75 and seeing if your child takes to the game. If you do play competitive baseball, you probably have an idea of your needs as a player. This guide may further assist your decision.
Glove Sizes
Gloves for adults generally range in size from 10 to 13 inches. Different positions require different glove sizes.
Children's gloves generally range in size from 8 to 12 inches, are not as position specific and comfort should be emphasized most. A child might be wearing a glove not neccesarily ideal for his or her position, but if they are comfortable, keeping the same glove is probably a safe bet.
Gloves By Position
Major Brands
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Mizuno''': Mizuno provides gloves of all shapes and sizes for players of any ability and/or price range.
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Rawlings''': Rawlings is a well known and respected company. They have "player series" Gloves for youths that cost as little as $24.99 and "Pro Preferred Gloves" for advanced ballplayers that can cost more than $250.
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Wilson''': Wilson has been manufacturing gloves since 1922 and is now considered to be one of the premier suppliers for major league gloves. They have 13 different lines of gloves to choose from (5 youth, 8 adult) that can cost as must as $300 and as little as $15.
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Nike''': Baseball gloves are a recent addition to the Nike sporting line and at this point they offer only 2 series of gloves. The "SDR" series gloves generally cost anywhere between $60 and $100 while the "Pro Gold" series gloves are slightly more expensive.
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Akadema''': Akadema has been around for less than a decade, but since its inception it has provided a variety of gloves for youths and adults. Prices are reasonable, while quality remains high. Youth gloves can cost as little as $40, while adult gloves rarely exceed $175.
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Louisville Slugger''': Louisville Slugger is renowned for their superior baseball bat design, but they also have recently manufactured some high quality makes of gloves. You can find some of their youth designs as cheap as $40, while some of their more expensive gloves are in the $150 price range.
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Easton''': Easton provide a wide variety of gloves for the novice ballplayer. They have adult gloves that cost under $40, and youth gloves that cost under $20.
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Glovesmith''': With over 50 models and a price range of $19 to $320, Glovesmith can provide a glove for anyone.
Tips for Breaking in Your New Glove
* Work in the padding: use both hands to grab the heel of the glove and twist it back and forth. Do the same for the fingers and the thumb of the gloves
* Buy some
glove conditioning oil. Rub the oil into the inside of the glove a handful of times, spaced out periodically (wait a couple of days between each application). This will soften the glove and decrease the tension within the frame.
* When the glove is not in use, place a
baseball in the pocket and wrap a rubber band around the outside of the glove. This will allow the ball to adjust to the shape of the glove more easily.
* Play catch as frequently as possibly. Throw a ball into your glove repeatedly if you cannot find someone to play catch with. The more times a baseball hits that leather, the quicker your glove will break in.
Glove Maintenance
* When not in use, try to store the glove in a cool, dry place. This is especially important for the off-season, when your glove might not receive use for a few months at a time.
* If your glove becomes wet or damp, use a towel to dry it. Do not put it in the oven or microwave. Also, never place your glove on top of a heater as it will most likely dry out the leather.
* Keep the laces of your glove tight at all times. The more you let them loosen, the more damage gets done to the overall frame of the glove.
* Avoid over-oiling your glove. Once you have oiled a new glove a handful of times, you should not oil it more than once or twice a season.
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