Goalkeeper gloves add a layer of protection to prevent cuts, severe bruises and sport-related injuries. Some gloves focus on enhancing the goalkeepers’ grip, while others offer more protection so it’s important that you know your needs before you begin shopping.
Regardless of your needs, though, the best gloves are made from high-quality materials that work well in all weather conditions keeping the hands cool, dry, and comfortable.
What to Look for When Buying Goalkeeper Gloves
There are 3 key metrics to evaluate your goalkeeper gloves by – performance, comfort and value.
Let’s break them down further.
Performance
The performance of the gloves depends on the materials used in manufacturing them. Two features to look out for include:
- Glove Latex Types: You shouldn’t compromise the latex quality as this influences how much control and grip you’ll have over the ball.
- Goalkeeper Glove Cuts: This refers to how the backhand and latex have been stitched together. It’s important to find a cut that best fits your hand as it will improve your comfort and flexibility when catching the ball.
The right cut and fit are essential. It defines the amount of space in the fingers and backhand allowing better grip and control. Naturally, goalkeepers with lean or wide hands will require different cuts so it’s a good idea to test a few styles to figure out which one improves your game.
Comfort
Goalkeepers tend to favour premium brands with softer and more padding. But, sometimes these brands don’t give you the perfect size. Watch YouTube review videos, try out friends’ gloves and check product comments until you find a great fit.
Value
Naturally, you’ll want to avoid low-quality flat cuts made from cheap material. But, you should also beware of simply choosing the most expensive pair of gloves as they might not be best for you. Getting value from your goalkeeper gloves involves finding high-quality materials at a reasonable price rather than choosing the cheapest or most expensive pair.
Types of Goalkeeper Gloves
Many goalkeepers have two sets of gloves. One that is used for practice and the other for the main game. Inexpensive, longer-lasting gloves are best for practice, while your better, high-performance pair should be saved for real games where every moment counts.
Caring for the Gloves
Adequate care and maintenance are necessary to extend the life of goalkeeper gloves. Periodic washing can preserve the natural latex foam used in making the palm and finger areas of the gloves. But, since it’s made from latex, you can expect degradation after some time.
To extend the life of your gloves make sure to use latex-friendly detergents when cleaning. You can find glove wash solutions in many sports shops such as Lastline. It’s recommended to wash game gloves after each game while training gloves should be washed after every two to three sessions. Minor repairs can also extend the lifespan of your gloves.
