Soccer Gloves


What to Keep in Mind When Buying Soccer Gloves

The right pair of Soccer Gloves can make or break your game.  With the wide selection of soccer gloves available and with the help of internet technology, getting the right fit and the right design for your needs and your position is not a difficult task.  Here are the 5 important things to consider when buying soccer gloves:

  • Position
  • Training vs. Competition
  • Special Features
  • Cut
  • Fit

Soccer gloves are a must for soccer players, whatever the position they may be playing.  Durability and performance are very important considerations if you are a serious athlete.  When buying soccer gloves, here are some of the considerations you need to keep in mind:

Position

Are you a goalie or a field player?  Despite popular notions, goalies are not the only soccer players who need soccer gloves when playing.

The most common type of soccer gloves available in the market is the goalie soccer gloves and they are the ones with the most features.  Since goalies are the ones deflecting soccer balls going at very high speeds, they need the most protection for their delicate bones, tendons, and muscles.

For the Goalie

Goalie gloves need to allow the free circulation of blood and air in the hands while providing extra protection for the thumb, finger, and wrist.  One example of soccer gloves that allows greater flexibility and gives extra protection is the Sondico Pro Tech Soccer Gloves, which features HyperPro Tech non-removable finger braces and Giga Grip German 3.5 mm latex palm.

For the field Players

Field players, on the other hand, also need soccer gloves to keep their hands warm on or off the field.  With the likes of Adidas Field player Soccer Gloves and Uhlsport Soccer Field Players Glove, playing in cold weather is not a problem.

Training Vs Competition

There are also soccer gloves that are most suitable when training and there are those that are best suited for competitions.  If you are just into soccer for recreation, it would be okay to buy cheap soccer gloves.

Soccer Gloves for Training

Soccer GlovesWhen practicing or training, the chances of injuries are lesser vis-à-vis competitions.  Lightweight and flat soccer gloves like the Adidas Response Training GK soccer glove and the Nike Classic Soccer Goalkeeper Gloves are more advisable for practice or training sessions.

Soccer gloves like the Reusch Endurance Soccer Goalie Gloves, Adidas F50 Training Keeper Gloves, Puma Esito Latex Soccer Keeper Gloves, or the Primo Durasport GK ORG Practice GK Gloves are also ideal for training.

 

Soccer Gloves for Competitions

If you are playing in a competition, then you should look for soccer gloves that are durable and with the special features that you need.  For competitions or intense matches, soccer gloves that are hard-shelled and with a curved design protect the hands from hyper extension and give additional support.
The Nike T90 Confidence Glove features Nike’s pre-curved Bio-Align technology that helps reduce stress and positions the hand to be ready to deflect the ball.  The Sondico Pro Tech Soccer Keeper Gloves, on the other hand, has a padding of rubber latex that keeps the hand well protected especially during intense games.

SPECIAL FEATURES

There are certain special features that soccer players look for in soccer gloves.  Soccer glove brands have developed their respective technologies to give rise to features unique to their brand.  Most soccer players give importance to the grip of the gloves and the presence of the Finger Save system.

Grip

Many soccer goalies look for gloves that have superior grip so many soccer gloves now feature textured fingers and used special materials to improve grip. The quality of the grip, more often than not, depends on the quality of the latex used.

The Nike GK Vapro Grip3 Goal Keeper Glove, Adidas Response Pro, Nike GK Gun Cut Glove, and the Uhlsport Accurate Absolute Grip Soccer Keeper Gloves are some of the fine examples of soccer gloves with excellent grip.

Finger Save

There are also goalkeepers who prefer gloves that are equipped with the Finger Save system.  These gloves have plastic inserts that can be fitted into the glove in order to provide protection and to prevent the hyper-extension of the fingers while saving goals.

Some examples of finger saver gloves are the Adidas Finger Save Replique Soccer Keeper Gloves, NIP VKM Finger Saver Soccer Goalie Goal Keeper Gloves 7, Umbro Stealth Goalie Soccer Gloves, and the Reebok RBK Finger Save Soccer Goalie Gloves.

CUT

There are many kinds of cuts of the palm of soccer gloves that soccer players can choose from.  there are soccer players who certain kind of cut for their soccer gloves.

Surround Cut

One of these is the surround cut where the palm foams the backhand of the glove and envelops the hand’s outer side.  This kind of cut can be seen in Sells Goalkeeper Products Adhesion Plus Surround.

Flat Palm Cut

The flat palm cut, characterized by perimeter seaming and big latex to ball contact area, is the most common cut among soccer gloves in the market today.  This can be seen in Reusch Endurance Soccer Goalie gloves.

Protect from Gunn Cut, Roll Index, Roll, and Negative Cuts by Soccer Gloves

The other cuts include the Gunn cut like in the Reusch Tor Elite, the Roll Index cut like in the Sondico Wrap Supa, the Negative cut like in Sell’s Adhesion Puls Profile, and the Roll cut like in the Sondico Pro Tech Roll Soccer Keeper Gloves.

FIT

When buying soccer gloves, it is crucial that you get the right fit.  Aside from missed balls, soccer gloves that are loose fitting can slip and may lead to certain injuries.  Very tight gloves, on the other hand, restrict hand movement and flexibility.

For optimum performance, the gloves must be snug fitting.  Aside from consulting size charts, it would be best to fit the Soccer Gloves first before buying them.