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How to Choose the Perfect Goalie Gloves?

How to Choose the Perfect Goalie Gloves?

The Christmas season has arrived, and the challenge of buying the right gifts for everyone is on. One of the best gifts for football goalkeepers is high-quality goalie gloves. However, finding the perfect gloves that would please even professional athletes isn’t simple.

Here, we’ll explain how to choose the perfect goalie gloves for any football player.

Types of Goalie Gloves

Gloves are an essential part of equipment for any football player, but most athletes don’t use the same pair of gloves daily. Goalie gloves differ by use. For instance, match goalie gloves are dedicated specifically to professional players participating in competitive games. They tend to be the most expensive goalie glove type, complying with the highest industry quality standards.

Choosing training goalie gloves is easier than match gloves. Competitive athletes place great importance even on minor details that often get neglected by non-professionals. A flawless fit is critical for performance, so it’s best to let athletes pick their match gloves themselves. Training gloves are meant for practicing needs and should be changed more often. For this reason, they tend to be more durable and cost less.

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If rain or snow are common in your region, weather goalie gloves are the perfect gift option. Such gloves are only worn occasionally but can be life-saving during winter training. They often feature a latex coating for a better grip in wet weather.

Construction

Understanding the goalie glove construction is critical for picking the right option. Goalie gloves consist of four components – the backhand, palm, closure, and fingers. Each of these components must comply with specific standards.

The backhand protects the keeper’s hand when punching. The thicker the material, the more protection it provides. The palm is used to catch the ball. Therefore, the material should be flexible enough to allow for sufficient hand movement.

The closure ensures that the glove remains in place during a heated match or training session. Bear in mind that even the most secure closure must be comfortable.

Last but not least, fingers are the most important part of a glove. The material and cut of the fingers determine how successfully a player can catch the ball. However, finger injuries are also among the most common in football, so the glove material must provide a certain degree of protection.

Goalie gloves may come with or without finger spines. That’s a protective plastic element inserted in the backhand material. Segmented finger spines help to prevent hyperextension of the fingers. Flexible finger spines bend better than segmented spines and are shock-resistant.

Glove Cut

Goalie gloves differ by cut. Flat gloves are the most common type, made from a single-piece material and featuring a boxy look. They have a looser fit than other cuts, allowing for more finger movement. Rolled or gunn cut gloves have rolled finger construction for a tighter fit.

Negative-cut gloves have seams on the outside rather than on the inside. They have a tight fit and offer more control over the ball. Hybrid-cut gloves combine the characteristics of any of these three types.

Find the Right Size

How comfortable the goalie gloves are depends on the material, cut, and size. While you can see the material and the cut of gloves in-store, choosing the right size is a tricky task. Thankfully, it isn’t impossible – all you need to do is follow a few tips.

To find out the necessary glove size, you must take measurements of the widest part of the hand in inches. Then, round up the measurement to the closest whole number, and add 1. For instance, if the hand is 6.8-inch wide, round it up to 7 and add 1. The required glove size is 8.

Athlete’s Skill Level

The needs of athletes differ noticeably depending on their skill level. Each glove type is better suited to specific players. Goalie gloves for beginner players may feature four-finger spines or not have them at all. A roll thumb isn’t necessary either, and a flat cut is the most suitable construction.

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Elite players should choose gloves with five-finger spines and a flat cut. Durability is extremely important, as intermediate-level athletes tend to train a lot. Finger spines are the most important for professional athletes. The best glove cut for pro players is flat-hybrid or negative.