How to choose the perfect goalkeepers gloves for you

How to choose the perfect goalkeeper gloves for you

The first thing you need to do is ensure the gloves fit you correctly. You may think that tightly fitting goalkeepers gloves are best but generally the comfort levels are not as good as they could be. A larger glove will allow more air in while you’re wearing them which won’t provide you with enough security when handling the ball.

Finger support is very important. One aspect that keeps the top manufacturers busy is safety and the protection of the fingers from the ball. A lot of injury to goal keepers will come from damaged fingers when the gloves they are wearing haven’t given them the right form of support from injury. Broken fingers and damaged hands can be a common occurrence when a goal keeper hasn’t got a sufficient amount of protection

I’ve never really been a big fan of finger support systems (I’m a bit outdated and old school), but the technology has its merit and you should look to manufacturers like Adidas and others whom have pioneered the technology. Their gloves go through thorough testing to ensure that while the gloves provide security, they also provide support and flexibility which is obviously needed for a goal keeper to do his job properly.

A lot of goal keepers will tell you that you need a glove that is one size bigger than what you are used to. This is because the hand will need space to breath and the materials that compose the glove will loosen or tighten depending on the weather conditions and the heat. Tighter fitting gloves give fantastic feel but they don’t always provide you with the right levels of comfort.

If you are wondering what material your gloves should be made from then think latex as it is known as a fantastic all weather material that can withstand and cope with many of the world’s different environments. It is versatile which means that you can cover all your bases with how and where you play. Latex will give you a glove that can adapt to the environment you are in and withstand all terrains.

Size and material are one thing, but you need to make sure that the gloves you wear are comfortable and don’t irritate. The materials need to be hard wearing but also durable as well as breathable to let in and out air. Any glove with good ventilation is a glove that you want to be wearing. If it has good ventilation, provides a required amount of stability and it has some fantastic shock absorption then you’re on to a real winner. Latex comes from all over the planet and many manufacturers utilize this by producing excellent quality gloves.

Latex comes in many different grades of thickness that can be anywhere between 3-4mm. The thickness of glove you choose is all relevant to the type of feel you require when handling the ball, this combined with a hopefully correct experience with handling the ball in a way that allows you to absorb the power of it when it’s coming at you means that you should consider and choose a latex thickness that is both comfortable and can provide you with the most shock absorption possible.