How to Choose the Perfect Goalie Gloves?

Just like team practice, high quality accessories are equally important for the performance of a soccer team. Among all other accessories, goalkeeper gloves are of utmost importance for the defence of any soccer’s team as it gives the goalkeeper the perfect grip to save the goal. These gloves not just improve the grip while cushioning the hand against any injury, but also help the goalkeeper to catch, block, and punch the ball.

Every different component of the best goalie gloves serves a different purpose and protects the hand of the goalie. Besides, the different variations available in the goalkeeper gloves help goalkeepers play in varied playing conditions. But before you step into the ground, dressed in your goalkeeper jersey, it is important to pick the right and best soccer goalie gloves. To help you with this, we have narrowed down some of the most critical aspects to consider while picking the best goalie gloves.

Table of Contents

How Do You Intend to Use Your Goalie Gloves?

Before you buy a pair of goalie gloves , it is important to figure out how you are planning to use them.

Casual Play:

If you love to play soccer occasionally with your friends in your backyard or neighbourhood park, then you need a pair of robust gloves, made from synthetic latex palms and durable foam.

Training Purpose:

If you plan on to play for a club and soccer training is a part of your daily routine, then you need a pair that can give your hands ample support. The gloves should have elasticated wrists and Velcro straps that can be fastened at wrists. Such kinds of gloves can easily adapt according to the shape of your hand. It has a preformed latex palm that helps you catch the ball easily comparatively to the other gloves.

Competitive Purpose:

Are you playing for a club or high level competitive soccer matches? If the answer is yes, then you require the best quality goalie gloves that give the highest palm grip for optimized ball grip. For such gloves, it is better to look for the one made from super soft latex with comfort foam. There are certain glove models which feature a double Velcro strap for maximum support on the wrist along with unique finger locking in order to protect the hand against the ball impact.

Now let’s discuss the construction of the goalie glove.

A goalie glove is comprised of four different parts that serve different purposes. These four parts are backhand, fingers, palm, and closure.

Backhand:

The glove of a soccer goalkeeper is highly padded to shield and protect the hand when it is in punching mode. The quality of the backhand padding depends on the price of the glove. Backhand padding for casual gloves, which are less expense, have just one layer of foam and as the price goes up for competition level soccer gloves, the backhand is cushioned with latex and 3D embossing.

Fingers:

For any soccer goalie, his/her fingers provide the greatest defence mechanism as they help in holding and grasping the ball. The goalie gloves have additional finger protection in the form of spines inside the fingers of the glove for the support. When the force is applied, the material grips the fingers hard, which ultimately prevents hyperextension and breaking finger bones when a goalie is catching a hard-hit soccer ball. The fit of fingers depends entirely on the goalie as some like stiffer gloves that gives control while others prefer a looser fit that gives more finger movement. Whatever your pick is, go for the ones that have flexible supports made from plastic as they prevent injuries and strains.

Palm:

Just like the other parts, the palm also helps in catching the ball and preventing the goal. The texture of this part is of two types: dimpled and smooth. Dimpled palm texture is the perfect pick during practice times. They come with a gripping agent which isn’t as strong as the formal match gloves but are way more durable, which makes them ideal for practice sessions. Smooth palms are perfect during matches. They feature a clinging agent that helps the defender/goalie grab the ball easily. But with time and multiple use, the agent tends to wear off, that’s why smooth palm gloves are used only in matches.

Closure:

The closure part of the glove secures the glove to the hand so that you can easily play the game. Usually, a closure is of three types: v-notch, bandage, and hook and loop. With V-notch closure, there is enough ventilation which keeps the hand dry, cool, and sweat free. Bandage closure is wrapped around the wrist, similar to a bandage, and provides the ultimate wrist support required during a match. Hook and loop closures have easy to adapt straps, made of elastic, which can be loosened or tightened accordingly.

Finding the Right Size Goalie Glove:

Now that you know about the different attributes of a goalie glove, it is the time to pick a size that fits you perfectly.

Get a measuring tape and measure the circumference of the widest part of your hand. Exclude the fingers while measuring. You can measure from the point where the pinky finger ends till above the thumb.