Compiling and putting together a best baseball gloves list is not an easy task at all. Just like with baseball bats, there is no one size fits all when it comes to choosing a glove. It is one of the most important pieces of equipment used in the game of baseball. Not only does it protect your hands but it also increases your ability to catch and field balls during the course of a game. Now as you very well know, gloves have been around for a very long time. Since the 19th century to be exact.
Since then they have come a mighty long ways. Companies have developed patented technology used to make their gloves perform better than others in the market. Because of the plethora of options it can sometimes be very difficult to find the right one. But don’t worry because I am here to help. With this quick baseball buying guide I am going to go over 5 very important factors you should consider when buying the best baseball glove possible:
- What Type Of Material Do You Want?
- What Web Style Do You Want?
- What Type Of Backing Do You Want?
- What Field Position Do You Play?
- What Size Should You Get?
Material: A quality model will be made from leather. However, there are a variety of different alternatives you can choose from. There are three main materials used to create the best baseball gloves: Synthetic leather, oil treated leather and premium leather. Synthetic leather is great for younger players as it is very affordable and does not require a great deal of break in time. However, the one big problem is synthetic leather does not conform to the player’s hand like other materials do. Oil treated leather is leather that has been pre treated with oils. This softens up the leather and makes it easier to break them in. The last material gloves can be made of is premium leather. Those made with premium leather are not cheap. While premium leather does take a long time to break it, it will eventually conform to your hand.
Web Style: There are two primary web styles. Open and closed. Open web is great for infielders as it allows dirt to easily fall through the glove. It prevents the infielder from scooping up a hand full of dirt while trying to get the ball. Pitchers usually prefer closed web as it helps them better conceal the type of pitch they are about to throw. Outfielders also like the closed web as it helps them block the sun when chasing down fly balls.
Backing: The backing is the part of the glove that rests on the back on your hand. It can either be opened or closed. An open back is more flexible and is preferred by infielders and catchers. Closed back is preferred by outfielders and first basemen as it helps stabilize the wrist.
Position Consideration: There are 5 main positions in the game of baseball. Catcher, first baseman, infielder, pitcher and outfield. The type of model you choose to purchase will ultimately depend on the position you play. These days many are made for specific positions. Each will have a specific design and a certain set of qualities for that position. So its always a good idea to look for ones designed for your position.
Sizing consideration: Baseball gloves come in a variety of different sizes and can accommodate just about any hand size. To get the right size you will need to measure your hand or have it measured by someone at a sports store. To properly measure your hand you will go from the highest point on your index finger to the heel of your hand. Always use a flexible measuring tape to measure your hand. Typical sizes range from 9 inches all the way up to 12.5 inches.
We hope you have enjoyed looking at what we feel are the best baseball gloves around for the 2015 season. We hope that you will bookmark this page, and share with your friends as well. It will be updated for the 2015 season as well!
