What Goalkeeper Gloves Should YOU use?
Goalkeeper gloves can be very hard to pick out and select if you are a new keeper or you simply just don’t know. I will outline how to pick out an awesome pair that will serve you well. When you look at pro Goalkeepers, have you ever asked yourself, Why do their gloves always look so brand new? Its very simple, professionals use a new pair of gloves every single match they play in. These gloves then become their practice gloves or I’m sure, like field players trade jerseys, goalkeepers trade gloves. While most of us are not professionals, we must know how to find our gloves and make them last.
When selecting gloves always make sure they fit. Also, a key point to remember is that, every single brand of gloves has a slightly different size. Try going to a local store and trying on all the different brands of gloves they have. Most likely it will be the same regardless of the brand, but you never know.
Now obviously the more expensive a glove, the better quality, texture, and the longer it will last. But the main thing to remember is that the gloves do not make a keeper do different things. Dida would play the same in a set of $10 gloves as he would in a set of $100 gloves. Some obvious choices of good gloves are the following brands: Sells, Sondico, select pairs of Adidas, and many others. My recommendations are the Adidas Fingertips for practice and a brand of sells for games.
How Many?
I have about 4 sets of gloves at a given time, while all my gloves that I have ever worn are ready to play any day of my life because I always keep them up-which I will explain how to next-it is very important to have at least 2 gloves. Remember 2 for practice, 2 for games. I start off like this, I buy 2-3 pairs of gloves at a time. The first set is the one that I want for practice. With the first set, I wear them to practice, these are my practice gloves. My game gloves are only worn at games, repeat: only games. The 3rd and 4th set are to sit in a cool, dry place to wait.
Glove Care:
I have seen a lot of keepers and experienced adult keepers treat their gloves like toilet paper. They are very dirty. Remember, the dirty spots that are on your foam=no more foam. The foam will come off the gloves. After practice or games maybe one to two if each competition, wash your gloves.
1. Put your gloves on and run under warm water.
2. First let the water come into the gloves and then start, very gently, caressing the dirty spots off the gloves.
3. With a little, tiny bit of dish soap, wash your gloves like you would your hands.
Let them dry and now you are ready to play. If you follow these simple steps for glove care they should last you a very long time.
All My Gloves
Like I said before, all my gloves that I have ever owned are ready to play for me any day. This is because I care for them very well. All my gloves are clean and ready to go, while they are not brand new, they work very well still.
Final Note:
I saved this last bit of information for the end because I don’t personally believe in it. While many people and companies will try to entice you with “finger-saving” gloves, I don’t like them. When they first came out, they were all the rage. I admit, I bought a few pairs. Honestly, people and I myself have still sprained fingers, some people I know have broken their fingers. They don’t “save” them. Honestly if you catch the ball good or you repel it with your palms or box, it won’t be a problem. They are a nuisance and annoy me whenever I wear them. If they do float your boat, then by all means, wear them.
One last thing: If anybody reading this is interested, the Sondico Interior Fit glove is the best glove on the face of this planet. I had the opportunity of buying this glove before it was discontinued but chose instead not to. I regret this move, but many people have told me they are only gloves. If you are in Europe, or in fact own a brand new pair, please feel free to contact me about selling them to me.
Posted on October 5th, 2007 |
Filed under: Fukushima
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article What Goalkeeper Gloves Should YOU use?, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
Daniel: Sorry my intention was to outline what gloves a keeper should use but I didn’t want to sound like I was advertising all my favorite gloves. And I didnt want to seem like–”if you dont use these gloves, you will be bad”..
If you need help, just comment me back and ill be glad to help you out. I own a pair of just about every glove company out there or have tested them.
Daniel: I thought about your question some more:;
When selecting gloves:
1. Make sure they fit good
2. Make sure they are comfortable
3. If there is any reason or intuition in your mind that these wont work, return or dont buy them.–The reasoning behind what I just said is that, the problems will only escalate and become more and more apparent.
4. Good grip, Good wrist support.
5. Ill list some good ones for training/ practice: Adidas Fingertip(50), Sondico Wrap Supa(30-40), cheaper Sells gloves(30-50),
Matches/ games: Sells Contour(80-100), Sondico Interior Fit(If you can find them), Sells gloves, Sondico gloves, select Reusch,
When you say the gloves should fit good, I actually like to buy mine one size a little too large. I like to feel a little extra room at my finger tips.
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thanks for the infomation,
i have a pair of adidias goalkeeper gloves which i brought for £20…they have lasted me about 6 months! i really cant belive it, no foam has come off, no stiching, no nothing! they look the same as when i first pulled them out the packet!
just goes to show how looking after them, makes them last.
i would also like to recommend…i brought a pair of Pro Touch gloves. they are really a great make, and again i got them for £20!!! they have lasted me about 2 months, and still has alot of life left in them!
anyway..thanks for the infomation above!
Uhhh i have a question thats not about gloves but about a proper goalkeeper warm up. If its not too much trouble could you give me what kind of warm up keepers should do especially streching. Thanx
Wow! Its been a long time since I have responded. Ok here we go.
Andrew: When I step into goal, I do a few things. First off is warming up my body. I have had shoulder issues in the past so I start by doing circles w/ my shoulders and then start swinging them more and more. Crack my neck and my back using the goal post.
Next, I stretch my back and abs…this is going to be hard to explain, i’ll try my best. Get a ball. Lean back and let the ball drop through your legs. Do this until your back and abs are good.
Next is leg stretches. Quads, flamingos. Bend down touch your toes…if you can try to place your palms on the ground…Do Not do this if you can not however. You might over stretch something.
Get on the ground, put your leg back and lean back. Switch.
Finally, after a good round of stretches. Get going. Here’s how to get ready to play goal.
To start off, all were doing and looking for is to get our hands going. Just have somebody first through the ball to you. Tell them to increase harder and harder into they must kick the ball…also increase this as hard as possible. Practice everything here…
1. clean catch
2. let it in to your stomach…so collapse.
3. front smother: if the ball is low or on the ground…front smother it…good former and technique should be applied…”K Save”
4. Parry
5. Air Handling: If the ball is thrown up, practice getting in the air, calling “Keeper!”, and getting a knee up.
After that, get a couple shots of collapse dives, then extension dives.
After that, were looking at a couple more things.
Go to each post, take a couple of warm-up shots from each side. Then real shots.
Do crosses. 1v1’s, but light…not intense…nobody needs to get hurt in the warm-up.
Finally, get some good shots in from your teammates. This will prepare you.
Dean: Different keepers have different preferences however, do not get them to big. You do not want your hands sliding around in there…it can mess up your handling. However, some space in the finger tips is generally deemed ok.
A general rule of thumb for anything but especially soccer, if thats what makes you comfortable then do it. You will play the best comfortably and the worst when uncomfortably.
hey jason looking at your warmup,i think its great, but, now if you raise your knee when you jump,if a player is nearby, you have a very big chance of being red carded.
i just got the adidas FS cup durable gloves.i didnt really want the finger saves,but my coach will not let me play now without them,as i have a history of hundreds of jammed fingers and ive broke my pinkie 6 times,and like 4 other fingers.and at first they were real stiff, but now i dont relize theyre there after 3 practices
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I have a question… I totally agree about finger saves, but I am a woman and my hands are super small. Do you know of any spineless gloves that are good and run in size 6 and up but are not junior gloves? If you do not, that is alright. I am just very desperate and have had trouble with this for years.
This is in response to Abby Gahm’s comment;
I have never in my life seen a goalkeeper carded for going up for a ball. Putting your knee up may not only help your leap but it is for protection. Your not trying to hurt people. When you jump vertically with your arms extended straight up you are in a very vulnerable position to oncoming attackers.. Trust me, I’ve had my share of bloody collisions. The knee is there so that you can protect protect yourself. If and attacker jumps into it or it hits an attacker then so be it. As far as I’m concerned, my health and protection is placed above one of an attacker who would love to see me on the ground while the ball is loose in the box.
Steve