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If you are an athlete, then you already understand the importance of selecting your playing equipment carefully. When you use high-quality equipment uniquely designed for excellent performance, the difference is clear. High-quality equipment is mostly defined by the materials used in manufacturing that equipment and how well it fits your gameplay. If you are a softballer, one of the necessary playing equipment you would eventually have to pick out is your softball glove. When picking out your softball glove, it is important to know what works and what doesn’t. Cheap doesn’t always necessarily mean better, and you should spend good money to get the best product you can find. Softball gloves are usually made from one of two major materials; leather materials and synthetic materials. We would advise that you should always opt for the leather glove if you have to choose between a leather glove and a synthetic glove. We are going to explain both of these gloves and allow you to decide for yourself. Enjoy!
Leather Softball Gloves
If you are an experienced softball player or you plan to take softball seriously in the future, then you should opt for leather softball gloves. Leather softball gloves might be expensive, but they are designed with amazing features and benefits that help you perform better on the field.
Types of leather gloves
If you finally decide to opt for leather gloves, here are some amazing options you can decide to purchase.
- Full grain leather gloves
These gloves are made with cowhide which has not undergone any factory processing. This gives the glove a porous structure that forms around the player’s hand. These gloves will take longer to break-in.
- Steer hide leather gloves
If you want leather gloves uniquely built for durability, then you should opt for this product. These steer hide leather gloves are built with thick steer hide, which adds to the golf club’s overall weight and strength.
- Calfskin leather gloves
Another leather glove you can decide to opt for is the one manufactured with calfskin. This leather variation happens to be thinner and lighter than other types of leather. The glove is durable, breathable, and strong. They are also quite easy to break in.
- Kangaroo leather gloves
If you want gloves that will break in quickly, then you should opt for this product. This glove is designed for easy break-in and is uniquely built for strength. One drawback of this leather glove is that it doesn’t last as long as the others.
- Pigskin leather gloves
If you have a young budding softball player under your care and you don’t want him/her to use sub-standard equipment, you should opt for a pigskin glove. Pigskin gloves are generally lighter than other leather gloves.
Attributes of leather gloves
- Durability
These softball leather gloves are uniquely designed to last for a long period. If you care for them, you would not need to buy another one for a few years.
- Feel
After you use your leather gloves for some time, they get broken in and become soft and pliable. This aids in the general feel of the glove, and you can easily wrap your hand around the softball.
- Affordability
Leather gloves are quite expensive. If you want to buy one, then make sure your budget is perfectly aligned for the purchase.
Synthetic Softball Gloves
Synthetic softball gloves are manufactured from human-made materials, and they are plastic gloves. These gloves are mainly for people who play softball once in a while for fun. Competitive softball players don’t usually opt for this product. We have outlined and explained some of the major attributes of softball gloves.
Attributes of synthetic gloves
- Feel
Synthetic gloves have a stiff structure, and they remain slick till they get damaged. This means they are not pliable, and you can’t break them in even after you have used them for a long period. When you catch your ball with this glove, it isn’t easy to retain the catch because of the slickness of the glove.
- Durability
Synthetic gloves are designed for people that don’t play softball regularly because they are not made to last long. The limited lifespan is due to the degrading of the stitching materials over time.
- Affordability
One good feature of synthetic softball gloves is that they are affordable, and you can buy them multiple times. However, your performance on the field is greatly reduced because of the quality of the equipment.
Conclusion
If you are serious about becoming a softball player, you should always choose to purchase high-quality equipment. The choice of a softball glove will greatly impact your performance on the field, and you should buy a good product regardless of the cost. In this article, we have shown you two softball gloves available on the market. We advise that you opt for a leather glove if you want long-term benefits. However, if you are on a tight budget, a synthetic glove will also serve you well. Cheers!