Whether you are a professional or a young baseball player, gloves are important gear you must have. They are designed to give your hands maximum support, comfort, and protection against blisters. When compared to other types of gloves, baseball gloves are more expensive.
But why are baseball gloves so expensive? In this article, we have compiled a detailed guide with important facts you should know about baseball gloves. You will also learn why these are more expensive than other gloves.
How much does a good baseball cost?
The price of a baseball glove varies according to the brand, durability, and the material used in its construction. The best baseball gloves cost from $120 to $300. These have better construction than others, meaning that they are very durable.
Those that are made of synthetic leather are the cheapest and are likely to cost from $35 to $100. Compared to professional gloves, these are easy to ruin since they are not very strong.
Do baseball gloves make a difference?
Yes, good baseball gloves are very important for every baseball player. They provide comfort and excellent grip on the ball during play. Most of them have a soft interior padding to keep you warm and enhance comfort.
The interior padding also helps to absorb sweat and this keeps your hands dry for a better grip. The padding also prevents stinging when you are catching the ball.
What makes a baseball glove good?
There are many baseball gloves on the market but, sadly, not all of them will give you value for your money. If you want to know the quality of a baseball glove you’re considering, you should check the following:
- Materials – The first thing you need to check is the material used to make the glove. It should be made of durable materials such as full-grain, synthetic, or kip leather.
- Overall construction – Baseball gloves contain various parts including the bridge, fingers, heel pad, palm, pockets, and the web. You need to examine all these parts carefully to ensure that they are all well designed.
- Fit – Before you pick any baseball glove, make sure that it fits you perfectly. Take your hand measurements and then compare them with the available sizes. Gloves that don’t fit correctly are unsafe and they can easily lead to accidents when playing. Again, you won’t be able to play well when the glove is too big or too small.
Why do batters wear gloves?
Most batting gloves feature a leather palm and nylon or synthetic leather at the back.
Since they are designed to cover the whole hand, they provide comfort and warmth, and they also prevent blisters. Besides that, they offer excellent shock absorption and an excellent grip. With a good pair of gloves, batters can make more successful hits.
Do expensive baseball gloves make a difference?
Without a doubt, expensive baseball gloves are worth it since they have a more rugged construction than cheaper ones. They also come with special features that enable them to offer better performance. They should be very comfortable, durable, and warm. Rawlings Pro Preferred Baseball Gloves are among the most expensive baseball gloves on the market.
Should kids use batting gloves?
Batting gloves are very important, even for kids, because they protect the hands during play. They provide a protective layer between the hand and the bat, which safeguards the kid from blisters.
They also offer them the comfort and support required when they are in the game. Again, this means gloves give your kid a better grip on the bat, which enhances bat control.
How do professional baseball players break in their gloves?
Since baseball gloves are made of leather, they are very stiff and hard when they are unused. This means that you need to soften them by making them more flexible.
The best way of breaking in new baseball gloves is to put them in a hot oven for a few minutes. After this, try to spread the fingers until they are flexible enough. When using this method, prevent damage by avoiding very high temperatures.
Are all baseball gloves leather?
Baseball gloves are made of 4 types of leather, which include:
- Full-grain leather – These are the most durable gloves since they are made of natural-grain cowhide or steer hide leather. They are very stiff and heavier than those made of other types of leather. This means that they provide better performance than the rest. Due to their rugged construction, their price is a bit high.
- Kip leather – Kip leather is a luxurious and soft type of leather normally made from the hide of young cows. Due to this, it is thinner, softer, and more lightweight than regular cowhide. Gloves made of kip leather are the best for professional baseball players, where quick hands are required.
- Premium steer hide – Premium steer hide is sturdier than cowhide, meaning that these gloves are heavy and stiff. This material is extracted from the back shoulder of mature steers. These require longer break-in periods, but the major advantage of these gloves is that they are extremely durable due to their tough construction.
- Cowhide or leather – Cowhide gloves are the best for young players because they are not very heavy. They provide quick break-in periods but wear out easily since they are not very strong. Most of them come pre-oiled to minimize break-in time.
What is the difference between a baseball glove and a softball glove?
Baseball and softball games are very similar and the required gear is almost the same for both. But, unlike baseball, softball requires a larger ball and a smaller field. Initially, it was referred to as indoor baseball. Just like baseball gloves, softball gloves are also made of leather.
They also come in different sizes to suit the position of different players on the field. Some of the major differences between baseball and softball gloves are:
- Size – In terms of design, baseball gloves have a shorter length of 11.25 to 13 inches, while softball gloves have a measurement of 11.5 to 15 inches.
- Pockets – The pockets of softball gloves are deeper and wider than those of baseball gloves. Besides that, softball gloves have a larger web than baseball gloves.
- Closure – In most cases, baseball gloves don’t have a closure behind the glove while softball gloves feature a hook-and-loop closure at the back. This makes them very easy to adjust to enhance comfort.
What is the difference between a baseball mitt and a glove?
Most people confuse baseball gloves with mitts probably because they are used almost for the same purposes. However, baseball mitts are open, meaning that they do not have the fingers section.
On the other hand, baseball gloves are complete, which means that they offer better protection for your hands. Mitts provide better control of balls that do not hit the pocket. Catcher and the first base are the only positions where you can use baseball mitts.
Conclusion: Why are baseball gloves so expensive?
If you compare the price of baseball gloves to that of other types of gloves, you will find that they are more expensive. The most expensive baseball glove has a unique design with special features.
They are also made of durable leather material, meaning that they last longer. Indeed, you can still find cheaper alternatives, but those might not last for many years. The cheaper ones break down easily since their materials are not very strong.
