You’ve just purchased a brand new, high-end, pair of goalkeeper gloves. Now, how do you get the most out of your goalie gloves? Today we are going to take you through proper sizing as well as daily care of your new pair of goalkeeper gloves!
To most keepers, gloves are just as important as cleats. Not only do they protect your hands during play, but they also make it easier to grip the ball during a match. In order for goalkeeper gloves to remain effective, they do not only need to fit perfectly but also be well maintained.
Here are a few of our tips to help you maximize the lifespan and grip of your favorite Renegade GK gloves ensuring you are able to perform at your best level each time you hit the pitch.
1. Know your glove size and fit. Getting the fit right is tremendously important, a correctly fitting glove means more comfort, confidence, and the most natural contact with the ball during catching. If gloves are too big or small it will not only affect your performance but also expedite the wear and tear of the gloves.
To ensure you order the correct glove size, check out our sizing chart which will help you find the right size in any of our Renegade GK gloves. Remember, gloves with the term negative in the description often feel tighter on your hands. Gloves that have the term flat in the descriptions feel a bit looser on your hands. Two critical aspects to consider before purchasing.
2. Keep them clean. Every week we suggest you wash your gloves with lukewarm water before drying them naturally away from strong sources of heat. The dirtier the palms become, the less grip they will provide due to the build-up of sweat, dirt, and bacteria in the latex. This contamination build-up occurs on all gloves, especially on the latex in the fingers and palms which will begin to wear much quicker if not properly maintained.
Check out this great video on how to properly wash your goalkeeper gloves:
3. Dry your gloves - but not all the way. It’s very important that you dry your goalie gloves properly. Truthfully, we suggest with high-end latex, especially that which you can find on gloves suitable for wet conditions that you do not every fully allow the gloves to become dry. There is a fine balance between what we know is the smell associated with wet keeper gloves but the impact a dry pair of gloves actually has on its performance and life.
You will find that if you allow gloves to fully dry that often times they will rip over time. This can be avoided by simply ensuring you give the glove a light dousing of water prior to playing. This is just so that the latex on the palms livens up a bit and the integrity of the material becomes more pliable and soft.
4. Storage for your goalie gloves. Storing wet gloves for more than a day without a proper cleaning will make them smell, and start the growth of bacteria in the gloves. We suggest you never place gloves with the palms facing each other since the latex on each palm will stick together and ultimately rip when being pulled apart for your next session. This also includes properly storing the gloves in your glove bag. Try your best to never allow the gloves to be stored with the palms together. The latex does need to breathe and though one of the best ways to store them is by using a glove bag you must make sure that you provide a way to dry them naturally without the palms facing each other. Many glove bags come with two separate sides to separate the gloves by hand which is a great solution to proper storage techniques.
Giving your favorite Renegade GK gloves some TLC will help them last longer and help you perform better in goal.
