Consider the Position You Play

When you are picking out a pair of football gloves, you are going to want to think about what position you are playing first. This is because there are two categories of gloves each of which is specifically designed for where you play on the football field. If you play on the line, you are going to want to look for a pair of lineman gloves but if you a receiver, then you are going to want to look for receiver gloves. The differences between the two categories are significant so you will want to make sure that you get the right pair.

Gloves that are intended for linemen are thick and have a firm padding on the palms and backhand so that your hands are protected from impact. There may be reinforcement on the inside of the gloves so that your hands are protected from jamming, scrapes, and bruising. The wrist is also more heavily supported in linemen gloves so that you are less likely to experience a sprain and finger area has a more rigid frame to prevent the fingers from bending backward. The palm will have little to no tackiness. The lineman gloves are made out of materials that consist of heavier and more durable material, specifically designed to withstand more abuse.

Receiver gloves are intended for receivers and running backs. They are specifically designed for ball control. This style of glove is much tackier than the lineman style, they have extended tack from the palms and fingers and up to the thumb for increased grip on the football. This will help to keep you from dropping a pass or fumbling the ball when you have it in your possession. The back of the hands also has some thin padding to help protect your hands from shock and impact while still making them lightweight. Overall this style of glove is designed to be flexible and breathable. Since these gloves are so different, you are going to want to make sure that you get the proper pair for the position that you are playing.

Fit

When you are picking out a pair of gloves, you have to make sure that they have the proper fit. The proper fit for gloves will be a pair that isn’t too small or too large for your hands. Furthermore, they should feel snug on your hand so that it feels as if you are wearing a second skin. The gloves should not stretch excessively but they also should not bunch up either. This will help to make sure that you get the best performance from them while you are playing your game.

One of the first things that you will want to check is the size. Football gloves are sold in youth and adult sizes and you are going to need to try on a few pairs in order to make sure that your size is correct. Gloves that are too small won’t fit on your hands at all while gloves that are too large will be loose and bunch up. Once you find the proper size, you will want to make sure that the gloves are snug and do not bunch up. You should be able to move your fingers naturally while are wearing the gloves.

The final area that you need to check is the wrist area. The gloves are either going to have an elastic band or a Velcro wrist strap. The wrist strap will normally give you a more secure fit but it can also get caught as well. Proper size is a critical factor when it comes to picking out a pair of gloves so you will want to make sure that you get a pair that fits right.

Comfort

It’s unlikely that you are going to want to wear a pair of gloves that are not comfortable. For this reason, comfort will be an important consideration when it comes to purchasing a pair of football gloves. You are going to want to look for a pair that feels good on your skin, breathes well, and wicks away moisture. This will make you want to wear your gloves for every game and will make them more valuable than gloves that you do not want to wear.

Most football gloves are made from synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, or a similar material rather than cotton or wool. This is because the synthetic fabrics are polymer based and will not hold moisture in the fabric meaning that the gloves won’t trap your body sweat. This will help to improve the comfort of the gloves while you are playing because they will breathe well and allow heat and moisture to escape from your skin. Many people like how such fabrics feel on their skin as well and they will often give you a compression-like feel that helps the gloves feel comfortable. High-quality gloves are designed to function for many seasons and in all weather conditions.

The thickness of the material will vary depending on your position. Most people are going to want to look for a pair of gloves that have thin material since this will help the breath better. However, a lineman may want a pair that is thicker and this will give you more padding. You may also want to look for thicker material when you are playing in the late fall or early winter season and it is cold outside. When it comes to thickness, thicker gloves will make it harder to control the ball so you will want to consider this if you are looking for thicker gloves. You should look for gloves made with synthetic materials that have reinforced seams or are seamless. Most quality gloves will have a mesh material between the fingers for added ventilation and comfort.

Grip and Padding

Players of all positions are going to want to consider the grip and padding of the gloves. Naturally, this may be a little different depending on if you are a lineman or a receiver but nevertheless, all players need to be able to grip the ball or other players and they need protection from impact and shock. For this reason, you are going to want to look for gloves that serve these two purposes in order to get the best pair of gloves.

In order to provide you with grip, your gloves are going to need some sort of a sticky surface. There are a few ways to accomplish this but it usually involves rubber tacking on the gloves or silicone. Both materials give you a rough surface on your hands so that you are better able to grip when you need to tackle a player or control the ball. It’s also possible that the gloves may have a synthetic or real leather patch on the fingers and palms as well since these materials tend to provide you with a good grip.

Padding will be different depending on if you are a receiver or a lineman. Linemen require thick padding since their hands tend to be exposed to shock and impact. When it comes to padding, the more padding there is, the better the protection from impact. Receivers need as little padding as possible or no padding on the palms and fingers so that they can catch the ball and offer a better feel of the football. However, these gloves will normally have some thin padding on the backside of the hands so that they can have some protection in the event that they get tackled.

Quality & Value

You are going to want to consider quality when you are picking out a pair of gloves. Many people tend to get frustrated when the gloves fall apart after a few games so you are going to want to look for a pair that is strong and long-lasting. When it comes to looking for a long lasting pair of gloves for football, you are going to want to look at the fabric, stitching, and the grips. These three areas tend to give people the most trouble when it comes to buying a pair of gloves.

Many people tend to experience problems with the fabric ripping and tearing when they purchase a pair of gloves. Thicker and stronger fabric will be less prone to breaking in this fashion, but keep in mind that thicker means it’s harder to control the ball. You are going to want to strike a balance between durability and your ability to control the ball. Better fabrics are also strong and less prone to tearing as well so you may want to consider spending a little extra on your gloves if you keep having your gloves tear on you. The stitching also tends to be a problem for many people as well. You should try and turn the gloves inside out when they are new to make sure that the fingers are attached securely to the gloves and that all of the seams are reinforced for extra strength. All of the padding and grip surfaces should also be stitched securely to the gloves so that the grip pads do not peel off after you have used the gloves for a few games.