Posted on Saturday, 16th January 2010 by James Pulito
I’ve played competitive soccer my entire life at a high level and as a goalie; I was always appreciative of the best soccer equipment for keepers. I would admire the professional goalies that were setting trends and get the newest goalie jerseys or goalie gloves whenever I had the extra money. Picking the right goalie gloves isn’t easy, so in this guide I’ll discuss a few different gloves available for goalies today.
The first thing you should do is determine the purpose of the gloves. Do you want them for training purposes, for bad weather, for games only or do you need some sort of extra protection? Also figure out your budget and I always recommend figuring out your size if you can find a local soccer shop not too far away.
My favorite goalie gloves on the market are made by Uhlsport. I’ve only used this brand for gloves and their top model is called the Uhlsport Cerberus Bionik Goalkeeper Glove. I highly recommend this glove for games, not for training purposes.
Uhlsports Cerberus Bionik glove is one of the most durable gloves available for keepers and it’s made with their patented grip foam. The glove is meant to mock the human hand which provides great support. It’s also incredibly soft and thick with extra cushion to protect the hands. Each finger has support by finger spines which make a huge difference. Soccer.com sells these gloves for $169.99.
Reusch is another brand that specializes specifically in goalie gear and they do a very good job at it. Their top glove is called Reusch Raptor R1 Ortho-Tec Glove and it’s a bit more affordable than the previous option. They’re made with extra thick foam and some soft latex on the backhand which makes them extremely comfortable. These goalie gloves are great on indoor surfaces and hard outdoor grounds and also provide great protection around the fingers.
As I mentioned, they’re a more affordable option than the first pair of gloves discussed and can be purchased for $99.00 at soccer.com. These gloves are best suited for games, but can still be used during high level training sessions. I’ve only heard great things about these gloves and if this is in your budget it’s a superb overall glove.
As you get under $100 for goalie gloves, there will definitely be a few noticeable differences. The overall support quality decreases, so the cushion and foam won’t be as thick. Since they’re not as thick, they won’t last as long. You may also lose the support in the fingers, with spine protectors behind each finger. So I always recommend spend a little extra on a great pair of game gloves!
I hope this has helped you while you’re looking for a new pair of goalie gloves. Every keeper likes looking good out there!
Learn more information covering soccer keeper gloves as well as youth soccer uniform at this authors blog.
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