In this article, we are going to be taking a look at not only what are the best goalkeeper gloves to buy, by brand, but by style. Actually what I want to do is look at the different styles of gloves that there are out there. Give out a couple of pros, and cons of each and show the brand and the model of glove that would fit that particular style of glove. Right off the bat, it has to be said that different goalkeepers will find certain styles more comfortable than others. Therefore, grading a particular goalkeeper glove as the best option out there for every goalkeeper wouldn’t be truthful.
There are also other aspects that I want to explore here. Particularly differences between game gloves and training gloves. There are goalkeepers that fall in love with a particular model and want to use those gloves all the time. Other keepers want a little bit more protection for training. Again this is one of those things where we may not find a definite answer. A healthy discussion can certainly go a long way though. Particularly if you are new to goalkeeping or aren’t a goalkeeper glove addict like some of us in the community. Having said all of this, it’s time to answer the first question that should probably pop up when deciding what are the best goalkeeper gloves to buy!
Should You Be Looking For Gloves With Finger Protection?
I have an article about this topic already, but I do feel it’s the first question that needs to be answered when choosing which gloves to buy. There are tangible benefits to buying quality gloves that feature finger protection. Obviously, the risk of having a broken or even slightly bent finger decreases. Also, if you have thinner hands and struggle with hard incoming shots gloves with finger protection are something that you should be looking into.
Notice I mentioned quality gloves that feature finger protection. I typically would not recommend some of those no-name brand gloves that feature some type of finger protection. My reason behind this is that some brands make the finger area too rigid. Sometimes you’re just losing finger mobility with these types of gloves. There’s a chance that you can also be at a higher risk of injury with gloves that are poorly made. You’re usually going to want the wrist area to be as tight as the finger area of the glove. Otherwise, you’re going to be at risk of twisting your hand on hard shots.
If you look at all of the goalkeeper glove models available most don’t feature finger protection. That’s because most top-level players don’t use goalkeeper gloves with finger protection. They prefer to not lose mobility over the extra layer of protection. Does that mean that you should do the same? It’s not necessarily the case. However, that debate about mobility versus protection is certainly an interesting one to have. We continue on our way to find, what are the best goalkeeper gloves to buy!
What Are The Best Goalkeeper Gloves To Buy With Finger Protection?
There are only 3 recommendations that I’m going to make for this category. I was reluctant to include any Reusch gloves in this category and I want to address why. Mainly I feel that the Reusch brand has gone for more freedom and comfort in their gloves. When you add finger protection the gloves become way bulkier and you lose a lot of movement. An argument could be made that they are still lighter than what you can find with other brands. I feel that the glove is counterintuitive to where the brand has gone.
Option 1 With Finger Protection: Adidas PREDATOR 21 PRO PROMO FINGERSAVE NEGATIVE
This is one of the newer models that the Adidas fingersave line features. This is a glove that is going to give you the best of both worlds. In that, you’ll get the light modern gloves that both Adidas and Nike are pushing. At the same time, you still have the opportunity to have a glove with finger protection. If you want an Adidas option that features a more traditional cut look into the Predator GL Match model with fingersave protection. This model has a more traditional glove cut. Without the hefty cost of the newer model. You’ll get the Adidas fingersave system that for my taste is one of the best finger protection glove executions on the market!
Option 2 With Finger Protection: Elite Solo Goalkeeper Gloves
If you are looking for a traditional glove type that features finger protection these Elite gloves can be right up your alley. I recently became an Elite frequent customer and I like the fact that they have innovative designs, but they are sturdy enough to make me feel safe wearing the glove. If I had to give out a criticism it would be that removable finger protection is usually not the best idea in my book. Putting the protection back in can end up in you screwing the glove up. However, I love the cut, the palm durability, and the price tag on these gloves!
Option 3 With Finger Protection: PUMA One Protect 1 RC Goalkeeper Gloves
Puma gloves have gotten quite a bit of love on the site. I feel that the brand has made an effort in the market and not a lot of people are talking about it. What stood out to me about these gloves is the wider wrist protection. This is going to help you avoid a lot of the injuries that I was talking about. The glove is not going to fit loose on one end and tight on the other, which can lead to more injuries. Also, the palm and grip are decent. The price tag is fair, overall a good option for sure.
What Are The Best Goalkeeper Gloves To Buy: No Finger Protection Traditional Cut Gloves
Since there are more options in the no finger protection category I’m going to divide these types of gloves in two. These gloves are the traditional type gloves that typically have wider finger cuts and are made from latex and not more modern types of materials. I would say that most goalkeepers in the world still wear these types of gloves over the more modern options. A lot of times this is because we’ve grown up with this fit. It’s going to be interesting to see if these gloves get phased out. I don’t think so, because really only around 3 glove manufacturers are making the modern glove that fits like a sock. We’ll see what happens though.
Traditional cut gloves are going to fit more people, and they are going to be easier to find at more accessible prices. Some of us old-timers may stick to this type of glove. With how many options there are out there it’s hard to pick just 3. There are certainly a ton of options out there that could work for you. I want to highlight these particular brands and models because I’ve had a very positive experience with them!
Traditional Gloves Option 1: Reusch Attrakt G3 Fusion Goaliator Goalkeeper Gloves
This option is almost like the last of Reusch’s traditional glove line. They are one of the manufacturers that have gone big into the lighter modern glove type. They are one of the few manufacturers that have hybrid glove types that are kind of modern meets old school. The Attrakt G3 Fusion Goaliator Goalkeeper Gloves version is a little bit harder to find in all sizes. The Reusch Attrakt G3 Fusion Ortho-Tec Goaliator Goalkeeper Gloves is a more common find and if you just remove the finger protection it’s the same glove. With their price tag though this model has become the refuge for Reusch customers that hold on to traditional tastes. This glove cut could be harder to come by in upcoming years. Particularly, from the Reusch brand!
Traditional Gloves Option 2: Uhlsport Absolutgrip Bionik
If you want to go traditional this is traditional! I was one of those people that were not fans of Uhlsport messing with the palms on their gloves. It may sound crazy, but people who had this brand of gloves in the past will tell you the grip didn’t seem to be in the stickiness of the palm with these gloves. The glove just fit so smoothly that you were always able to wrap both hands around the ball and make clean catches. That’s why you saw a lot of pros playing with old worn-out Uhlsport gloves. This model is one of the few “traditional” models they have left.
Traditional Gloves Option 3: Elite Neo Goalkeeper Gloves
I may or may not have a personal bias with these gloves since they are the ones that I currently use full time. Some people may even argue that the glove does not feature a “traditional” cut. I would agree, the finger cut is wider and slanted. Not the typical straight cut that gloves used to have. They fit like a traditional cut on the wrist area though, they’re not socks. The palm durability with this model has been off the charts for me. I find comfort and safety to be at decent levels. You’re not going to feel as safe with these gloves if you’re used to gloves with finger protection. If you don’t wear finger protection regularly you’re going to be ok. Keep them wet, by the way!
What Are The Best Goalkeeper Gloves To Buy: Modern Models
When we are looking at modern cut gloves I would say the easiest way to distinguish them from the rest is that these are the ones that typically fit like a sock. For years goalkeeper gloves were getting bulkier and bulkier. Now they are getting slimmer. There are plenty of benefits to this. For example some goalkeepers or even people who wear just goalkeeper gloves would complain about not being able to move their fingers much. This certainly can hamper your ability to make clean catches. Modern cut gloves certainly prioritize movement above everything else. If this is something you’re looking for, that’s great.
There is a problem that has to be addressed. That is these gloves usually offer the least protection out of all of the other types. With traditional cut gloves without finger protection, you’re still getting a thicker palm that is obviously going to help you deal with harder shots. With these types of gloves even if the ball ultimately sticks to the glove because they have great grip you’re going to feel the impact. That can be even dangerous for younger kids who are just starting to get used to the game. If you’re training real hard that can lead to constantly sore hands. This is an issue that I expect the top brands to address sooner rather than later. For now, I do think it’s a real concern, or at least it should be.
Modern Models Option 1 Reusch Pure Contact
If you’re like me, an old-timer that’s looking to ease into some of this new technology, this is the line that you’re going to want to look for. You put these on and you still feel that you’re wearing a goalkeeper glove. The difference isn’t as big. For a lot of us old-timers going with a modern Nike or Adidas, gloves are going to feel like you’re putting on a mascot suit. It can feel like putting on just other types of gloves, not goalkeeper gloves. If you’re someone who has been following the evolution of Reusch gloves the transition is going to be seamless.
Notice I’m just mentioning the entire pure contact line. Granted within this line there are some “hybrid” gloves that still use some of the traditional elements with modern tech. What I like about the line, in general, is that it gives you a ton of options as far as grip goes. When it comes to some of the other brands, if you want their modern glove you’ll have to deal with the palm that they give you. With Reusch, you can choose the palm and therefore the grip that you like. There are just more options on the table in general.
Modern Models Option 2 Nike Mercurial Touch Elite Goalkeeper Gloves
I feel that Nike was sort of the first to make a jump into the deep end. At least on my side of the world, I started noticing more goalkeepers on the pro level wearing this brand of gloves compared directly to Addidas who also made the jump early. Honestly, when I first saw these gloves I thought it was a gimmick and they were not going to have an impact on the market beyond the first year. I was completely wrong and the market has shifted to these light gloves.
From my point of view, they’ve been able to make these gloves feel more and more like actual goalkeeper gloves. If you’ve been a keeper even for a little while you know the difference between the fit that you have with goalkeeper gloves compared to snow gloves or again wearing a costume. This Nike option is a step in the right direction in my book. Yes, you’ll have to make the palm and grip work from a limited amount of options. Overall it’s pretty well put together though.
Modern Models Option 3 Adidas X Pro Goalkeeper Glove
This one I wrestled with quite a bit. I had a really bad experience with the first-generation Adidas gloves that they made with this modern cut. Those were the ones for me that felt like I was putting on a costume. If you’re going to buy Adidas modern cut gloves go with the top-tier options. Some of the lower-tier models that still want to feature this modern cut won’t cut it even for training. That being said with this model Adidas has definitely stepped it up and come back to the high standards that they usually have with gloves.
I do think that grip is something that could be considered a work in progress. I mentioned from the Nike glove that everything kind of fits well. Even in that case, I could understand if people don’t find the palm comfortable and feel like they are getting cheated out of some grip. I would say that the same can be said about these Adidas models. There was a lot of money put into design. There’s an argument to be made that performance could be lacking.
What Are The Best Goalkeeper Gloves To Buy? – Conclusion
What are the best goalkeeper gloves to buy? If you haven’t guessed it by this point it all depends. That’s why there has been an effort to talk about all of the different types of options that are out there. You have to take into account where you play, how often you play, how you play. There are no two goalkeepers that are going to be exactly the same. I have thrown some shade at some of the more modern options. That’s something I want to be clear about. The issue is not with modernity or improvement. You have to make sure though that you’re comfortable with the level of protection that you’re getting from your glove.
Sadly a lot of times it’s not as easy to mimic strong shots when you’re trying on a glove. It’s important though that you don’t feel at least too sore when you’re done playing. From there also find the type of palm and therefore grip that you’re comfortable with is super important. I do believe that you can find an option that at least moderately fits your needs at a reasonable price range for you. Even if you don’t end up buying any of the gloves that were referenced here!
