Reusch goalkeeper gloves have seemingly been around for ages. It would seem though that they have had a bit of trouble marketing their products to some of the new players on the block. Also on the west side of the Atlantic, they can be hard to get. In any case, they are gloves that you can more or less trust. Recently I came across the Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump model and I wanted to get a chance to talk about it. In general, I would say that it’s certainly an intriguing glove. A good fit for those people who are looking to wear lighter gloves, and have a lot more finger movement. At the same time, the glove may not be a perfect fit for players with certain types of hands.
The speedbump feature is one that Reusch Goalkeeper gloves are adopting more and more. It was certainly something that attracted me to try out the glove for sure. Just as a way to kind of go in another direction other than your typical soft palmed latex glove. For me, I saw the speedbump feature on the Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump as potentially something that could offer more durability to the glove. Particularly on harder surfaces. Although I was a little worried that the bumps were ultimately just going to fade. Like car tires though as they wear down.
In the article, I want to explore all of the different features of the glove. I do feel that the Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump line of Reusch Goalkeeper Gloves could be something that we continue to see for years to come for the manufacturer. So I want to make sure that I break down the pros and cons of this feature. As I mentioned before this one of those gloves that could be a great fit for some people and a terrible fit for others. That’s also something I’m looking to break down.
Do The Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump Provide Good Grip?
The first thing that most goalkeepers want to know with this glove is whether or not the bumps give you a good grip. The first time I wore them I noticed that they were even a bit sticky. That’s a good feature, but the first thing that popped into my head was, the grip on these is going to fall away really quickly. Also, since I usually play on really hard turf I am able to test gloves in the worst conditions possible. After a couple of uses, the grip is there, but it does drop off as you go along.
While this is not an issue with the palm, this particular glove gives you a lot more finger movement than some of the more bulky options out there. For me, this means that with proper technique you’re going to be able to make more catches than with some of the more bulky glove options out there. Although the natural grip is going to gradually fall away you can fall back on your skills, and continue to feel comfortable with these gloves.
Comfort Level Of These Reusch Goalkeeper Gloves
If you’re like me and you come from the old school bulky glove of the late ’90s and mid-2000s this glove is going to be a complete turnaround from that. They are the lightest gloves that I’ve ever played a full match with. In the interest of full disclosure though I have never played with some of the premium Nike options out there. So I won’t go as far as to say this is the lightest glove on the market. What I can say is that for a goalkeeper who is accustomed to a more traditional cut this is going to be a big change.
Even though they are super light and comfortable when wearing I do not love the way that you have to tighten the glove. They also put a modern twist on the strap mechanism. That situation for me ultimately brought a lot of trouble. If you have long thin hands this may not be the perfect glove for you even if it seems overly comfortable. Just before closing this segment, I would like to say the finger freedom that you get with these gloves is off the charts!
How Much Protection Do The Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump Provide?
The previous two paragraphs covered the positive aspects of these Reusch gloves, that’s not going to be the case here. The main problem that I see with these gloves is that they provide little to no protection. With the level of finger movement that they provide you kind of have to expect that they provide little protection. It’s a thinner glove so you’re going to feel the impact of the ball way more than you would with thicker gloves. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a fact of life.
What is a bad thing in my mind is the wrist strap that I was talking about before. At least it was in my experience. I’ve mentioned this before I have thinner hands than most, but I wear a size 9 glove because I have relatively long fingers for my hand size. This is just like with shoes when you have certain types of shoes that don’t fit right on your feet regardless. For me, this glove was kind of like that. I felt that the strap did not allow me to wrap the glove around my wrist as tight as I needed to, to be able to feel safe.
There are ways around this issue if you run into the same problem that I had. Mainly taping your wrists and fingers for that level of extra protection that the glove is essentially lacking. When we get into though having to tape your fingers forcefully for the extra protection and the fact that you’re going to be feeling the heat of the shot when it comes in you realize these are not beginner Reusch goalkeeper gloves!
Durability Of These Reusch Goalkeeper Gloves
I’ve talked a little bit about this already and I feel that it’s an aspect that is going to surprise a lot of people. When you first see the speedbumps you feel that they are going to start to flatten out on day one. I could say that I am a decent parameter for durability checks because I play on awful fields and make no effort to adjust my technique to increase durability. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the gloves held up after about 3 months of 2 weekly games on hard surfaces. Yes, some of the bumps have torn off, but in comparison to other pure latex gloves, they held up well.
Considering the conditions that I put the gloves up against I feel that if you’re playing on a decent field most of the time you’re going to be able to get a solid 5 to 6 months out of these gloves with a decent amount of use per week. This was certainly not something that I was expecting to see. I want to be fully honest here, I’m making a bit of a guess on the maximum durability that you can expect to get. I bailed on these gloves about 3 months in because I didn’t feel safe enough wearing them. Some of us are way too lazy to be taping my fingers every time out.
Cost-Benefit Ratio
A lot of times with Reusch goalkeeper gloves and any other goalkeeper glove for that matter, the price tag is going to vary by country. Also, if you’re reading this by the time that this glove has essentially become an older model there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to get them at a lower price. I got my pair for right around 50 dollars. Honestly, I usually stayed clear of Reusch goalkeeper gloves because they were a bit expensive in my neck of the woods. I found this pair at a very reasonable price I believe. Especially since I bought them way more out of curiosity than need!
I talk about my methodology in price benefit ratio when it comes to gloves in another article on the site. Just briefly here though, the price tag for me was what really allowed me to come to terms with the fact that they were not working out for me and dump them for another model. Even though this happened, I do believe that they are a pair of gloves that can fit some people perfectly. Even though I’m not necessarily that type of goalkeeper.
Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump Sizing
There are few things as frustrating as buying something online in your size only to figure out the sizes on the product are reduced or overblown. That ultimately means that you’re going to have to go through the hassle of making a return or just sticking it out with the product that you got. When it comes to the fingers on these Reusch goalkeeper gloves I would say that it’s all ok. As I mentioned before I wear a size 9 glove. That’s what I bought and I had no real problem with size in that department.
For me, the real issue is that you’re going to have to deal with finding a way to cope with a very loose glove. The strap that it comes with does not do you any favors. If you have thicker wrists maybe that’s not going to be a problem for you at all. As your hand can potentially slide right in and you won’t have any type of trouble.
Things To Note About The Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump Gloves
It’s always a good idea to get a sense of how much care certain types of gloves are going to need before you buy them or what their best working condition is. When I bought these gloves I couldn’t find what material the palm was made out of. I’m literally reading the bag right now and it just says that it’s made from some type of German foam. That’s why you are not going to get the same level of wear that you would see on the latex palm that most gloves have. As I mentioned before though you do have to deal with the fact that the stickiness of the palm is going to fade with time.
These gloves are also better in dry conditions and they don’t need to get wet to be able to work. This is because we are dealing with a foam palm and not the typical latex one as I just mentioned. It can be difficult to deal with when you are someone who is very much accustomed to spitting on gloves constantly. It doesn’t affect the glove all that much to be a little wet, but the ball could get a little slippery the next time that you touch it. It’s a good idea to keep in mind that these gloves are better on dry surfaces.
Which Goalkeepers Would Benefit More From These Reusch Goalkeeper Gloves?
The Reusch Pure Contact II G3 Speedbump Gloves are not a pair of gloves that will fit all playing styles and levels of play. Your body type can even make them a better or worse fit for you. Even if you’re an experienced goalkeeper they can get uncomfortable if you have thinner hands. There are probably goalkeepers out there that want to be able to feel the ball striking their hands because a lot of times when you’re hands are numb to the ball like in cold weather games it can be harder to find a good grip on the ball. If you like that type of experience you are certainly going to be able to enjoy these gloves a lot more.
I don’t think that goalkeepers that are starting out are going to benefit from these gloves at all. Band hand placement to shots with these gloves can easily lead to broken fingers. While more experienced goalkeepers are going to be able to enjoy how free they feel novice players are more likely to have a bad experience. If you are someone who plays on a dry climate in decent fields you’re probably going to be able to enjoy one pair for a long time. I think that I have understated the durability aspect quite a bit to this point. I just want to make sure I get that across because I do feel it’s important.
Final Thoughts: Are They A Good Buy?
They are a good buy if you’re an experienced keeper with thicker wrists who is looking for a glove that will give them better hand mobility. I just don’t feel comfortable recommending a glove that in my view does not reduce the impact on your hand all that well to more novice players. I literally had to get back home and ice my wrists after a game. Again, is this something that I could have avoided by taping my wrists for every game? Sure, I would definitely argue though that if you don’t have the habit of taping your hands then they are not a good buy. You most likely won’t be able to get the main benefits of the glove anyway.
If you check the boxes as being the type of goalkeeper that I would say benefits from these gloves the price may be just right. They are very durable, and if you have good technique you’re not going to be too worried about them not being overly sticky after using them a couple of times. I would definitely say that the speedbump palm is an innovative idea. It can feel a bit weird at first. Particularly if you’re more used to the traditional latex gloves, but if you want to explore something different these gloves can be a cool buy!
