How to determine the size of goalkeeper gloves?

Goalkeeper outfits must absorb shock. Otherwise, the goalkeeper will not only not be able to play the game normally, but will also receive serious injury during it. Moreover, the level of protection does not always directly depend on the material and the presence of additional inserts. A very large role is played by the degree of fitting and the pair's compliance with the real size of the athlete's hand. Learn how to determine the size correctly - take the first step to victory in the football field.

What should goalkeeper gloves be like?

Professional or just experienced players have far from 1 pair. For training, they have in store several simple in functionality, but durable products, adapted for various types of coatings and weather conditions. Gloves for important games and training camps are much more complicated in terms of “stuffing, ” and also much more expensive than training ones. Athletes are very kind to them.

The ideal goalkeeper equipment meets the following criteria:

  • does not interfere with the "work" of the hands, does not reduce their flexibility, dexterity;
  • facilitates reflection and capture of the sword;
  • drowns out impact force;
  • protects fingers from injuries;
  • protects hands and wrists from injuries;
  • well fixed on the hand;
  • does not cause irritation;
  • does not increase sweating;
  • takes into account the type of coverage of the playing field (the value of the property opens when the player falls and glides over the surface).

Important! To work in the hall you need to purchase gloves with ventilation holes or inserts. Moreover, the worse the technique of conducting the game, the better the ventilation system of the equipment should be worked out.

Most of these qualities can only be found with gloves of the right size. At the same time, the universal rule according to which the goalkeeper’s main gaming accessory should fit the skin and literally become the goalkeeper’s second skin does not work for everyone . Some athletes prefer gloves that sit a bit loose. Others love harder.

In other words, the classic recommendations should be followed only at the beginning of the game, when, even on personal experience, they could not determine the requirements for gloves. And then only when products of a certain type of cut are purchased. Some models normally imply a very loose fit.

How to choose the size of gloves?

When trying on, pay attention to the length of the finger compartments. The pads and the nail should not rest against the walls of the glove. If this happens, the size is not selected correctly.

Choose a cut

Goalkeeper gloves consist of 2 key parts: the palm and the back. Often they are made of different materials, which is explained by the difference in their functions and tasks. To determine what kind of material and cut is required, examine all the options on the market.

Important! Consider palm thickness. A soft palm does not absorb well; a dense palm feels a worse ball. The best option for wall thickness for players who are not faced with super tasks: 3-4 mm.

Useful notes and explanations on the cut:

  • the design of the gloves should correspond to the playing surface, weather, professional level of the athlete;
  • seams can be internal or external;
  • if plates are sewn into the finger compartments, the model has high protective characteristics and allows you to catch and hit balls fired with great force without health consequences;
  • gloves with high protection are usually used in training, in games - less often;
  • models with high protection (equipped with plastic inserts) need to buy 0.5-1 sizes larger than their standard size;
  • gloves of a classic or flat cut contain 1 layer of foam, they have external seams, they have a rectangular shape and, with the right choice, sit a little freely;
  • the design of the contour gloves is called rolled because of a very tight fit to the hand, a large contact surface with the ball and seams running along the contours of the fingers;
  • the seams are hidden in the reverse cut;
  • gloves with a reverse cut are usually chosen by female goalkeepers and men with small hand sizes;
  • Hybrid combines the features of several types of gloves;
  • usually hybrid at the same time have the features of a pair of contour and flat type or contour and inverse.

Important! When you select gloves marked “Negative, ” add 0.5 to your actual size.

"Right" grip

The reliable palm part allows you to reveal the game potential of the goalkeeper, and also provides it with safety of the proper level. This side of the glove is considered good if it:

  • does not reduce finger dexterity and flexibility of the palm;
  • holds the ball well;
  • differs in durability, wear resistance.

If you need a hint on how to determine the level of a pair, then look at the price . Manufacturers of expensive products often rely on grip to the detriment of wear resistance, and cheap - on resistance to mechanical damage.

Important! It is more convenient to catch a ball in gloves with a corrugated surface and with latex inserts.

The second decisive moment is the softness of the palm of the hand. The stronger this quality is expressed, the better the fixation, but the shorter the service life of the product. A rough pair will last longer, but at the same time it is more difficult to control with a brush in it, which directly affects the grip. Typically, such gloves are not purchased for playing on the field and not for playing on the cup, but for training and practicing some techniques.

The third key guideline is the athlete's professional level . Novice players do not have personal equipment, it takes a lot of effort and time to develop it. Constant mistakes, a high frequency of training in order to at least achieve something - all this requires strength equipment. That is why for the first time it is difficult to find a better option than inexpensive gloves, the key characteristic of which is wear resistance . Enough in their case fades into the background.

The fourth characteristic: the type of coverage of the playing field and the climate (if we are talking about a football field, not a gym). For each option, specialized products are produced, look for the corresponding inscription on the tag. It is not worth ignoring the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the applicability of a particular pair in a particular field . Reason: coatings put forward unequal requirements for the thickness and anti-slip properties of the palm of the gloves, for the overall wear resistance of the product. The use of equipment that is not suitable for the place is fraught with unnecessary costs and injuries.

Practical and reaching certain heights football players who seek to avoid unjustified expenses, it makes sense to purchase 2 pairs . One should provide unsurpassed fixation. Usually this quality is present in models with special inserts, often latex.

Such products, like all elements of the professional equipment of athletes, are not cheap, but at the same time they wear out quite quickly. The first contact with the ball can lead to minor damage, so it’s pointless to practice skills and techniques in such products. They are exclusively suitable for performances and important games.

For training, you should buy a simpler pair, but very durable . Moreover, the higher the goal, the more the desire to grow in the sports field, the less sophisticated gloves should be. By their simplicity, they will force them to improve and develop, they will learn to rely on their own strengths, and not on “lotions” of equipment. Progress will go faster, and then, after wearing a pair sewn from a special material and additionally equipped with inserts, the athlete will be able to show more than if he was constantly training in “smart” gloves.

How to take measurements?

To determine the size, you need to know the girth of the palm, minus the thumb. Measurement is carried out using a tape. If it is not at hand, you can use a thread. The difference between the first and second tools is that there is a scale on the measuring tape that allows you to immediately determine the girth without using a ruler.

To take measurements, you need to lay a thread or tape around the base between the base of the thumb and the most protruding part of the "rib" of the palm . Write the resulting value in centimeters on a sheet, and then check the record with the information presented in a special table.

Determine the size of the table

This table reflects the Russian soccer glove size system. A similar metric is relevant in some other European countries.

Which material is better?

Rubber gives the palmar part rudeness, and latex gives a good grip. Ideally, both coatings should be present, especially if the match is played on artificial turf. Well, for the inside, foam latex is most preferable. For cheap models, it is present only in 1 zone; for professional and expensive products, it covers most of the pair, but not all. This is due to hygiene considerations. According to them, gloves for frequent wear and prolonged play in dry weather must be equipped with breathable inserts. The part is made of mesh or fabric material.

Important! If the game will be in cold weather, then it makes sense to buy a pair of wool. In the heat, many goalkeepers switch to gear from the mesh. Well, in the rain they often wear vinyl products.

For younger students

Children's football (we are talking about elementary school, the first steps in the sports field) can be called less traumatic. Reason: players of a very young age are not yet able to send the ball with the force with which adults send it . Due to this, beginning goalkeepers and their parents, when choosing equipment for their hands, may not make a decisive bet on protective functions. Instead, they should look for a product that has the following set of qualities:

  • lightness (otherwise your hands will get very tired, besides heavy gloves do not allow you to feel the ball);
  • softness (it allows you to feel the ball better);
  • strength (wear resistance will allow you to make mistakes and not worry about the safety of equipment).

Important! Models with plastic inserts, both solid and segmented, significantly impair fixation with the ball. The child will not be able to learn how to play normally in such equipment. However, a teenager who has already mastered the base should have such a sporting attribute in his arsenal.

Regarding the size, everything is simple. Products designed for a girth of 14-21 cm relate to children's products. In other words, primary school students wear gloves that vary in size from 3–7.5. Three are usually bought by first-graders who are 6 or 7 years old. Six - to 10-year-old children. Gloves 7 and 7.5 sizes are suitable for very tall boys 10-12 years old.

Important! Due to growth spikes, trainers recommend measuring the palm of the hand in boys every 2 months. With this approach, it will be possible to timely change gloves for a new pair and thereby avoid problems with the development of the skeletal system.

For adults

Seven is the smallest adult or half-adult size. Usually it is worn by short and thin athletes with miniature tassels, often these are girls. Nine is for players of medium height, and 11 - for tall. Finding a person who fits size 12 is relatively difficult. Yes, and in stores such products are not always presented, you will have to make efforts to find a mate.

Goalkeeper gloves selection example

Sequence of steps:

  1. We put the measuring tape between the thumb and the most protruding part of the palm.
  2. Find out the girth.
  3. We check the table and find out the required glove size by girth of the palm.
  4. We determine why we need equipment . Separate models are provided for humid weather (they have poor ventilation, therefore it is highly recommended not to play them on an ongoing basis), good grip cannot be learned with gloves with protective inserts, and playing on hard ground and artificial grass requires a thick layer of latex and a high rubber content on the palm of the hand. It is also worth buying a new pair for each match . In the old, one cannot enter the field during a responsible game.
  5. Based on what equipment is needed, we leave the found size or decide to buy a pair more by 0.5-1 size. Protective gloves and Negative type models require a larger size adjustment.
  6. We go to the store. Try on.
  7. We look at the type of brush retainer and whether the fingertips abut against the walls. If they rest, then the pair does not fit.
  8. We check the goods "by breath". All models, except for equipment for wet weather, must be equipped with breathable inserts . Otherwise, the accessory will become a mini-bath for hands.
  9. Checking latex. For a pair designed for a good grip, the latex coating literally sticks the ball to itself.