Soccer Goalie Glove Buyers Guide

How do I find the right size soccer goalkeeper gloves?

A good soccer goalie glove is a properly fitting soccer keeper glove. Personal preference has a lot to do with sizing, but generally your glove should be slightly larger than your hand; we recommend a good fitting glove rest about 1/4" to 1/2" over the end of your fingertip. A larger glove can make the difference between a save and a goal, but keep in mind that the more roomy your glove, the less control you'll have.

To measure you hand, and understand your size, follow these steps:

1. Using a flexible tape measurer, measure the circumference of the widest part of your palm, excluding the fingers - this should fall below your last knuckle and right above the thumb
2. Round this number in inches to the next highest inch
3. Add 1" to this number to determine your accurate glove size
4. For example: Your palm measures 7.75" which you round to 8. Add 1" and your glove size is 9

What type of glove is right for me?

To help you find the exact glove you need, we divide soccer keeper gloves into a few categories, based on their durability and features.

Match Gloves - meant for games, tournaments, and serious scrimmage play.

• Built with the latest technologies
• The best soccer goalkeeper gloves in the world
• Designed for serious goalies playing travel, club, high school, college, or professional soccer, at the highest levels,
• Elite-level protection, ball control, grip, and comfort
• Made with high-grade latex for maximum finger protection
• Ultra soft and super stick palms offer the best grip on the market
• Sacrifices durability to achieve grip standards
• Gloves with the highest grip will show signs of use right away and require great care, and must be washed often
• Sports Unlimited recommends using a practice glove for training and hard ground diving, to keep your match gloves lasting longer
• Compare some of the best match gloves available with Reusch vs. Uhlsport

Training Gloves - meant for regular training sessions, practices, and scrimmage games

• Designed for entry level players and general training needs
• Built to withstand regular and intensive practices including hard ground training
• Feature incredible feel and flexibility without the elite-level grip of match gloves
• Improved durability over match gloves
• Longer lasting and designed for frequent use
• Built with advanced technologies to hone your skills while providing impeccable protection

Weather Protection Gloves - water/wind proof gloves, designed to protect hands in extreme conditions

• Designed with special latex palms
• Palm material actually gets stickier, and offers more grip, when wet
• Perfect for wet weather games
• Built for all-weather purposes, but specially advanced for wet conditions
• Offer maximum performance for advanced players
• Great to have as a backup pair, in case of wet weather games

Finger Protection Gloves - built with internal stays or spines, to protect fingers from bend-back and injury

• Specially designed with new technologies to protect your fingers during game play
• Finger stays and durable finger designs prevent your fingers from bending backwards when catching hard-hit balls
• Finger protection prevents injuries such as hyperextension
• Material inserted into each finger of these gloves stiffens when force is applied, keeping your fingers straight and safe
• Multiple finger inserts are removable, for a customized feel

Do I need more than one pair of goalkeeping gloves?

That really depends on a few factors, including your skill level, training regiment, and most of all, budget. Keeper gloves can get expensive, and most pro-level gloves feature incredibly sticky latex palm grips, which help you hold onto the ball, but also tend to wear out quickly after regular use. So although we recommend owning multiple pairs of gloves, that may not work for you.

To keep your match gloves performing better, longer, most goalies own two pairs of gloves; one for practice or training, and another for games.

In addition to a pair of practice gloves, many high school, college, and pro-level soccer goalies keep a few pairs of match play goalie gloves in their bags, like weather-proof gloves, finger protection gloves, and hard ground gloves, so they are always prepared, and playing with the best goalie gloves for the field or the climate.

What are the top technologies in the best soccer goalie gloves?

Modern goalkeeper gloves are chock full of incredible technologies designed to sharpen your game, reduce injury, increase flexibility, and improve comfort. With all kinds of names and jargon, these innovations can get pretty confusing, and something can get lost in the translation.

Review our list of the top 10 most popular and widely used goalie glove technologies. to get a better sense of what your glove is doing for you:

1. Reusch Ortho-Tec

This advanced goalie glove stay is inserted into each finger and thumb of a glove, and prevents them from overstraining, bending back, and hyper-extending when fighting for balls and catching hard hit shots. Each ortho-tec stay stick is designed like a snake's backbone, incredibly flexible, but only in one direction. In the other direction, the stays lock into place and remain rigid where fingers would typically start to bend backwards, giving you great finger support without restricting movement. The stays are also individually removable with a Velcro system, for customized glove performance.

2. Reusch Shock-Shield

Made of a high-quality dampening material and strong embossments on the backhand of the glove, Shock Shield prevents injury to the hand when punching a ball or accidentally getting stepping on by cleats while making a save.

3. Reusch Flexion Wave

Located between the wrist bandage and the backhand latex, a double-layer of incredibly stretchy, accordion-looking material is strategically placed to maximize wrist flexibility, and improve the tight fit without restricting movement. This lets you freely move your wrist without disturbing the fit of the glove.

4. Reusch DuraGuard

Palm protection pads placed on the most used part of the palm help to save your glove from abrasion and damage. An ergonomically shaped added layer, textured and made of special latex, DuraGuard keeps your glove's palm performing and stopping shots game after game.

5. Reusch Air Vent

To improve breathability and keep your hands cool, dry, and playing their best, almost all Reusch goalkeeper gloves use AirVent mesh technology. Strategically placed in the entire upper hand and sides of fingers, this mesh material ensures optimal air circulation and lets your hands breathe.

6. Uhlsport Classic Support Frame

Designed for entry-level and junior model soccer goalie gloves, the classic glove support frame uses a plastic skeletal system of finger stays and knuckle guards, using a hinge mechanism to protect the fingers from hyper-extending. This frame also supports the natural ergonomics of the hand.

7. Uhlsport BionikFrame

Designed to mimic the natural bend and musculature of the hand, the Bionik Frame is a light and flexible support system that helps to prevent injury and reduce fatigue.

8. Uhlsport BionikFrame X-Change

Using the same support structure as the BionikFrame, Uhlsport added separate reinforcing bars that can be placed over any or all finger elements of the frame. These bars boost the strength and reinforcement of the fingers, allowing you to customize your hand for the perfect performance and support.

9. Uhlsport Fingerbett

By integrating ergonomically molded latex elements inside the fingers of the glove, the finger tubes cling snugly to the skin of your fingers, reducing slippage and providing a glove feel like no other. This technology brings you closer to your game than ever before.

10. Uhlsport ShockZone

An impact-absorbing pad in the glove, with a high-grip abrasion resistant surface, helps to protect hands when punching the ball, and makes the glove more durable.

What are the differences between soccer glove wrist wraps or bandages?

Soccer goal glove wrist bandages or wrist wraps are the areas of the glove that secure the glove to your wrist. Your comfort, performance, and dependability on the field can rely on the quality and design of your glove's wrist wraps, so it is important to understand the major types of wrist cuffs when looking for your perfect soccer goalkeeper glove:

Easy Fit Flex:

• Specially designed for youth and junior gloves
• Simple process of securing the glove to the hand
• Highly elastic insert adapts to the natural form of the hand
• Offers better access
• Optimal fit
• Improved comfort

Integral Wrist Support:

• An elastic bandage lined with latex
• Supports and protects the wrist
• When combined with additional latex on the palm, this bandage latex enlarges the catching area for optimized ball control

Classic Wrist Bandage:

• An elastic bandage in a classic design
• Provides an optimal fit
• Additional wrist support and protection

Neoprene Wrist Bandage:

• A special wrist bandage used for Aqua glove models that improve their grip when soaked in water
• Made with elastic neoprene
• Ensures a perfect fit
• Additional wrist protection
• Keeps the hand and wrist warm on wet days