Breaking in your glove the RIGHT way
Nowadays, you can find gloves with softer leathers that have a game-ready feel right off the shelf; however, most of your high performance models will require a break-in period. Over the years, we’ve heard plenty of stories about how people break in their gloves. Some tactics work, yet others are just simply harmful to your glove. As a result, I’ve created a list of “do’s” and “don’t s” that come in handy when it comes to caring for your glove.
DO WORK THE PADDING: you can loosen the fibers by twisting the heel of your glove back and forth. Do the same with the fingers and thumb of your glove. You’ll begin to feel it getting softer. This technique will also allow for a more comfortable fit.
DO PLAY CATCH: the best way to form a good pocket is to play catch. You can also pound your pocket with a mallet or your fist. Be sure to pound exactly where you want the pocket to be formed.
DO WRAP YOUR GLOVE: Place a Rawlings baseball in the pocket of your glove and fold it closed. Secure your glove with rubber bands and let it rest in a cool, dry place. This will allow for your glove to conform to the shape of a baseball more readily and easily. This technique will aid in forming a pocket.
DO CONDITION YOUR GLOVE: Give your glove a light coating of Rawlings Glovolium or lanoline-based shaving cream every 2-3 months. Simply pour onto a rag and wipe your glove to maintain the leather fibers. This will ensure that your glove stays soft while adding a layer of protection. Again, a light coating used moderately works best.
DO MAINTAIN YOUR GLOVE: Inspect your laces every so often to ensure they aren’t broken or stretched out. Tighten them as needed and replace with new laces if yours break.
DON’T USE A MICROWAVE OR OVEN: This is the worst thing you could do to your glove! It drys out the leather and damages the inner portion of the gloves. Heat can also make the laces brittle causing them to break.
DON’T RUN OVER WITH A CAR: Yes, there are people who do this. This is a sure-fire way to shorten the life of your glove. People do this to make their glove flatter, but there are better ways to achieve this result.
DON’T SUBMERGE IN WATER: This too will shorten the life of your glove. This will cause the glove to become heavy as well. If you insist on using water to help soften your leather, pour a small amount of hot water onto the pocket and let it run right out, pound it a bit, then treat with either a small amount of Rawlings Glovolium or lanolin-based shaving cream. Be sure that it’s completely dry before playing with it.
I would love to hear how you break in your glove. What works? What doesn’t? We’d love to hear your feedback.
Denny Whiteside
Rawlings Glove Engineer
DO WORK THE PADDING: you can loosen the fibers by twisting the heel of your glove back and forth. Do the same with the fingers and thumb of your glove. You’ll begin to feel it getting softer. This technique will also allow for a more comfortable fit.
DO PLAY CATCH: the best way to form a good pocket is to play catch. You can also pound your pocket with a mallet or your fist. Be sure to pound exactly where you want the pocket to be formed.
DO WRAP YOUR GLOVE: Place a Rawlings baseball in the pocket of your glove and fold it closed. Secure your glove with rubber bands and let it rest in a cool, dry place. This will allow for your glove to conform to the shape of a baseball more readily and easily. This technique will aid in forming a pocket.
DO CONDITION YOUR GLOVE: Give your glove a light coating of Rawlings Glovolium or lanoline-based shaving cream every 2-3 months. Simply pour onto a rag and wipe your glove to maintain the leather fibers. This will ensure that your glove stays soft while adding a layer of protection. Again, a light coating used moderately works best.
DO MAINTAIN YOUR GLOVE: Inspect your laces every so often to ensure they aren’t broken or stretched out. Tighten them as needed and replace with new laces if yours break.
DON’T USE A MICROWAVE OR OVEN: This is the worst thing you could do to your glove! It drys out the leather and damages the inner portion of the gloves. Heat can also make the laces brittle causing them to break.
DON’T RUN OVER WITH A CAR: Yes, there are people who do this. This is a sure-fire way to shorten the life of your glove. People do this to make their glove flatter, but there are better ways to achieve this result.
DON’T SUBMERGE IN WATER: This too will shorten the life of your glove. This will cause the glove to become heavy as well. If you insist on using water to help soften your leather, pour a small amount of hot water onto the pocket and let it run right out, pound it a bit, then treat with either a small amount of Rawlings Glovolium or lanolin-based shaving cream. Be sure that it’s completely dry before playing with it.
I would love to hear how you break in your glove. What works? What doesn’t? We’d love to hear your feedback.
Denny Whiteside
Rawlings Glove Engineer
posted by Rawlings at 9/20/2006 02:39:00 PM
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