As part of my role of freelance goalkeeper coach, I am often asked questions regarding the most important equipment needed for playing between the sticks. The questions vary but all have the same theme - what's the best goalkeeper gloves I can buy? There is no real way to answer this as goalkeeping is a very unique position and as such, it is individuals that play in arguably the most important position in football - and as we all know that with any individual they all have their own opinions!

I have heard recent ludicrous arguments that the best goalkeeper gloves are the most expensive, and quite how that conclusion can be drawn is beyond me! Price should never be a factor when choosing the glove or indeed the brand when selecting the most important piece of kit for the goalkeeper, as many of the top of the range gloves from the major brands are not worn by their professional goalkeepers and instead many pro's will select gloves from the brands mid range and indeed with one brand, the majority of the professional endorsees have opted for the entry level glove which retails at £19.99.

Cosmetics will play a huge part in the selection process when choosing a pair of gloves, and even though many grass roots goalkeepers will argue that the grip is what they look for if the glove is ugly then the vast majority of goalkeepers will not even try the grip. Goalkeeping is hugely psychological and all the goalies that I have worked with have a great sense of pride, not just in their performance but also in their presence, and if the gloves "fit" in with their self imagery then this will have a positive effect on their game.

Comfort is then a secondary importance, as the goalkeeper could be wearing the gloves for over 2 hours each game, if they also use their match gloves for warm ups. Along with match play the goalkeepers will also spend a lot of time "gloved up" at training so ensuring that the gloves are comfortable is a big factor when deciding which gloves are for you, and as every manufacturer has different ideas of comfort and fit then there really is a plethora of choice available on the market today.

It can be argued that grip is THE major influence when buying goalkeeper gloves, and in my opinion this has to be initially factored in after the above two points of Image and Comfort however once you have found the glove that performs as you want, then can also advisable to stay loyal to that Latex type even once the manufacturer inevitably changes the design of the backhand. This is not set in stone though, as Latex mixtures and developments change regularly and it would be criminal not to see what is offered by other products - maybe they'll perform better for you, maybe they won't but unless you try them you cannot ever know for sure.

I know some goalkeepers that have never changed their brand in over a decade, and I can see their argument for this but on the flipside why wouldn't you try other options knowing you always have a safety net to fall back on? I drive a Jaguar car but I would never rule out test driving a BMW or Mercedes to see if they suit my needs better, it's a similar argument for goalkeeper gloves and with such an extravagance of glove options available I personally think you'd be naive to not try some of the other brands available to you.

There are many options around for goalkeepers (or parents of goalkeepers) that offer all 3 of these criteria, and that have spent a considerable investment in getting these factors to the premium that they can be so that we as consumers have such an option that it is difficult to know where to start, but certainly some brands offer professional gloves starting from £19.99 and have gloves with Finger Protection, Aqua Grip, Contact Latex so you can be confident in not needing to break the bank to find the necessary qualities that you want from your goalie gloves. Shop around and let Google be your friend.

 

I know the answers are very vague and that it would be so much easier for you, the consumer if I stated that a certain brand, or a certain glove was the best available but I can't...it is impossible to know what every individual likes or wants from their goalkeeper gloves and I've hopefully been able to point you in the right direction with regards to your sporting purchases. All I know is WarbyGK have invested heavily in research and development over the last twelve months in order to be able to provide the goalkeepers with the very best available and that is why I support them, the goalkeeper is their priority and every little development they make is purely for the good of one person......the Number One!