Best Hockey Gloves
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Hockey gloves are mainly by infielders and defenders to keep their hands from bruising during the game. This protective glove should serve its purpose if you are contemplating to buy the best hockey glove. However, if you don’t know how to buy one you may end up with a weak glove that could even exacerbate the situation.
If you are new to hockey, you should consider the following things: how to choose a hockey glove, how to break into it, and how to clean it.
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At a Glance: Best Hockey Gloves to Buy
In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
| PICTURE | NAME | RATING | SHOPS |
|---|---|---|---|
 1 | Bauer Supreme ONE.2 Youth Hockey Glove 8″ Black Show more | ||
 2 | Mylec Ultra Pro II Gloves Show more | ||
 3 | STX Ice Hockey Stallion HPR 1.1 Gloves Show more | ||
 4 | WARRIOR 2017 Evo Gloves Show more | ||
 5 | Bauer Senior Supreme 150 Gloves, Black Show more |
Top 5 Best Rated Hockey Gloves Reviewed
Now that you know the things that you should consider in buying a hockey glove, you may want to opt for the best hockey gloves in the market available. However, finding the best rely on the preference and needs of the player, as well as the other factors that have been mentioned on previous topics. By utilizing those considerations and factors, here is the list that people deem to be the best hockey gloves out there.
- Articulated sense of mobility
- Good padding
- Only available in two sizes
- Expensive for its price
- Articulated sense of mobility
- Good padding
- Only available in two sizes
- Expensive for its price
This product is made up of single density foam which provides good protection for youth players. It has a 1-piece thumb with PE insert, allowing your youth to let their hand stay mobile without sacrificing their security and letting them enjoy the game by allowing them to hold on to their equipment easier than when using other brands. It is made up of single layer nash palm, making it breathable as it is lightweight. The mesh line is also hydrophobic, which helps keep harmful bacteria away from your hands as you play.
- Very comfortable
- Offers more protection than other brands
- Gives excellent quality for its price
- May become prone to ripping at the seams
- Offers limited sizes
- Very comfortable
- Offers more protection than other brands
- Gives excellent quality for its price
- May become prone to ripping at the seams
- Offers limited sizes
This pair of hockey gloves is available in different colors and three sizes. This is a traditional -4 roll glove featuring Hyperlock Thumb, which allows for added security. The palm is made from Clarino with Digitech material reinforcement, which allows you to have a professional feel. It allows for faster drying when exposed to humidity. This makes the glove very comfortable. It is also very lightweight and durable because it is made of top grade Armor material.
- Very comfortable gloves
- Has adequate padding
- Feels very protective
- May be looser than other brands
- Palm feel similar to older model
- Very comfortable gloves
- Has adequate padding
- Feels very protective
- May be looser than other brands
- Palm feel similar to older model
This product is available for both junior and senior gloves. This pair of gloves is available in 5 sizes, and 5 color schemes to choose from. The Power fit allows a more voluminous fit for a traditional feel. The back-of-hand fit is looser, allowing more mobility for the wearer without having to sacrifice much security. The Cable Flex thumb technology allows for great control by giving you a fully articulating and hyperlock thumb area. The mesh gussets are breathable, allowing maximum comfort and prevents bacteria from building up.
- Fits petite hands well
- Flexible
- Offers good protection
- Some say there is a tendency to fall apart
- Limited colors available
- Fits petite hands well
- Flexible
- Offers good protection
- Some say there is a tendency to fall apart
- Limited colors available
This pair of gloves is available in 3 different sizes and in three variations of color. It allows you to pick the best color and fit according to your personal preference. The foam pads for this brand provides great protection all the while being light in weight. Furthermore, the material of the glove liner allows your hands to stay cool and dry. The Covert Taper Fit allows for the best possible mobility and fit. It naturally contours around the shape of your hands, all while enabling the best possible protection.
- Good quality for its price
- Holds up fairly well
- Fits perfectly
- Does not offer the same flexibility as other brands
- Customers complain about receiving just one glove
- Good quality for its price
- Holds up fairly well
- Fits perfectly
- Does not offer the same flexibility as other brands
- Customers complain about receiving just one glove
This product has an anatomical fit design that allows your hands to have a more natural feel. It becomes more responsive to your movements. The two-piece segmented fingers of the gloves and ergonomic thumb design allow for great mobility. This is while being durable. It is protected by double density foams and has a stretch nylon shell. The double layer nash palm has a hydrophobic mesh liner that provides the utmost comfort, all the while enabling the user to stay cool and dry.
How to Choose a GOOD Hockey Glove
You should not buy hockey gloves merely because they look cool. They serve a specific purpose which you will find to be beneficial if you buy a proper glove. When choosing a hockey glove, there are several factors you should consider. These factors will influence the way the glove will help or hinder your performance.
- Fit, Protection, and Mobility – Hockey gloves have three kinds of fittings: tapered, traditional, and anatomical. The fit of the glove usually depends on the preference of the wearer.
- Traditional Fit – These types of glove fittings offer the loosest kind of fit than the two kinds of fit. This type of fit allows the user to have the best mobility possible.
- Tapered Fit – This type of fit is of the middle ground, between the loosely and tightly fitting gloves. As such, they allow better mobility than anatomical fit gloves but are more restrictive than traditional fit.
- Anatomical Fit – These types of gloves may offer the least comfort and mobility possible. They are the tightest of the three. The advantage of this kind of fit is that it offers the best kind of protection possible.
- Size – Finding the right size for your glove is the trickiest part when. This is because even though manufacturers say that they measure the glove from tip to tip, they are not the same when they are physically fitted.
The best way to find the right glove size for you, aside from actually trying it on, is to measure the base of your middle finger up to the crease of your elbow. Note that you may have to go one inch larger or smaller depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Quality – A cheap glove may usually not last long, but not even all expensive brands are built to last if they are made of cheap materials. Generally, a good glove should have an ample amount of padding, have thicker shells, an armored thumb, and a reinforced palm. Keep in mind, however, that most of the time more advanced users opt for thicker reinforcements and paddings. This makes them more expensive and harder to break in.
- Weight – There are several factors that may influence a hockey glove’s weight to be heavier. But, overall you should opt for gloves that do not weigh too much as heavy gloves can impede your performance. It can also cause your wrist to wear down.
How to Break-In a Hockey Glove
Old hockey gloves were made of pure leather back then, which made them harder to break in. Nowadays, hockey gloves are easier to break in and are lighter as they are made up of synthetic leather and other lightweight but durable materials. If you are new to hockey, you may probably not know how to break in your new glove, so here are some tips to follow when breaking in your hockey glove.
- Put on the Gloves – In order for you to determine which parts you need to break in, put on the gloves and give it a tight squeeze by closing your fists. Gloves that are easier to move means that they are easier to break in.
- Grip a Stick or Puck – The most natural way of breaking in your glove is to actually grip something like a hockey stick or a puck so that the leather will attune to your grip. This will help the glove conform to the natural grooves and movement of your hands, making it softer and more usable until it finally breaks in.
- Use Cold Water – If the gloves are still stiff even if you used the previous method, simply soak the gloves in cold water. Leave them overnight. Afterward, hang them to dry so that they can reach their optimum softness.
- Bake Your Gloves – If your gloves are still stiff even after soaking, use a skate oven and pop in the gloves in the oven to bake for a few minutes. This is the most effective step in softening the suede material of the glove.
- Do Not Use Oil – Avoid oils when breaking in hockey gloves as they will make the suede material heavy and render them useless for play.
How to Clean a Hockey Glove
If you own a hockey glove, chances are it will catch dirt and grime whenever you use it for play. This is natural as this means that you are simply using your glove repeatedly and the only simple way to get rid of the odor and dirt that it has is to clean it. To maintain your glove and keep it in its pristine shape, all the while maintaining your hygiene, here are some steps you can take in order to clean your glove.
- Hang Your Gloves – At the end of a game, allow the air to circulate throughout your gloves’ crevices by hanging it at the end of a broomstick. This will allow you to prevent bacteria from spreading inside the glove and creating nasty odors. This will also help in maintaining your glove as it will get rid of unwanted moisture that may cause unnecessary softening and cause the leather to flake.
- Deodorize and Disinfect – Use a disinfectant and a deodorizing spray to kill the bacteria and odors of your gloves. Do this step every time you hang your gloves to dry after a game to maintain your hygiene when it comes to wearing gloves. If there is any dirt present on the gloves, be sure to wipe it off.
- Use a Washing Machine – Since most gloves are made up of synthetic fibers, most of them might be safe to wash using a washing machine. If you feel unsure about this, read the instruction label of your gloves to see if they are safe for such a method. Use a hockey gear cleaner that can be used for washing machines as your soap and you should be good to go.
Final Thoughts
Before getting into hockey, it is best that you equip yourself with the right gloves. It will help you protect your hands from potential injuries. Choosing a glove is the first step to becoming a more responsible hockey player. Knowing how to properly break in a glove and how to maintain it is a must. It is up to you to decide whether you should buy the gloves above or not. You may find that not all these gloves may suit your needs.
