I highly recommend finger saves or finger protection, spines, etc. for as long as you can keep your young goalkeeper in them. Their hands get stronger every year but balls come at them faster and harder especially if they are developing and playing in good leagues. Fingersaves limit the # of injuries and protect already bruised or extended fingers. Our orthopedic doctor advocated for finger saves at every exam, regardless of injury. He felt the potential for arthritis later in life was way higher for athletes with repetitive injuries, especially in the hands. Our keeper played in Elite gloves and West Coast. Both are great quality and have nice price points.

West Coast. Nothing better for the price, or twice the price.

https://www.westcoastgoalkeeping.com/ is what you want!

My u16 son wears Adidas Predator Pros which are about $150. He is very happy with the quality and fit. He gets 4-6 months of games and then demotes them to practice gloves for the next season. When he was young I was shocked that gloves didn’t last longer but now I’ve adjusted my expectations. I was actually just thinking his newest pair are really holding up. After 10 games they look almost new. When he was younger, we really liked the Reusch Orthotec line. Gloves are really a deeply personal thing. There are so many cuts and brand choices. I know a lot of people are fans of West Coast which are really reasonably priced.

Also, I’m not sure if your son is new to GK or not, but there are certain behaviors that shorten the life of a glove so if his gloves didn’t hold up, make sure he knows to get yo with his fist and not have the palm on the turf. Also, don’t grab the net.

My DD likes Elites.

West Coast. Better quality than the $150 Adidas and Nike and cost half the price.

Depends on your budget. The top of line Adidas, Puma and Nike are all fine at $130-150.

Get a cheaper finger save glove for practice and an expensive one for the games.

I think my son needs to upgrade his goalie gloves. They were new for this season and are already falling apart. He uses the Renegade gloves with finder stays in them. Anyone have any suggestions?