for the people talking about west coast gloves- how do you size them? DD is starting to get more serious (coach doesn't believe at specialization for u12, so she plays a half a game, but goes to weekly training through the club) and has been begging for better gloves

Two-GK parent here, playing at a pretty high level. We've gone through...I'm gonna say over 100 pairs of gloves by this point.

In short, you want the best quality latex you can get, with the least expensive glove to hold it on your hand. Almost all the value is in the latex, and the difference between good and cheap latex is vast. The big brands have good latex in their top models, but you are paying a lot for design and the brand. You can get just as good latex at half the price or less. We've bought a lot of Sells (from England) and Elite (US), but there are others. The West Coast gloves mentioned above sound like they are in this category too. Couple more tips:

--Have a pair of game gloves and a pair of practice gloves; when the practice gloves are really toast, get another pair, make them the new game gloves and downshift the other pair to practice
--Dry them after every wear. We use a boot dryer. Moisture is the enemy of both long glove life and your nose.
--Wash them every so often. We close the straps (so the velcro hooks don't abrade the latex), put them in a pillowcase (so other laundry zippers and such don't abrade the latex), and wash them with the regular laundry. Then dry them in the dryer (still in the pillowcase). The latex has a lot of little pores that help it grip; when they get full of dirt and dust, the grip is worse. Washing restores it.

Anonymous wrote:How old? I assume a full time keeper?

Generally, game quality gloves will perform better but wear faster. Practice gloves won’t be as grippy, but will last dramatically longer. She should have a pair of both, ideally. All major brands will have game and practice gloves. I like Uhlsport.

Thanks. She is 14 and a full-time keeper and wears them out quickly.

Anonymous wrote:As you obviously know, GK gloves don't last a terribly long time depending on a number of factors. My daughter trains 4-5 days a week and plays 1-3 games on the weekends and we typically buy 4-6 pairs a year. We've worked with a few different GK coaches over the years who played pro/semi-pro and have been told that it's not uncommon for a professional keeper to go through 20 - 30 pairs of gloves a year! As I'm sure you know, there are a lot of brands to choose from and some are certainly better than others. I can definitely recommend West Coast Goalkeeping gloves (https://www.westcoastgoalkeeping.com/) as one good brand to consider. As others have said, your DD is going to wear out the (3-5 mm) latex quicker with a single pair that gets used all the time. A second pair (one for practice and one for games) would be money well spent. If she doesn't already do this, dampening the gloves before use not only makes the latex stickier but also lessens wear just a little bit. I'd also suggest washing your DD's gloves after every 4 or 5 uses with a good quality glove wash and let them *air* dry. If your DD plays on turf a lot, when standing up from a save on the ground, suggest that she make her palm into the shape of a fist first instead of putting the palm flat on the ground to get up. This will also help reduce turf wear a little bit. Hope that helps!

OP Here -- That helps tremendously. Thank you.

I'll add another thumbs up for West Coast Goalkeeping. DS tried several other brands and prefers them over others. Been wearing them for about 5 years now with no complaints.

My DD likes West Coast GoalKeeping gloves too. Been using them for years.

the general rule is the nicer the glove, the faster it wears out. DD has worn reusch for years and likes them. Keeping them in their own bag helps with longevity since they aren't constantly rubbing

Anonymous wrote:Thumbs up on westcoastgoalkeeping.com. Have been using their kit for years.

+1

Thumbs up on westcoastgoalkeeping.com. Have been using their kit for years.

As you obviously know, GK gloves don't last a terribly long time depending on a number of factors. My daughter trains 4-5 days a week and plays 1-3 games on the weekends and we typically buy 4-6 pairs a year. We've worked with a few different GK coaches over the years who played pro/semi-pro and have been told that it's not uncommon for a professional keeper to go through 20 - 30 pairs of gloves a year! As I'm sure you know, there are a lot of brands to choose from and some are certainly better than others. I can definitely recommend West Coast Goalkeeping gloves (https://www.westcoastgoalkeeping.com/) as one good brand to consider. As others have said, your DD is going to wear out the (3-5 mm) latex quicker with a single pair that gets used all the time. A second pair (one for practice and one for games) would be money well spent. If she doesn't already do this, dampening the gloves before use not only makes the latex stickier but also lessens wear just a little bit. I'd also suggest washing your DD's gloves after every 4 or 5 uses with a good quality glove wash and let them *air* dry. If your DD plays on turf a lot, when standing up from a save on the ground, suggest that she make her palm into the shape of a fist first instead of putting the palm flat on the ground to get up. This will also help reduce turf wear a little bit. Hope that helps!

My son likes Storelli. Tends to be more expensive but good quality, was able to find a pair on ebay. They also sell other safety equipment for keepers.

Anonymous wrote:Haven’t found a pair that lasts super long yet. DD does a a pair for practice only and then game only. Once game pair gets worn out they become practice. She like Nike because of fit

This as well.

Also, negative cut gloves usually fit thinner (girls) hands better.

Haven’t found a pair that lasts super long yet. DD does a a pair for practice only and then game only. Once game pair gets worn out they become practice. She like Nike because of fit

How old? I assume a full time keeper?

Generally, game quality gloves will perform better but wear faster. Practice gloves won’t be as grippy, but will last dramatically longer. She should have a pair of both, ideally. All major brands will have game and practice gloves. I like Uhlsport.

Any recommendations for keeper gloves for girls? I don't mind paying more for quality gloves. My daughter is going through hers quickly.