Baseball gloves are an indispensable piece of equipment for all baseball players, providing essential protection and improving grip to enhance field performance. However, many players overlook the crucial step of breaking in their gloves, which can prevent them from fully maximizing the glove’s potential. Unlike other sports gear, baseball gloves cannot be used right out of the box. It is essential to properly break in a baseball glove to achieve the ideal fit and feel. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of how to break in a baseball glove, ensuring that you get the most out of your equipment on the field. By following these steps, you will learn valuable techniques to mold your glove to your hand, improve its flexibility, and optimize your performance while playing the game you love.
How to Break in a Baseball Glove
Every athlete needs to break in their gloves before using them. Breaking in enhances the gloves’ comfortability and makes them easy to use without causing unnecessary harm to your hands. The best baseball gloves will give a comfortable and snug fit. It will act as an extension of the player’s hands. Breaking in your baseball glove will enhance cohesion while eliminating unnecessary stiffness and rigidity. Additionally, breaking in creates a pocket, which helps to catch and hold the ball.
Breaking in a new baseball glove is an important step in ensuring optimal performance and a comfortable fit. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you break in your baseball glove effectively:
- Purchase the Right Glove: Choose a high-quality glove that is suitable for your position and age. Consider the size, materials, and features that best meet your needs. Leather gloves are the most common choice due to their durability and flexibility.
- Condition the Leather: Before starting the break-in process, condition the leather to enhance its flexibility and prevent cracking. Use a specialized leather conditioner or glove oil, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply the conditioner to the glove’s palm, back, and laces, using a clean cloth or sponge.
- Soften the Glove: Begin the softening process by repeatedly opening and closing the glove. Use your hands to work the leather, bending the fingers, and flexing the palm. This helps loosen the leather fibers and makes the glove more pliable.
- Use a Glove Mallet or Ball: To further break in the glove, use a glove mallet or a baseball. Place the ball or mallet in the pocket of the glove and repeatedly strike it with force. This helps shape the pocket and break in the leather more effectively. Continue this process for several minutes, rotating the glove to work on different areas.
- Wrap the Glove: After using the mallet or ball, wrap the glove with a ball or rubber band. This helps maintain the desired shape and promotes flexibility in the pocket. Leave the glove wrapped for a few hours or overnight to allow the leather to conform to the desired shape.
- Play Catch: The best way to fully break in a glove is to use it in game-like situations. Play catch with a partner, focusing on catching balls with different velocities and angles. This helps the glove mold to your hand and improves its overall performance.
- Maintain the Glove: Proper maintenance is key to prolonging the life of your glove. Keep it clean by removing dirt and debris with a soft cloth or brush. Avoid exposing the glove to excessive moisture or extreme heat, as this can damage the leather.
- Recondition Periodically: Over time, the glove may become dry or lose its shape. Periodically recondition the glove by applying leather conditioner or glove oil. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use sparingly to maintain the glove’s quality.
Remember, breaking in a baseball glove takes time and patience. It’s essential to gradually break in the glove, allowing the leather to adjust and mold to your hand. By following these steps and regularly using the glove, you’ll achieve a well-fitting, comfortable glove that enhances your performance on the field.
Tips and Tricks on How to Break Your Baseball Gloves
There are different methods that baseball players can use to break in their new pair of baseball gloves. We have compiled essential tips and tricks from experts and professional athletes which baseball players can use and learn how to break in a baseball glove. The following steps will help you break-in and customize your baseball gloves effectively.
Moistening the Glove’s Leather
To moisten your new baseball gloves, you will need warm water, with a 150 – 170 degrees Fahrenheit temperature range. Pour a small amount on the parts of the gloves you want to moisten. Make sure the parts are made from leather. The other option would be using glove oil dipped in a sponge. Detergents and microwaving the baseball gloves will harm the leather and shouldn’t be used to moisten the leather. When using the glove oil to moisten the gloves, don’t apply it directly to the glove as it may be too concentrated. Use a sponge to apply the glove oil carefully.
Working the Rigid Parts of the Gloves
When you buy your new baseball gloves, you will notice some parts of the gloves are more rigid. These parts are the ones that need breaking in to enhance comfortability. After saturating the baseball gloves with warm water or glove oil, the next step is to soften the rigid parts.
- Carefully bend the pinky back, thumb and the forth towards and away from each other. These are among the stiff areas of the baseball mitts.
- Squeeze the pink and thumb together, then gently push down the back fingers.
- Squeeze the glove’s palm liner and stretch the webtop by pulling it gently.
- Repeat the above steps 6 to 8 times until your baseball gloves are completely dry.
Softening the Baseball Glove
Baseball players must soften leather baseball gloves to ensure they have extended durability. One of the easiest ways of softening your leather baseball gloves is by gently pounding the gloves. You can use a neoprene dumbbell (5 lb.) or a wooden mallet. You should pound the parts of the gloves that will be used to catch the ball and the glove’s web.
The pounding will create a pleasant landing valley for the batting ball while eliminating any unwanted wrinkles. Pounding the gloves will also make the leather effectively conform to the player’s hands, achieving ultimate breaking in. If you don’t have a mallet, you use the batting ball. When the glove is still wet, throw the ball around 30 times until the gloves dry up.
Shaping the Glove
Put a batting ball in the baseball glove’s pocket, then carefully wrap the new gloves using three rubber bands. Ensure the rubber bands have a snug fit and overlap, creating an X shape. Let the gloves remain in this position for a maximum of six hours. The process will make the new gloves take the shape you want and won’t revert to their original shape. After removing the ball, pound the glove’s pocket again for more efficiency.
Playing Catch
One of the simplest ways of breaking in new baseball gloves is by playing catch. After several rounds of playing catch, the gloves will gradually start to take the shape of your hands and lose their stiffness. It’s also a good way of practicing while breaking in the gloves, an excellent way of killing two birds with one stone. Playing catch doesn’t require any pounding, oil cream or warm water.
Care & Maintenance
The only way to ensure a successful breaking-in is by following the proper care and maintenance for baseball gloves. Proper storage of the baseball gloves will ensure the breaking-in process is successful and also maintain the glove’s durability. If you use glove oils and conditions, players should use them sparingly. Over conditioning can end up damaging your glove’s fabric.
Break in a Baseball Glove
Breaking in your new baseball gloves is very important. There are no shortcuts, and you have to be patient. Don’t forget to play catch frequently; the more you play catch, the faster your baseball mitt will be ready for use. After your glove has taken the preferred shape, you need to practice proper care and maintenance for the gloves to maintain that shape. Don’t over-clean or overuse the glove conditioners or oils, as they will damage your new gloves.
With our professional tips and tricks, you can’t go wrong when it comes to breaking your new baseball gloves.
Practicing the above pro tips will ensure you have a fast and effective breaking-in process with your new baseball gloves.
