How well do you take care of your Goalkeeper gloves? Does it seem like they are wearing out faster than then should? Do you have a separate pair for goalkeeper training sessions and match play?
How long your goalkeeper gloves last depends on how you look after them. From pre washing your gloves, dampening your gloves while wearing you gloves, to even washing immediately after a match and not putting your gloves away dirty in your bag, all will determine how long your goalkeeper gloves will last.
Also how you dry your goalkeeper gloves has a dramatic effect on how long your goalkeeper gloves last.
Follow the steps below to get the most life out if those Mitts!
Pre Wash: Before you even wear your gloves, you should soak your gloves for a few hours in a bowl of water, with NO chemicals, just water. This dissolves the invisible film that protects new gloves, and will make your gloves ready for action. Let your gloves dry naturally, with NO direct light from the sun, and NEVER tumble dry.
Dampen Your Gloves While Using: This is so SO important and were a lot of keepers (and parents) get this wrong. You MUST dampen your gloves before you start your game/training AND keep the gloves damp throughout, until you have finished. If you wear your goalkeeper gloves dry, especially on dry surfaces, your gloves might not even last a full game. So it is vital to keep your gloves damp throughout. Spitting on a dry glove only breaks down the latex faster. The enzyme in your saliva does its job and breaks down the latex. ALWAYS make sure the glove is damp with water before you spit on them. The water helps dilute your enzymes.
Wash Straight After Use: Another massive mistake keepers make is after they use their gloves, they put in their kit bag dirty and do not take them out again until next use. So in the meantime, all the dirt on the glove will eat away at the soft latex. So it is important to wash your goalkeeper gloves as soon as you can with warm water and NO SOAP!
Store And Dry Correctly: You must NOT dry your gloves on a heater or leave in direct sunlight, otherwise the latex might go hard, and will render the palm useless. You must dry at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
Glove wear and tear is normal on every glove, and in fact you will notice wear and tear more or less immediately on your glove palms. Do not worry about this, please remember the glove palm is a very soft latex, so will wear with every usage. However even though you will see wear and tear, the glove palm will retain its grip, even when the palm latex is well and truly worn.
Give us a call to see how our goalkeeper training in Northern Virginia and tips can help you become a more confident goalkeeper!