Being a goalkeeper is tough, right?
You have to throw yourself in front of every shot, your team’s fate is often in your hands and even if you make a hundred saves, you will very rarely be the game’s hero.
When I was asked by TheChampLair.com to write a top 10 guide of the best goalkeeper gloves on the market, I knew the task wasn’t going to be easy. As a goalkeeper myself, I own more than 30 pairs and I had to make my choices on cold hard facts, rather than the emotional attachment I may have for some of these.
A goalkeeper glove becomes part of him, it is an essential tool that must be of great quality in order to protect the hand and also perform optimally.
The gloves reviewed in this guide are professionally graded, often worn by the best goalkeepers in the word and most importantly, will help you annihilate the competition.
The Top 10 Best Soccer Goalkeeper Gloves
This pair of soccer goalie gloves is simply a classic from the world’s best-known sports brand. Timeless, these Nike Vapor Grip 3 goalkeeper gloves have received little to no improvements over the years. It’s hard to improve what is already perfect. The different variations of this product are very similar, in fact, only the design and colours are the most notable changes.
The Nike Vapor Grip 3 has a very characteristic patented cut that allows for a greater contact surface with the ball.
The glove’s palm is made of Nike’s new 4mm Contact plus foam which is efficient no matter the weather, and also one of the best grips you can get. Thanks to the high-end materials used in the conception of these soccer gloves, they happen to be the most durable and sturdy option on the market.
Pros
- Hybrid patented cut: Bigger contact area and improved ball control
- Flexible and durable fabric
- Light and fits like a glove (pun intended)
- Amazing grip from the Latex
- Wrap around wristband
Cons
- Honestly hard to find any
The Germans really know how to produce great goalkeepers. From Oliver Kahn to Manuel Neuer and everyone in-between, they have a huge goalkeeping culture; it’s only fair they have manufacturers that create equally amazing gloves.
Uhlsport is a German brand that designs and manufactures all sorts of sports equipment. They are leaders in many national markets when it comes to selling goalkeeping gloves.
These Uhlsport Eliminator Aquagrip gloves came out quite some time ago but they are already classics, as they are worn by a World Champion Goalkeeper: Alphonse Areola.
The patented Supergrip latex offers incredible control over the ball, no matter what the weather is outside. It feels as if you had put rubber on your gloves, very rarely have I had this sensation. Even when it rains they don’t get slippery and I would not hesitate to wear them, even if the weather forecast indicates bad playing conditions.
These goalkeeper gloves from Uhlsport are very comfortable to wear with a very tight fit, and are extremely durable (I have used them for two seasons and they are still in store-bought condition).
Pros
- One of the best grips you can get
- 360° wrist wrap
- Provides a good punch
- Will last a lifetime
- Very comfortable
Cons
- Might be an overkill if you're an amateur goalkeeper
I actually have some emotional attachment to these gloves. Funny story, I was playing a very important game that was a must-win for us. While packing my things, I was in a hurry and I could not find my go-to gloves. I picked the first ones I could find; these Reusch goalie gloves.
We won the game 1-0; I ended up making 11 saves and the cherry on the cake: I was elected MOTM (Man of the Match). Surely, these gloves have played a major part in this great game.
Weighing only 3 ounces (88 grams), this minimalist pair of gloves has a clean look to it thanks to his Evolution Negative cut. Wearing it almost feels like a second skin but no worries; your hand is well protected.
I also want to mention that these gloves offer an incredible touch and control. The unique Latex G3 Fusion used by Reusch to manufacture these gloves is simply amazing, and efficient even if it rains.
If you want light gloves without compromises, you can buy these without any second thoughts, they are amazing.
Pros
- Lightweight baby! (Any Ronnie Coleman fans out there?)
- Slick and clean design
- Latex G3 Fusion for an insane grip
- Equal performances, no matter the weather
Cons
- Quite hard to find, it seems they're always out of stock
Even though these gloves have been on the market for quite some time now, I still believe they are amongst the best. Featuring everything we could want in a premium pair of gloves, they are very sturdy and are efficient even when it rains.
When it comes to technical features, these gloves really do pack a punch with their Giga Grip technology which improve ball control. The main focus of the Renegade Fury is to allow the palm to spread wider and provide an amazing grip in all weather conditions (and they do).
Another really cool technical feature displayed by these gloves is the Pre-Curved technology that positions your hands in a catch-ready position by default.
The last thing I want to talk about is how cool these gloves feel. Your hands will barely sweat at all thanks to the breathable material used in the conception of these goalie gloves.
Pros
- Good grip
- Made of high-end latex
- Very durable
- Great value for your money
Cons
- Quite hard to find, it seems they're always out of stock
Are you looking for good gloves you can bring to practice without paying a premium fee for it? I got you covered. These Ace Replique Adidas goalkeeper gloves are the best value for your money you can get. Let’s look at some of the features they offer.
The excellent grip provided by the EVO Zone Tech II latex is what really stands out in these gloves. I actually believe that your training gloves shouldn’t be too different from your game ones. My reasoning behind this is that you shouldn’t have to adapt the way you play to the gloves you’re wearing.
Another aspect that is often overlooked, and that is super important when you are buying a budget product, is durability. Yes, these gloves are cheaper, but they are also more durable. The cost per game played or per years of usage is incredibly low. If you’re on a budget but don’t want to give up on quality, these gloves are your absolute best option.
Pros
- Protection on the backhand
- Negative Cut
- Very tight fit
- Perfect wrist support with the elastic strap
- Very cheap
Cons
- Can be too tight, I would order one size above
These Nike Spyne Pro are also quite decent, I especially like their design and breathable fabric. The inside grip is best used if your glove is perfectly fitting your hand so I would order one size below what I normally wear if I had to order these again.
What is very unique about these gloves is the inside grip. It’s quite comfortable to wear and you can be sure that they won’t slip.
The palm does a relatively great job at absorbing impacts, the grip is above average and more importantly, the Bio-align technology sets your hands in a ready to catch position at all times.
Great straightforward gloves overall but there are definitely better options in this price range.
Pros
- Made with flexible foam
- Wrap-around wrist closure
- Finger support
- Great looking glove
Cons
- A tad too basic
Okay, we all know that the best goalies in the world have a tendency to wear Adidas soccer gloves. Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas, David De Gea, and their mothers just to name a few, have always preferred the three stripe company to protect their goal line.
These Adidas Predator Competition gloves are in my humble opinion, the most versatile model. Adjustable to the user’s hands, very stable thanks to the new tech strap, these gloves feature two foam latex palms that enable a homogeneous glove that is great for both catching and releasing.
With his perfectly fitting structure, this model contains minimal seams and showcases a slick and elegant design.
I also want to talk about the amazing Fingersave spine. A pretty cool feature that will greatly reduce the impact a shot can have on your hands/fingers, and significantly reduce the risk of injury. Without any doubt one of my favourite pair of gloves of all time.
Pros
- Very comfortable to wear and perfectly fitting.
- FINGERSAVE spine which resists to powerful shots and prevents your fingers from going backwards.
- Designed for optimal contact area and efficiency on every catch
- Gloves made of latex and elastane foam
Cons
- Need to be kept clean to maximize efficiency
Another pair of Puma goalie gloves, made of latex and a flat cut, these EvoPower Protect 3.3 especially shine because of one thing: Their atrociously low price for gloves of this quality, it’s an absolute steal.
These really would rank higher on my list if the fingersave could be removed. High-quality and protection thanks to the flexible PFP spines, these gloves also feature a multi-grip latex palm for all weather conditions.
If you like to have extra protection, enjoy a flat cut and are looking for gloves on the cheaper end of the spectrum, look no further and pick these, they are incredible.
Pros
- Great bargain
- Large contact area
- Flat cut
Cons
- Non-removable fingersave
When gk gloves are worn by Gianluigi Buffon and Petr Cech, it already is quite a good indicator of their quality.
These Puma goalkeeper gloves have one big particularity that sets them apart from its competition. They have an innovative closing device; A disc placed on the backhand that can be used to tighten or loosen the gloves.
The RC/IS Hybrid cut will give you a wider catching zone and thanks to the Ultimate Grip latex on the palm and on the thumb area, your grip is maximized.
On the backhand part, the punching areas branded Strikezone by Puma are extremely efficient for clearances.
Another cool feature on these gloves is the fact that they stretch half the way up the forearm. I really like this because it protects your wrists more efficiently than any other gloves.
If you like cool high-tech products that still do the job they were initially built for, then absolutely go for these. If Iron man was a goalkeeper, he would wear these Puma evoDisc gloves, no doubt about it.
Pros
- EvoDisc Technology
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