Linemen rarely leave the field without scratches or bruises – such is the nature of their position in football.
However, the fact that football is such an aggressive sport doesn’t mean that there is no way to protect yourself during the game. Specifically linemen could make use of such a wonderful piece of equipment as football lineman gloves.
If lineman foobtall gloves are exactly what you are looking for today, then I have good news for you – in this guide, I will showcase what I think are the 5 best linemen football gloves! Go grab yourself a drink since we have a lot to talk about!
1. Under Armour Men’s Combat V - Best Flexibility In Football Gloves For Linemen
- Meets NFHS/NCAA/NOCSAE standards
- All-purpose padded glove, designed specifically...
- Flex Technology offers 4-way flex padding to keep...
- ArmourMesh construction is durable, lightweight &...
- Removable Power Strap for added wrist support
The first glove model on this list is Under Armour Men’s Combat V. I think that if you are looking for protective and flexible football gloves, this pair is going to be the best for you.
Combat V uses a grid of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) padding inserts on the back. Under Armour calls this Flex Technology. Thanks to its sectioned layout, the TPU provides protection while ensuring good hand mobility.
I also like the design of Combat V – the padding makes it unique and perhaps somewhat futuristic.
Although the grip isn’t the highlight of these football gloves, they offer a very tacky palm area too. It has grippy inserts on the fingers and on the palm, ensuring good coverage and grip throughout most of the palm.
Combat V also has mesh and perforations on the palm for some ventilation, but if you are looking specifically for great breathability, there are better options down the list.
The Combat V gloves also meet NFHS/NCAA/NOCSAE standards, so they are suitable for competitive play.
As final words for this review, Under Armour Combat V are great if you want to be minimally restricted on the field. Flex Technology keeps these football gloves flexible while providing a lot of protection.
Pros
- Very flexible yet highly protective.
- Offer very solid grip.
- Cool-looking design.
- Great quality.
Cons
- Might run small.
- Has tacky material only on the fingertips and the base of the palm.
2. Cutters Lineman Force 3.0 - Best Protection In Lineman Football Gloves
- ENHANCED C-TACK FINGER GRIP - Strategic C-TACK...
- PROTECTIVE PADDING - Compressed foam padding lower...
- SUPPORTIVE, SECURE WRIST STRAPS - Double wrist...
- ULTIMATE BALL SECURITY - Our C-TACK Technology...
- PERFECT FOR HIGH SCHOOL + COLLEGE PLAY - Meets...
Scorch Destroyer has a very well-ventilated back area – most of it is a breathable mesh-like material. Additionally, the palm area has a few vent holes to help air circulate inside the glove.
On the flip side, Scorch Destroyer has relatively little padding on the back. What this glove has is enough for most situations on the field, but Scorch Destroyer certainly won’t be as protective as something like Cutters Force 3.0.
Aside from breathability, what’s also great in Scorch Destroyer is the grip. The fingers and the upper area of the palm are all covered with the tacky Grip Tack material. So unlike Force 3.0, you are getting increased grip throughout most of the palm.
As for the bottom area of the palm, it’s protected by a 5mm layer of padding.
In conclusion, if you don’t care that much about protection and want something more breathable, Scorch Destroyer is a great choice.
Pros
- Excellent protection.
- Fairly decent ventilation.
- Great quality.
- Machine-washable.
Cons
- Seem to run small.
3. adidas Scorch Destroyer - Best Breathability In Lineman Football Gloves
- Breathable compression Lycra back delivers a...
- Strategically placed 5mm pads provide impact...
- High Density injection molded jam pad palm for...
- Wide band, injection molded rubber tab with low...
- Meets SFIA Standard
The first glove model on this list is Under Armour Men’s Combat V. I think that if you are looking for protective and flexible football gloves, this pair is going to be the best for you.
Combat V uses a grid of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) padding inserts on the back. Under Armour calls this Flex Technology. Thanks to its sectioned layout, the TPU provides protection while ensuring good hand mobility.
I also like the design of Combat V – the padding makes it unique and perhaps somewhat futuristic.
Although the grip isn’t the highlight of these football gloves, they offer a very tacky palm area too. It has grippy inserts on the fingers and on the palm, ensuring good coverage and grip throughout most of the palm.
Combat V also has mesh and perforations on the palm for some ventilation, but if you are looking specifically for great breathability, there are better options down the list.
The Combat V gloves also meet NFHS/NCAA/NOCSAE standards, so they are suitable for competitive play.
As final words for this review, Under Armour Combat V are great if you want to be minimally restricted on the field. Flex Technology keeps these football gloves flexible while providing a lot of protection.
Pros
- Excellent ventilation and breathability.
- Great grip throughout most of the palm.
- Keeps hands mobile.
- Good build quality.
Cons
- Relatively weak protection.
4. Adidas Freak Max - Best Grip In Lineman Football Gloves
- High Density strategic molded padding on back and...
- Grip Tack palm material provides maximum...
- 4 way back of hand compression fit for ultimate...
- Wicking material keeps hands drier in hot humid...
- Injection molded customizable tab provides secure...
The Freak Max football gloves have a palm area that is similar to what we had in the Scorch Destroyer. Most of the palm is covered with the same Grip Tack material, so in terms of grip, the two adidas football gloves should be very close.
However, I think that breathability is the key feature of Scorch Destroyer, so I decided to award the title of the Best Grip to Freak Max.
In terms of protection, Freak Max is fairly nice. It’s not super-padded like Force 3.0, but it has a good amount of cushion on the back and fingers.
There are a few mesh areas on the back of the glove too, so Freak Max won’t make you too sweaty. Furthermore, the interior liner in Freak Max is moisture-wicking, so it should keep your hands dry on the field.
As for downsides, my and many others’ main complaint with this glove model is the stitching – it tends to come apart. This isn’t that big of an issue since you may easily repair the stitching, but it can be annoying.
In the end, I think that adidas Freak Max is the optimal option for those who are looking for excellent grip paired with decent protection and breathability.
Pros
- Offers plenty of padding.
- Most of the palm is covered with a tacky material.
- Looks really nice.
- The wicking liner keeps hands dry.
Cons
- Stitching quality could be better.
5. Barnett FLG-02 - Best Budget Option
If you want something more pocket-friendly, then the Barnett FLG-2 glove should be the right option for you. These football gloves are a little cheaper than my other picks.
Needless to say, you are going to sacrifice some quality and durability by going for cheaper football gloves. But if your budget is limited or if you don’t need anything spectacular, FLG-02 gloves should be fine for you.
Despite the low price, the Barnett gloves offer plenty of padding on the back, and their breathability is also very nice. It’s not as good as in the adidas Scorch Destroyer gloves, but it’s up there.
Notably, the palm in the Barnett gloves is covered in a tacky material in its entirety, so you should be getting a good grip on your opponents no matter the angle. The palm fabric is mesh-like too, so it should be able to keep your hands cool.
All in all, the Barnett FLG-02 football gloves are great if you want something on the cheaper end. The quality in these football gloves isn’t excellent, but they are great performers nonetheless.
Pros
- Fairly inexpensive.
- Rather breathable.
- Ample padding on the back.
- The entire palm area has a good grip.
Cons
- Probably won’t serve you as long as my other picks.
My Buyer’s Guide For Football Lineman Gloves
Now, I’ll talk a bit about the key features & specs to consider in football lineman gloves. This guide will help you better understand the reviews, as well as should help you with picking the right football gloves for your needs.
Protection
First up, consider protection. The primary reason for buying lineman gloves is added protection, which is why this is the number one thing to pay attention to.
Football lineman gloves primarily provide protection via padding in a number of areas. Typically, these areas are the fingers, knuckles, and the back of the hand. Usually, the palm area has very little protection because it needs to stay grippy and doesn’t take much impact in the first place.
In terms of protection, pay attention to where the padding is situated. Some football gloves have more padding than others, so you are getting varying amounts of protection depending on your glove.
The most well-protected gloves have padding over the entire back area, as well as on the fingers. In contrast, less protected gloves sacrifice some padding in order to reduce weight and improve mobility.
Also, know that some football lineman gloves are half-fingered. But I didn’t include any of these because I think that their protection is insufficient for linemen. Any bit of protection counts in football, after all.
It’s up to personal preference how much protection your lineman gloves should provide. But if you are purchasing your first-ever gloves, then you should probably try to go for more protection. Then, if you find that the gloves are too bulky or restricting for your taste, you may try to go for something lighter.
In terms of protection, the best lineman glove on my list is Cutters Lineman Force 3.0. It has thick protection over the entire back of the hand and finger areas.
Grip
Next, we have grip.
To improve grip, lineman gloves employ a special tacky material on the palm. This material enhances your grip, allowing you to get a better hold on your opponent or the ball.
The size and layout of the gripping area typically vary from glove to glove. Some football gloves provide added tackiness at the fingertips, while others have excellent grip throughout the entire palm.
Generally, the larger the grip area, the better. With that, have a good look at the glove palm and see how big the gripping area is. Usually, the tacky material is glossy or has a different texture than the rest of the palm, so it’s easy to spot.
Aside from coverage, the grip strength may vary as well. But unfortunately, you can’t assess the grip of a glove unless you try it. So if you are looking for maximum grip, you may need to go through more than one pair.
In terms of grip, I think that the best option is the adidas Freak Max glove. It has great grip in the entire palm, and it seems to be pretty tacky as well.
Breathability
Breathability is also quite important in football lineman gloves.
Pretty much any lineman glove will have some ventilation. But as you could have noticed from the reviews, some gloves are more breathable than others.Again, have a look at the overviewed gloves – more breathable gloves have more mesh in them.
Note that if you want super-breathable gloves, then you might need to sacrifice some protection, and vice versa.
I think that protection is more important than breathability for linemen, but you should always follow your preference when choosing football equipment.
In terms of ventilation, adidas Scorch Destroyer seems to be the best on our list. It has plenty of exposed Lycra fabric on the back for breathability. But also note that this model doesn’t have as much protection as other foobtall gloves on the list.
Mobility
What you should also pay careful attention to is mobility. You are going to sacrifice hand mobility with any glove, but some gloves are more restricting than others.
Generally, the more protection a glove has, the more restrictive it is. However, Under Armour Men’s Combat V begs to differ – this model has ample back protection but is very flexible thanks to the sectioned padding.
Quality
Then, consider quality. Higher-quality gloves will take abuse better and will serve you longer. Pay special attention to stitching and Velcro straps – these fail the most often in lineman gloves.
Unfortunately, when shopping online, quality is difficult to measure. Instead, I recommend that you check out buyer reviews – if the gloves have any issues with quality, the reviews will let you know.
As a general rule, more expensive gloves have better build quality. With that, price is a fairly decent indicator of how well a glove is made. You should still read buyer reviews since even pricey gloves can have issues with their construction.
When it comes to quality, all gloves on our top are pretty good. However, if you are very worried about quality, then these 4 models are the best:
- Under Armour Men’s Combat V.
- Cutters Lineman Force 3.0.
- adidas Scorch Destroyer.
- adidas Freak Max.
In some rare cases, the stitching in these lineman gloves may come apart, but this doesn’t happen often and is easy to fix.
As for Barnett FLG-02, this is a cheaper glove, so you shouldn’t expect its quality to be on par with others.
Choose the right gloves based on other criteria I talked about above.
Size & fit
Finally, pay attention to size & fit.
Lineman gloves are available in various sizes, and you should be able to easily pick the right size via the size charts that brands provide. However, keep in mind that size charts aren’t always accurate. Plus, if you have super-bulky or super-slim hands, you may have problems with finding the right size.
When shopping for clothes or sports equipment, I always have a good look at buyer reviews to see if anyone complains about sizing issues. If I see a lot of people mentioning too small/too big sizing, then I adjust my size accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
And now, I am going to provide answers to several frequently asked questions to give you a better idea of what lineman gloves are and what you should expect from them.
Do football linemen wear gloves?
Not everybody, but most football linemen do wear gloves on the field. You should probably wear gloves too – they can tremendously help you on the field!
What are lineman gloves for?
Football lineman gloves perform the following two functions:
- They protect the hands of the wearer from impact and bruising.
- They provide the wearer with additional grip, significantly helping with maintaining a hold on their opponents.
What is the difference between lineman gloves and receiver gloves?
There are two things that differ between lineman and receiver gloves:
- Grip. Receiver gloves are much grippier than lineman gloves. This is because the primary goal of a receiver is to catch and hold onto the ball. The more grip you have, the better you will be able to perform this task.
- Protection. On the other hand, lineman gloves have much thicker protection. In fact, lineman gloves are the bulkiest of all football gloves. This is because linemen have to endure plenty of impact on the field, so every bit of extra protection is important.
What are the best lineman gloves?
This entirely depends on what you want. But as a recap, here’s what I’d suggest to you:
- Under Armour Men’s Combat V if you want flexible gloves.
- Cutters Lineman Force 3.0 if you want protection.
- adidas Scorch Destroyer if you want to keep your hands cool. Plus, these gloves have great grip.
- adidas Freak Max if you want tackiness without breathability.
- Barnett FLG-02 if you want something not too expensive.
4th & 10
And that’s it for the buyer’s guide!
So as we now know, protective gloves are crucial for linemen because they receive plenty of impact on the field. Bruises and wounds are a huge deal because they can interfere with your play due to pain and fear of more injury.
Well, with a good pair of gloves, you will be able to significantly reduce the risk of injury during the game!
Now, I’d also like to hear your opinion! If you have any experience with the gloves I’ve featured, I would appreciate it if you shared it with us in the comments below. Additionally, as always, feel free to leave questions – I’ll be happy to answer!
