When most people think of fastpitch softball, they think of girls. But there are many men, young and old, who also play. Finding the right outfit is just as difficult for men as it is for girls. Catchers gloves for men are even harder to find. Read on for some tips that should help.
Softball and baseball catchers’ gloves differ in many ways.
– size of the ball used
– edge padding is different
– size of the gloves themselves
– strategically placed palm padding
– what gloves to use
There is a big difference between a baseball catcher’s glove and a fastpitch softball catcher’s glove. They are designed differently for a few reasons. The size of the ball used is obvious to most. Fastpitch softballs are 12 inches in diameter and baseballs are only 9 inches in diameter. Therefore, the glove must have a much larger opening and pocket to catch the ball.
Gloves for fastpitch catchers typically have thinner padding around the edges. This thinner padding is to allow for a larger opening and deeper pocket. You don’t catch the ball on the rim anyway, so why have it there? Most gloves also have gussets around the edges to help the glove hold its shape through all the abuse it takes. What you want is a deep pocket that stops the ball from spinning. Fastpitch pitchers can put a lot of spin on the ball. Makes it really hard to keep the glove on sometimes. So softball gloves are designed with larger nets and deeper pockets to do just that.
Baseball catcher’s gloves use that thicker padding to help catch the ball. The smaller size of the glove means a smaller pocket, so using the thicker edge padding helps catch the ball better when it snaps shut. The softball is larger so it can be caught more easily with thinner padding when snapped on the catch.
Glove size is generally larger for fastpitch softball vs. a baseball glove. Baseball gloves generally range from 31 inches to 33 inches. Fastpitch gloves will start at about 33 inches and go up to 34.5 inches for the adult size. That big size helps a lot with fast-spinning softball pitches.
Catchers’ gloves use more padding than outfielders’ gloves for obvious reasons. Baseball gloves generally have a lot of thick padding that covers the entire palm area. That’s where baseball hits. Softball gloves also use thick padding on the palm, but often add strategically placed padding over the area between the index finger and thumb to provide more protection for the larger ball. Some will also add more in the toe area.
It’s more important to have a nice deep pocket in a fastpitch glove than all the extra padding. When caught correctly, the softball will be guided into the pocket.
Both types of gloves should be made of thick, durable leather in the palm, pocket, and net area. The laces used should also be thick and strong. Most gloves use 1/4 inch wide laces in this area. Other areas can use thinner laces.
Now, how do you find a men’s fastpitch catcher’s glove? Good question. Most fast pitch gloves are designed for the female hand. They have smaller finger slots and smaller openings to help ladies better manage the glove. That’s great for women, but what about guys?
You can use them the same. If you get a good leather one, it will mold to your hand and feel like it was custom made for you. Many men use them and get along excellently with them. I personally use one from Akadema that has served me very well.
Men’s Fastpitch Catcher’s Mitt
