How to Fit Baseball Gloves

In the game of baseball, the only changes that have been made in the last couple of the years have been to the bats. They have become lighter and stronger, but gloves have basically stayed the same. Gloves cost from $15 for a child's size up to $400 for an adult's professional-quality mitt. Many variables come into play when fitting a baseball glove for a specific person.

Things You'll Need

  • Sizing chart
  • Flexible tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Decide on a budget, as the average price of a glove is $200. The higher-quality manufacturers price their products above the average, but you generally will get more life out of these. It will largely depend on the use that you are going to get out of it. This will vary on the amount of game time that you plan on having each year.

    • 2

      Consider your position in the field, as there are different glove sizes and shapes for specific positions. The outfielder's glove is usually larger than a infield or a pitcher's glove. On the other hand, the catcher's mitt and first basement's glove looks and feels radically different. The catcher, for example, has a mitt which does not have fingers and this makes it easier to handle balls which come at fast speeds and often bounce off the ground.

    • 3

      Wear the glove to see whether it feels comfortable. Many things can look good, but you are the one that will have to break-in and then use the glove during games. Breaking in the glove can take up to a few weeks and is best done by catching the ball repeatedly until the leather softens up a bit.

    • 4

      Measure the glove starting at the height of the index finger all the way down to the glove's heel. It is best to use measuring tape which is flexible as there are curves inside of the glove. Mitts are measured from the highest point to the bottom of the glove in the same manner as the other gloves.

    • 5

      Refer to the sizing chart which can be found at sports stores and on the Internet. These will give you a good reference of the type and size of glove used for the different positions and age groups.