An element of baseball that is almost never talked about is glove care. Good glove care is important for all baseball players, regardless of age or experience. Proper glove care can provide a variety of benefits to the player. For example, it prolongs the life of the glove, and preserves leather quality. This is why glove care is important for all baseball players.
What Is Glove Care?
Glove care is typically broken down into three categories, Storage, Conditioning, and Lacing. Storage and conditioning are typically used to prevent damage to the glove, while re-lacing would be done to revive some of the glove’s structure.
Proper Storage
Proper storage is absolutely essential to the lifespan of your glove. Leaving your glove in your bag after a game, or tournament is not a good idea. This is because over time the moisture level will irreversibly damage the leather. It also risks being pancaked inside with your other gear. This will cause the glove to quickly lose its structure.
It is very important to store your glove in the right position and conditions. A dry environment is typically ideal for your glove. If you do not want your glove to pancake, then it is important that you do not leave your glove laying on its side. Leaving your glove on its side will cause gravity to slowly pancake and flatten your glove over time. Taking the time to properly store your glove can make a huge difference on the glove’s longevity. This is just one major reason why glove care is important for all baseball players.
Conditioning Your Glove
Conditioning your glove is very important for prolonging its lifespan. It is also an amazing way to keep your glove from drying out. I recommend conditioning your glove at the end of each season to prevent it from drying out during the off-season. For players that take extended periods of time without playing, moisturizing your glove at the start of the season is also a good idea.
There are multiple ways to condition your glove, but I recommend using Nokona’s Glove Conditioner. I use it to condition and preserve all of my gloves and believe that it is the best option that there is. If you do not want to spend money on a glove conditioner, Vasaline is also a cheap alternative.
To condition your glove you are going to use a rag to work about a dime sized portion of conditioner into the leather. Then you are going to let it sit and absorb. It is important to not condition your glove too often, as this can lead to your glove becoming over-saturated and heavy. Over time this will cause its own kind of damage that you want to avoid. So only condition your glove at the beginning or end of the season.
Re-Lacing Your Glove
If your glove is not in good condition due to lack of care, re-lacing your glove is a good way to restore some of its structure. However, it should only be used in certain situations. If your glove has damaged laces, re-lacing your glove is a great way to restore its integrity. However if you plan to re-lace your glove purely for aesthetic reasons, then it is not worth it. Re-lacing is a great way to revive your gloves structure. However, it shouldn’t be done just for looks. You can get your glove re-laced at certain stores, but if your glove is not super expensive, then it might just be worth getting a new glove instead of reviving an old glove.
Why Glove Care Is Important For All Baseball Players.
Proper glove care can help prolong the life of your glove, and keep your glove in good condition. Proper storage, conditioning, and re-lacing are essential to the longevity of your glove. This is why glove care is important for all baseball players.
If you are in the process of buying a glove, consider reading Is It Worth Buying An Expensive Glove For My Child?. It will provide many essential pros and cons of buying an expensive glove.
If you are looking for a good glove conditioner, then I recommend checking out Nokona’s Leather Treatment. It is truly the best there is, and I couldn’t recommend it enough.
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