BY HUNTER BROWN ’16

Many different football gloves are on the market with the advertising that they have the most revolutionary performance glove. The famous brands that make these claims include Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Cutters.

Football gloves gained their fame from many NFL receivers realizing their ability to catch the ball better when they wear these. The gloves are able to stick to the football, and make it difficult for it to slide out of receivers hands. Now many positions wear these gloves in the case that they would ever handle the football: all defensive backs, linebackers, receivers, running backs and even some linemen.

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So which glove is the best out of all these different types? Many people will say that it does not matter which glove a player uses, it depends more on the person’s ability to catch the football. But each brand has a unique stick to the gloves they manufacture.

Beginning with Nike, they have designed a glove that has a sticky and rough surface. Their goal is to make the ball unable to slide through the hands of the receiver. Once the receiver begins to catch the ball, the rougher surface on the gloves will allow the ball to be secure. Many players find this to be helpful, although others have decided that this style is not right for them. But Nike has created the “Vapor Jets 3.0” and the “Superbads,” which have become the most famous among their company. Nike also offers other glove such as the “Vapor Knits,” but the price is much higher, and the style can seem unappealing to many players.

Adidas design is much different than a rough surface; their gloves have a smooth surface that is very sticky. They are trying make it so that the receiver can use their fingers to catch the ball first, and the palm of the hand will secure the catch. Some players have found this to be best for them because when they catch, they do not use the palm of their hand as much as they use their fingers. Adidas top seller is the “adiZero 5 star,” and they have other famous gloves such as the “Scorchlight,” and the “Uncaged Receiver” gloves. Many football players are turning to Adidas because the quality and comfort of the gloves are hard to beat.

Another famous brand is Under Armour who has a mix between Adidas and Nike. Under Armour’s gloves have a rough surface, and more stick on the fingers. They are trying to help receivers catch the ball with their fingers, and have a rough surface that can make it tough for the ball to slide out. While this may seem like the best of both worlds, their gloves are not suitable for everyone; it all depends on the person wearing the gloves. Under Armour’s most popular pair is the “UA Highlights,” and other pairs include the “Alter Ego’s,” and the “Swarm” gloves. Under Armour also has gloves with superheroes on them such as Spiderman, Batman, Superman, with more to come.

The last famous pair of gloves are Cutters, which have an extremely sticky feeling to them. Many high school and college athletes agree that Cutters makes the best glove for them. Basically the palm and the fingers are super sticky, which can allow players to make great catches, which they may not be able to if they had not been wearing them. Cutters best glove is the “Rev Pro” pair, and they also have the “Yin and Yang” design that many players like. Basically there are two colors such as black and white, and the color pattern is flipped from one glove to the other. In other words, where the glove is black in a spot on one glove, it is white on the other. This allows both gloves to have a unique look to them, while matching each other.

These are the main brands that sell the most football gloves to players each year. With their different traits, a player is able to find what best fits them. Depending on the persons ability to catch and handle the ball will show them which glove is right for them. A common misconception however, is that gloves can totally change a player’s ability to catch the football. Gloves may allow athletes to make better catches that they may not be able to make without gloves, but a football player needs to be able to catch the football without using gloves, before they buy a pair. Football gloves just add extra help, and they will never guarantee athletes the ability to catch every pass that comes to them.

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