THAT’S A KEEPER

Reviews the top goalie gloves for any football fan

It takes a very particular type of individual to choose the life of a goalkeeper. To put yourself between the goal and a horde of rabid footballers bearing down on you demands an eccentric, defiant streak that not many possess. What we’re saying is: we salute the goaltending oddballs.

Besides the unorthodox character traits of your favourite keeper, there’s another important difference between them and the rest of the footballing world: gloves. We’re not talking about the bobbly excuses your team’s new attacking midfielder sports from October through to April – we’re talking the high-tech, precise smorgasbord of goalie gloves that have given keepers more of a fighting chance since a few banded together in the 1950s and decided they’d quite like to feel their hands the day after a match.

How we tested

So, what about your next pair? We’ve stretched our palms, been stung by free kicks, and had a few odd showers in order to bring you the best goalie gloves on the market, testing fit, flexibility, hand protection and ball control. Making sure you don’t become known as “all the gear and no idea” in the dressing room is up to you.

Nike GK mercurial touch elite: £95, Sports Direct

Nike has developed a bit of a penchant for impressively constructed goalie gloves, with the mercurial touch elite gloves the best of the bunch. Nike’s all-conditions control technology does what you’d expect, providing solid grip in all weathers,

while you’d feel comfortable pitting your mitts against a winter Sunday-morning stinger with the padded foam palms.

The tops of the gloves (or backhand) are designed with a perforated mesh, meaning your hands are less likely to overheat, even with the secure fit of a modern glove. The stretchy wristband (with no straps) reaches part way up your arm (as many higher-end gloves now do), keeping the gloves pleasingly secure.

These are particularly lightweight, even compared to other elite gloves, which won’t be for everyone, but if you’re a keeper who likes a lighter feel, you won’t get better.

Buy now

Adidas predator edge fingersave pro: £110, Adidas

The clue is in the name. The edge fingersave pro gloves are focused on making sure you not only have a blinder of a game but that you end it with your hands intact. The backhand design includes a particularly intricate silicone set-up, which, according to Adidas, offers heightened control when clearing the ball – it certainly feels grippier, so no risk of skimming the ball into your own net, then.

Reinforcement on the ends of the fingers and fingersave spines on the back provide a solid frame for your delicate paws. The extended foam grip around the fingers and thumbs won’t be to everyone’s taste but might give you the small advantage you need in a one-on-one.

Like the touch elites, the fingersave pros have a strapless entry, giving the wearer an easier and snugger fit, but there’s slightly more weight to them side-by-side. The edge fingersave pros could very easily be the best buy – the decision comes down to personal preference, and for those who want a more protected feel to their glove, these are a no-brainer.

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Kaliaaer XLR8AER 22: £50, Kaliaaer

If a pro is wearing a pair of gloves, chances are they’ll do the job for you. The newest gloves on the block for Kaliaaer, the hyperactively titled XLR8AER 22 gloves, feature PWRLITE 3D printing on the backhand. This uses the latest inking tech to create the lightest possible frame that still protects you when challenging for balls in the air.

Kaliaaer says that these gloves also offer “pre-charged latex”, meaning they’re ready to go straight out of the box if needs be.

Not that you’ll be doing that, of course, having read Conor’s invaluable pre-match advice first.

The gloves are proving popular, hence being sold out at Kaliaaer right now. But don’t worry, as you can buy them from Amazon for £40.

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Puma future one grip 1 NC: £79.99, Sports Direct

These are perhaps the nicest-looking gloves on our list, and they’re also the most flexible. The grip 1 NCs are catered specifically for freedom of movement, and they do the trick, giving your hands plenty of scope to perform to the best of their (limited, in our case) abilities. However, there are a series of clever elastic frames in the backhand that mean there’s little risk of injury, despite the added flexibility.

The fit is tight, which aids with control, as does the quality foam padding. Wearing them is like having a second skin, if that skin had disconcertingly thick and foamy palms.

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Nike GK match: £19.95, Nike

For those of us who see ourselves as handy backup keepers, you could do much worse than a budget pair of Nike Match gloves. We’re not going to pretend that these gloves will take you to the Premier League, but they’re comfortable, have a good grip – even in wet conditions – and feel secure at the wrist, thanks to a double Velcro design.

The padding isn’t the thickest but is more than enough for most mortals’ shots, and they feel pretty durable. They’re the best budget pair around, and will certainly do a job for your five-aside team.

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New Balance nforca protecta replica: £25, Pro Direct Soccer

The New Balance nforca gloves incorporate one of the more interesting designs we’ve seen, with an extended backhand that reaches all the way to the wrist. Combined with a traditional wrist strap, the extra backhand provides an additional level of rigidity that, along with finger spines inside the gloves, should ensure your precious money-makers against even the hardest of shots.

The design on the thumb – with the foam wrapping around to the backhand – may not be for everyone but it does provide extra grip and control.

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Puma king RC: £19.50, Sports Direct

Yes, modern technology is important in a pair of goalie gloves: grip is paramount, as is wrist and finger support (but not too much), and it’s nice to have all the bells and whistles on your gloves as you get ready for a game. However, sometimes it’s so gratifying to pull on a ‘proper’ pair, which is where the Puma King RC gloves come in.

They’re comfortable, breathable, grippy and have a gratifyingly hefty bit of armour over the top which, while lightweight, makes you feel like you could punch away any dangerous cross.

Buy now

The verdict

At the highest level, the tiniest margins can make a difference. We’re not talking just about technology here – how a pair of gloves makes you feel can be just as important a consideration as all the sports intelligence in the world. To that end, the Nike mercurial touch elite gloves just pip the Adidas predator edge fingersave pro gloves, but only because of a personal preference for a lighter glove. Both pairs are worth considering if you’re looking at taking goalkeeping seriously.

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