Baseball

How to Break in a Baseball Glove By Jason Gluckman

Baseball gloves are available in almost every size, color and material known to man. Traditional gloves are made from leather or faux-leather and more recently from buffalo and kangaroo hides. No matter what the material, baseball gloves need to be broken in. Players find that by using various methods to break the glove in, they will get a better fit and therefore play a better game.

Different players will certainly have different methods and ways to show you how to break in a baseball glove. You can expect that for each method, another will be said to work better. Methods for breaking in a baseball glove can be viewed as a personal preference and will need to be tweaked for the individual. To summarize, there are two basic goals in breaking in a glove: to soften the glove and to create a pocket. The best method for breaking in a glove, however, is simply to use it as much as possible.

You can use a multitude of methods to soften the leather. If you want to learn how to break in a baseball glove, this is the best way to start. You can use shaving cream, petroleum jelly, saddle soap or a leather softener made for baseball gloves. Most baseball glove manufacturers offer a leather softener for their products. These usually work very well but some players have their own tried-and-true methods. Experts suggest that you be very conservative in your use of creams or jellies; more is certainly not better in the case of softening leather.

The best method by far for creating a pocket is simply using the glove. The more wear and play time your glove has seen, a better pocket will form. There are, however, other methods to speed up this process and make your glove more comfortable quicker. The most popular method in creating a pocket is to put a baseball inside the glove and then tie it up with string. You can even find products that will help the baseball glove stay closed to form the pocket. By using this method, along with a lot of playing, you will find that a pocket has formed inside the glove before you know it.