Unless you’re Chuck Norris—who everyone knows plays racquetball with a waffle iron and bowling ball—then you need the best racquetball equipment, especially the gloves, to stay at the top of your game.
In racquetball you need the proper shoes, racquet, balls, eye guards, and gloves. In fact, one of the most important items you will need are gloves.
Your gloves give you the ability to grip your racquet and spin it without dropping it. If you get the wrong kind of gloves you’re likely in for a sweaty and uncomfortable experience, or you may find your gloves have too much grip and you won’t let you spin your racquet to change position easily.
Whatever the case may be, you need to choose the best racquetball gloves to suit your style of play. In this article, we will be discussing the different glove attributes that racquetball players should look for.
There are a lot of factors that you should look at when choosing gloves. The first thing that most people want to look at is cost, but that is one of the least important factors. Just because a glove costs a lot doesn’t mean that it will be the most effective glove for you. The main factors that you should examine are breathability, durability, stickiness, and padding.
Um, I Think I’m Suffocating: Breathability
Simply put, breathability describes how much air a glove allows your hand to get. Everyone’s hands sweat when they play physical games that require gloves.
The material on a glove is what allows it to breath properly and gives your hand enough air so that you are not pooling up with sweat.
A number of best racquetball gloves on the market hold good ratings in this regard thanks to materials that allows for maximum breathability. HEAD brand gloves, for instance, provide very good breathability.
The HEAD Renegade Racquetball Glove is made with material that is meant for maximum breathability so that your hands won’t sweat excessively. The glove’s high performance COOLTECH spandex material backing allows for optimal airflow and cooling whether you’re playing inside, outside, hard, or for fun. It is also quite comfortable. The COOLTECH spandex is mesh, which allows for maximum airflow.
The HEAD Web Racquetball Glove is another glove that is made with a very airy, breathable material to allow for maximum airflow and reduce sweat. The glove’s design incorporates high performance COOLTECH spandex mesh backing. This type of backing seems to be the best for maximum airflow to come out on the market so far. Another type of the glove that provides great breathability is the Python Deluxe Racquetball Glove.
The HEAD Conquest Racquetball Glove is made with a Cabretta ultra-soft leather palm for breathability and comfort, plus it also has a terry cloth wristband for more absorption. People even purchase this glove to play golf with in warmer state like Florida because it’s known to be so airy and sweat absorbent.
The Python Deluxe Racquetball Glove is another glove that takes airflow into consideration. It’s made with perforated Cabretta leather, which is more breathable and sweat resistant than a lot of other materials, so this glove is the perfect for playing both indoors and outdoors. Perforated holes allow the glove to breathe well, keeping your hands from getting too hot.
Built to Last: Durability
Another factor that needs examination when buying racquetball gloves is durability.
Just how long will that glove last?
Is it worth the money you are going to spend?
Will you go back to the store later, regretting your purchase?
You should keep all this in mind while examining the durability of any pair of gloves. In addition to breathability, the Python Deluxe and the HEAD Conquest gloves seem to boast the most durability out of the four gloves pictured above.
But do any other gloves have this durability? Do any match the durability of the Python and the HEAD brands?
HEAD Conquest Python Deluxe
The Wilson Sting Racquetball Glove does not advertise its durability, but anyone who reads the customer reviews will see that the glove is extremely durable. It is made of Cabretta sheepskin leather, so the glove is soft, but durable, and can last for months.
You’ll find the Wilson Clutch Racquetball Glove to be another durable option. It’s is made with premium microfiber suede leather, which is a thin and resilient material. Customer reviews note the glove’s toughness and ability to last for months of play.
Get A Grip: Stickiness
The stickiness of a glove basically determines its grip. There are several different kinds of grip, and depending on your playstyle, you may need a stickier or less sticky grip.
For now, let’s look at gloves that provide maximum stickiness. Among the gloves already mentioned, those that provide a great grip are the Wilson Clutch, the Python Deluxe, the HEAD Renegade, and the HEAD Web.
Sticky Skin Technology provides the Wilson Clutch with a lock-tight grip. Perforated Cabretta leather and a Grip Strip Tackified palm does the same for the Python Deluxe. The HEAD Renegade has a textured pattern in the palm for extra gripping power, and the HEAD Web has a specially designed silicon web palm pattern for ultimate grip and durability.
Wilson Clutch Python Deluxe HEAD Renegade HEAD Web
Do You Dive A Lot?: Padding
Padding is one more thing that is important to look for when choosing the racquetball gloves. Do you dive a lot? Do you play with a partner that is constantly busting your knuckles?
What you need is a glove with a lot of cushion. Out of all the gloves previously mentioned in this article, the HEAD Web and the Renegade have knuckle pads for added protection; the Python has thin dive pads on the knuckle, pointer, and middle finger; and the Wilson Clutch and Sting have strategically placed dive padding that protects you and your glove.
Which One is the Best Racquetball Gloves?
“Best” is normally defined by each individual’s preferences, mostly because everyone has their own opinion. However, there are more objective ways to gauge which glove is likely to be your best choice.
You should look at the overall functionality of the glove, plus each key selling point. Below, you’ll find a list of these attributes for each glove in this article, which may go a long way in helping you reach a decision.
The HEAD Conquest
- Breathable.
- Durable.
The Wilson Sting
- Durable.
- Padded.
The Wilson Clutch
- Durable.
- Good grip.
- Padded.
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The HEAD Renegade
- Durable.
- Good grip.
- Padded.
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The HEAD Web
- Breathable.
- Padded.
- Good grip.
The Python Deluxe
- Breathable.
- Padded.
- Good grip.
- Durable.
Comparing each glove, you’ll find the Python Deluxe is the best choice based on maximum functionality. It has everything that the typical racquetball player needs, and it suits beginner, intermediate, and advanced players alike. Though a bit costlier than some of the other options, its overall functionality appears to make the Python Deluxe worth the purchase.
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