A good dad follows the disciplinary guidelines for the kids. But a better dad balance between discipline and fun. Only the responsible dads take some time to play with the children. If you are such a dad, then you may often play catch with your kids, whether you are a baseball fan or not. It is often too confusing to pick the right baseball glove among all the available options. In our article, I will suggest the best baseball gloves for dads. If you are looking for a glove to play with your child, then this article will be a great help for you to find the right gear. If you are the kid looking for a baseball glove for your father, then you are at the right place as well.
Playing catch is not just a fun activity. It is an activity of building up relations among the family members. It is not a difficult game. Therefore, when playing with the kids, you can naturally make conversation with them. It also grows your kid’s personality. Playing catch is such a cherished memory that some kids continue the game with their kids after they get older. They like to reminisce about their good old days. It really creates wonderful families.
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Considerations Before Buying Best Baseball Gloves For Dads
Price
Dads are not usually professional league baseball players. Therefore, a dad’s glove does not need to be expensive. Inexpensive gloves do not always mean bad quality. A dad’s glove can be inexpensive yet of good quality.
There are several gloves from renowned brands that offer inexpensive recreational gloves. They are made of full-grain leather. Therefore, these are soft and comfortable yet inexpensive.
Web pattern
Playing with the kids is not a professional league match. Therefore, you need not be too picky regarding the glove’s webbing. However, choosing the right web pattern that syncs your field position is better.
A closed web is preferable if you don’t want to show your ball when pitching. A basket web is a good pattern that will completely hide the ball. On the other hand, if you are catching fly balls, then a trapeze or modified trap pattern will be preferable. It can create a deep pocket that is good for practicing.
If you are playing with the kids at a place where you will contact dirt and debris, then H or I web is better. These open web patterns will help the dirt fall through the glove’s pocket. Therefore, you can transfer the ball from glove to hand conveniently.
Size of the glove
The size of the glove is a crucial aspect to consider while making the decision. The size of the dad’s glove and the kid’s glove should be different. So, first, choose an infielder’s glove for a father. The size can be anything between 11” to 12” depending on the size of your hand and personal preference.
The outfield baseball gloves for the adults are larger. It should be 12” to 12.75” depending on the size of the hand. The size of the pitcher’s glove for the adults will be somewhere between the infield and outfield gloves. Based on your personal choice, it can be between 11.5” to 12.5” based on your personal choice. However, the size range of the catcher’s mitt is different. The catcher’s mitt for dads should be 32” or more.
Material
Leather and synthetic leather are both options available for baseball gloves. Usually, a dad’s glove is inexpensive as the fathers use it for recreational and practice purposes. Therefore, synthetic leather is common to such inexpensive gloves.
Other than attractive prices, synthetic leather gloves have no advantages. They are not durable. They crack and tear quite easily and lose their luster after a few days. However, many brands offer leather gloves at a reasonable price. I would propose spending a little more money and choosing leather as the construction material of the shell of your glove.
Break-in period
Dads are usually not good at breaking in the gloves. An almost ready-to-game soft baseball glove may take a few months to be comfortable with if the breaking-in is not perfect.
Fortunately, there are gloves suitable for dads that require little time to break-in. Also, as they are not that expensive, the leather quality of a dad’s glove is average. Therefore, the leather is not that stiff to take a long time to make the glove game ready.
Purpose of the glove
This is the utmost important consideration before purchasing a dad’s glove. If the glove is just for fun activities with the kids, then a mid-range leather-made glove will be fine. However, an all-position glove is sufficient for only playing catch with your family.
On the other hand, if you are a serious player, the glove must be specific to the field position. Therefore, fathers who play competitive games need a purchase a high-end professional baseball glove. Then, they can use the same glove on the field and play with the kids.
Top 5 Baseball Gloves For Dads
Here are our five best baseball gloves for dads. In each of your reviews for the gloves, we will be including their features and a detailed description of the product. At the end of the review, you will also find advantages and disadvantages related to the product for a better idea about the gloves.
Nokona Walnut WB1200H fielding glove: Overall best
Features:
- Brand: Nokona
- Series: Walnut
- Field Position: Infield/ Outfield
- Material: Leather
- Break-in time: moderate
- Size: 12 inches
- Hand orientation: Right-hand throw
- Weight: 710 g
- Web Pattern: H web
Nokona is a renowned leather product manufacturing company. They have been producing premium baseball gloves for around 85 years. After reviewing and comparing features and specifications, we have decided to put this glove at the top of our list.
Nokona Walnut WB1200H fielding glove is made of a full-grain steer hide. The manufacturer processes the leather in their own way and calls it ‘Walnut Crunch’ leather. Additionally, this leather has been the proprietary and signature product of Nokona for many years. According to the claim of thousands of users, the quality of the leather is the best in the market. Therefore, this glove is going to last for a lifetime.
Walnut WB1200H is a 12” glove. A fielder’s glove with such a size is suitable for both infield and outfield positions. A 12” glove is perfect for an adult with average hand size. It will be a little bigger for the hand to ensure catching the ball from all directions quite comfortably.
The web pattern of this Nokona dad’s glove is H web. It is a common type of open web to ensure the passage of dirt and debris. When you play with your family at the park, these small web holes will keep the glove clean by filtering the dirt away.
This Nokona fielder’s glove requires breaking in. But you can prepare it for the game within a couple of weeks if you follow the break-in process properly. Because of the good leather quality, all Nokona gloves need to give some effort before playing. The Walnut series glove requires the least time for breaking in, and therefore, it is the option for the busy dads who may not have enough time for breaking in the glove.
Best Seller
Pros
- Durable
- Conventional velcro strap
- “Walnut Crunch” leather
- Less break-in time
- Handcrafted in USA
Cons
- Expensive
- Little heavier
Mizuno MVP Prime: Great value for money
Features:
- Brand: Mizuno
- Series: MVP Prime
- Field Position: Outfield
- Material: Leather
- Break-in time: moderate
- Size: 12.75 inches
- Hand orientation: Right/left-hand throw
- Web pattern: Modified T
Mizuno is another big name in the baseball and softball glove manufacturing industry. They have several series of gloves for different levels of the users. The MVP Prime and Franchise both are suitable for the youth and adults for recreational purposes. However, the MVP Prime series is better than the Franchise in quality. Therefore, I am suggesting the outfield glove of Mizuno MVP Prime for the dads who wants to play with their family at their leisure.
Mizuno MVP Prime gloves are made of premium quality bio soft leather. The advantage of this leather is its softness and smoothness due to the balanced application of oil. Therefore, you will have an exceptional feel, firmness, and control when wearing the glove.
This Mizuno MVP Prime has the center pocket design under the index finger. Therefore, this one is a perfect suggestion for fathers who need extra support from the glove while catching. Comfort and convenience during catching are important features for best baseball dad’s gloves, and Mizuno MVP Prive has those all.
MVP Prime gloves are not expensive as Nokona, but it has some features that resemble a pro-level glove. For example, the laces of the MVP Prime series are of professional grade. In addition, the manufacturer has used PlusGrip thumb padding to ensure ultra comfort. Apart from these, the embroidered logo gives the glove a premium look.
Mizuno Prime series gloves offer gloves for all field positions. However, I would recommend the dads opt for the outfield glove if playing with the kids is the prime use. I would recommend choosing a specific glove in the particular field positions for the serious players.
Best Seller
Pros
- Balanced
- Good price range
- Confortable
- Pro-level
Cons
- Long break-in time
- Heel area chunky
Rawlings Player Preferred Baseball Glove Series: Inexpensive
Features:
- Brand: Rawlings
- Series: Player Preferred
- Field Position: Outfield
- Material: Full-grain leather
- Break-in time: Less
- Size: 13 inches
- Hand orientation: Right/left-hand throw
- Web pattern: H web
Rawlings is one of the two big guys in the baseball accessories manufacturing industry. They are reputed for versatility and maintaining their quality standards. The Player Preferred series gloves are inexpensive yet a good value for money option. These gloves are suitable for dads looking for a glove for recreation and casual uses.
These gloves are not as expensive as the Rawlings Pro Preferred Glove series. But the Player Preferred gloves are still made of top grain leather. Therefore, the dense fiber of the leather will make the glove more durable than you expect.
The customizable fitness option is another great feature of these gloves. They have velcro or pull straps around the wrist area to allow the player to adjust the fitment as per comfort. Thanks to the ZeroShock technology that enhances the comfort while receiving a fastball.
I would recommend choosing the outfielder’s glove for the best baseball gloves dads for warming up with the kids. The 12.5 inches glove is good for persons having hands of average size. Also, the H web pattern is perfect for releasing inside dirt with a little effort.
Making a new glove game ready is challenging for the fathers who play the game just for leisure. A game-ready glove is suitable for them. Rawlings Player Preferred series gloves come as 80% factory break-in. Therefore, you need to give a little effort to prepare the glove for the game after getting it out of the box.
Best Seller
Pros
- Cheap but top quality
- Game ready
- Durable
- Zeroshock and customized fit
Cons
- No sweat absorbtion
Wilson A1000 Series baseball glove: For smaller hands
Features:
- Brand: Wilson
- Series: A1000
- Field Position: Outfield
- Material: Full-grain leather
- Break-in time: Moderate
- Size: 12.25 inches
- Hand orientation: Right/ left-hand throw
- Color: Black/ White/ Red
Wilson is one of the top baseball accessory manufacturers. Unfortunately, Wilson A1000 Series baseball gloves are neither starter nor professional gloves. However, after reviewing the features and specifications, I have found it one of the best baseball gloves for dads looking for a glove to play with friends and family.
Wison A1000 is made of full-grain leather. The leather quality is better than A900 or A800 series. Because of the leather quality, the glove does not come in game-ready condition. However, the leather is soft for your hands after preparing it for the game.
If you choose the outfielder or infielder’s glove, you will find the ‘Rolled Duel Welting’ design in the liner of the glove. The dual welting is a great feature that retains the glove’s shape for a long time. In addition, the glove is also integrated with ‘Drilex wrist lining’ that enhances the glove’s breathability. Therefore, it keeps the inside of the glove dry even if you have sweaty hands.
Wilson A1000 gloves have Pedroia fit options. Pedroia fit gloves have narrower wrist openings and smaller finger stalls. Therefore, dads who have smaller hands can avail this feature and enjoy perfect fitment. These gloves are also suitable for persons who love tight fitting.
The outfielder’s glove of A1000 has a 3 bar single-post webbing pattern. The 12.5” size is good for catching the ball comfortably. Although right-hand throw gloves are prevalent, A1000 offers left-hand throw gloves.
Best Seller
Pros
- Full leather construction
- Soft
- Durable
- Best for small hands
- Breathable
- Dual welting
Cons
- Takes time to break in
- Not a pro-level glove
Rawlings R9 Series Outfielder’s glove: Comfortable
Features:
- Brand: Rawlings
- Series: A9
- Field Position: Outfield
- Material: Leather
- Break-in time: Moderate
- Size: 12.75 inches
- Hand orientation: Right/ left-hand throw
- Web pattern: H web
Rawlings A9 adult series baseball glove is another great option for the dads. It is a popular youth baseball gloves series. Moreover, it has an appropriate size option for adults as well. These gloves are made of durable and soft all-leather shells. Therefore, they are almost ready to game. In addition, A9 series gloves come in 80% factory break-in condition to save the time of the busy dads for preparing the glove for the game.
The double palm construction of the gloves is supported with a reinforced palm pad. Therefore, it saves your hands from the impacts of the ball while fielding. Furthermore, the palm area and the thumb loop of A9 gloves also have padded protection. The manufacturer also secured the finger from shock by adding pad liners. Therefore, you will have utmost comfort when playing catch with the kids.
Rawlings A9 series gloves are also integrated with ‘duel core’ technology. This technology features Rawlings’ premium’ Heart of the hide’ glove series. The feature’s advantage is that it uses two different layers to construct the glove’s pocket. These two separate layers work together to fit the hands of the player perfectly. When the athlete fields the ball, the inner and outer layer of the glove adjust their shape to counter the impact of the shock.
This A9 series outfielder’s glove has an H web pattern. This is preferred for dads who love playing with kids in the backyard or park. The 12.75” is the perfect size of an outfielder’s glove for the adults. However, there are size options available for smaller hands. Both left and right-hand players have their options as well.
Best Seller
Pros
- Perfect fit
- Padded finger back liner
- Durable materials
- Reinforced zero shock palm pads
- 80% factory break in
Cons
- Costs slightly more
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Should larger gloves be best baseball gloves for dads?
A larger glove has its pros and cons. It is good for catching because of the larger surface area. Therefore, you will be comfortable with it while catching the balls. But the problem with a larger glove is the transition of the ball from glove to hand. Smaller gloves are good for getting the ball out of the glove and throwing quickly.
Dad’s will not be playing a competitive match. Therefore, catching the ball comfortably is more essential for them. For this reason, a larger glove is better for dads for playing with the kids.
What should be the preferred size of the dad’s glove for playing catch?
The size of the glove depends on your personal preference and the type of glove you are choosing. Dads are not usually serious players. Therefore, they should choose a glove that is good for all-purpose. For example, a 12” glove is large as an infield but just OK as an outfield glove. I think the size should be between the infielder and outfielder’s glove for both purposes.
What type of baseball glove is better for the dads?
If you want to practice for a competitive match with the kids, the glove should be field position-specific. For instance, if you are a pitcher, you should get a pitcher’s glove and make yourself or your kid ready for the game.
On the other hand, most dads play with their family for recreation. They are not playing for honing the skill, rather for fun. In such cases, an infielder or outfielder’s glove will be most appropriate. Out of these two types of gloves, the outfielder’s glove is even better because of its larger size. In addition, they have deeper pockets that are good for playing catch.
What kind of pocket is good for a dad’s glove?
A shallow pocket is better when you are playing catch with your family. If you want to catch comfortably, the surface area of the pocket has to be more. Therefore, shallow and flat pocket orientations are better for catching.
Ideally, the outfielder’s gloves have shallow pockets. If you choose an outfielder’s glove, you will probably get this pocket orientation by default. On the other hand, the infielder’s gloves have a deeper pocket to ensure a quicker ball transfer. If you are not playing any competitive match with the glove, then a dad’s glove should not have a deeper pocket.
Conclusion
Playing catch with the kids makes unforgettable memories. Only the dads who played it with their father can realize. It is much more than just tossing the ball back and forth. It helps create a strong bonding between the father and the child. In fact, the kids measure the gravity of love by the quality time you spend with them.
Fathers spend time with the family for pleasure. When they play baseball with the kids, they should choose all the gears they use. Otherwise, the pleasure time can end up with an uncomfortable and bad experience. Therefore, finding the right glove for the right purpose is essential. Not all baseball gloves are the best for everyone. Even the most expensive one may not be the best baseball gloves for dads or kids. Know your purpose and follow the buying guide before making your final decision.
