Football gloves are one of the most crucial pieces of gear for any serious player. They are great for adding additional hand protection and grip on the football, while also adding a sleek and modern look to your game. But it’s often difficult to find the right pair with brands using different technologies and materials in the manufacturing process. We’re here to answer some of your questions and also created our list of the best football gloves you can buy to take your game on the gridiron to the next level.
How to Find the Best Football Gloves
Finding the best pair of football gloves can be a challenge. There are so many options to choose from and new technologies being introduced. Your position also plays a key role in determining the best football gloves for you. But don’t worry, we’ve broken it down to help you stay competitive on the field.
What Football Positions Need Gloves?
There are several positions where gloves can provide a tremendous benefit to the player. The two major categories are receiver gloves and lineman gloves.
Receiver Football Gloves
While the name may suggest these gloves are specifically made for wide receivers, they are actually quite versatile. The positions that will benefit most from receiver gloves are:
- Wide Receiver
- Running Back
- Tight Ends
- Quarterback
- Cornerback
- Safety
Made generally for skill positions, receiver gloves are designed to be very flexible, while also providing additional grip for holding onto the ball. A really good pair of receiver gloves will provide some level of backhand padded protection to help with the force felt when making a difficult catch or intercepting the quarterback for a pick-six. It’s important to find a pair that’s lightweight to give you the most natural feel and maximum benefit.
Lineman Football Gloves
Lineman football gloves are built with the trenches in mind. Thick and durable materials help protect against hand and finger injuries when pass protecting or bull rushing the quarterback. You’ll want to choose a pair with additional padding in both the palm area and backhand to keep you on the field for every snap. If you play Center and are worried about getting a proper feel for the ball, half-finger lineman gloves are a great option.
Are Running Back Football Gloves Necessary?
Running back football gloves aren’t entirely necessary, but they are recommended. You might remember NFL players like Jamal Lewis and Mike Alstott (technically a fullback) go gloveless, but most running backs prefer wearing gloves. Protecting the football is one of the most important parts of a running back’s job, so the additional grip will help hold onto the ball, while the padding helps when picking up blockers in the backfield.
Important Features of Football Gloves
There are several key elements that make up a good pair of football gloves.
Grip
A stronger grip is one of the major benefits of football gloves, so you’ll want to consider this when buying a new pair. You’ll also want to note that a lot of brands use their own marketed grip technology. For example, these Under Armour football gloves use GlueGrip to ensure a stronger grasp, while this pair of Nike football gloves use durable magnigrip palm material. Both are great options and can provide the necessary support. One last thing to make sure, especially if you play a skilled position, is if there is a palm grip, which will help secure the ball and limit fumbles. This article in the New York Times helps show how the added grip in football gloves has helped change the game.
Padding
The amount of padding is going to depend on the position and type of gloves you purchase. As described above, lineman football gloves are going to have a lot more padding than receiver gloves. There’s a lot of high impact contact through the hands when you’re in the trenches, so you need to make sure your pair of gloves has enough support and resistance to protect against hand and wrist injuries, while also allowing you to remain flexible through the whistle.
Durability
A strong and durable pair of football gloves is crucial for getting you through the entire season. With the amount of contact involved in each play, you’ll want to use a pair that won’t tear or rip easily, while also providing enough flexibility and breathability. Leather gloves tend to the most durable style of football gloves, but you can’t go wrong with a nicely made pair of synthetic football gloves. We also talked about grip above, so it’s important to buy football gloves that won’t lose the grip or stiffness after extended use. Some players will also carry a few pairs of gloves into the season just to make sure.
Ventilation
Sweaty hands are one of the worst things to experience on the football field as it can severely hinder your ability to grab the football tightly. A good pair of football gloves should provide some breathability either through small openings in the glove or being constructed with breathable materials. You’ll notice a lot of tiny small holes on the backs of several gloves which helps keep air flowing to your hands, limiting the amount of sweat. Keeping your hands cool and dry is crucial for making plays in the fourth quarter’s two-minute drill.
Style
Let’s be honest, the overall style of your gloves is incredibly important. You want a pair that is going to look good with your team’s uniform and color scheme, both at home and on the road. The great thing is a lot of football gloves on the market have modern and sleek designs, in a variety of colors. There are even football gloves with designs so you can find a pair that matches your style of play and personality, both on and off the field.
Top 5 Best Football Receiver Gloves
Below is our list of the best football receiver gloves available right now.
Best Seller: Cutters Rev Pro Football Receiver Gloves
One of the absolute best pair of wide receiver gloves on the market, the Rev Pro by Cutters are incredibly lightweight and made with durability and support in mind. The gusset sewing material on each finger provides optimal ventilation to make sure you have the most natural grip on the ball. Each wrist has a neoprene strap that provides support when making blocks out front for your running back. The Perforated C-tack grip technology is great for holding onto the ball and making those one-handed grabs in the endzone. The one downside on this pair is they don’t have a ton of padding, but they come in a ton of colors, so you’ll easily be able to match it up with your team’s colors.
Pros
- Lightweight and durable material
- Excellent ventilation, especially on the ends of each finger
- Perforated C-grip technology
Cons
- Not a ton of padding
Highly Rated: Under Armour Men’s F6 Football Gloves
The F6 model is one of the best Under Armour’s football gloves for wide receivers. Made with Under Armour’s iconic HeatGear material, these will help keep your hands cool and dry, even in warmer weather games. The GrabTack palm grip allows for premium plays and the best catches down the sidelines, so you don’t have to worry about dropped passes again. They can sometimes run a little smaller, so make sure you take size into consideration. These can also be put in the washing machine then hung out to dry and still provide maximum stickiness. The variety of color options makes the Under Armour F6 football gloves a great option for skill players.
Pros
- HeatGear material helps wick away sweat keeping your hands cool and dry
- GrabTack palm grip for making the best catches
- Approved to use by the NFHS/NCAA/NOCSAE
Cons
- Can run a little bit smaller
Best Value: Seibertron Pro 3.0 Elite Ultra-Stick Sports Receiver Gloves
The Seibertron Pro 3.0 Elite is one of the best bangs for your buck receiver gloves available. Lightweight, effective, and incredibly cost-efficient. There is a velcro strap on the wrist which helps keep these fitted to your hands. Seibertron also has a very specific sizing guide which is great for finding the perfect size for your hands. One of the biggest complaints with the Seibertron Pro 3.0 Elite is that while the palm stickiness is great, it can get a little slippery when wet. If you play somewhere where it rains a lot, you might want to consider another option, but this is a great pair of wide receiver gloves for the money.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Well made with velcro straps to keep in place
- Specific sizing guide to find the perfect fit
Cons
- Can get slippery when wet
Padded Protection: Adidas Freak 4.0 Padded Receiver’s Football Gloves
If you are looking for something a little more padded, you might want to consider the Freak 4.0 Adidas football gloves. These 100% synthetic gloves are padded with high-density injection molding which will allow you to have a free range of motion while providing protection when absorbing impact. These gloves may also look a little heavy, but they are made with Climacool materials, which is what Adidas uses on a lot of lightweight and breathable clothing as well. Similar to the other pairs, the Frak 4.0 has a solid palm grip using Grip Tack technology. Unfortunately, these don’t come in a ton of colors, so you are a little limited there.
Pros
- A perfect combination of padding and stickiness
- Made with breathable Climacool materials
- Grip Tack technology used for maximum grip
Cons
- Not a ton of colors to choose from
Pro’s Choice: Men’s Nike Vapor Jet 5.0 Football Gloves
Nike Vapor football gloves are one of the most popular models year after year. Odell Beckham Jr. might have something to do with that after making one of the most insane one-handed grabs ever wearing a pair of Nike Vapor Jet 3.0 football gloves. The Magnigrip palm grip that is used in a lot of Men’s Nike football gloves is also used here. The back and knuckle areas of the gloves are made with mesh materials, which allows for a ton of ventilation and flexibility in your entire hand, while the sleek design just overall makes these cool gloves for football.
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Pros
- Sleek design with unique color options, especially the olive and gold Nike Football gloves
- Magnigrip palm grip for making tough catches
- Mesh material allows for maximum breathability and hand movement
Cons
- A little pricier than other options
Top 3 Best Football Lineman Gloves
Below is our list of the best football lineman gloves available right now.
Best Seller: Cutters Lineman Force 3.0 Extreme Grip Football Glove
Similar to the Cutters Rev Pro, the Force 3.0 gloves are made with c-tack materials on every finger which allows for a better grip, while the ample amount of foam padding on the back of the hand allows for maximum protection in the trenches. The padding also extends to the bottom of the palm which provides protection for your entire hand. There’s a double wrist strap that helps keep the gloves in place while also adding extra protection for your wrists when making contact with other linemen. The Force 3.0 gloves are machine-washable but also can simply be wiped down to look fresh again. They can be a little snug so you might want to consider going a size up if you’re normally in the middle of two sizes, but overall a great pair of Cutters lineman football gloves.
Pros
- Foam padding on the back of gloves that also extends to the bottom of the palm
- C-Tack materials for premium grip performance
- Double wrist straps for extra protection
Cons
- Can be a little snug if ordered too small
Highly Rated: Adidas Scorch Destroyer Full Finger Lineman’s Gloves
The Scorch Destroyer is one of the best Adidas lineman football gloves on the market. The upper part of the inside is made with the same Grip Tack technology seen in the Freak 4.0 receiver gloves, while the palm areas have a 5-millimeter synthetic leather pad to provide the necessary protection. The wide bands provide a nice fit while also giving support to your wrists when engaging with blocks or making a tackle. The back of each glove is made of comfortable and breathable compression material while offering the same 5-millimeter synthetic leather padding around each finger and the top of the hand. Unfortunately, these are a little bland in the color selections, but if you’re looking for a pair of Adidas padded football gloves, the Scorch Destroyers are a great choice.
Pros
- Grip Tack technology with synthetic leather padding insides
- Breathable compression material and additional padding on top of hands
- Wide wrist band offering additional support and protection
Cons
- Limited color options
The Half Option: Adidas Scorch Destroyer Half Finger Lineman’s Gloves
This is the exact same pair of Adidas football lineman gloves has listed above, but the half-finger version instead. Each glove utilizes the Grip Tack material on top of the inside hand, with the same 5-millimeter pad on the palm. The biggest difference is obviously in the fingers, so there’s less overall padding. Half-finger football gloves are a little less common but still used by some Centers to get a more natural feel on the ball, while still getting the added protection in the hands and wrist areas.
Pros
- Padding on palm and back provides necessary protection upon impact
- Grip Tack material allows for a solid grip, especially if you play Center
- Made from comfortable materials with good ventilation to limit sweaty hands
Cons
- Half-finger lineman gloves football are not as popular an option
The Best Football Gloves for You
As you can tell, there’s a lot that goes into choosing the best football gloves, with your position determining whether you need wide receiver gloves or lineman gloves. You’ll also want to consider features like grip, padding, durability, ventilation, and style. With all these factors considered, you can’t go wrong with either pair of the Cutters football gloves. The Rev Pro is great for the cost if you’re playing a skill position, while the Cutters force lineman gloves will give you the protection you need.