Breaking in gloves

[48yroldbegining]

Gentlemen I have a new Bauer 9000 reactor glove and advice on how to break it in? 

[coopaloop1234]

Keeps33 method -

- Wear it around the house, always opening and closing it

- Get lots of games in.

[itis121]

Heat the crease of the glove with a heat gun or hair dryer an flap away. 

[seagoal]

^ yup.

Heat moldable gloves can withstand in the neighborhood of 180 degrees for about 6 minutes.

You could also do an external-only Keeps method with hot water in the crease while not going internal, as some people are hesitant to do.

[cwarnar]

My Warrior GT Pro glove was snap shut out of the box but I've still switched between using the Hot Glove Wrap (i also use it on my kids ball gloves):

I rotate between the wrap and stretching it open with a stick extension

[varano]

I always found that leaving my glove open and face down in the sun for a couple hours before a game gave me great results. 

Also, When drying it, leave it as open as possible. 

[SaveByRichter35]

13 minutes ago, varano said:

I always found that leaving my glove open and face down in the sun for a couple hours before a game gave me great results. 

Also, When drying it, leave it as open as possible. 

You really shouldn't leave your gear in direct sunlight for very long.

[Math.]

Play it a lot!

Seriously, constantly working it.  Opening and closing it while you watch tv for example.  Word of advice: although this specific method works wonders on the glove itself, I'm warning you right away that it may have adverse effects on your couple life if you so happen to watch tv with your significant other.  Otherwise you're good to go.

Cheers.

[ULTIMA]

I'm late to this. For the love of God, DO NOT use this hot water method (if you haven't already).

Strongly suggest the skate oven/baseball glove oven for a good work in technique.

[seagoal]

I just got a new V6 2200 glove and I decided to bake it at home.  I have a gas oven.

Set the temp to 180 and once it reached that temp I turned it off and set the circulation to ON. 

Opened up the backhand of the glove, set it on a towel and secured to backhand pieces so they wouldn't touch the interior surfaces and let it bake for 7 minutes.

That temp and time were recommended directly from Vaughn.

Took it out, put my hand it, strapped it tight, and then worked it over pretty good.

First time using it, it was like I've had it for several years.   

No hot water, mission accomplished. 

[varano]

On 9/23/2018 at 8:14 AM, SaveByRichter35 said:

You really shouldn't leave your gear in direct sunlight for very long.

Whys that?

[bunnyman666]

6 hours ago, seagoal said:

I just got a new V6 2200 glove and I decided to bake it at home.  I have a gas oven.

Set the temp to 180 and once it reached that temp I turned it off and set the circulation to ON. 

Opened up the backhand of the glove, set it on a towel and secured to backhand pieces so they wouldn't touch the interior surfaces and let it bake for 7 minutes.

That temp and time were recommended directly from Vaughn.

Took it out, put my hand it, strapped it tight, and then worked it over pretty good.

First time using it, it was like I've had it for several years.   

No hot water, mission accomplished. 

If you HAVE to use heat, ^this^ or the hot glove wrap is the way to do it @48yroldbegining. I know people have had success with the keeps wet method, but I am sqeamish about submerging in water unless I am cleaning the glove. I only clean it when it smells like it could crawl away on its own. 

[bunnyman666]

1 minute ago, varano said:

Whys that?

Not savebyrichter, but Jenpro is not UV resistant, which is why most baseball gloves are still made of leather. 

[coopaloop1234]

2 hours ago, bunnyman666 said:

If you HAVE to use heat, ^this^ or the hot glove wrap is the way to do it @48yroldbegining. I know people have had success with the keeps wet method, but I am sqeamish about submerging in water unless I am cleaning the glove. I only clean it when it smells like it could crawl away on its own. 

So then what's the difference?

[bunnyman666]

2 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

So then what's the difference?

One wraps, one doesn’t.

[coopaloop1234]

Just now, bunnyman666 said:

One wraps, one doesn’t.

Between submerging it in water to break it in and cleaning it.

[bunnyman666]

1 minute ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Between submerging it in water to break it in and cleaning it.

Aha!

I only clean it when necessary. I also would not go crazy on the temperature. I actually started using a golf glove and it really helped cut down on smell. I may even get away with no cleaning on my last new glove!

[HP29]

11 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

So then what's the difference?

8 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Between submerging it in water to break it in and cleaning it.

Just my $0.02, but what he probably means is that he feels water isn't great for the glove internals, and only reserves its use for a situation where the glove is already kind of "spoiled."

So - if you can keep it stink free and dry, just skip using water inside the mitt, but if it gets away from you somehow, then have at 'er, cause the mitt is already ruined.... kinda.

@bunnyman666 - you reckon?

[bunnyman666]

2 minutes ago, HP29 said:

Just my $0.02, but what he probably means is that he feels water isn't great for the glove internals, and only reserves its use for a situation where the glove is already kind of "spoiled."

So - if you can keep it stink free and dry, just skip using water inside the mitt, but if it gets away from you somehow, then have at 'er, cause the mitt is already ruined.... kinda.

@bunnyman666 - you reckon?

Could not have said it better!

[coopaloop1234]

13 minutes ago, bunnyman666 said:

Could not have said it better!

Well you barely said it the first time.

I get where you guys are coming from. I know the Keeps method is effective, used it to break in my LT90. Though I do feel that gloves are made a little different know a days are easier to break in. So it may be an antiquated way of breaking in gloves.

[HP29]

20 minutes ago, bunnyman666 said:

Could not have said it better!

[coopaloop1234]

3 minutes ago, HP29 said:

That puts my Paint skills to shame.

[varano]

On 9/26/2018 at 10:19 AM, HP29 said:

Just my $0.02, but what he probably means is that he feels water isn't great for the glove internals, and only reserves its use for a situation where the glove is already kind of "spoiled."

So - if you can keep it stink free and dry, just skip using water inside the mitt, but if it gets away from you somehow, then have at 'er, cause the mitt is already ruined.... kinda.

@bunnyman666 - you reckon?

When I wash my glove and blocker, Im very specific as to what direction I wash it in for this reason.   For the blocker especially, I was it with the blocker side up... I wet the palm, then I wet my hand and put laundry detergent in my hand and massage it in.   then with my hand in there(to create a barrier of such), I run water on the palm etc... I repeat this several times and it works well. The blocker doesn't get water logged... The glove is the same except i open up all the components and velcro and do it that way from the outside.