Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2022 | GK Glove Buying Guide

Looking for a new pair of goalkeeper gloves? Unsure what to buy, or how much to spend? You’ve come to the right place.

In this goalkeeper glove guide I’ve list my current top pairs for 2022, followed by a detailed guide as to what features you should look out for when shopping for GK gloves.

So here’s the top 10 goalkeeper gloves I can recommend right now. The following list is by no means extensive — but it’s sure to give every goalkeeper an option within their price range.

 

1. Rectrix 1.0 (White & Black)

Exceptional grip & comfort | Perfect for all abilities | High durability | Unrivalled value for money

Rectrix 1.0 Goalkeeper Gloves (GK, Goalkeeping)Rectrix 1.0 Goalkeeper Gloves Review -- The Best Value For Money

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Typical Price: £29.97 – £31.99
available in the us

Pros

  • High quality Contact latex offering pro-level grip
  • Maximum comfort from the premium Negative cut
  • High durability (fully tested over 20+ games on artificial and grass surfaces)
  • Designed to provide unrivalled value for money. Performs like £40-60 gloves
  • Suitable for all ages. Comes in sizes 4-11.
  • Classic, traditional look
  • Full Blackout version prevents dirt/scuffs from showing
  • High-spec, sturdy strap gives additional protection to the hand
  • Glove bag included
  • Regularly available as part of a “buy 2 get 1 free” sponsorship offer. Full details are published on the Rectrix Sponsorships page.
  • Unrivalled value for money
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • Only two colour options (White or Blackout)
  • Simplistic look compared to other more “daring” backhand designs.

Check out our full review of the Rectrix 1.0 Gloves.

 

2. GK Saver Protech Union

Eye-catching gloves with high quality grip | Add-ons available | Competitively priced

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £28.99 – £42.99
not available in the us

Pros

  • High quality Contact latex
  • Fingersaves available
  • Personalisation service offered
  • Maximum comfort from the premium Negative cut — without gussets on the outside fingers
  • Backhand features durable 8-10mm Neoprene foam for high impact shots and punching.
  • Daring design, with splashes of red and prominent ribbed fingers
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • Strap lacks protection to the inner wrist compared to other gloves in this price bracket
  • Ribbed finger design will not appeal to everyone
  • No blackout version available.

 

3. Renegade GK Eclipse

High specification| Designed to maximise grip & absorb shock | Extremely stylish

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £59.99 – £77.99
available in the us

Pros

  • High quality EXT Contact latex — the standard for pro-level goalie gloves
  • Extended palm for additional grip
  • Rubber ridges on the backhand provide extra shock absorption and ball control
  • Fingersaves available for several variations
  • Extended strap ‘puller’ makes the gloves easier to put on
  • Maximum comfort from of either premium Negative and Hybrid cuts available
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • Very high price tag. Not ideal if you’re likely to get through several pairs of gloves per season.

 

4. Precision Elite 2.0

Lightweight, comfortable design | Excellent grip | Good for punching

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £34.99 – £55.99
available in the us

Pros

  • Available in Contact or Giga Latex variations
  • Maximum comfort from the premium Negative cut — without gussets on the outside fingers
  • Super lightweight, designed to provide increased flexibility whilst increasing grip and feel for the ball
  • Silicon Injection moulding ‘Punch Zone’ and non-slip grip backhand
  • Extended full-piece latex palm for total contact of the ball
  • Excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions
  • Several eye-catching colour variations
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • Lightweight design compromises on protection to the backhand
  • Unlikely to last as long as traditional designs
  • Relatively expensive

 

5. GK Saver Passion Black

Great value mid-spec blackout gloves | Ideal for aspiring goalkeepers

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2019 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £30.99 – £38.99
not available in the us

Pros

  • High quality thick Giga latex offers excellent grip
  • Offers fingersave protection as an add-on
  • Blackout design means dirt does not show
  • Excellent comfort from the premium Negative roll hybrid cut
  • Decent durability
  • Competitive price tag
  • An ideal option for a young/amateur goalkeeper
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • Blackout designs aren’t everyone’s preferred look
  • Standard strap offers only moderate support
  • Only comes in black/yellow

 

6. T1tan Rebel

Superb grip & flexibility  | Lightweight design | Extremely stylish

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £49.99 – £74.99
not available in the us

Pros

  • High quality thick “gecko” or “monster” grip — which is a type of pro-level Contact Latex
  • Blackout, white and other versions available
  • Ultra-light and very comfortable Negative cut
  • Built from robust mechano polyester or silicone on the back of the hand (depending on the model).
  • Extended palm offers more grip on the ball
  • An great option for keepers of all abilities
  • Innovative, modern design — one of the best looking gloves on the market
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • Expensive. The strong look/brand significantly bumps up the price
  • Durability is no better than many cheaper gloves.

 

7. GK Saver Passion Wet & Dry

Simple, sharp appearance | Great performance & durability for the price

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £34.99 – £42.99
not available in the us

Pros

  • High quality Contact latex
  • Fingersaves available
  • Personalisation service offered
  • Excellent grip and comfort from the premium Hybrid cut (Negative and Roll Finger combination)
  • Good durability for the price
  • Simple, neat & stylish backhand design
  • Free delivery.

Cons

  • White palms become dirty/worn very quickly, defeating the main purpose of a blackout design
  • Strap offers less protection to the inner wrist than other gloves in this price range

 

8. Reusch Pure Contact 3 G3

Extremely sticky palms  | Breathable & comfortable | Unique technology & design

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £72.99 – £109.99
available in the us

Pros

  • Unique “G3 SpeedBump” latex ensures maximum friction and tactility on the ball.
  • Utilises Reusch’s “Evolution” Negative cut — a variation on a Negative Roll hybrid — which provides excellent control
  • Extremely sticky palms! The strongest grip in the Reusch range, which extends from the palms down over the wrist
  • All-weather performance
  • Better durability than other soft latex gloves
  • One-piece backhand design goes underneath the strap. This provides exceptional comfort
  • Perforations to increase airflow
  • A truly unique, stand-out glove design
  • Free delivery

Cons

  • Very expensive. It’s only economical for advanced goalkeepers
  • Many cheaper gloves are equally as durable
  • Text-based backhand design and blue polka-dotted palms aren’t everyone’s preferred style!

 

9. Uhlsport Next Level Super Grip

Durable high-end latex with all-weather performance | Lightweight & flexible 

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2019 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £129.99 – £142.99
available in the us

Pros

  • Patented Super Grip latex offers excellent balance of grip and abrasion resistance (durability)
  • Maximum comfort from the unique Uhlsport Negative Roll hybrid cut
  • Features a wrap-around index finger for maximum latex grip
  • Breathable lightweight backhand
  • Well-designed 3D embossed area for punching the ball
  • Excellent fitting gloves that stretch to your hand shape
  • All-weather performance
  • Free delivery

Cons

  • Very expensive. It’s only economical for advanced goalkeepers
  • Red/black scaley design isn’t to everyone’s taste. There’s no other colour variations.

 

10. Adidas Predator GL Pro

Very sticky pro-level grip| Flexible & natural fit | Funky design

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £89.99- £109.99
available in the us

Pros

  • Features sticky, pro-level URG 1.0 — a tacky latex developed for our professional players, providing excellent grip for all conditions and thick cushioning of shots.
  • Durable, seamless backhand, designed to provide enhance flexibility as well as power in punching the ball
  • Maximum comfort from the premium Negative cut. It hugs the hand, and feels both light and natural
  • Anatomical flex zones mimic the natural movements of the hand, helping to  bring the ball closer to the hand
  • All-weather performance
  • Striking appearance
  • Free delivery

Cons

  • Very expensive. It’s only economical for advanced goalkeepers
  • Many cheaper gloves are equally as durable
  • Latex loses stickiness fairly quickly (like most other Adidas gloves).

 

11. Reusch Attrakt G3

Pro-level grip | Increased surface area to maximise friction | Abrasion resistant design

Best Goalkeeper Gloves 2021 (GK Glove Buying Guide)

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Typical Price: £88.99 – £106.99
available in the us

Pros

  • Unique hybrid latex balances grip and durability (black dots = durability, blue dots = grip)
  • Maximum ball-to-hand contact provided from the unique Reusch “dual rolled expanse” cut
  • Includes an effective abrasion resistant zone called the “Duraloop” which protects the bottom of the palm and wrist strap
  • Well-designed backhand area for punching the ball
  • Wide fingers help to wrap around the ball
  • Very easy to slip on and off
  • All-weather performance
  • Free delivery

Cons

  • Very expensive. It’s only economical for advanced goalkeepers
  • A looser and less comfortable fit than other gloves within this price range
  • Less sticky latex than other comparable high-end gloves.

 

Goalkeeper Gloves On A Tight Budget

You’re unlikely to find any high performance goalkeeper gloves for under £30. The Rectrix 1.0’s are the best value for money at a typical price of £29.99 – £31.99.

However, if you’re on a tight budget then we recommend the negative cut Rectrix Bold goalkeeper gloves. These stylish Goalkeeping Gloves offer fingersave protection and excellent grip from their German Latex palms. We recommend them to amateurs and casual Keepers looking to reduce finger injuries — without breaking the bank.

Rectrix Bold Goalkeeper Gloves

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Typical Price: £24.97 – £26.99
not available in the us

 

What to Look for in Goalkeeper Gloves

One general rule of thumb to remember is that the the big players — Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, Umbro — don’t dominate goalkeeping like they do in the rest of football.

The goalkeeper gloves produced by many smaller, specialist brands offer equal (and often better) specifications — without the premium price tag.

Whatever brand of GK gloves you decide to buy, look for the following attributes.


Performance

The performance of your goalkeeper gloves is determined by the materials used to manufacture them, and how they’re put together. I’ve written two posts to help you:

  • Goalkeeper Glove Latex Types. It’s the single most important feature of your gloves. The quality of the latex palms influences how much grip and control you have of the ball.
  • Goalkeeper Glove Cuts. This describes the way the materials — the latex palms and backhand — have been stitched together. Your glove cut can impact your level of comfort, flexibility and “feeling” of the ball. But it’s mainly a matter of preference.

Comfort & Fit

Comfort is subjective. Goalkeepers tend to prefer a cut type offered by a specific brand, in a particular size (which isn’t necessarily the one recommended by the size guidelines).

Generally, premium priced goalkeeper gloves feel softer, more padded, with noticeably higher quality inner materials. However, some glove lines won’t ever fit your hand shape correctly, no matter what size you try. So the perfect ‘feel’ is not always linked to price.

Finding the perfect glove is really a matter of trial and error. Check product comments, try out your friends’ gloves, and watch YouTube review videos to get an idea of the gloves you’re about to buy. Of course read my articles here on Top Goalkeeping — they’ll save you some time!


Value for Money

Value is determined by the performance of your gloves in relation to their durability. Striking this balance is the key to getting a good deal.

The general advice I give is to shop within the £30-40 price bracket. This way you’ll be able to dodge:

  • Low quality ‘flat cuts’. These are the entry-level gloves (such as the Nike FA16’s) typically sold in sports shops. They’re made from cheap materials, offering weak grip and minimal hand protection. They’re also prone to ripping and wearing out pretty fast.
  • Over-priced specs with little payoff. Expensive gloves provide an upgrade in performance that’s somewhat negligible unless you play at a very high level, under consistent conditions. Furthermore, that hefty price tag doesn’t guarantee the gloves will last any longer than slightly cheaper models.
  • Hyped up new lines. Every year glove brands release new designs to help capture their share of the market. But the fact is, there’s often next-to-no difference between many new models and their predecessors. You’re often better off buying last years line (and the same goes for football boots).

There’s certainly some expensive goalkeeper gloves that do perform outstanding well — such as the Reusch G3’s. But be cautious, as some high-end innovations — like the Nike Mercurial Touch Elite’s — have started to gain a reputation for poor durability. Price and brand doesn’t guarantee quality.

 

There’s literally hundreds of comparable goalkeeper gloves that could have made this list. I selected current, varied, well-received gloves to offer you some potential options. If you can recommend a particular pair of gloves, please suggest it in the comments section.

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