When you’re trying to get a hit in fastpitch softball and the ball is traveling at 60mph, what you really need is confidence.
You should feel comfortable holding the bat, you feel safe knowing your hands won’t get blisters or stinging vibrations, and you also know when you swing you’ll have a secure grip.
You get all those when you get the right fastpitch softball batting gloves.
Batting Gloves for Fastpitch Softball vs. Baseball
Is there really a difference between fastpitch batting gloves and baseball batting gloves?
On the face of it, there really shouldn’t be.
In fact, a lot of very good gloves are explicitly marketed for both softball and baseball. These gloves offer benefits for both baseball and softball players.
But the reality is that for baseball, the players are predominantly men.
Women don’t get to play much baseball. It’s different for fastpitch softball on the other hand, where there are lots of women’s leagues.
And so because of the gender differences, that means there’s an inherent difference in the girl batting gloves as well.
In general, baseball batting gloves are larger, and their colors are more subdued and masculine. There’s a preponderance of black, gray, and white gloves.
On the other hand, the women’s softball batting gloves will tend to be smaller, and there’s a lot more color options going on.
Gender bias or not, batting gloves for fastpitch softball seem to have a lot of pink and neon colors available.
What to Look For in Fastpitch Softball Batting Gloves
If you’re trying to find the best fastpitch softball batting gloves, it is best to relegate color as one of the least important features you should be looking for.
Instead, here are the features you should be checking for instead:
Comfort. This is perhaps the most important factor in women’s batting gloves.
This is about getting the right fit, feel, and softness.
Any discomfort you may feel can distract you from getting a hit when you’re at the plate.
You must be comfortable holding your bat.
Tack. This is the sticky substance that’s usually found along the palms and fingers.
These are on the surfaces that get into contact with the ball, and the tack helps you get a secure grip.
Form-fitting. A loose pair of batting gloves will give you a loose grip, which by the way is just plain dangerous.
But you don’t want gloves so tight that they cut off your circulation.
So what you need are gloves which feel just a little bit tight when they’re new, because they’ll loosen up over time.
Hand protection. You may want to look at some gloves with padding, because these can protect your hands from the vibrations traveling through the bat when you mishit the ball.
It may also protect your hands from an errant pitch.
Lightweight. Softball (and baseball for that matter) is generally a summer game, so you don’t really need to wear bulky gloves that can make you feel uncomfortable with all that weight.
You only need thicker gloves if you’re playing in cold conditions.
Breathability. This feature keeps your hands from sweating too much inside the gloves.
Also, the gloves dry out faster. You may also want to look for moisture-wicking properties.
Durability. This is mostly about the stitching material used.
If they’re tough, then you won’t have to keep buying new batting gloves every year, unless you’re still growing.
Aesthetics. This is all about the looks.
There are lots of options, so you can probably find some that match your team’s color. You can also get them in your favorite color if you want.
There’s also the matter of leather vs. synthetic gloves
Leather ages well, and it can provide excellent performance. And many people just like the feel of it. But they do need to be broken in, because at first they can be quite stiff.
On the other hand, synthetic gloves don’t need a break-in period and they offer great flexibility especially for the thumbs, fingers, and knuckles.
They’re also more breathable, and some models have moisture-wicking properties to keep your hands dry.
The Best Fastpitch Softball Batting Gloves
So which brands and models of batting gloves should you get? Here are some of your better options:
Bruce Bolt Fastpitch Batting Gloves. It offers superior “feel” and durability characteristics and it’s also unbelievably soft!
The design not only makes the gloves more comfortable but it also makes BRUCE BOLT gloves more durable because there isn’t any unnecessary stitching near the major wear points on the glove.
EvoShield SRZ-1 Fastpitch Batting Gloves. This offers superb performance, as it comes with the fully synthetic glove which allows for strong grip and a superior feel.
Customers really love the stickiness and variety of color selection.
There’s no doubting the grip with these gloves, especially with its snug fit.
It’s also lightweight, and it comes in a variety of colors such as navy, white, royal, red and pink.
Franklin Sports CFX Pro Softball Batting Gloves. These are the gloves chosen by many softball players at the highest level including USA softball.
It’s padded for extra comfort and protection, while the leather offers great feel and durability.
It’s ergonomically shaped so your hands move normally, and you get a better range of motion and have the flexible air vents for breathability.
Seibertron B-A-R PRO 2.0 Fastpitch Batting Glove. On the palm you have synthetic leather, which provides durability, grip, and plush comfort.
At the back of the hands the synthetic material offers 4-way stretch for a snug fit, as well as moisture management for comfort.
Then you have synthetic overlays for additional support, grip, and structure, while still maintaining the flexibility.
You even have palm-side finger perforations for better breathability. Even the wrist closure is contoured for a more comfortable fit.
Under Armour Softball Batting Gloves. You get this in 10 different colors.
Customers comment at how great they actually fit.
But you may not mind that at all, since it also offers flex zones for better range of motion, an elastic wristband and ventilated mesh for comfort, plus leather in the palm with synthetic cover.
Any of these choices are excellent, and they look cool too.
Put them on, feel them out, and take a few swings with them.
Just get some fastpitch softball batting gloves with the right fit, and see how well you swing afterwards!
Last update on 2024-11-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API