Goalkeepers can choose from a wide range of glove cuts that can get confusing if you don’t understand the difference between them. In this guide, we explain the different goalkeeper hockey gloves that can also be used by goalkeepers in other sports. The big brands like, Umbro, Nike, Puma, Adidas, and Under Armour are not necessarily the best goalkeeper gloves out there. Some of the best goalkeeper gloves are made by brands that are not necessarily all that well-renowned. 

Different Types Of Goalkeeper Glove Cuts Explained

It is important to look for performance, comfort, fitting, and value for money when selecting any brand of goalkeeper gloves. Let’s get right into the different types of goalkeeper glove cuts.

Roll Finger:

These gloves are identified as “roll finger” because the back of the hand is connected to the palm without using gussets. The latex is wrapped around the fingers which is great for making contact with the ball. They might not have as tight a fit as a negative cut glove. But these might be an excellent choice for someone with big hands.

Negative Cut:

Negative cut gloves are particularly popular in European countries. These gloves are called negative cuts because their gussets or stitching are inside the glove. Additionally, the backhand is connected via gussets to a single piece of latex. This provides a much tighter fit than some of the other gloves on this list. Since a negative cut glove fits much tighter than a roll finger, it will wear out much faster. 

Negative Roll: 

Negative roll gloves feature a combination of characteristics of the roll finger and negative cut gloves. The fingers duplicate the roll finger design but the palm of the glove matches a negative cut glove. This glove is the glove of your choice if you do not have exceptionally large hands but you like the roll finger fitting. Players that are used to a more hands-on approach towards goalkeeping can use this glove exceptionally well. 

Flat Palm:

This is one of the classic designs which is a true favorite even today because the gussets of the glove are on the outside. Since the gussets are on the outside the glove feels loosely fit while still maintaining a tight grip around the hand. The backhand is a single piece of latex with the gussets on the edges of the fingers and palm. This gives the goalkeeper the freedom to use both the front and backhand to achieve full contact. 

Hybrid Cut:

The word “hybrid” does not refer to any specific cut of a glove. A hybrid cut refers to any glove cut that uses two or more of the cuts mentioned above. It could be a glove with negative stitching that uses the flat palm variation or a different combination of any other two cuts. Professional goalkeepers can request a hybrid cut if they are looking for a specialized fit. 

Recommendations

Goalkeepers will have more personalized demands from their gloves as their experience develops throughout the game. Having the right kind of fit for a glove will help a goalkeeper become more effective in the game to help their team win.