2009 has already been an interesting year for goalkeeper gloves. Below you will find my opinions on who is going in the right direction, and who should take a U-turn to get back on track. Mind you, these are only MY opinons, and not the opinions of TGB in general..
Stud:
Sells new line for 2009 has me very excited. It has a great mix of latex choices, glove body materials, protection, and cuts.. The new look is fresh, yet slightly retro for me, and falls in line with the understated yet classy look they always had. I love Sells SS latex, and have grown fond of Super 4, and Optima. H20 and Ultra seem to be great choices for those who play in wet weather, and the entire range seems to have something for everybody. I have not seen the entire line, but based on what I have, I like the direction they are heading.
Dud:
Adidas. Oh adidas how I miss you. I used to look forward to seeing the fantastic gloves they would offer year in and year out. The fingertip, clima, thermogrip, the top were all past favorites, and I even liked to see what changes were coming with the fingersaves. Not so much anymore. While I think the fingersaves are decent, the staggering price, and the lack of anything really new has left me with a bad taste in my mouth. The new response and fingertip feel awful, and just do not look like a goalkeeper glove should in my opinion. The early fingertip models were among the best gloves I have ever used, and the clima was always my go to cold/wet weather glove. Now, there is no real option for a standard cold weather glove, and the fingertip is a shadow of it's former self. Adidas are obviously not listening to goalkeepers in the design process, and have deffinatley lost their way. You know it is a bad sign when some of the GK's in the MLS (all used to wear off the shelf models minus a personalized strap) are now wearing SMU'd gloves (see Frei in Toronto, and I think even Hartman in KC). It is funny that adidas garners enough respect to their classic designs to offer an entire range of retro clothing, in the originals line, but do not offer the same respect to the sport equipment that put them on the map in the first place. PLEASE come back to the light adidas, and give us goalkeepers something we can actually use, and go back to the top where you belong.
Stud:
Reusch. While I despise the price increase of their line, I do understand it. Reusch for 2009 has the most comprehensive line I have ever seen. It literally has something for every goalkeeper. Negative, Roll, Flat, Flared, Bowl, Duo, FP, are all options in the massive line. I love the new look, and will deffinatley try a pair once I win the lottery ;)...Seriously though, it is an impressive mix of cuts, features and latex's. No one can argue with Reusch's pedigre. I think this line has really put them back on the map as a true goalkeeping brand.
Dud:
Uhlsport. It kills me to say this, as along with reusch, uhlsport were mainstays of my youth. I know lots of folks will disagree with this one, but the 2009 aditions to their line have been less thank spectacular, and offer nothing really new or exciting to me. A re-branding of their fingerprotection to Bionik has done nothing to garner any loyalty from me, or lots of other goalkeepers. With no negative glove in the line, no wrapped thum, and a horrible latex in absolutgrip, a insanely overpriced akurat line, I have to label them as a dud. I think they will turn it around, and look forward to the day I sport a big U probadge on my gloves again.
Stud:
Selsport. See TGB glove. Seriously though, I think Selsport will be big this year. They seem to be thinking outside of the box, and offer a lot of classicly enspired gloves that you can always look to as a match ready performer. I am obviously biased, so I am going to keep this one short.
Stud:
HO. TONS of options. Some fantastic latex's, and really cool and modern designs this year leave me wanting more. I will try at least 4 models this year. Last years line was great for me personally, and I am looking forward to this years.
Puma:
While I do not care for the new cosmetics, I still respect the fact they make a very solid glove. Among the best FP (along with reusch) in the biz, and fantastic latex choices. Offer a good mix of cuts, latex and even a new hybrid roll cut that looks very interesting.
Nike:
Nike have really only one poor glove now in the confidence (which I really think needs axed completely as it just does not work). The new Vapor appears to be a big winner this year, and the Spyne is a very underrated protection mode. I am unsure of the new SGT until I see the production model, as I had some questions about the sample I was given , but I think nike actually LISTENS (something adidas does not do anymore) to their GK's, and I am confident they will make the glove better. They need a NC glove, a rollfinger glove in the US, and a more comprehensive line in general. I will say they make some of the most affordable, and high performing low end gloves in the market. Nike is getting better, but still have a ways to go in my book.
I purposefly left out the new brands (KA, Pro-GK, Warby, Kaliaaer, etc) because I need to see them for a few more years. While I think all will be around by this time next year, I am not sure they have a legacy to report on as the big boys above. I do think I will use the smaller brands this year MORE than the big brands for the first time in my career which is shocking really. They offer a lot of bang for the buck, and I am a cheap SOB 
Thats all for now!
Chewie
Posted
04-12-2009 2:52 PM
by
ChewieGK1