Over the years I've found that latex can be damaged in several ways other than handling the ball, such as:
1. Adjusting socks, shinpads
2. Putting on/taking off the gloves, especially if there is a patch of velcro on the inside of the wrist bandage.
3. Taking the cap off a water bottle, especially if it's small and has to be twisted with the fingertips. I try to use a squeeze bottle instead, but sometimes forget.
I try to be extra careful when doing any of the above. I also don't like shaking hands with teammates/refs/opponents before or during games with my gloves on. I will offer a fist bump or a pat on the shoulder, but some people have oily hands and I don't like taking the chance of getting even a little bit on my gloves. I probably don't really need to worry about this, it's just one of those things.
Anybody else share any of these quirks?
Take your gloves off, then shake thier hand
I do the fist bump and tell them I just spit on my gloves. That always seams to make it OK.
danielross: Take your gloves off, then shake thier hand
After the game, yes. I like to get my match gloves on well before kickoff. The guys on my team all want to do this macho gee-upping, hand-slapping thing before games, and I'm always sort of running away from them.
pulling up the socks is always the one that wears abit on my gloves.
Also, never lend your gloves to your mates who like swinging on the goals ! especially the rusty ones near my school !
The velcro on the wrist bandage is the most annoying one for me. My son has a pair of reusch like this and just putting them on twice has wrecked the latex on one of the fingers. I used to get a team mate to help me put my second glove on to avoid the damage and prolong the life a little.
I find the waterbottle opening can be a massive pain in the latex!!! I'm testing the prototypes of the 09/10 range of gloves. I'm loving them but am down to the last of my prototype pairs.... i would wrap them in "cotton wool" but don't think that would do anything for the grip!!!
Kenny
KA Goalkeeping
"More Than Just A Pair Of Gloves"
www.kagoalkeeping.co.uk
One no one has mentioned, when im coaching or training myself, setting up equipment (Cones, agility poles, fast feet ladders etc) also has wear and tear on my gloves.
I would take them off, but it would mean i would be constantly taking them on and off after every drill!!!!
UEFA 'B' Licence Goalkeeper Coach
Only thing I don't do is clap my hands together, when shaking the oppnent's hands it just seems more polite to do it without gloves on, well, say you're right handed, keep the left glove on, hold the right glove in your left hand. I don't mind any of the other stuff though, like to get new gloves worn in, no point in treating them like a priceless vase, they're gonna go through worse
Edit : Forgot to mention, that's why I love my Icanas so much ( Currently being ' Pimped ' ), because they have a reverse wrist-band I can fold it over the velcro on the gloves when putting them on so there's no wear to the gloves
rcpunt: I do the fist bump and tell them I just spit on my gloves. That always seams to make it OK.
Haha...that's what I always do.
My pet peeve is scratching off my glove latex by trying to put the second glove on and having to grab the velcro strip on the bandage.
I was thinking that the manufacturers should correct this and also maybe add a "pull-on" rubber tab like some brands do.
I usually just remove that velcro strip on the bandage. To me it doesn't really do much of anything, since the strap fastens at the end. I know some people like it, but I've removed it from most of my gloves and can't notice any difference, except less residual latex damage. It just takes a couple of snips of the stitching thread and it comes right off.