Kaliaaer aer XGM
CUT Roll
FIT Snug
LATEX 4.2 aerGrip latex
FEATURESNeoprene Bandage ClosureWrapped Thumb
AVAILABILITY www.thegoalkeeperco.com
Price$32, £22, €2599 REVIEWIt seems like more and more specialist brands are making viable alternatives to the 'big boys" nowadays, and you can confidently add Kaliaaer to that list. I have to admit that I did not think much of the Kaliaaer's when they first hit www.thegoalkeeperco.com. Mostly because I had just tested 3 of the newer start up brands, and did not feel Kaliaaer would add much to the market. I now know I was dead wrong. First, the glove fits my hand perfectly. It really feels like a mix between the adidas fingertip, and the vapor cut from nike on the hand. The index and pinky have the spread feel of the vapor, and the fingers have the same fit as the fingertips. The other thing about the fit that was a pleasant supprise was the neoprene wrist. It gives a slightly lighter fit, but with the same amount of support as a thicker cotton bandage. The reverse strap is slightly wider, locking the glove securely into place.
The grip is reminisent of a combination between Contact Latex, and a standard supersoft. Offering the best of both worlds really. Tacky grip, and a very soft feel, with outstanding shock absorbtion. No pre-wash for the glove, as they are tacky straight out of the bag. After rinsing, and a breif dry spell, they were amongst the tackiest gloves I have used. Dry grip is outstanding. I generally do not like 4mm latex, let alone 4.2 ;), but these do not feel bulky, or clumsy. The latex is soft enough, that the gloves have exceptional feel on the ball. I think the excellent fit, in combination with the squared fingers, and spread palm design really enhance the feel and grip of the glove, let alone the excellent latex. Wet grip was also better than expected. I honestly forgot it was raining while wearing the glove, which is rare for me. I usually spend my time worrying about the gloves grip in any sort of damp weather, but did not have the problem with the Kaliaaers. The wet grip is above par compared to many other "budget" brands (sorry, I hate that term, but it fits here). I would even consider using the Kaliaaer as a wet weather only glove.
Durability is fantastic. Far better than expected....I can usually forgive gloves with fantastic grip for having really poor durability, but that is not a factor with these gloves. VERY slight wear on the gloves after 7-10 uses.
ProsSuperb fit, feel, brilliant latex.
CONS Ink on finger bled a bit after washing, but did not effect performance at all. Need more outlets to sell them.
RATINGS (Out of 10)Dry Grip: 9.5Wet Grip 8.75Durability: 9.5Fit: 9.5Cushioning: 9.5Value: 9.75 Overall Rating: 9.4 Grade A
Per usual, excellent review Chewie. The $32 U.S. price point is excellent. On an unrelated topic, I wonder if it would be possible to list all the upstart glove manufacturers and what factories in Pakistan and China where their products are actually made?
I can tell some are made at Strive Sports (whose range of negative, roll finger and finger-save models look quite impressive) in Pakistan. Any info on this topic is greatly appreciated.
Hi Larry,
While I cant coment on which brands use which glove manufacturers, I can let you know that we (Kaliaaer) have our own Factory overseas, Import our latex foams from our german manufacturer and source/purchase textiles from around the world.
I hope this helps,
Greg
Chewie,
Where'd you purchase the gloves for $32 USD?
That is just the present conversion rate. You will need to go to thegoalkeeperco.com to purchase the gloves.
ChewieGK1: That is just the present conversion rate. You will need to go to thegoalkeeperco.com to purchase the gloves.
Oh wow, it didn't come to me to think that the dollar gained any strength whatsoever (who would!?) in the past few weeks/months. A quick visit to xe.com sorted it out - my bad. This makes the gloves a lot more tempting!
Chewie, just a quick question, does the neoprene bandage give it a similar, if not better feeling than a conventional latex strap, in your opinion? (as it is a wider strap, probably feels much more/fits more securly?)
Thanks, Dan
"Everybody gets knocked down. What matters is how fast you get back up"
I like the neoprene better for two reasons. It seems to breathe better, and combined with the wider strap it gives more support, while not compromising flexibility.
They do look pretty cool and futuristic.
Thanks Chewie, just another question, also regarding the wristband, is it a tri lock system (as on a conventional wristband entry), or is the velcro on the bandage entry lined all along the wristband? How is the fitting of the velcro compared to other brands (similar/different)?
Thanks again.
It is just a conventional strap, so no velcro other than the large piece on the wrist.