Is a kip leather glove worth it?
Not for a player 12 and under: a young player's glove has to close easily, and kip is pro-grade leather, stiff at first, that can take weeks to months to break in. For an older player who will break it in, kip is the premium choice for an infield glove: light and long-lasting.
The rule
At 12 and under, or for a player who has trouble closing a glove, choose one that closes easily: a soft youth build in a pattern of 11.5 in or smaller, never a stiff kip or steerhide pro glove for a first glove.
Japanese kip leather
Light, tight-grained leather from young cattle. The premium choice for pro infield gloves: light and long-lasting, but stiff at first.
Steerhide
Heavy, durable adult-cattle leather. Stiff at first, lasts for years. Most pro lines use it.
Stiff (pro break-in)
Pro-grade leather such as Japanese kip or steerhide. Can take weeks to months to break in and a young player may not be able to close it at all at first. Lasts for years once broken in.
Where this comes from
- derived Player 12 and under, or trouble closing current glove
- Our explainer: Japanese kip leather
- Our explainer: Steerhide
- Our explainer: Stiff (pro break-in)
Every rule, with its source, is on How the fit works.
More in glove guides
- What baseball glove size by age?For ages 7 to 12, 10.25 to 11.5 in for the infield and 11.5 to 12.25 in for the outfield.
- What size glove for a 6-year-old?A 6-year-old takes 8.5 to 10 in at every position; JustBallGloves puts a middle infielder at 8 to 10.5 in.
- What size glove for an 8-year-old?An 8-year-old takes 10.25 to 11.5 in for an infielder and 11.5 to 12.25 in for an outfielder; JustBallGloves puts a middle infielder at 10.5 to 11.25 in.
- What size glove for a 10-year-old?A 10-year-old takes 10.25 to 11.5 in for an infielder and 11.5 to 12.25 in for an outfielder; JustBallGloves puts a middle infielder at 10.5 to 11.25 in.
- What size glove for a 12-year-old?A 12-year-old takes 10.25 to 11.5 in for an infielder and 11.5 to 12.25 in for an outfielder; JustBallGloves puts a middle infielder at 11 to 11.5 in.
- What size glove for a 13-year-old?A 13-year-old takes 11.25 to 12 in for an infielder and 12 to 12.75 in for an outfielder; JustBallGloves puts a middle infielder at 11 to 11.5 in.
- What size glove for an infielder?Infield gloves: 10.25 to 11.5 in for ages 7 to 12, and 11.25 to 12 in for 12 and up; JustBallGloves gives 11.25 to 11.5 in for older players.
- What size glove for an outfielder?Outfield gloves: 11.5 to 12.25 in for ages 7 to 12, and 12 to 12.75 in for 12 and up; JustBallGloves gives 12 to 13 in for older players.