First Base Mitt with Good Palm Padding?

j.grizzle

Utility Guy
I recently started playing first base in slow pitch leagues consistently enough to go out and buy a first base mitt. I picked up a Rawlings GG Elite and while I like the glove, it does leave a lot to be desired especially in the palm padding. Are there more improvements in this area once you climb the quality ladder? Maybe another manufacturer would be better?

Looking for something 13" or bigger
DCT Pattern
Quality Leather
Price not really an issue, but would love to be between $3-400
 

jkwoody22

League ball huer
They are hoh but are the horween leather which is generally a stiffer leather, you can go the custom route, if you contact Chad @milocoman, he might be able to do memeber pricing on a rawlings custom, or a stock one in the store, no discount on the horween as they are limited release, but all these options should be In your price point for a dct, one thing I did when i first started playing first base was to use a palm guard glove, it was a padded batting glove basically, I also bought mole skin first aid padding and stuck that inside my glove in the palm area, now when the adhesive finally gave out it ruined the leather, but it was an inexpensive glove that ultimately got replaced by an a2000 with a palm pad
 
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j.grizzle

Utility Guy
They are hoh but are the horween leather which is generally a stiffer leather, you can go the custom route, if you contact Chad @milocoman, he might be able to do memeber pricing on a rawlings custom, or a stock one in the store, no discount on the horween as they are limited release, but all these options should be In your price point for a dct, one thing I did when i first started playing first base was to use a palm guard glove, it was a padded batting glove basically, I also bought mole skin first aid padding and stuck that inside my glove in the palm area, now when the adhesive finally gave out it ruined the leather, but it was an inexpensive glove that ultimately got replaced by an a2000 with a palm pad
Are these palm guards thin? My GG Elite is snug on my relatively large hands
 

jkwoody22

League ball huer
I would say the mole skin is thinner than the glove, they have evolved since I last used one
 

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Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
I play first base with a 13" fielders glove. I put a 1/8" thick piece of industrial grade wool felt inside the palm. It's a bit of work to custom cut a pad the right size, but you'd never know it's there. I think it is the best solution. Even a Horween DCT is going to just have a couple of layers of leather between you and a speeding ball.
 
Bit off topic, but this is the one thing I dont like about my custom SP125. The way I shape my gloves and my pocket, I end up catching a lot of the ball over my index finger, and I get a stinger every so often. I really wish Wilson offered the thumb pad option like every glove maker out there (and come to think of it, not really sure why they dont?), as I absolutely love everything else about the glove.
 

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
Bit off topic, but this is the one thing I dont like about my custom SP125. The way I shape my gloves and my pocket, I end up catching a lot of the ball over my index finger, and I get a stinger every so often. I really wish Wilson offered the thumb pad option like every glove maker out there (and come to think of it, not really sure why they dont?), as I absolutely love everything else about the glove.
It is interesting. Older glove designs were made so that the ball usually hit in the pocket, right below the web. They closed thumb to middle finger or even thumb to index finger. No fingers in the impact zone. But now everyone says they want to break in a glove to close thumb to pinkie. Now the ball impacts right where your index finger attaches to you hand. So you either have to catch the ball in the web, or you get stung.
 

davisrelacing

The Other Guy
It is interesting. Older glove designs were made so that the ball usually hit in the pocket, right below the web. They closed thumb to middle finger or even thumb to index finger. No fingers in the impact zone. But now everyone says they want to break in a glove to close thumb to pinkie. Now the ball impacts right where your index finger attaches to you hand. So you either have to catch the ball in the web, or you get stung.
Good observation about those differences. I wonder when or why the fascination with the thumb to pinky close came around? My hand just doesn't close that way!
 

bimmerpilot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wait for the Horween DCT to come out ina few weeks. Worst case you can get your money back if you don’t like it…(you will like it)
Serious question, how long does this take to fully break in (I realize individual mileage varies :cool:) ?

I have a PRODCTTI that I have zero interest in breaking in given its overall stiffness; tbh I rock a PRODCTJB that will never leave my rotation.

Bit off topic, but this is the one thing I dont like about my custom SP125. The way I shape my gloves and my pocket, I end up catching a lot of the ball over my index finger, and I get a stinger every so often. I really wish Wilson offered the thumb pad option like every glove maker out there (and come to think of it, not really sure why they dont?), as I absolutely love everything else about the glove.
It is interesting. Older glove designs were made so that the ball usually hit in the pocket, right below the web. They closed thumb to middle finger or even thumb to index finger. No fingers in the impact zone. But now everyone says they want to break in a glove to close thumb to pinkie. Now the ball impacts right where your index finger attaches to you hand. So you either have to catch the ball in the web, or you get stung.
I play TIP with the index finger out...
 
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Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
Good observation about those differences. I wonder when or why the fascination with the thumb to pinky close came around? My hand just doesn't close that way!
There was a guy in one of the FB groups that said kids need to be taught to wear their gloves like the pros, TIP with just their fingers in the glove and closing them thumb to pinkie (see Beltre below). I pointed out that kids don't have hand strength for that and his response was that you have 4-5 times the grip strength going TIP. Yes, but not using just your finger tips!!! In any case, wearing a glove like the pros does reduce the sting, but even I cannot wear a 13" glove like this and feel confident about catching a line drive without it taking the glove off me!
Here is where I got the Beltre pic: https://www.youthbaseballedge.com/pro-way-wear-baseball-glove/

1667062549984.png
 

Hiltz

Built for comfort
I have just two gloves that I wear TIP, my Pro12TC and a Pro207, they both still close thumb to ring finger. Never had a glove close thumb to pinky, not even sure I could make a glove close thumb to pinky?

Ditto for me, except mine are more thumb to middle/ring. The only way I can close a glove thumb to pinky is if I force my hand to do it and it's very unnatural and uncomfortable.
 

ANNASDAD

The Veteran
Ditto for me, except mine are more thumb to middle/ring. The only way I can close a glove thumb to pinky is if I force my hand to do it and it's very unnatural and uncomfortable.
About the only thing I'm using with my girls these days are NP pattern gloves, worn traditional, they all close thumb to in between middle/index, old school baby! ;)
 
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