HOH or PP Custom. Leather and Pattern Help. TIA!

[polothedon11e]

I have consulted some of the OG’s and very knowledgeable members. However, I still find myself being indecisive. Nowadays, Rawlings doesn’t tell you the exact leather composition in the custom builder. But, from the looks of things if I’m not mistaken Horween isn’t an option even in black anymore. When talking with Rawlings() LOL, they said something along the lines of Steer Hide(HOH) Kip Leather(PP). Of the available options from both HOH and PP, what would you deem to be the best leather option. I prefer a stiff glove. What I notice on the customizer is that they only refer to color now, and not the type of leather. That has been my biggest hold up. I was leaning towards the PP, but I know a lot of members say HOH. Like I said the biggest frustration is that Rawlings is only listing the color not exact material. For longevity and maintaining form? I wear a size medium batting glove and currently game a PRONP5TLB 12” I-Web. I mostly play middle IF, and sometimes 3rd with it. I also have a PROTB24 12.75” Trapeze, that I use in the outfield. I’m looking for a glove that I’ll primarily use in the IF and am honestly considering anything from 12.25”-13”. I wear my glove TIP and am open to all suggestions. I’m sorry for the long post, but if you have made it all the way here TIA!

 

[JB_on_Baseball]

I’ve used many Rawlings gloves, both HOH and Pro Preferred. My experience is the HOH’s are lighter, more rugged (i.e. not as smooth/tight grained a leather as Pro Preferred), and easier to break-in, but also will tend to become floppy after a while. I also like a stiffer glove, so I generally cannot get more than two seasons out of a HOH. Also, the HOH’s have a synthetic, “thermo-formed” pad in the wrist, versus the wool padding used on the Pro Preferred. The palm lining on the HOH’s is cowhide, which again has a more rugged feel than the smoother sheepskin used on the Pro Preferreds.

The Pro Preferreds have more padding in the fingers, so they retain their shape longer, but I find the extra padding somewhat limits my feel for the ball, especially for infield.

So for infield I prefer the HOH because I can get a better feel for the ball. For pitching I go with a Pro Preferred because I feel it’s a better quality glove overall, has a more luxurious feel and will hold firm much longer.

Hope this helps.

 

[JB_on_Baseball]

One other thought. I recently posted a video to YouTube wherein I describe the differences between the HOH, Pro Preferred and Gold Gloves series. You may find it helpful. You can access the video at:

 

[ANNASDAD]

I’m looking for a glove that I’ll primarily use in the IF and am honestly considering anything from 12.25”-13”. I wear my glove TIP and am open to all suggestions.

I’d be looking at a Tan HOH custom NP6 or NP7 I-web glove with the firm break-in and a leather palm pad. Is Tan Jtan Horween, nope! Will it last as long and hold it’s shape like Horween, nope! But it’ll feel awesome and depending on amount of use you’ll get two, maybe three years out of it.

And BTW, the NP6 is a really big 12” glove, not 13” big but a great infield size. And of course the NP7 is even bigger.

 

[ANNASDAD]

It’s not like I like NP’s or anything!

 

[polothedon11e]

I’d be looking at a Tan HOH custom NP6 or NP7 I-web glove with the firm break-in and a leather palm pad. Is Tan Jtan Horween, nope! Will it last as long and hold it’s shape like Horween, nope! But it’ll feel awesome and depending on amount of use you’ll get two, maybe three years out of it.

And BTW, the NP6 is a really big 12” glove, not 13” big but a great infield size. And of course the NP7 is even bigger.

I know that you’re a HUGE fan of NP6/7, I’m just thinking they may be too close to my NP5 in size. Whereas, I’m looking for something a bit bigger. I think I’m leaning towards 12.5-13, I think it’s that time. I would primarily use in the IF, but Could use in the OF. With that being said, does that change your suggestion?

 

[ANNASDAD]

I know that you’re a HUGE fan of NP6/7, I’m just thinking they may be too close to my NP5 in size. Whereas, I’m looking for something a bit bigger. I think I’m leaning towards 12.5-13, I think it’s that time. I would primarily use in the IF, but Could use in the OF. With that being said, does that change your suggestion?

My suggestion? Heck no!

No, I definitely understand your point. My NP5PRO is considerably larger overall than my 12" Pro1000, it's a pretty big 11.75" glove! One more thing about the NP's and I'll shut up. My H-web NP6 is noticeably a larger glove than my I-web NP6, deeper & wider. I'd imagine a NP7 with a H-web would be the same way? So would a NP7 be my first choice for an outfield glove, nope probably not! But in a pinch if you had to go from the infield to the outfield I think it'd work, but it's definitely a great softball infield pattern!

Sounds like you need to find yourself a Horween Pro5048-6HT, although I don't think it's all that much larger than a NP7. Since you've been looking around on the builder, check out the 12.5" JD8 or the 12.75" JD9. Those are definitely different than your NP5!

The Horween Pro303 from Morton's might be a great option for you?
https://ballgloves.com/rawlings-hea...pro303-baseball-glove-12-75-right-hand-throw/

 

[davisrelacing]

I chose Timberglaze.

 

[jkwoody22]

Me too lol, 303 12.75 and this was one of the hardest gloves to break in, just below horween IMO

 

[Jchap]

I chose horween tan.

[GALLERY=media, 33865]420DE292-0327-4750-BE1B-BFC88C9F6F74 by Jchap posted Feb 17, 2020 at 9:32 AM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 33864]C7F3C1C1-CF0B-4B5A-90D3-92853665C208 by Jchap posted Feb 17, 2020 at 9:32 AM[/GALLERY]

 

[beeblebobble]

I chose Rich Tan

 

[Jchap]

I chose Rich Tan

View attachment 66766 View attachment 66767 View attachment 66768

Me Too!

[GALLERY=media, 27405]IMG_6676 by Jchap posted Apr 27, 2017 at 10:32 AM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 27407]IMG_6681 by Jchap posted Apr 27, 2017 at 10:33 AM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 27406]IMG_6680 by Jchap posted Apr 27, 2017 at 10:32 AM[/GALLERY]

 

[ANNASDAD]

Me Too!

[GALLERY=media, 27405]IMG_6676 by Jchap posted Apr 27, 2017 at 10:32 AM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 27407]IMG_6681 by Jchap posted Apr 27, 2017 at 10:33 AM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 27406]IMG_6680 by Jchap posted Apr 27, 2017 at 10:32 AM[/GALLERY]

Wow Chap, that Tan color is gorgeous, no perfect!

 

[Rous]

I do recall relacing one of the Pro504 SBF specials. It had the wool shearling. The padding was actually stiff wool felt, IIRC, instead of the synthetic used in HOH gloves. I have not relaced a newer vintage PP, so maybe they use the wool felt in all of them. That would explain the PP gloves being heavier.

 

[Ballgluv_papa]

You can order "shell palm color" lining now through the customizer which is kip palm lining with the Pro Preferreds. I assume with the Heart of the Hide it will be backshell steerhide rather than the Deer-Tanned Cowhide (DTCH) liner. With PP this means substitution of backshell kip for sheepskin laminate (I think Pittards is sheepskin laminated on top of low grade leather). I would guess that this leads to longer shape memory for the PP - stiffer with more break-in effort required. As DTCH is steerhide that has been tanned in a different manner than backshell steerhide, I'm not sure what difference the backshell liner option will yield in terms of shape memory.

 

[heycal]

One other thought. I recently posted a video to YouTube wherein I describe the differences between the HOH, Pro Preferred and Gold Gloves series. You may find it helpful. You can access the video at:

Nice video. Interesting that you say Heart of the Hide is lighter weight than the Pro Preferred, but a couple of websites say the Pro Preferred is lighter than HOH. Who to believe??

 

[beeblebobble]

Nice video. Interesting that you say Heart of the Hide is lighter weight than the Pro Preferred, but a couple of websites say the Pro Preferred is lighter than HOH. Who to believe??

If you took just the kip leather and just the steerhide leather for the same pattern glove I would assume the kip leather would be lighter. That's an assumption based on feel. No scale and I've never assembled or disassembled a glove.

 

[davisrelacing]

All pieces for a baseball glove are skived prior to assembly.
I still don’t credit any weight difference in an identical model to the PP or HOH leather itself, but rather any one or more of the following:

• Type of felt padding used
• Full length leather finger liners
• Pam liner construction (dual layer leather like Pittards)
• Addition of any palm padding
• Amount of foam used in the inner liners

All of these things will have a greater impact on finished weight than PP vs HOH in my experience working on over 3,000 gloves.

The thing is, without ordering two custom gloves, one PP and one HOH, with identical size, pattern, web style, no palm padding, shell and lace color, and build dates, there’s no way to compare apples to oranges.

 

[heycal]

All pieces for a baseball glove are skived prior to assembly.
I still don’t credit any weight difference in an identical model to the PP or HOH leather itself, but rather any one or more of the following:

• Type of felt padding used
• Full length leather finger liners
• Pam liner construction (dual layer leather like Pittards)
• Addition of any palm padding
• Amount of foam used in the inner liners

All of these things will have a greater impact on finished weight than PP vs HOH in my experience working on over 3,000 gloves.

The thing is, without ordering two custom gloves, one PP and one HOH, with identical size, pattern, web style, no palm padding, shell and lace color, and build dates, there’s no way to compare apples to oranges.

What about non-custom gloves? A stock PP v. a stock HOH? Are you saying they weigh the same, or one is heavier than the other?

 

[Rous]

I know that you’re a HUGE fan of NP6/7, I’m just thinking they may be too close to my NP5 in size. Whereas, I’m looking for something a bit bigger. I think I’m leaning towards 12.5-13, I think it’s that time. I would primarily use in the IF, but Could use in the OF. With that being said, does that change your suggestion?

Since you wear your glove TIP, and are looking for a little extra size, I'd look at a 3039. It's more TIP friendly than most of the other Rawlings. My guess is that all of the current HOH colors are Japanese tanned steerhide leather. As every hide is different, it's kind of a crapshoot as to what is going to be stiffest. That being said, according to Rawlings, they pull out the thicker/stiffer hides from each catch to use for the customs and they are more carful to cut the palm from the bend of the hide (up by the backbone).

Personally, I think the Horween works better for smaller gloves than larger ones, because of the weight.

But if you are used to TIP with an NP5, I think you could manage an NP7 (which is, by all accounts, noticeably larger than an NP5).