Glove Break In
Breaking in a glove takes time, patience, and proper technique — and our Glove Break In Service takes care of the hard work.
How a glove is broken will determine its “catch”, or how the glove closes when catching the ball. Ideally, we’d like the catch the ball flush, in a solid, consistent pocket. With an improper break in, a glove’s pocket may potentially form in the wrong place or angle, causing it to have an awkward feel when catching the ball.
Gloves can continue “breaking in” for seasons or years - we make sure they start off on the right track.
Traditional Break In
Each glove is treated individually, with our break in services tailoring to the ballplayer and their specific needs - starting with how the glove is used
1 finger in each slot (Traditional)
2 in the pinky
3 in the pinky
Index finger, in or out
Our traditional break in service follows a multi-step process, with each stage adjusted in time and technique to adapt the break in to the specific glove:
Condition/water mix is applied
Glove is stretched and prepped for shaping stage
Leather creases are installed with mallet, weighted balls, and other break in tools
Glove is wrapped with baseball or softball until dry
Glove shape is inspected, repeat necessary steps
Dry glove with final shape is fully conditioned
Japanese Yumomi Break In
The Japenese Yumomi Break In method is a traditional Japanese glove break in technique that uses a combination of warm water bucket, glove shaping techniques, and attention to detail in order to not damage the glove’s structure.
“Yumomi” is a Japanese process where hot spring bath waters are cooled down using natural techniques, like paddling the water. This break in method uses warm water, hence the name
Here is how the Japanese Yumomi Break In is carried out:
Glove is submerged in a bucket of warm water
Once damp enough, glove is removed and rid of excess water
Damp glove is shaped with mallets and weighted balls
Damp, shaped glove is wrapped and hung to dry
Dry glove is inspect, necessary steps repeated
Dry glove with final shape is fully conditioned
The Difference
Although both methods achieve a similar end result, the process and final feel of the glove differ slightly.
Traditional break in services achieve a glove shape that is noticeable immediately when using, but still requires a bit of catch play to get just right and adjusted to the ballplayer’s hand.
Japanese Yumomi break in services achieve a slightly different feel. Since the glove is soaked in warm water before shaping, the breaking and molding process has a stronger impact on how the glove ultimately forms when it dries.
The Result
After the break in - ball glove develops a formed, natural pocket and a comfortable, game-ready feel. Once it is used, flexed, and has just a little bit of sweat in it - the final pocket and breaks will be achieved.