Good equipment is essential for sports. It’s why it’s estimated that Americans spend over 45 billion a year at sporting goods stores. Every kind of sport has its own specific kind of equipment that makes playing the game easier. Football aficionados know how helpful a good pair of cleats can be when they’re on a slick field. Hockey players know exactly what kind of mask they need that can protect their face and help them see. Baseball requires equipment just like any sport. Bats, cleats, cups, and other equipment are well known, but glove oil seems to get the short end of the stick when it comes to popularity. Some people see breaking in a new glove as an afterthought. They’ve never used baseball glove oil, and they wouldn’t know how to break in a glove other than through use.
Despite what you may think, you don’t have to wait for a few games to pass before you start to feel comfortable using your glove. There are ways you can make it supple enough to properly use, but hard enough to protect your hand during big games.
Why You Should Use Baseball Glove Oil
You may have a few tricks for gripping a bat extra tight or breaking in a pair of cleats, but you may not know much about gloves. Breaking in a glove using baseball glove oil and other methods isn’t just helpful, it’s also important for safety. Players don’t need to be told just how hard a speeding baseball can hit a glove. Injuries can be common if you aren’t prepared.
You could easily sprain your thumb if you aren’t catching correctly or if your glove is too tough. Your hands could also become sore, bruised, or strained if it takes enough abuse from a tough glove. Are you ready to have the glove of your dreams? We’re going to help you soften your glove with baseball glove oil.
Follow these next steps to be able to get your glove perfectly conditioned.
1. Buy The Right Oil
We recommend Wilson’s Premium Glove Oil product, one of the top-rated glove oils currently available.
There are a lot of different companies that claim to make the best baseball glove oil on the market, but there are differences in oil. No two oils are alike, and if you end up buying the wrong formula you could end up damaging a perfectly good glove.
First and foremost, check to see if the maker of your glove recommends a certain kind of oil. Some manufacturers expect that the people that buy their products will be using oil to make the glove more supple. Check online to see if there are any special instructions for glove oil usage.
If you don’t see any advice from the manufacturer, make sure that the baseball glove oil you choose is made for leather. Oils that aren’t specially formulated for leather could end up damaging the glove, or soaking too deep which could negatively affect your grip.
2. Don’t Use Other Common “Methods”
If you search online it seems like everyone has their own secret way to break in gloves. Some people swear that popping the glove in their oven at low heat for a few minutes is the best way to break it in. Others will use their microwave or will find other ways to apply extreme heat to their glove.
These ways to soften a glove could cause a lot of damage to your glove. Aside from the problems associated with damaging the leather or accidentally shrinking the glove, you could very well start a fire in your home! Baseball glove oil is a safe and easy way to break in your glove and make it soft enough to use. Don’t go for other methods if you want to be safe and keep your glove undamaged.
3. Use Oil Sparingly
When it comes to using baseball glove oil, less is more. Don’t feel like you need to apply an entire bottle to get the desired softening effect that you want. It’s possible to have too much of a good thing when you apply glove oil. Even products that are designed to help soften can be damaging when they’re used in excess.
It’s important to use the product sparingly even if you’re trying to soften a certain section of the glove. You don’t have to apply it to every inch of the glove, a small amount in a few key areas will do.
4. Apply to the Right Spots
Like we previously stated, you don’t have to pour a lot of oil on the glove to get the desired effects. When you apply baseball glove oil you only have to worry about a few areas. Be sure to put a little oil on the pocket area. This should help make ball impact a bit less intense when you’re going in for a difficult catch. Also, be sure to pay attention to the spaces between fingers to keep them soft.
Only apply a light coat. If you notice globs or streaks of oil you’ve added too much and should try to remove the rest with a cloth. If you don’t want to get oil on your hands, you can apply the product with a soft towel. Simply put a small amount into the cloth and rub it in gently.
5. Give Your Glove a Rest
After you apply baseball glove oil be sure to let your glove dry off. It’ll need time to properly absorb oil if you want to have the desired effects.
Some people may think that setting their glove in direct sunlight is the best way to get it to dry, but if you want to keep it in good condition you should do the opposite. Instead of setting it in the sun, store the glove in a cool dry place overnight. Wipe off any excess oil you see in the morning.
6. Make Your Pocket
Now that your glove has been broken in with a little oil, it’s time to make the pocket. Forming a pocket will make it much easier to catch balls and keep a grip on them.
The easiest way to do this is to use the glove in a few simple games of catch, the pocket will naturally start to form after a while. You can also put a baseball in the pocket and tie the glove and leave it like that overnight. After repeating the process you should notice the pocket start to form.
