Preparing and caring for your goalkeeper gloves

Here's how to properly prepare your new pair of goalkeeper gloves

REMOVE PROTECTIVE FILM (if present)

Most of our goalkeeper gloves are equipped with a protective film on the latex. This protects the high-quality adhesive foam from dirt and damage and must be completely removed before first use.

Here's the best way to proceed:

Find a spot where the foil can be easily removed – ideally at the bottom near the entrance.
Carefully peel off the foil with your fingers and work your way from the entrance towards
Finger forward.
Small bits of foil may remain, especially at the seams. These should be removed carefully.
Make sure to remove the film without leaving any residue.

goalkeeping.com tip: Small pieces of foil can be removed particularly well with tweezers.

FIRST USE – Activate Grip

During the production of goalkeeper gloves, soap is used to protect the latex and other materials. Residue from this may still be present in new gloves. This must be washed out before first use, as it makes the grip foam slippery – the exact opposite of what we want. We want grip.

Important:
Full grip typically develops after 2-3 washes or uses.

Tip: Use a new pair of gloves in training first, not directly in a match. Only after 2-3 training sessions will the gloves be optimally prepared for match use.

HOW TO PROPERLY WASH YOUR GOALKEEPER GLOVES

Wash the gloves with cold or lukewarm water, for example in the sink. You can also wear the gloves while doing this.
Once the adhesive foam is thoroughly moistened, spray it with GK WASH & Prepare or Bennett Wash.
Lightly rub the inner surfaces and then rinse the gloves thoroughly.
Then let the gloves dry – either hung up with the opening facing downwards or wrapped in a towel.

Tip: Keep your gloves away from sunlight and radiators. Too much heat dries out the latex and renders it unusable.

Before first use: Make sure the adhesive foam is slightly moistened. Latex should never be used dry – the grip only develops optimally with a little moisture.

REGULAR CLEANING

For regular cleaning, you basically proceed in the same way as during the initial Grip activation.
Depending on the degree of soiling, you can adjust the amount of water and cleaning agent.

HEAVY DUTY?

If mud and dirt get out of hand during training and your gloves are barely recognizable, you can clean them in the washing machine at 30°C with our WASH-BAG and a little Bennett Wash Gel . Then let them air dry normally.

HOW TO EXTEND THE DURABILITY OF YOUR GLOVES

Never play with your gloves dry ; always keep them slightly damp. During training or a match, you can re-moisten the latex with water from your water bottle. It dries out faster in warm weather.
In an emergency, spit can also help – it's standard practice for many goalkeepers anyway. Find out for yourself what works best for you.
Wash your gloves regularly. Dirt penetrates the latex, making it brittle and reducing grip.
Never leave your gloves to dry in the sun or in intense heat.
For storage, we recommend a Benett Glove Bag which is breathable (e.g. the models from Benett) to keep out dirt and dust.

GOOD TO KNOW...

A goalkeeper glove is a consumable item and has a limited lifespan. This can be extended, but not stopped indefinitely.

Which significantly reduces the shelf life:

Difficult surfaces such as indoor sports halls, sand or artificial turf
Hard grass pitches in summer or heavily worn penalty areas
Incorrect handling, e.g., supporting oneself with the palm of the hand on the ground.
Carrying ball nets or water crates while wearing gloves

IS ABRASION BAD?

Minor abrasion is not a problem. The grip is generally maintained, even if the impact absorption decreases somewhat.
The gloves can still be used without any problems.

GRIP SPRAYS

With our grip sprays, you can specifically reactivate grip in cases of abrasion or difficult weather conditions: