You might be confused as to what’s the difference between fastpitch gloves and slowpitch gloves. How are they any different?
Well, I’m here to give you an understanding of what each of these gloves is, what their common difference is, and how you’ll be able to differentiate them by the end of this article!
Fastpitch Vs. Slowpitch Gloves
Closed Web in Fastpitch Gloves
The closed web is an absolute must in a fastpitch glove. The pitchers need a glove where the position or the movement of the ball won’t be seen through the glove, therefore not showing the batter the movement of the pitcher.
Slowpitch technically doesn’t have such specific webbing designs required for their gloves therefore, their gloves can range anything from first baseman gloves or even the classic utility gloves.
Ball Size is Bigger in Slowpitch
Now if you’re going to try and find a glove that is absolutely perfect for you and specific to your needs in slowpitch, then you’ll notice that these gloves tend to be much bigger. The reason is that the ball size is much bigger in slowpitch. The ball size ranges from anywhere between 12 inches to 13 inches in circumference.
While fastpitch tends to have balls within the circumference of 11 inches, so they aren’t that big compared to slowpitch.
Wear and Tear Caused Easily In Fastpitch
It is obvious because at what speed these balls come in and are thrown back to the player. You will see some wear and tear. If you try and invest in something expensive then maybe the gloves will last you for a good long time. But if the same you were to get something cheap then wear and tear may occur very easily. So, if you don’t dare to dream of such a problem occurring to you, then I suggest looking at some of the best youth softball gloves and even choosing a softball glove for the different type of positions that you play in.
Slowpitch technically doesn’t have going balls at that speed so you don’t require any specialized gloves. Plus you can always choose something that’s cheap. Maybe gloves that you use in slowpitch for a longer time may not last in fastpitch for that long.
Padded and Protected Gloves in Fastpitch
In fastpitch gloves, the gloves are well protected with enough padding present around them giving all-around protection to the player when a player is on the field. In fastpitch, balls come at an increased speed to the player, therefore, they must be careful when working with them.
Slowpitch as the name suggests, there is no such requirement. Because the balls come at a very manageable speed, therefore, making them quite easy to control. Although they do come at manageable speeds, I do suggest taking a look at some of the best slow pitch gloves for softball that we recommend.
Conclusion
In the end, the type of gloves you want to buy or the type of game you play depends upon you technically. These are just some of the spot-on differences one can notice when buying these gloves. You can always ask your local sporting goods store or even check the reviews and rates of particular gloves on how well they perform according to your specific play style.
