Baseball gloves are a necessity when playing on the mound whether you are a youth player, a professional athlete, or anything in between. Not all gloves are created equal—they are usually made for different purposes and positions, by skill levels and age, and some are specifically designed for right and left-hand orientations. The design and structure also differ from one glove to another to cater to the positions and preferences that one has.
With all these factors glove manufacturers have to keep in mind when producing high-quality gloves, it can be difficult for them as well as the customers to meet at one common ground, thus, glove customization presents itself as the ultimate solution to this problem.
The Rico Gloves is one of the most reputable brands offering glove customization. With all the rave and hype Rico Gloves are receiving, this Rico Gloves review will enable you to find out if it’s actually worth all of it.
Information about Rico Gloves
Rico means rich or high quality in some of the languages spoken in some parts of Europe such as in Spain, Portugal, and Mexico. True to its name, Rico Gloves is renowned for delivering high quality sporting goods and offering high-end baseball gloves.
The brand was established in 2013 and is based in Kansas City, Missouri as they continue to supply avid baseball players with superior-grade products such as custom baseball gloves, leather cream, high-quality baseball jewelry and other accessories, and baseball and workout apparel.
Rico Gloves is infamous for their baseball glove customizer service with their tagline “Build Your Dream Glove” wherein, as the name suggests, allows you to design your custom glove and Rico will build it for you.
Are Rico Gloves Good?
If your definition of good is being one of the most popular gloves in the market, customers, and pros raving about the quality of the gloves and marking stellar Rico baseball glove reviews, then the simple answer is yes. But how does Rico Gloves achieve all these successes in manufacturing what seems to be a simple formula product?
One thing is the thorough quality check consistently done by Rico Gloves. Their gloves are handcrafted in Mexico and have been inspected and thoroughly checked for quality.
All of their gloves are constructed with their three leather qualities that you can choose from depending on your skill level and age whether you are a youth, pro, college, or elite player.
The gloves are also styled by a former pro baseball player to understand the needs and preferences of baseball players.
Do Rico Sell Standard Gloves?
Although Rico Gloves is famous for their custom gloves, they also sell standard gloves. The standard gloves they manufacture utilizes the same genuine leather as their customized gloves. It comprises similar superior quality and unmatched durability that the beginners and pros love. The main difference between the standardized and the customized gloves is, of course, standard gloves are designed and made in a way that can cater and fit all while custom gloves are distinct for their individuality.
Rico Gloves often releases different series of limited edition standard gloves and are typically put on sale which enables a lot of their customers to get their hands on top quality Rico gloves at a bargain price.
Where is Rico Gloves Made?
Rico baseball gloves are made in three different series with three leather qualities namely: Prime series, Star series, and Ultra series.
The Prime series is made with smooth Cowhide leather available in adult and youth sizing. This series still requires a short break-in period but should break in quickly for immediate use. It offers a relatively softer feel without compromising the stiff feel to ensure maximum durability and comfort. This series is an all-around glove and can be used for all levels of baseball and softball.
Next is the Star series which is constructed with USA Tanned Steer Hide leather designed for serious players who want pro-quality leather. It has a durable and stiff structure allowing the glove to retain its shape for longer perfect for long hours of practice and intense games.
Finally, the Ultra series is professional player grade quality gloves developed for pro, college, or elite players on the mound. It is handcrafted with Japan Kip Leather-High End Leather making it Rico’s highest premium gloves out of all the series.
All of Rico Gloves are made with 100% genuine, all-natural leather material with no synthetics to ensure maximum durability and superior quality that is second to none. It is also constructed in a way to provide an incredibly lightweight feel for enhanced control and comfort.
Pricing of Rico Gloves
Starting with the Rico custom glove Prime, this glove series starts at $199, however, Rico usually gives customers discounts so always keep an eye for it. It is currently at 25% off of the list price at $149 and that’s all you can customize from the sizing and your position up to the littlest details.
The Star series is priced at $249 but is currently on sale for $185 which is definitely a great value there considering the quality you can get out of the price plus, of course, the highlight feature of the Rico Gloves, its customization feature allowing you to have full control on how you want the gloves to look like and how you intend to use it.
Lastly, the Ultra glove series is valued at $299 which is also on sale right now for $249. It is quite pricey compared to other baseball gloves, however, if you are an elite or pro-level athlete, you know that investing in the best glove is worth every cent and this is definitely the case for this glove. The freedom you will get in designing your own plus the professional-grade quality will certainly outweigh the heavy price of the custom Ultra glove.
Pros & Cons of Buying Rico Gloves
Rico Gloves’ number one competitive advantage is clearly their customized products. They let you build and design your dream gloves right at your fingertips. Just visit their official website and you can pretty much design however you want your gloves to be from choosing the leather material, selecting the palm, lace, stitch, web colors to match your team uniform, the webbing style suitable for your position on the mound, and you can even put customized designs such as your country’s flag, your name, numbers, and custom logo designs. Giving the customers that much freedom as the customers want is the reason why people love their products.
The three series by Rico Gloves, specifically the Prime, Star, and Ultra Gloves utilizing their respective top-grade leather, are known for their durability and comfort feel. It enables you to choose whichever series is suitable for you based on your skill level and age. For example, the Prime and Star series is perfect for youth players since it has a shorter break-in period and has a softer feel so you don’t beat your hands by using inappropriate high strength gloves. On the other hand, the Ultra glove is best suited for professional athletes as it has tighter grain strength, a stiffer feel, and increased durability.
However, keep in mind that Rico Gloves charges additional bucks if you want to put customized designs on your gloves such as the flags or your customized team logos. The custom glove orders also take approximately 6-8 weeks to process and ship and require a USPS delivery signature.
Conclusions
Rico Gloves is definitely worth all the hype it receives for the past few years because of the quality, durability, and comfort it delivers. It is highly recommended by professional baseball players for a number of reasons which proves its efficiency and functionality on the mound. If you haven’t tried the Rico Gloves yet, I highly recommend that you get your hands on it and see for yourself why it is such a pro favorite.
