Best goalkeeper gloves: Save goals and money with our top picks for keepers
As the last line of defence, you’ll need the best goalkeeper gloves to be a truly safe pair of hands. Here’s a run-down of our favourites
If you want to be a great goalie, you’re going to need the best goalkeeper gloves, so you can keep the scoreline down without worrying about potential injuries. The fingers, palms and wrists are a goalkeeper’s most important body parts, so in the event of some thunderous shots on goal, you’ll want to be prepared. That’s why grabbing a pair of the best goalkeeper gloves is so important.
It’s not just about injury prevention, though. While goalkeeper gloves of yesteryear were all relatively basic and similar in design, today you can grab gloves with specific properties and types of cut. Some have been engineered to last well over a season of competitive action, while others focus on getting the in-glove feeling just right through negative cuts that sit naturally against your skin. And, as you would hope, the best gloves are also built with extra strong grip so you’ll never see the ball squirm out of your arms at the crucial moment.
READ NEXT: The best garden football goals
We know you are desperate to find the best goalkeeper gloves you can get your mitts on, so we’ve found various specialist glove manufacturers’ safest pairs. Some brands might be a bit unfamiliar for those just getting into goalkeeping, but we promise you are in good hands. Read on below to dive into our list of the best value goalkeeper gloves and come back to this page when the new season arrives for an updated list.
READ NEXT: The best football boots
Best goalkeeper gloves: At a glance
- Best goalkeeper gloves for finger protection: GK Saver Gloves | £29
- Best goalkeeper gloves for grip: Uhlsport AbslouteGrip HN | £75
- Best budget goalkeeper gloves: Nike GK Match | £18
- Best goalkeeper gloves for kids: Narz Gloves | £5.99
The best goalkeeper gloves to buy
1. GK Saver gloves: Best goalkeeper gloves for finger protection
Price when reviewed: From £29 | Check price at Amazon
Being a goalkeeper is a thankless task, but what’s even worse is getting hurt in the process. To avoid overextending your fingers when saving your team, GK Saver gloves make for a top tier option due to its in-built finger protection. There’s 4mm of soft duplex foam and 10mm of NFU foam padding to make it both comfortable and negate the impact of any hard hitting strike.
You’ll not feel like you’re wearing thick winter warmers though, since the negative cut design puts the gloves tight to your hands. It shouldn’t get too toasty between your fingers either, with breathable sides helping circulate fresh air. Add in grippy palms and a fresh, black-out design, and you’ll be prepared for any on-coming strikers while maintaining a menacing appearance.
Key specs – Materials: Latex; Colours: 1
2. Uhlsport AbsoluteGrip HN: Best goalkeeper gloves for grip
Price when reviewed: £75 | Check price at Decathlon
As the name suggests, these gloves by Uhlsport are uniquely grippy and an absolute steal considering the price point. The AbsoluteGrip latex-foam on the glove face provides you with an unbelievably safe pair of hands for little over £70, which should help you feel like Spiderman between the posts. In fact, the gloves actually stick together; that’s the level of grip we are talking about here.
Durability isn’t forgotten about either, so you can expect minimal wear and tear – especially if you give your gloves some loving aftercare. Elsewhere, the neoprene material on the top of the hand is effortlessly comfortable as part of the half-negative cut design which sits close to the hand for a more natural feel.
There is Uhlsport’s more expensive SuperGrip model but it’s almost double the price and is relatively similar overall, so these are the best in class should you want to always have control of the ball for a snip.
Key specs – Materials: Latex; silicone, polyester, nylon, polyurethane; Colours: 2
3. Nike GK Match: Best budget gloves
Price when reviewed: From £18 | Check price at Pro Direct Soccer
While many of the gloves on this list come from specialist goalkeeping brands, Nike is still a top class producer of sports wear – especially at the budget end of the scale.
There’s no particular bells and whistles to report with these goalkeeper gloves but you are getting a reliable set for a weekly game. The smooth latex on the palm provides great value grip, while the mesh panels on the top side of the thumb offers some well-needed breathability. Coming in a range of stylish colour ways, you’ll look the part on the pitch, too, adorned in a brand that’s part of footballing heritage.
Key specs – Materials: Latex; polyester, EVA, nylon; Colours: 8
4. Rinat Aries Pro: Best fitting goalkeeper gloves
Price when reviewed: From £46 | Check price at TradeInn
Our favourite fit out of the goalkeeper gloves around are these Rinat Aries Pros. The cut of the gloves are called roll-negative, which we think is the perfect match of control, comfort and hand-to-ball feel.
Roll finger gloves are normally a bit on the bulkier side, so despite offering high amounts of latex contact with the ball, many prefer a tighter fitting glove. That’s why the combination with a negative design works perfectly, as you get greater ball control plus the close-to-skin feeling that negative gloves provide. Aside from that, you’ll also get strong grip, durability and Jackson Pollock-esque colourways.
Key specs – Materials: Latex; Colours: 2
5. Narz gloves: Best goalkeeper gloves for kids
Price when reviewed: From £5.99 | Check price at Amazon
When your kids are getting started in football, or are playing goalkeeper for the first time, it might be best to try out a pair of gloves that don’t cost the earth while they make their minds up on whether the sport is for them. You’ll still want a solid pair that offer enough protection though, so these Narz gloves could be a great solution.
They have thick padding on the palm to absorb any powerful hits plus they use spines in the fingers to avoid any digits getting out of place. You’ll find these ones in a range of sizes too, suitable for kids as young as four years old all the way up to 15. So, whatever age your child is getting to grips with goalkeeping, there will be a pair ready-made for them.
Key specs – Materials: Latex; Colours: 7
6. Kaliaaer Pwrlite: Best goalkeeper gloves for durability
Price when reviewed: £50 | Check price at Decathlon
If you put in place a cleaning regime – including a pre-wash before use – and improve your diving and distribution techniques to minimise cracking, these Kaliaaer gloves can last well over a year of daily wear-and-tear. The latex has excellent grip, but its durability is unmatched for this price.
You’ll find double stitching around the wrist as well as extremely secure velcro on a strap that features a pull tab so you can easily take the gloves off. Kaliaaer models are usually on offer too, so keep your eyes peeled for a bargain buy that’ll last you a long time.
Key specs – Materials: Latex; Colours: 2
