Every spring, millions of players google how to break in a new glove, and half the advice out there will shorten its life. Ovens, microwaves, running it over with the car. None of that is how pros do it.
Here's the method that gives you a game-ready glove without cooking the leather.
Step 1: Start with a light coat of conditioner
New leather is dry and stiff. A thin layer of conditioner makes it easier to work without turning it into a wet noodle. It also provides necessary protection that your glove needs from oils in your hand, salt from your sweat, and color fading from sunlight.
- Scoop a small amount of Pro Glove Conditioner onto your fingers.
- Work it into the palm, fingers, hinge and laces. Go thin. You can always add more later.
- Let it sit overnight, then wipe off any extra with a dry cloth.
Breaking in a light-colored glove? Use Conditioner Lite instead. It's made to not darken leather, while Pro Conditioner may darken light leather a little.
Step 2: Work the hinge by hand
The hinge is where the glove closes. Open and close the glove 50 to 100 times a day, focusing on the fold point you want: between the thumb and pinky for infielders, deeper toward the pinky for outfielders.
Step 3: Pound the pocket
A ball or mallet in the pocket teaches the leather where the ball should land.
- Use a pounding pad and mallet and hit the spot you want the ball to sit.
- Do 5 to 10 minutes while you watch TV. Consistency beats intensity.
Step 4: Play catch. A lot.
Nothing replaces real throws. Short catch sessions every day for two weeks will do more than any shortcut. The leather molds to your hand and your way of closing the glove. Or, catch a pitching machine to speed up the process.
Step 5: Wrap it overnight
Put a ball in the pocket, close the glove around it, and wrap it with a Ball Player's Balm glove wrap (coming soon). Don't crank it too tight. You're holding the shape, not crushing it.
What not to do
- No oven, microwave or hair dryer. Heat dries out leather and can crack it.
- Don't skip conditioning after water. Some pros dunk a glove to help shape it. If you do, let it air dry, then condition it, since water pulls oils out of the leather as it dries.
- No heavy oil. Too much conditioner makes a glove floppy and heavy. Thin coats, every time.
- No household products. Vaseline and shaving cream aren't made for glove leather, and they can leave a greasy layer that holds dirt in the pocket.
How long should it take?
With daily work, most gloves are game-ready in two to four weeks. Stiffer, higher-end leathers can take longer. That's normal, and those gloves last longer for it.
Why players reach for Ball Players Balm
- Made by hand in Tennessee from natural ingredients
- Conditions without leaving the glove greasy
- Trusted by players and teams at every level, including the big leagues
- Three formulas for three jobs: Pro for conditioning, Game Ready for tack, Lite for leather you don't want darkened
