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Best Lacrosse Gloves 2023: Reviews, Specs, Video and Buyer’s Guide
After selecting the ideal Crosse, choosing the best lacrosse gloves is the most important decision you will need to make as a lacrosse player. It is because of the fact that your gloves have a very real effect on your in-game performance.
Lacrosse gloves are not like baseball gloves, which have remained largely the same over the years. These gloves are constantly being innovated, and companies are taking advantage of scientific breakthroughs, such as advanced foam that is soft until it gets hit and hardens in response to that impact.
Selecting the perfect lacrosse glove is tough.
In order to help you shop the right one, we reviewed, tested and abused some of the most popular gloves on the market. The result of that process is five gloves that we can recommend with great confidence.
Top Rated Lacrosse Gloves Comparison Chart
This section provides you a summary of the best lacrosse gloves on the market. The chart gives you a snapshot of the products we have tested and now recommend. Our review for each particular glove is much more comprehensive. Just click the name of a glove to jump directly to that particular review.
The reviews are in, and we are very excited to share them with you as lacrosse players from all around gear up for the new season. We avoided reviewing these products as the best lacrosse gloves for youth, for women, for men and so forth. The gloves we selected are excellent choices across their entire size range, but in cases where there might be a difference between the categories, we will note it. Also, be mindful that these reviews are regularly updated as gloves change and new products become available.
#1. Epoch Lacrosse iD High Performance Lightweight Gloves
TRI-LAYER DUAL DENSITY FOAM: Epoch’s engineers created a triple density foam stack which layers up the foam in stacks with the softer foam on the bottom layer and a...
Quick Features:
Aimed at the emerging player and engineered with the many of the most popular features.
Triple-layer double-density foam stacks provide superior protection and comfort.
Extended cuff design protects but remains out of the way as your wrist flexes.
These Epoch iD gloves are an excellent choice for anyone seeking lightweight lacrosse gloves that deliver performance, comfort and durability without breaking the bank. The sheer value that these gloves provide is truly impressive and a driving reason why they are our pick for top lacrosse gloves on the market.
The foam protection provided here compares favorably to many of the most expensive gloves available. These foam stacks absorb high-intensity impacts, but they never feel like a hockey glove.
Our team is also big proponents of the extended wrist cuff. Bulky cuffs provide good protection but prove restrictive to many players. Epoch managed to find a nice balance here between protection and movement. Face-off players will appreciate the full range of motion and wrist protection.
Epoch markets these for the “emerging” player, which is a term we borrowed. So, what does it means? It means that Epoch has developed a very modern lacrosse glove aimed to please the broadest pool of players possible. That makes them a fantastic choice for players still determining their preferences.
Are there issues? Not really. Ventilation is good but a bit basic. The palm material is nash, but that is to be expected at this price point. Also, these gloves tend to run a bit small, so if you are ordering them online, our recommendation is to order a size up particularly if you are at the high end of medium.
A patent-pending ventilation system makes these among the coolest gloves we tested.
The ventilation runs the entire length of the thumb without any odd thumb feel.
A strap for your mouth guard lets you secure it when not in use.
STX is among the biggest names in lacrosse equipment. Its Stallion series of gloves are quite good and our runner-up to the Epoch iD particularly if you are purchasing gloves for a youth lacrosse player.
Ventilation is something that STX does very well, and we were very pleased that the AirCooled tech was more than just marketing. These gloves will keep you cool in the heat and do not have any odor problems.
Another aspect where the STX gloves distinguish themselves from the Epoch gloves is what it calls “isothumb.” The thumb isolation provides a superior 360-degree range of movement.
Value varies across the line. The youth gloves are excellent value, but the gloves for older players do not compare nearly as favorably value-wise to the Epoch gloves. There are also some durability concerns, and a number of online reviews complained that the gloves wore out in just a single season.
TruVents increase ventilation to the backhand, keeping you cool when the heat is on
Quick Features:
Features ventilation on the backhand but also on the palm.
A textured nash palm makes it easier to grip the crosse.
Offers substantial padding for the backhand, fingers and thumb.
Brine is another prestigious brand in lacrosse equipment. The company has been designing lacrosse equipment for nearly 100 years, and its manufactured lacrosse gloves are among the most popular available.
The King Superlight 2 series is a fantastic option for any player who wants a lot of padding. This glove offers more protection than the two previously ranked gloves, and it manages to do this while being among the lightest gloves around and delivering superior grip during all facets of the game.
An aspect of these gloves that we do not like has to do with the finger padding. A clenched hand can expose gaps between the otherwise excellent finger padding. We found this to be the leading complaint among consumers—most of whom were otherwise very satisfied with the purchase.
Build quality is generally fantastic. An area where we deducted points is the interior with how the padding is attached. When your gloves fail, this is probably where, and it could do with a redesign.
37.5 Technology liner creates a faster sweat evaporation time inside the M4 gloves.
Quick Features:
Patented liner delivers the best sweat avoidance of the gloves we tested.
Shark gel provides thumb movement unlike most of the other gloves we reviewed.
Delivers a classic fit and feel that is becoming less and less common.
There is a lot to like about the M4 series by Maverik, and if you are a player who prefers how lacrosse gloves used to be rather than how they are now, then this may be the perfect fit and feel for you.
A number of features really stand out with the M4. One is the patented liner that wicks sweat fast and delivers the great sweat avoidance of the gloves. If you are a player who sweats a lot and is bothered by the perspiration on your hands, then we can highly recommend these.
The M4 also features superior ventilation at the palm and backhand. Not only do your hands remain sweat-free, but they stay relatively cool even at the peak of activity in a hot climate.
These gloves also boast an ax suede palm and shark gel thumb padding. You should definitely consider this kind of thumb if you are player who dislikes the thumb restriction that many other gloves have.
The M4 gloves can be a bit pricier than the others lacrosse gloves on our list. That is largely thanks to the ax suede, which we feel is worth paying for. The biggest knock against these gloves is the Velcro. Many players opt to have the Velcro upgraded to larger and thicker, but that will make your gloves even more expensive.
PORON XRD foam is soft to the touch but hardens on impact providing supreme protection across the thumb and index finger
Quick Features:
Features XRD tech so that the foam is soft to the touch but hardens on impact.
Patented liner delivers the excellent sweat avoidance of the gloves we tested.
Ax suede palm is soft and durable and delivers a natural feel when you grip the lacrosse shaft.
The Rome RX3 series is a professional lacrosse glove and the price reflects that. It drops down our list largely because we feel the average player is going to target $100 or less.
If you want to invest more in your lacrosse gloves, we can highly recommend the RX3.
These gloves feature the same 37.5 liner that the M4 series does. The ventilation is similar too, so what you get is a dry and relatively cool glove even when playing and practicing hard on the hottest of days.
As you expect from Maverik, the gloves feature an ax suede palm. Even better, these also feature a high-tech foam by XRD that is soft most of the time but hardens as an impact occurs to protect your hand.
Apart from price, we have no complaints. However, you should note that these do run small. Many players who tend to use a medium lacrosse glove are going to need a large instead, so be careful with the sizing.
Knowing the top-rated lacrosse gloves on the market is important, but it lacks context. The right lacrosse gloves for you depends on a number of factors, including your preferences. If you are a new player learning the game, for instance, then the best lacrosse gloves for professional players may not be ideal for you because they can make it harder to grip and control the crosse. Likewise, if you have a hand injury you need to protect, then you are likely to place more emphasis on ultra-protective lacrosse gloves. Our team compiled this buying guide in order to help you consider those points pre-purchase.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Lacrosse Gloves in 2023
Are you purchasing lacrosse gloves for the first time? Experienced players know that choosing the best gloves is more than just about choosing the right size of lacrosse gloves. With that in mind, our team has put together ten crucial points that you will want to consider before making your final decision.
1. Sizing
Be mindful that size varies by manufacturer and even glove. Heed the size charts that each brand publishes. Generalizations like small, medium and large are often useless in comparisons. Avoid getting too hung up on the idea of men’s, women’s and youth lacrosse gloves. Ensure that the fingers will feel snug. Gloves will loose in time, and young players should opt for a bit of room in which to grow.
2. Fit
Fit varies between brands as well. You will likely encounter the term fit profile. This is helpful once you appreciate which profile you need and prefer. Some lacrosse players prefer gloves that are loose and allow more flexibility. Others prefer skin-tight so that the gloves are like an extension of the hand.
3. Comfort and Weight
Three factors will determine how comfortable your gloves are: sizing, fit and weight. Be mindful that gloves shouldn’t be too loose, looseness can lead to jammed and even broken fingers. As for weight, it is a matter of preference, but there are guidelines available based on overall player weight.
4. Build Quality
Quality of construction varies as well. Many players love gloves that are broken in and can be used across seasons, and so, investing in quality is well worth it from this perspective as well as financial one. Younger players are a caveat since they can outgrow their gear fast enough to make this irrelevant.
5. Padding
The general rule is that thicker padding means better protection. Thickness and density of padding varies between manufacturers and models. Most padding areas are common to all gloves, but optional padding includes reinforcing target areas, such as the back of the hand or the tip of the thumb.
6. Grip and Grip Firmness
Size, fit, flexibility, surface texture, weight and comfort are all crucial elements to a grip that feels right. Determining your ideal grip is a process for the novice. Grip firmness is an overlooked but also very important aspect. A firmer grip is often preferred by experienced players because it increases stability, requires lighter pressure and lets the player do more with his or her strength and crosse movement. Newer players tend to prefer softer grips, which are more comfortable and minimize hand strength.
7. Ventilation and Sweat Resistance
Ventilation keeps the hands and therefore the player cooler. It also mitigates odors. Lacrosse gloves have traditionally had ventilation on the backside. More recently, glovemakers have added vents to the palm and elsewhere, but this requires more stitching, which can disrupt interior smoothness. Sweat-resistant features help by wicking sweat away and keeping the gloves and hand dry. The usual advice is to opt for only as much ventilation as needed based on your body and the climate in which you play.
8. Protection
Adequate protection is a matter of selecting a glove with good padding that fits well and is comfortable. Fingers that extend past the gussets, for instance, is a problem that can lead to broken fingers. There are two particularly important aspects of protection that you should consider individually: thumb and palm.
Thumb: The thumb protection is crucial because the thumb is fundamental to crosse handling and the most vulnerable aspect of the hand. Thumb protection comes in a wide range of styles, and the ideal type depends on player preference. When in doubt, opt for more segmentation, which results in more flexibility, and opt for thumb reinforcements that blunt impacts from best lacrosse stick checks and the like.
Palm: Protection of the palm generally concerns avoiding wear and tear that arises from crosse handling. There are many different palm materials available, and while they all protect about as well, they do not necessarily perform as well. Palm material is generally what distinguishes an expensive glove from a cheaper one. Ax suede, for instance, is coveted because it protects, provides superior durability and feels great. Mesh is cheaper and does the job but does not provide as much comfort when crosse handling.
Women’s Lacrosse Gloves
Much of the advice available is male-centric, when it comes to selecting a good pair of lacrosse gloves. But many women play this great game too, so it begs the question, does all of that advice translate? For the most part, it does. The biggest difference when designing gloves for the average female lacrosse player is hand size, and that really just comes down to sizing, fit, padding and so forth.
What is often overlooked in such guides is preference. What do you prefer and are you aiming for a particular advantage, such as added grip? It is not unusual for smaller women players to use youth gloves. Likewise, many female goalies prefer goalie gloves designed for men. The fine grip is less a concern for them, and they better benefit from the added protection the men’s gloves provide.
Keeping Your Lacrosse Gloves Clean
Selecting a high-quality pair of lacrosse gloves is the first step in maintaining clean gloves long-term. Good gloves use materials that are resistant to stains and will stand up to regular machine washing.
Air out your gloves after each practice or game: Avoid the buildup of odors by airing out your gloves after every lacrosse game and practice. Do this outdoors but with protection from the sun and rain. You can opt to use a plain talcum powder as well as any premium glove powder designed for sports equipment. Avoid medicated powders and the like.
Spot clean any particularly deep stain: Spot clean any deep stains as soon as possible whether or not you intend a full cleaning. You can use a bowl with cool water and a mild detergent. Even a mild dish soap can effectively remove tough stains.
Wash your gloves in a washing machine: The best lacrosse gloves are designed to be machine-washable. Most glovemakers recommend washing with cold water on a gentle cycle using a mild detergent. Never use a detergent that contains bleach.
Let your gloves air dry: This is important. Let your gloves air dry and preferably outdoors because it will be faster that way. Never wear your gloves or apply any powders or any other agents until the gloves are completely dry to the touch.
Note:
Do you own lower-grade gloves or just not a fan of machine washing for whatever reason? An alternative is to soak them in a tub, sink or similar container. Use warm water and a mild detergent. Let the gloves soak for about 10 minutes. After soaking, rinse the gloves thoroughly to remove all traces of detergent.
Wrap-Up
Well, there you have our five best lacrosse gloves on the market right now!
If you are buying gloves for a youth player, then we highly recommend the STX Stallion 50 gloves. They are great for the price and kids often outgrow them so fast that the other issues are moot.
For most players, the Epoch iD gloves will be tough to beat. They really are fantastic value and should accommodate most experienced players where there is not a strong preference for a missing feature.
The Brine King gloves are among the lightest lacrosse gloves on the market and an excellent choice for the experienced player. We tend to prefer the Epoch gloves for the first-time wearer, however.
Paul is a compulsive tinkerer and inventor who loves writing about latest machines technology. He is especially inclined towards home improvement, exercise and outdoor equipment that every sports enthusiast and house dweller would love to get their hands on.
