What’s the Difference Between Softball and Baseball Gloves?

One of the most common questions we get here at the store is “What’s the difference between softball and baseball gloves?”. It’s a great question, and one that has a bit of a complicated answer. In short, the main difference is the size and the type of leather used.

Softball Gloves

Most softball gloves are built with 11 to 13 inches of rawhide leather. This material is soft, yet strong and snug-fitting. Most gloves have a deep well pocket that makes it easier to catch the ball. Softball gloves also have a much smaller and tighter fitting than baseball gloves.

Construction

Construction is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a softball glove. Softball gloves are usually constructed of leather, which can be either full-grain or split-grain. Full-grain leather is the highest quality available and is very durable, but it is also more expensive. Split-grain leather is not as durable, but it is more affordable.

Baseball gloves are also usually made of leather, but they may also be made of synthetic materials. The type of material used will affect the price, durability, and performance of the glove.

When choosing a softball glove, you should also consider the padding. Most gloves have some type of padding on the palm and fingers to help protect your hand from impact. Some gloves also have additional padding on the back of the hand for added protection.

Function

Most softball gloves are designed with a larger, deeper pocket to accommodate the larger balls used in softball. The webbing between the thumb and index finger is also usually more pronounced on a softball glove, to give the player added support when catching the ball. In addition, most softball gloves have padding on the palm to help absorb the impact of a pitched ball.

Baseball Gloves

Baseball gloves come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They are made of many different materials including leather, rubber, and cloth. They have different purposes such as protecting the player’s hand from the ball, absorbing the vibrations of the ball hitting the glove, or both. Softball gloves are similar to baseball gloves, but there are a few key differences.

Construction

The most significant difference between baseball and softball gloves is the size. A baseball glove is going to be noticeably larger than a softball glove. This is due to the fact that a softball is significantly smaller than a baseball.

In addition to size, another difference between baseball and softball gloves is the webbing. The webbing on a baseball glove is typically much more narrow than the webbing on a softball glove. This narrower webbing allows for a better grip on the smaller baseball.

The position you play will also dictate the kind of glove you need. In general, infielders need smaller gloves than outfielders. This is because infielders need to be able to easily field balls hit hard directly at them, while outfielders need to be able to catch fly balls, which require a larger glove to give them more surface area to catch the ball.

Function

The main difference between baseball and softball gloves is the size and the webbing. Baseball gloves are smaller and have thinner webs between the thumb and index finger than softball gloves. The webs on softball gloves are also more rounded. The main reason for the difference in size is that softballs are larger than baseballs. The different webbing is due to the fact that softballs are pitched underhanded, while baseballs are pitched overhanded.