Best football gloves
Although some football players choose not to wear them, football gloves have some significant benefits that help players with passing and catching, and generally have more success. The right football gloves can provide some protection for players, too.
It’s important to match the type of glove selected to the player’s needs. Those who catch passes need stickiness, while those who primarily block need more padding. For some players, the color and style options will be a highly important factor, too.
What to consider when buying football gloves
Playing position
Primarily, two types of football gloves are available. Receivers and running backs who catch passes will want a glove that has flexibility in the fabric. It should have tackiness for hanging onto the football, too.
Linemen who block need to use their hands to try to control the other player. These gloves will have padding to protect the player’s hands, as well as some extra support in the wrist area to protect against the hand being bent back.
Football glove sizes
Players will want the gloves to fit snugly, but they shouldn’t be overly tight. Measure the width of the hand and the length of the hand to find the perfect size. An adjustable wrist strap at the base of the glove can ensure a secure fit.
Football glove color and style
For football players who must adhere to a strict uniform, having the ability to show off their personalities through their choice of glove color and style is important. Football gloves offer hundreds of color combinations and designs. Gloves also often prominently feature the logo of the manufacturer, which is important to some players.
Best football gloves for receivers and running backs
Adidas Adizero 11 Comics Receiver Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
Players who are fans of comic books and graphic novels will love the design on these Adidas gloves, which are also available in multiple colors. They offer ventilation throughout the back panel and an all-weather palm fabric for longevity.
Battle Ultra-Stick Football Receiver Gloves: available at Amazon
For receivers seeking the stickiest possible palms in their football gloves, these Battle gloves use highly tacky fabrics. With multiple colors available, players will find something to reflect their personalities.
Cutters Adult Game Day Padded Receiver Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
For receivers and running backs who also do some perimeter blocking, using these Cutters gloves provides excellent grip for catching passes and a little bit of padding to protect the hands while blocking.
Grip Boost Stealth 4.0 Dual Color Football Receiver Gloves: available at Amazon
When your football gloves lose their tackiness, these Grip Boost gloves have a gel available to apply and regain your glove stickiness. These gloves work equally well in hot or cold weather.
Nicewin Football Adult Receiver Gloves: available at Amazon
If you need a high-quality pair of gloves for a low price, these Nicewin gloves are a popular choice. They have a breathable fabric for hot weather workouts that also wicks moisture away.
Nike Adult Vapor Jet 6.0 Receiver Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
These Nike gloves include extra tackiness in the palm area, helping receivers maintain a grip on a tough pass. With a little bit of padding in the thumb area, the player receives extra protection from hard-thrown passes.
Nike Superbad 6.0 Receiver Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
For those players who prefer more of a basic color design, these gloves are a popular choice. The stretchy fabric across the back of the gloves will help the player maintain a comfortable feel.
Seibertron Pro 3.0 Elite Ultra-Stick Receiver Gloves: available at Amazon
These Seibertron gloves have a low price point and better-than-expected durability. The fabric on the back of the hand is especially flexible, giving the receiver the desired level of freedom of movement.
Under Armour F7 Football Receiver Gloves: available at Amazon
These UA gloves include printed overlays on the gloves to add design elements and to provide extra support. The breathable fabric across the back of the hand ensures a high level of comfort.
Best football gloves for linemen
Adidas Scorch Destroy Lineman Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
By adding an extended wrist band, adidas gives these gloves extra support in this important area for linemen. The well-placed padded areas do not hinder the movement of the hands.
Nike D-Tack 6.0 Lineman Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
These gloves include gel padding for comfort, along with tacky palm areas for maximum grip while blocking. The wrist cuff area has adjustable fabric to ensure the perfect fit.
Under Armour Combat Lineman Gloves: available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
With tapered padded areas and extra reinforcement around the area of the knuckles, these UA gloves nicely blend freedom of movement with protection for the hands.
Kyle Schurman is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.