To many professionals, myself included, slowpitch softball is the game that started it all. This game tests your strength, your patience, and most of all, your resilience.
Whether you are playing in the youth level, casually with friends, or looking to take your skills to the next level, you need to get your gears in order.
And an essential part of your list of equipment is your gloves. Your choice of gloves may vary depending on the position you play. But one thing is for sure; without a good pair of gloves, you will not be able to enjoy the game to its fullest.
There are many different glove brands out there. Some of them are quite budget-friendly, and some can cost you an arm and a leg.
Understandably, unless you are playing at a professional level, going with an absurdly expensive glove is not very practical. But that does not mean you have to go with the absolute cheapest option either.
Wilson is a brand that offers a middle-ground in pricing. It does not cost too much but still gives you the premium feel and performance of a high-quality slowpitch softball glove. Even their lower-priced gloves feel better than most of the knockoff, budget options out there.
I have used a couple of gloves by this brand in the past, and I have loved my time with each of them. Now I will bring my experience with three of their best ones to you in a complete review so that you can decide for yourself whether these gloves are worth your time and money.
Wilson Slowpitch Softball Gloves Review
Here are the 3 gloves I recommend if you want to own the field.
1. Wilson A360 Utility Slowpitch Glove
The Wilson A360 similar to the WTA 2444 is a glove that is suited more towards a casual game than a serious one. It comes at an affordable price and offers some serious performance boost over those cheap, sub-20$ softball gloves. For any casual slowpitch players, this one is a godsend
The sheer versatility this glove offers to the players alone makes it worth every dollar you spend on it. With this glove, you can play in almost any position thanks to its excellent padding and material selection. So, if you are an amateur softball enthusiast, you can pick this up and hit the field anywhere you like.
Made using high-quality leather, this pair of gloves promise maximum durability without restricting your movement. It is extremely comfortable to wear over those long games and the timeless blend of black and grey color combination gives it a truly classic feel.
To make their gloves lighter, Wilson uses a special type of shell that they dubbed the CarbonLite Shell. Despite its affordable price, the brand did not skimp out on using the same technology in this unit making it extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear.
The closed V-Laced webbing design of the gloves is what makes it truly a versatile choice for amateur players. You will be able to conceal your grip on the ball, in other words, hide your pitches, thanks to this design making it a great choice for pitches.
And thanks to the dual post, double bar web pattern in the pocket, you will be able to trap and secure the ball whether it is a groundball or a flyball. Because of this, it is suitable both for basemen and fielders as it allows you to catch the ball accurately.
You can find two different sizes of this glove at 14 inches and 13 inches in length. So, make sure you go with the one that better suits your hands. You can custom fit the gloves to your hand to get a snugger fit using the Velcro wrist strap at the bottom if you need it.
2. Wilson A900 Slowpitch Glove
For my last choice, I knew I had to go with a good one. If you made it this far, then you probably were not impressed with the last two options I gave you. Well, having used one myself for years, I have no doubt that the Wilson A900 will be the one that you will definitely pick up if you are still having second thoughts about the brand.
The glove is available for both hands and is ready to be used right out of the box. It requires minimal break-in thanks to the quality of the leather. So, you will not have to spend hours getting it adjusted to your hands to make it more comfortable.
That in no way means the quality of the leather is poor. In the A900, the manufacturers used high-quality Ecco leather which ensures proper durability without restricting your finger movement. So, your hand will remain comfortable whenever you are catching a flyball or scooping up a groundball.
Thanks to the Sorbothane, shock-absorbing padding on the palm of the gloves, you will also be able to catch high-velocity balls without any issues. In addition, the glove features an extra leather insert between the outer shell and the palm liner to provide some extra protection for your hand.
Diverting your gaze at the webbing, you will notice Wilson’s patented dual-welting design. This unique webbing will give you a stable pocket and ensure that the form of the gloves, once you break it in, stays firm, even if you put it away for a couple of months.
As a budget-friendly glove, you will find very little to complain about with this option. I have had countless games with it when I used to play as an infielder for my high-school team and it got me through many tough matches. It is truly a wonderful choice worthy of the Wilson name.
3. Wilson Wta2444
When I was young, I did not have much to spend on my sporting gear. I had to save up for a couple of months if I wanted to buy any decent gloves worth using. That is when I found this amazing option by the brand. The Wilson Elite Softball WTA2444 does all the things that a pro-grade glove does at a laughable price.
Even after all these years, I can probably find one sitting inside my cupboard. And considering how well-made these gloves are, I might even be able to start playing with them right away.
The defining element of this pair of gloves is its full leather palm and webbing. For such a low price, you get high-quality materials that protect your hands when you are catching the ball. For slowpitch softball, that might not be such a huge factor, but if you like playing some fastpitch on the side, this is a good thing.
This glove also features a larger pocket which makes it easier to catch the ball due to the increased catching area. The length of these gloves is around 14 inches. So, it should fit most adults just fine even though it is made keeping younger players in mind.
If you have smaller hands and want a more custom fit, then you can use the custom fit strap at the bottom. It will let you tighten up the gloves so that it feels more secure on your wrist without feeling too restricting. You can find these gloves for both left and right-handed players.
Another good thing about the glove is how quickly it breaks in. With any baseball or softball gloves, breaking it in is half the battle. You need to spend a good couple of days oiling your baseball gloves or playing with it before it becomes comfortable to use in the field. With this one, that is not an issue.
When you consider the price of the glove, the performance you get out of it is pretty amazing. However, there are a few better models out there if you are willing to shell out a bit more money.
What Makes Wilson Softball Gloves Worth Buying
Wilson is one of those brands that you will see being used in almost every game by at least one player even at pro matches. Among other popular brands, this one stands out because of its attention to not only professional players but also towards casuals who just want to enjoy a weekend game of baseball or softball.
I personally love Wilson for many reasons. But if I had to be specific, I would probably choose the following three reasons behind why this brand is one of my top three choices when I am buying softball or baseball gloves.
Available for All Levels
From major-league baseball to high-school softball, I have played it all. And the main thing that I love about Wilson is they make gloves for players at all levels. And in most cases, you do not even have to spend too much. Most of their gloves, especially those aimed at casual players, are quite affordable.
Despite coming at affordable prices, the quality of their gloves never falters. Even to this day, I watch in awe whenever I pick up a glove by Wilson. Because of their close attention to quality, they have created a lot of goodwill in the market both among professionals and casuals.
Excellent Padding and Webbing
All of the gloves manufactured and designed by Wilson feature superior padding and intricate webbing design to ensure the best experience for you as a player. The thick layer of padding and occasional leather inserts protects your hands from any injury when you are catching those fast pitches or flyballs.
But protection is not the prime concern for many players, gripping control is more important. Thankfully, Wilson also covers that section pretty well thanks to their V-laced web design that you will find in most of their gloves. The pockets in their gloves are typically deeper to give you an easier time catching and securing the ball.
Versatile
Don’t you hate it when you have to buy a different pair of gloves whenever you want to play a different position? It might not be that big of a deal if you are a pro, but for a casual player, this never feels good on the wallet. Well, Wilson understands this dilemma and constantly tries to make things simpler for you.
Most of their entry-level gloves are designed to accommodate different playing positions. So, whether you are playing as an infielder or a baseman, you can use the same pair of gloves for either role. In fact, some people even use it as a fastpitch softball glove with good results.
Parting Shots
Playing slowpitch softball without the right gloves is really not a good idea. It can cause you to fumble an easy catch which can, in turn, cost you the entire game. And even if you know that your gloves are the culprit, all the fingers will be pointed at you.
So, treat yourself right with a new pair of gloves by Wilson. I have personally used all of the three gloves that I picked out for you. If it were me, I would probably go with either the A360 or A900 as the build quality feels a bit sturdier. But if you are on a budget, the WTA2444 will also serve you just fine for a couple of years until you save up for something better.
I hope my review of the three Wilson slowpitch softball gloves could help you find the perfect pair of gloves for your next game. Good luck.
