Guide: How to choose the right cut for your goalkeeper gloves
Flat, gun, roll, negative, expanse, surround… These are just some of the many many names that are used to describe the goalkeeper glove cut. Maybe you have already found your favourite cut; maybe you're still searching. If you have your doubts about your glove cut preferences, keep reading as I'm about to tell you a little more about the different glove cuts.
The glove is without a doubt the goalkeeper's most essential equipment. Back in the days you might just as well have jumped into a pair of gardening gloves, and it wouldn't have made that big a difference. That is not at all the case anymore, now that the glove manufactorers repeatedly outshine each other with new outstanding goalkeeper gloves, whose first feature is even more revolutionary than the next. If you don't already have that one favorite glove, it might feel like navigating through a jungle to choose the perfect glove. In order to find the right glove you need to consider what your preferences are, and in that matter the cut is essentiel.
Like I mentioned, a specific glove cut has many different names as the different brands tend to invent their own original names, and it might be a bit confusing. However, it is not quite as complicated as it seems. Basically there are 3 different glove cuts you need to know: Flat Cut, Negative Cut og Roll finger Cut:
Flat CutFlat Cut is the most traditional glove cut, and it is the cut that has been used for the longest time. The cut can be recognized by the stitches that are on the outside of the latex and by its flat palm. This glove cut is a great choice for the keeper who wants a glove with a great ball control and a looser fit, as the fingers are very spacious. This cut is used by for example Liverpool's Simon Mignolet and Juventus' Gianluigi Buffon. Other names: Expanse Cut, Regular Cut
Continued below
Roll finger Cut is a very popular glove cut among the best goalkeepers. The cut can be recognized by its large contact area and a larger amount of latex on the palm than for instance on a Flat Cut palm. The latex is rolled around the fingers which makes the glove perfect for a goalkeeper who wants a tighter fit and a great latex-to-ball-contact. This cut is preferred by for instance Manchester City's Claudio Bravo and Barcelona's Marc Ter Stegen. Other names: Gun Cut, Surround Cut Negative Cut
Negative Cut has probably become the most used glove cut among the professional goalkeepers. The cut can be recognized by its stitches being on the inside contrary to the other glove cuts. This gives you a tighter fit and a ball control as if you were playing barehanded. This cut is the preferred glove cut for Bayern Münich's Manuel Neuer and Porto's Iker Casillas. Other names: Seemless Touch Cut, Inverted Cut, Inseam Cut
Hybriderne
Other than the already mentioned glove cuts, many of the brands experiment with mixing the traditional cuts in order to create so-called hybrids. For example there is the Negative Surround Cut, which combines Roll finger and Negative Cut by rolling the latex around the fingers but keeping the stitches on the inside. Shotgun Gut is a hybrid where some fingers have Roll finger Cut while the other fingers have Negative Cut. The hybrids are interesting because they give you the best features from the different cuts so if you dare to experiment you might find your new favourite glove among the hybrids.