Fastpitch-Specific First Base Mitt Recommendations

[Skarp]

I've heard good things about the Kelley, but am somewhat reluctant to buy a glove that dd can't try on first. Does anyone have any other recommendations re first base mitts designed specifically for fastpitch (i.e., smaller finger stalls, bigger pocket)--or any non-fastpitch mitt that has worked well for their daughter? I'm looking for a mitt that an average-size 12-13 year-old could comfortably use.

Thanks.

[Kurt]

We bought a Rawlings heart of the hide when dd was a freshman. She used it year round until her senior year. It had become loose and floppy so we purchased a Nokona N40 or N60 I believe. Nokona glove is stiff after much use as well as use of Nokona oli as directed.
I would recommend both of these gloves for your dd, as a 11-12 year old intending on playing for a few more years.

[jth1959]

DD (5'-4") has the Kelley G-Pro First Base Mitt and is very happy with it, breaks in easily and is very durable. Size-wise I would say if she is smaller than my DD the Kelley glove would be too big. Wilson has a new A2000 fastpitch 1st base glove. Got DD the 12-1/4" A2000 infield/outfield glove which has a huge pocket and she really likes it, very snug on her hand. I would assume the 1st base version would be similar in size and would work well with a smaller hand.

[tai2000]

I have been told by DD's coach she should be using a first baseman's mitt as a catcher until she is around highschool age.(plays 12u) Has anyone else been told this? Pros/ cons?

[Tucson]

Tai - I have a mitt by SSK, that has been used at both 1st base and catcher. It is big and is my personal glove. But there is generally a big difference between catcher's mitts and first baseman mitts. The catcher's mitt has more padding. Whatever mitt you use, the main thing would be getting it broken in.

I am thinking that the coach just wants the catcher to have a glove that they can handle. I don't know why he/she would specify one over the other, though.

[bradrhod]

A coach in our area was proposing using first base mitts at younger ages (10U). After talking to him a bit, it was because many of the youth fastpitch mitts are very heaviliy padded. These heavily padded mitts cause two issues.

First the ball can become lost in padding making it slow to transition for a throw.

Second is that the structural support of these soft mitts tends to be pretty weak. If you miss catch the ball and it hits the thumb, these mitts can let the thumb bend back very far. A few of those and you will have tendinitis in the thumb.

Upon showing this coach a Nakona mitt, he says, that is what he is talking about.

I know a number of the catcher dads and some kids in our area complain abou the lack of padding in the Nakona, but when the speeds go up, you have to learn to catch in the pocket and you sure appreciate the support this glove provides if you take one in the thumb.

[washdad]

Until she was 16-18 my daughter used an Akadema first base mitt that had smaller finger stalls but a large web. It is reasonably inexpensive and works well. The back is a softer leather so break in time is only due to the palm leather and is pretty quick. This is a fine glove to use until they get bigger and decide on trying another style. After that she used a Worth prodigy and loved that as well. It was hard for her to give up the Akadema though.

[tai2000]

DD has been using coach's 1st base glove for a few weeks. Main complaint was her hand hurt...not the same padding, duh. Now she's wearing her batting glove under mitt which does seem to help. I think coach's purpose was to play with a softer/ floppier (is that a word?) glove with a deep pocket for "scooping" until her hands get bigger. Also maybe easier to scoop ball from pocket to make faster plays. Not really sure...I am just at a point where I need to get her a new glove and am not sure if the first basemans glove has made a big enough difference to go that way...(the expensive catchers mitt I bought her at begining of fall does not have a big enough pocket, kept squeezing the ball out)
Answering my own question, I know it really depends on what DD is most comfortable with. I just had never heard using the 1st base glove that way before.

[sb junkie]

DD had a Minzuno catcher's glove(black),very soft,nice glove but lasted only one season in tb.Catching coach suggested a Nokona.Very stiff at first,pitchers loved the loud pop.Once it was broken in,DD swears by it.As far As "scooping"-wrong.Catchers should block the ball.Good luck.

[Skarp]

The Worth liberty series is a nice glove. My 12 yr old uses one and it fits her fine.You can get some pretty good deals on them these days.

Do you know what size this glove is? I googled "WL1BFP" and got various hits listing the glove at 12", 12.25", 12.5" and 13". Is it available in different sizes despite the same model number? Seems odd. Worth's site provides limited information.

Thanks.