Buying goalie gloves online has a bunch of benefits. It’s quick, easy, convenient – you can place an order and get your gloves 24 hours later, ready for your next match. There’s just one downside – you don’t get to try your gloves on before buying them.
Fortunately, there are ways to work around that. Let’s look at some tips for buying the best goalie gloves without having to visit a shop.
Do Your Research Before Ordering Anything
First, research. This is invaluable when it comes to ordering pretty much anything online if you want to avoid disappointment. Let’s say you’re buying a new TV. You probably wouldn’t order the first thing you see online. Instead, most people will take their time, research TV specs, learn more about the subject, and then pick an appropriate product.
The same logic applies with goalie gloves, especially if you don’t have much experience of buying and using them. They’re surprisingly complex accessories, with lots of different parts – like the cut, backhand, closure, etc. Research them and learn as much as you can to inform your purchase.
Check Out User Reviews and Ratings
One of the best things about buying items online is that you can usually find reviews and ratings for pretty much every product. All it takes is a couple of quick clicks to see what other people feel about the items you might like to buy, and whether or not they’re worth the cost.
Real-life customers tend to be completely honest and unbiased in their reviews. They’re fantastic sources of info. They’ll tell you plainly if a pair of gloves are top notch, or if they started to fall apart after a dozen matches.
Dig Down Into the Details
Don’t just focus on one or two aspects or only look at the surface level of goalie gloves before deciding to buy them. Look at the whole package. Consider cut, size, feel, protection, and so on. It’s the only way to figure out whether or not a pair is right for you.
When you look at goalie gloves online, read through the description carefully. Check what type of cut the gloves have, what sort of protections they provide, how they close and open, and so on. Think about what type and style of gloves best match your style of play to find the right fit.
Don’t Be Fooled by Looks
So many people fall into this trap. They see a pair of goalie gloves that look spectacular, or a pair in their favourite colour, or one worn by their favourite Premier League keeper. Then, they buy those gloves without looking any further. They don’t read reviews. Nor do they look at the details, or even consider if the gloves will work for their style of play. They base their decision on nothing but looks.
That’s a huge mistake. Sure, it’s nice to wear a pair of goalie gloves that look impressive. But aesthetics have absolutely zero impact on how comfortable gloves are to wear, or how much they can help improve your game. Don’t let yourself be fooled by snazzy images or fancy marketing – dig deeper to find gloves that work for you.
Check the Return Policy of the Seller
We already touched on this in the intro – a downside to buying goalie gloves online is that you don’t get to try them on. Luckily, leading online sellers account for this. That’s why they have solid return and exchange policies, ready to help you out if your gloves don’t fit quite right, or you’re not totally happy with them.
Most sellers will let you switch your goalie gloves for another pair, or even request a full refund. But not all of them. Read the return policy carefully for each seller before buying, so you know what you’re getting into.
Buy the Best Goalie Gloves
There are plenty of reasons why you might prefer to shop for goalie gloves and other sports accessories online. You might live far away from sports stores, or you just prefer the ease and convenience of online shopping. Either way, if you opt for an online order, keep these tips and tricks in mind.