Baseball gloves can be made from several types of leather. Different types have their pros and cons on performance, pricing, and longevity. There are 4 main types of leathers are used by most manufacturers, which are Kip, Full-Grain, Cow Hide, and Steer Hide. Here is a quick guide that might help you to choose which type suits you the best.
Kip Leather
Made from young calves of 6-12 months;
Thinner, softer, and lighter;
Literally no need to break in;
Suitable for players in all levels;
Long term durability;
Can be a bit pricy.
Aside from the higher cost of purchase, and the brutal reality of killing young cows, kip leather is THE best material for baseball & softball gloves overall right now. Big Brand like Rawlings manufacture their Rawlings Pro Preferred Series with kip leather and is used in the highest level.
Rawlings Pro Preferred Series
Leather Type: Kip Leather
Web Type: I Web
Size: 11.75''
Position: Infield
Full Grain Leather
Leaving the natural grain from Cow Hide or Steer Hide Leather;
Stiffer, heavier, and stronger;
Longer time needed to break in;
Suitable for players in all levels.
Full-grain leather is well known as the strongest and the most durable part of the hide. These characteristics will raise the quality of your gloves. It is tanned right after the removal of hair, which makes the natural marks remain on the leather. Even the color of the leather will change over time. With proper care of your gloves, it delivers pretty patina from time to time, making your glove have a unique look.
Wilson A1000 is a great example of a full grain leather glove.
Wilson A1000 Series DP15
Leather Type: Full Grain Leather
Web Type: H Web
Size: 11.5''
Position: Infield
Steer Hide Leather
From the back shoulder of fully grown male cows;
Stronger, stays tough in many years;
Longer time needed to break in;
Suitable for players in all levels (if already broken in).
Bulls, bison, or bovine lead people to think about terms like "strong", "tough", or "solid" automatically. The glove made of steer hide leather is hard to break in but pays back with greater longevity than cowhide leather. The price is relatively higher as well. The top-selling A2000 from Wilson is made of premium steer hide leather(Pro Stock®Leather), which has been sorted three times to meet the best quality.
Wilson A2000 1912SS SuperSkin Series
Leather Type: Steer Hide Leather
Web Type: Cross Web with 3 times Center Lace
Size: 12''
Position: Infield
Cow Hide Leather
It is hard to define, because "cowhide" is "leather". Thus, this category includes various qualities, normally in medium weight. It owns all the features of a starter product:
Fair Price;
Easy to break in;
Usually, don't last long;
Normally used by amateur or youth players.
Hopefully, you can find this helpful!
