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[ItsJustCricket]

As the title suggests, what are CBF members' favourite manufacturer of wicket keeping gear? I always hear so much about Puma here, and I think their keeping gear always looks great, but do they really make the best performing and most reliable kit? And who is best value for money? Could break it down into categories - best gloves? Who's the strongest for pads? Not being a keeper myself, I'd be intrigued to know in each case.

It's an interesting category for brands because the big boys, especially Gray-Nicolls and Gunn & Moore, aren't exactly considered strong here.  Also, from where I sit, niche brands like Aero and M&H are particularly strong, but perhaps there are others we're overlooking?

[Simmy]

over the years i have used a few brands/pads

at the mo im using

2010 puma iridum 5000's
gloves some geoff wymer customs
new ayrtek
oven gloves

Gloves ive used in past
local Pheonix brand(awfull)
blue easton gels when i was a kid loved them! 


however anything puma related i love the softs are fantastic i have tried lots of puma keeping gloves on and all felt good. im very fussy usually about keeping gloves and all my gloves must have T webbing, however this year im going to try the ayrteks they are not T webbed am sure it wont matter as i can keep in oven gloves lol

[Cumbrian Pete]

For me it's Puma pads as they're the most wrap around and unobtrusive I've used and Kook gloves...although I used to have some lovely Easton gloves back in the day.  Also use the Masuri keepers helmet which I really like.

[Six Sixes Cricket]

Have puma, great softs for all format.

If I was to buy some new gloves it would be M&H. Feel fantastic.

[Red Ink Cricket]

must admit im not a fan of puma, probably the only one. i dont own any puma gear myself but have borrowed a friends on the odd occasion during an indoor game and i have to say they were the most uncomfortable pads ive ever used. gloves were really small aswell. i dont have big hands but couldnt get my hands in with inners on. had to take them off. unless they were labelled incorrectly they were mens size. im unsure of the model of either gloves or pads. i used to have some easton gloves as a kid and they were great. couldnt fault them.

[Simmy]

loads of votes for easten!
i love mind they had gel palms!

supprised about the puma coments tho?

puma are one of the most comfy gloves on the market

[Red Ink Cricket]

loads of votes for easten!
i love mind they had gel palms!

supprised about the puma coments tho?

puma are one of the most comfy gloves on the market

gloves may have been ok but they must have been labelled wrong as they were small. i only took 1 or 2 balls in the over before i changed them. pads were the really uncomfortable things. really stiff and unforgiving. only tried one set of each so cant really comment on the whole range. im sure as a whole they are excellent. enough people back them so must be good

[thecord]

I have used top of the range Puma gloves for a few seasons now. Found them really comfortable, especially my most recent pair and I would have stuck with them if it wasn't for going off the colours in recent models and finding what I see as better value options of late. This year will be between 2011 SS Gladiators and Ayrteks which are both top gloves especially when compared to other brands prices. Think the Ayrteks will win as the fit seems better on these.

I have in the past worn some old Easton Gel gloves, classics as everyone says! I did have a pair of the black Slazenger Test gloves that Alec Stewart used to use back in the day as well but to be honest I always found them very bulky and not particularly comfortable.

Padswise it is the Puma FXT style for me all day long. Light, comfortable and decent protection for that one that shoots along the floor!

I see M&H and Aero mentioned i the OP. Have never tried the Aero's or seen any in the flesh but have an issue with the brand after trying out their face mask and finding it horrendous. Have tried the M&H on and they feel great but the looks are very Marmitey which I think will limit their sales.

[richthekeeper]

Disagree slightly with the OP, I think GM have a very strong reputation for good wk gear.

[thecord]

Disagree slightly with the OP, I think GM have a very strong reputation for good wk gear.

Yea I agree with Rich on that, they seem to have really stepped up in the last few years and come up with some good kit.

[stevie_94_]

The best gloves I have had were kooks

[craigwm]

For me this season I'm using the new Slazenger Ultimates (absolutely love em!) and the Kookaburra Brad Haddin 1000 pads. Chose these pads over the Pumas as I found that the Pumas wouldn't fit around my rather large calls and shins , other than that I think they are one of the best pad producers.

[richthekeeper]

Just to elaborate on my previous point, both Gray Nicolls and GM have improved their wk offerings recently. Mark Wallace of Glamorgan uses Gray Nics and my club's first team keeper got hold of a pair of his gloves - they were unbelievably soft and comfortble.

Personally I'm a big fan of the GM ethos and that's entirely due to this forum raising my awareness of their excellent customer care. I love the new GM gloves and will probably buy them, based on a good experience with some GM 606s I wore last season.

[cricketboy2010]

Always used kookaburra keeping stuff. I am currently using those old green/yellow Brad Haddin ones and they are still going strong!

[King pair]

My favs were also the Blue Easton Gels, still got them somewhere (with ripped webbing). At the moment i've got some Kook Silvers, Hawk's (which are SS's) and I've got a pair of Willostix arriving in the next couple of days (I havent seen a review on the Willostix on here so I will put one up when they arrive).

I like both the kooks and the Hawks but find the kooks fit me slightly better and have less protection (which I like). Pumas must be a bit like Marmite as I really cant get on with them either. Havent tried any on this year but previously ive found the palm padding to be too large and bulky and restrict movment.