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[DaanalSeed]

Hi guys,

Gearing up for the new season, and need me some new gloves and pads.

I'm a Youth / Small Mens in gloves and pads. However, it seems as though no-one makes Kangaroo Leather keeping gloves in my size. I was under the impression that Kangaroo Leather gloves are the best on the market. Any suggestions?

Cheers.

[Gcricket]

I have kangaroo leather gray nicolls legend gloves, I got them in Australia though but they are of very high quality

[DaanalSeed]

Should've mentioned I am an Aussie lol. Can't find the Legends in my size though.

[charliemott]

Top of the range kooks are i think, dont quite me on it though...

[PunterPonting]

I've got a pair of the red Kookas Kangaroo leather which I'll sell to you, they've had a fair bit of use and might be expensive to post to Aus?

[DaanalSeed]

Cheers guys, but my dad wants to buy retail (no offense intended)

[LEACHY48]

I've got a pair of the red Kookas Kangaroo leather which I'll sell to you, they've had a fair bit of use and might be expensive to post to Aus?

are you in UK mate?

[DaanalSeed]

What's the difference between kangaroo, sheep, analine, and calf leather?

I've heard Kangaroo is the best, but not much beyond that.

[Vitas Cricket]

Aniline is a leather treatment, not a leather type. Aniline leather can be kangaroo, sheep,or indeed any animal.

Most top end gloves are made using Aniline leather. The Aniline treatment is the process of dying the leather to the desired colour whilst retaining visibility of the natural grain structure, pores etc of the animals skin. If you look closely you will see what I mean, despite the colouring of the leather, the surface will resemble the animals skin surface.

Cheaper gloves will be semi aniline, where an obvious coating is visible over the top of the leather, usually this is somewhat transparent. Very cheap gloves may be PVC or if they are leather, are likely to be totally coated, with no naturally occurring blemishes, grains, pores etc from the skin being visible.

[DaanalSeed]

Ah, ok then.

So what's superior in terms of leather type? I've heard Kangaroo is the best, but obviously I can't find Kangaroo Leather gloves in my size. How much of a step down is sheep or calf leather?

[Vitas Cricket]

It's not the only option.

The UK Legends (and also the Mavericks and Powerbows now I believe) are made using a variant of PU. They are my favourite gloves ever.

GM original LE are available in youth size, they are a top, top glove.

The major difference between kangaroo and other types of leather is kangaroo is thinner and will not stretch, not that I've ever noticed any glove I've ever worn stretch....

[DaanalSeed]

Really? So it's not really an issue then?

So should I just try the gloves on and whichever is most comfortable, I go with?

By the way, turns out I'm actually a Mens, not a Small Mens / Youths. So, I'm probably going to go with the AU Legends, despite the UK ones having the Hypertec palms that I've heard are really good.

[Vitas Cricket]

The hypertac palm is the same material used on the surface of a rugby ball. Much like a rugby ball it is highly grippy but based on my own use, smooths off very quickly. Mine are now balder than the rear tyres on my car!

But yes, take your inners to a retailer, try a few gloves on, handle a few balls if possible. If they are flexible great, if they aren't then don't worry too much, some gloves need breaking in.

Ultimately the leather choice doesn't matter too much in my opinion, it's whatever feels right for you.

[DaanalSeed]

Cheers Jake. I'm gonna go to GCCC and try on the:

- GN Legend Golds
- Puma range
- Slazenger Master Class
- GM Original LE

Now, for pad recommendations? Don't need anything in particular, would like them to be as light as possible though, and a removable shin bolster (for use in close fielding positions as well) would be good.

[Vitas Cricket]

Quite a shopping list.

Not sure abut the Aus market, but the Kookaburra Players pad has a removable shin bolster.