Custom WK Gloves
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NT50

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Custom WK Gloves
« on: September 09, 2021, 05:24:21 PM »
Hello all

Have only kept for maybe 9/10 games across the last couple of years, but as of next season I’ll be keeping full time so am going to be after a new pair of gloves.

Been using a pair of Youth Sized B3’s but they feel a little too small and haven’t softened up at all. The problem is that whilst youth sized are a bit cramped, regular men’s sizes are too big and slip around a bit.

I’m going to have a look round a couple shops to see if I can find ones that fit perfectly. I used a pair of Aero Vintage gloves (the white, purple and gold ones) that belong to an occasional team mate but they’re about 10 years old so I can’t find them anywhere on the internet

If I can’t find these mythical perfect fitting gloves, I may well go down the custom route.
I’ve seen ‘Classic Keepers’ on twitter offer this service and was wondering if anyone had used them before?
Curious to know how much they cost generally & what the process is like

Thanks!
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More Glue Than Wood

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2021, 05:37:13 PM »
i know it may be a dumb question/you might have done this already - but have you tried different inners - i have the same size issue with large mens and mens - so i've found wearing cotton batting inners with mens has made the fit prefect - whereas when i wore proper keeping inners they were too tight
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LEACHY48

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2021, 05:37:36 PM »
Classic keeper is Graham Plimmer - great bloke, fantastic gloves. Very expensive though.

I have got a pair and I absolutely love them, so much so I’ll be getting another shortly.

£200 a pair isn’t cheap though and if you aren’t keeping every week then I’d not bother
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NT50

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2021, 05:51:06 PM »
Quote from: More Glue Than Wood on September 09, 2021, 05:37:13 PM
i know it may be a dumb question/you might have done this already - but have you tried different inners - i have the same size issue with large mens and mens - so i've found wearing cotton batting inners with mens has made the fit prefect - whereas when i wore proper keeping inners they were too tight

Have used both B3 & Aero inners which still made the gloves too tight. They feel ok without inners but I certainly wouldn’t not wear inners in a game due to sharp bowling and popadom fingers!
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NT50

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2021, 05:51:35 PM »
Quote from: LEACHY48 on September 09, 2021, 05:37:36 PM
Classic keeper is Graham Plimmer - great bloke, fantastic gloves. Very expensive though.

I have got a pair and I absolutely love them, so much so I’ll be getting another shortly.

£200 a pair isn’t cheap though and if you aren’t keeping every week then I’d not bother

Yeh at £200 I think I’ll have to be unhappy with every other pair of gloves I try on!
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SOULMAN1012

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2021, 06:00:32 PM »
Quote from: NT50 on September 09, 2021, 05:51:35 PM
Yeh at £200 I think I’ll have to be unhappy with every other pair of gloves I try on!

Only thing I will say is whilst £200 is a large initial expense the quality of these is amazing, you will get the perfect fit and they will last you years and it’s only £20 - £25 to get them re-Palmed by Graham so in the long run it’s not as bad if you take it up full time
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More Glue Than Wood

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2021, 06:11:16 PM »
Quote from: NT50 on September 09, 2021, 05:51:06 PM
Have used both B3 & Aero inners which still made the gloves too tight. They feel ok without inners but I certainly wouldn’t not wear inners in a game due to sharp bowling and popadom fingers!

i used aero inners and found my gloves too tight - so can empathise - batting inners work fine for me now - but the average pace i keep to is about 40 mph  :D :D so even though my fingers are made of glass i can survive - as @SOULMAN1012 said the custom made ones are good value - i have a friend who has had his for ages - and they still look in great condition - so they may be the best way to go - good luck with the search
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Thechin21

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2021, 07:02:33 PM »
I sorted my dad out a set of Grahams gloves and despite it looking expensive at first when you go through the process with him and get the final product you won't be disappointed.

He's a delight to chat with about cricket and keeping in general as he is from the same era as my dad in that his 2 reasons to get into keeping were because of Bob Taylor and Alan Knott. He coaches at Warwickshire too so if you have any questions or would like a few hints if you are doing it full time now then I am sure he will gladly give you a few pointers.

The products speak for themselves are they are honestly a work of art and you can customise them however you want. He managed to make a solid black pair with then my Dad's club colours on the cuff and then his college side colour on the other. They look incredible and he said he was hugely nervous about making them and made sure they were perfect for my dad as they were a late birthday/father's day gift that I managed to keep a secret. Somehow I managed to tell him that I needed to use his hand templates for a friend who was looking at how bones heal as part of his uni project and my Dad has amazing hands given he has been keeping 38 years now. As Graham said to me he clearly does it right as he has seen a few horrible sets in his time that have been battered to pieces.

He made a set for Jack Russell and if you search the recent keeping masterclass he did on Sky Sports a few years ago (excellent piece by the way and I urge you to view it if you didn't because Jack was just incredible so hearing how he approached keeping like that was great) he is wearing them. Jack as most will know was hugely fussy about his kit and only ever used 4 pairs of gloves his whole playing career so for him to use and endorse a set of Grahams means you know they are good.

He can make them however you want, he sent a photo of Jacks pair that had an extra flap along edge of the hand by the little finger and the reason was that Jack had it because Bob Taylor had it on his gloves and he was given a set of Bobs when he was younger!

You will never need another set of gloves again so the investment is worth it, people pay for custom made bats to their preference and these are the same as that. You pay for the service, highest quality materials used and then the time spent making them all by hand specially for you. It is honestly one of the best customer experiences and journeys I have ever had making any type of purchase.

Hope that helps and go well now you are going to do it full time.

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NT50

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2021, 10:11:26 PM »
Thanks @Thechin21 certainly a lot to think about!

Those who have gone to Graham, how supple do the gloves feel? Certainly the current gloves I have don’t feel particularly loose and are very stiff when bringing my fingers to my palm
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TownGrazz

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2021, 01:15:55 PM »
Have you considered opting for an Indian brand such as SG or SS for wicketkeeping gloves? Their standard mens size is usually slightly smaller than UK Mens sized Gloves. I have used SG Hilite in past and they were very good supple gloves.

Not trying to put you off Graham and his fantastic work (I myself am currently on the waiting list for a pair of his gloves), just in case you were looking for a cheaper option while you bed into keeping on a full time basis.
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SD

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2021, 01:21:38 AM »
I do find it odd that people are happy to pay the thick end of £200 for a cricket bat made of butterfly willow that a couple of years ago would have been put on the fire pit but think that a truly outstanding bespoke product such as this that protects your hands from being smashed to pieces and will last for years is expensive. 
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Thechin21

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Re: Custom WK Gloves
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2021, 12:50:29 PM »
No problem,

They are the finest materials available. He does not mess about with it all and even gives you a how to look after them guide, what product to use in order to keep them clean and soft.

My Dad being a typical keeper with all new gloves he has had likes to put them on and feel a ball in them a bit before taking them out but even he said they felt good enough to go that weekend, which he actually then did!

The joy of Grahams gloves is they are designed to fit the contours of your hands, he makes the webbing connections differently and they are stitched into the gloves are one rather than the standard shop bought ones where that is added after the glove have been made. Take a look at your pair and you will see how that is attached between the thumb and index finger, Grahams are attached differently and it does make a difference to how it feels on hand. You do feel as if there is more catching and cupping. Makes the palm feel deeper and more natural. He does the palm differently to mirror how your hand folds when catching too so it follows the shapes to wrap round better.

If you are 100% certain about doing it full time from now on then go for it because you won't regret it at all. However if you are still in the mindset of being new to it and unsure if you will carry on post next season then I have always found the Puma gloves to be a good option. I would have said Easton but they are no longer about, think Aero absorbed them.
Given they are more of a shoe focused brand in cricket now you can get their kit at a decent price if you look in the right places online. 10 mins searching about and I am sure you could get their top gloves from last year or 2019 for example for about £50.

Failing that best option is to find your most local cricket shop with a decent selection in the shop and simply go and try pairs on to find something you like the feel of but remember to take a pair of inners with you!
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