Kali Gloves Design - Why They're a Kid's Best Friend!

Dear Parents & Coaches,

Which glove your kid has on their hand REALLY matters for their overall confidence and performance. Too often, kids struggle with gloves that hinder their performance rather than enhance it. At Kali Gloves, we’ve seen the common pitfalls of poorly designed and thought through youth gloves, and we set out on the mission to create a better one. Kali Gloves exists to help kids play better catch and love the game of baseball. Let's get into some of the features of the Kali Glove and why we added them.

The Problems We Saw

Together, Matt and I have been helping coach kids for decades. As I moved up the ranks and started to get into college and pro ball, I had opportunities to work with hundreds of kids at camps all over the world. The biggest determining factor with how much fun kids were having, was if they could play good catch. A huge factor in that, was their glove. A majority of kids were using a glove that was heavier and bigger than mine. Their hand would slip out, they couldn't control it one handed, and it was broken in poorly. If only they could feel what its like to have a perfectly fitting glove, one that was designed specifically for them, that would let them focus on the ball instead of their equipment. 

Our Journey

When I met Matt, I was playing in the Yankees organization and he was the Director of Speed and Base Running. He was actively looking for a glove for his daughters but couldn't find what he was looking for. We thought this could be a great way to work together.

Most gloves fell into one of two categories: They were either lightweight and cheaply made, so the kids could control it but it performed very poorly, or it was made for adults and was better quality but the kids hands never fit and they couldn't use it properly. He bought numerous gloves for his daughters and figured he would break them in first then hand them off; thats when we realized another problem. High quality gloves take a little bit of time to break in, but if the parent used the glove to get it game ready they would stretch it out even more and then wonder why the kid couldn't use it.

We started brainstorming, cutting up my gloves and making prototypes. We tried numerous options for a lot of features, but they were all centered around a couple ideas.

1. We wanted a glove that helped kids play better catch. We wanted it be sized correctly, help fit kids hands better, and assist with hand placement and break in quality.
2. We wanted a glove that allowed parents to break in the glove for their kids and then give it back to them without affecting the fit of the glove for the kid.
3. We wanted this glove to be big-league quality. If I wouldn't use it, it wasn't good enough.

Perfect Sizing

Kali Gloves are all 10.5 inches, a perfect size for kids to learn how to catch. This size gives a big enough pocket for baseball and softball players to be extremely successful while limiting weight and bulkiness that hinders performance. It also accelerates the skill acquisition phase, just like how you'll hear big leaguers talk about hitting small seeds with a small bat early on as a kid. Smaller gloves help kids learn to catch the ball in the correct spot and give them the confidence to use one-hand and be athletic. Learn more about glove sizing here.

Elastic Wrist Lacing

We’ve incorporated an elastic wrist lace that snugly fits young hands, keeping the glove stable during every catch and throw. No more slipping or sliding—our gloves stay in place, giving kids the confidence to make one-handed plays with ease.

It also allows parents to loosen the wrist strap to get their hand in the glove to break it in. It allows parents and coaches to use the glove during practice or break-in but does not stretch out the fit for kids.

Elastic Finger Loops

Kali Gloves have elastic finger loops on the back of the palm to secure the glove even further and give kids more leverage to close. There are 2 finger loops, encouraging a two-in-the-pinky hand position in the glove. Have your kid put his first finger in the first finger loop and they will naturally have the correct hand placement. This gives them more leverage to close the glove and forms the pinky-to thumb closing pattern that you want. 

As a parent or coach, when you put your hand in the glove don't put your fingers under the finger loops. You will notice that they probably won't even fit; they are tight for a reason. You put your fingers over the finger loops like a normal glove. You may stretch out the finger stalls a little but thats ok. When your kid gets the glove back, they will put their fingers under the finger loops and will not even notice, it will still give them perfect.

Palm Slits

Our palm slits serve two purposes. First, they provide a visual guide to ensure kids understand where the pocket is. When you catch bare handed, you catch the ball more in the middle of your hand - somewhere around your middle finger. When you have a glove on, you want to catch it more between your index finger and thumb. If you follow the palm slits up the glove it will give you a good visual as to where you want to catch it and your closing pattern improves.

Second, they reinforce the pocket’s integrity, so the glove maintains its shape and performance over time. As you break in your glove you will notice creases begin to form in the leather. Our slits encourage the proper break in points which leads to a better pocket and longer lasting glove.

Premium Japanese Kip Leather

Our gloves are crafted from 100% Japanese Kip leather, a premium leather known for its balance of softness and durability. Kali Gloves break in quicker than traditional stiff leather gloves but is still stiff enough to last. Japanese Kip is more responsive, giving kids a custom fit and soft feel. Unlike cheap leather that wears out quickly and produces a flat glove, our gloves last multiple seasons, making it a smart investment that can carry your child from tee-ball to the big field.

Don’t let a poorly designed glove hold your young athlete back. Visit our product page  to learn more and get your glove today!