Got Leather? - Why Quality Leather is Key to Glove Performance

A Story About Our Leather

Our co-founder Matt Talarico left me a message this year during spring training:

"I threw our glove to (big league all-star) and asked what he thought, no other directive. He said he liked it better than the 4 customs he just received earlier in the day. He thought I was lying when I said it was my daughters glove. He couldn't believe there was a youth glove that felt like that."

I gave it a thumbs up, but it had me smiling. That is what we set out to do, and hearing one of the best players in the game verifying what we thought, was awesome. If you've had premium gloves before, when you put our glove on you know its legit. We only use leather that I would have used when I played, and there is a reason for that. Let's dive in:

Why Most Youth Gloves Use Bad Leather

Too Expensive.

Premium leather is expensive, most companies are looking to squeeze their margins and provide the cheapest glove they can. The question is, is it really cheaper when you need to buy a new one at least once a season? What if one glove could last you 5+ years?

Too Heavy.

Youth athletes are generally using gloves way too big for their hand. Most companies market the same gloves to youth athletes that they do the pros. The problem is, they are way too heavy with the normal leather, so they use cheaper, lighter, softer leather instead. 

Too Firm.

Real leather comes harder out of the box. It may take a few days to a couple weeks to break it in to the point where you can wear it in a game. Most parents don't feel comfortable having to break in a glove from scratch and they don't have the resources to do it themselves. Parents also don't want to stretch out a brand new glove by putting their hand in and out of it, so they opt for the game-ready options.

The Other Option

There's a better way. You can use a smaller glove that fits better and use premium, responsive leather. When you make the glove a size a kid can handle, it cuts down the amount of leather dramatically. If you can find a way for the glove to fit better, this could make the glove perform even better than a lighter glove, while using all premium leather: the best of both worlds.

How Kali Gloves Help

Every Kali Glove is made with 100% Japanese Kip leather. This isn’t your average leather—it’s lighter than other rawhides, giving kids better control on the field. Its high tensile strength holds a perfect pocket and the gloves keep their shape for years, no matter how many grounders your kid scoops up. Japanese Kip's responsiveness sets it apart, it molds to your kid’s hand like it was custom-made, creating a fit that feels alive. The texture? Softer than traditional leathers, with a premium feel and big-league look.

When broken in correctly, Japanese Kip will get soft and responsive in the pocket while staying firm in the pinky and the thumb. This is ideal, the glove holds its shape, the pocket holds true, and the glove lasts for years. Anything caught in the right spot will almost catch itself, and if you are just off the hardness of the outside of the glove will corral it to the pocket. Pair this with our elastic finger loops and wrist lace and you have a premium leather glove that fits perfectly on your kids hand.

Choose the Right Leather

Your kid’s glove isn’t just equipment; it’s their partner on the field. Don’t settle for heavy, stiff, or cheap leather that holds them back. With Kali Gloves’ Japanese Kip leather, you’re giving them a glove that’s light, durable, and responsive, helping them play better catch and grow into the player they’re meant to be.