Goalkeeper glove care

Natural latex is what gives a glove its grip, and it's also what suffers most from heat, dirt, sweat and harsh products. Follow these steps and your N1 goalkeeper gloves will perform better and last longer.

Before first use

1. Carefully remove the plastic film from the palm, if your model has one.
2. Do one to three pre-washes: soak the gloves in cold or lukewarm water, gently squeeze the palm so the water soaks into the latex and let them drain, without rubbing or wringing.
3. Let them dry in the shade before using them.

During use

In training and matches there will always be some wear and abrasion on the palm. It's a normal process that doesn't affect grip. To minimize it:

• Dampen the palm before and during use: natural latex grips better wet than dry and suffers less.
• Work on your diving technique so the palm doesn't scrape the ground when you dive.
• Don't pull up your socks or carry goals, nets or other objects with your gloves on.

After use

Wash them after every use: sweat and dirt dry out the latex and reduce its grip.

1. Wash the gloves under the tap or in the sink with cold or lukewarm water, never hot.
2. Use pH-neutral soap or detergent. Avoid regular (non-neutral) detergents and soaps: they contain harsh chemicals that dry out the latex, reduce grip and shorten its life.
3. Soak them and squeeze the palm to remove dirt and sweat. Don't rub or wring: you'd damage the latex.
4. Rinse with clean water until no dirt, sweat or soap remains; soap residue also dries out the latex.
5. Gently squeeze out the excess water, without wringing. You can use a towel to soak it up.
6. Dry them on a drying rack or on a towel, in the shade and away from heat. Never in a dryer, on a radiator, with a hair dryer or in the sun: heat hardens and cracks the latex.
7. Store them in a cool, dark place until next use.

How long gloves last

Most amateur goalkeepers use 3 to 4 pairs a year: you can expect 2 to 3 months of use per pair. A professional goalkeeper usually goes through a pair every 2–3 weeks due to the demands of training and competition. Abrasion and natural wear appear from the first use, but that doesn't stop you using them during that time. Surface, care and good technique make the difference: training daily on artificial turf shortens latex life, while washing with neutral soap or detergent and drying in the shade extends it.