Washing and Storage
Professional goalkeeping gloves are made using the natural product latex for the glove palm. Generally the softer the palm the better the grip. But the softer the glove the quicker you will see wear and tear.
It is common to see small nicks in latex even after the first wear but it does not effect the grip. The same grip will remain in the latex through and through, It is not just in the surface
Massively important is to make sure to never remove your gloves by pulling them off by the fingers. This is most important in roll fingers as it causes stress at the base of the middle two fingers, but it is good practice in all models.
To prolong the life of your gloves it is important to clean them after use. This is something none of us are good at. The last thing, after a tough training or match, you want to do is start washing. But it will help your gloves immensely. If the latex is allowed to dry out completely it will become brittle and if they are caked in mud it will speed up the drying out process.
So once you receive your nice new Seismic gloves they like all other brands will need a prewash before use. The latex gets coated with chemicals in the factory to stop them from degrading. So when they get wet they become slippery until the chemicals are all washed out.
The ideal way to clean them is to hand wash them in a sink of luke warm water. You can put some detergent in the water, non biological if you have it.
Rub the palms gently with your fingers. DO NOT SCRUB the palms with a brush or anything else. Squeeze out the gloves and rinse them under clean tap water. If you haven’t used detergent you will notice the water change to a non clear colour.
The process will probably need to be repeated again.
If you don’t have the patience for that or you need the gloves soon then it will be okay to clean the gloves in a machine as long as you Don’t have it hotter than 30 degrees. Have it on a short 30 min or less cycle. You can again use a small amount of mild detergent or better again non biological. Don’t use fabric softener as this will leave a smooth slippery coating on the gloves.
To dry the gloves. DO NOT leave in direct sunlight or place directly on a heat source. Room temperature is the best but also the slowest. If you have a match the next day they will not be dry enough. If its the aqua palms its not as bad but your hands will be cold from the insides not being dry.
If you need them dried quicker you can hang them about 2 foot over a warm radiator but make sure to check on them every half hour until they feel dry on the inside and tacky on the palm. Then remove and they will have a few more hours at room temperature before your big game.
To store the gloves it is best not to place the palms face to face. That is why SEISMIC GOALKEEPING supplies a double pouched glove packet to store your gloves. Each glove has it owns compartment to be snug in
Types of cut/palms
Some cuts are more prone to wear in different areas. Slimmer gloves with finger tips that have the latex turned in wear a bit quicker. Usually from keepers, especially younger ones, pulling socks up repeatedly during games and opening and closing latex. They are also often not kept as damp or clean as should be and can cause latex to become more brittle.
Cuts like roll fingers tips will last longer but can be prone to weakness at the base of the stitched on middle fingers. This is only an issue with older gloves left to dry out and pulling them on and off by the fingers.
Some models come with removable finger protection. These are plastic inserts that can help keepers prone to finger injuries. Parents often like them on younger keepers to protect them , but most young keepers little hands are not strong enough to then make a fist. They also like to feel a ball better without the spines. All Seismic gloves come with 4mm palms and padded backhands. They keepers hands are well protected without the spines.
So find a cut and fit you love and enjoy your position as the most important player on the pitch
What to wear in training
Parents and younger goalkeepers often ask what glove they can use in training.
The best thing to do is have the same glove you use in matches. When your match gloves are becoming old or grubby looking you can demote them to training gloves.
Of coarse Seismic gloves are so keenly priced that a top quality professional latex like we use is as cheap or cheaper than lesser quality training gloves from the larger companies.
We use professional grade latex which will need a prewash before use. Professional latex is very soft and will incur wear and tear even on the first use. The softer a latex ,the better the grip in general.
Glove grips and sprays
There are products marketed for gloves for improving grip. Do not use these on new gloves. Glove glues, sprays and vaseline will ruin new latex in a couple of uses. Anything like that should only be used on gloves that are no loner gripping and are on the way out. Glove sprays will get another few games from them. Vaseline is used by some pros as they get new pairs of gloves every week. Nothing will make new latex grippier than it is when its new. Keep them clean between uses and damp in play.
Heated Gloves
IMPORTANT!!! READ MANUAL in its entirety before use. Take proper precautions when handling Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries, as they are different than NiMH or NiCd batteries! Failure to follow these instructions can result in severe or permanent damage to battery, cause serious personal injury, or lead to fire.
- ALWAYS inspect the battery to ensure there are no signs of damage, deformity, or swelling before charging. If there are, do not continue charging the battery, and follow the proper procedures to dispose of the battery.
- NEVER charge batteries unattended. Always remain in constant observation of the charging process & react to potential problems that may occur.
- Only use the provided charger. Use of any other charger could cause permanent damage. The Seismic charger has a control circuit (protection PCB) to assure safe charge.
- Batteries should ideally be charged on a non static fireproof surface.
- Never leave charging over night, unattended.
- We will not be held responsible or liable for any injury, damage, or defect, permanent or temporary that may be caused by the improper use of a LI-ION battery.
- We can not be held responsible for any injury caused through contact physical otherwise while wearing Seismic gloves.
- Heated gloves are exempt from all sponsorships and prize give aways due to the cost to manufacture.