How old is the mitt? My kid has the pro44 for 2 seasons and he tells me it hurts his fingers as the glove is worn down. He ended up buying an all star that was heavily subsidized by his benefactor (me). Now I could be a big lollipop, but I do think catchers mitt do wear. I recall speaking to an instructor who went through the minors and he told me he used up to 2 mitts a year.