How Long Does A Glove Last?

Likewise, my son an infielder and tends to goes through Pro Preferred and the like once a year.  

Although, these high quality cloves he hangs up after a year could be reconditioned and probably last another year (IMHO).  But, for some reason, my son would rather get a new glove and take some time to break it in.

My son is a pitcher/3B.  This is his 3rd season on 2 gloves: 1 for pitching, 1 for position.

My 2017 son is a catcher and uses pro preferred. His current glove is just over a year old and is starting to get floppy. He has the replacement (same glove) and needs to start the somewhat arduous task of breaking it in.

My son has used Akadema since he was 9 or 10.  He normally gets at least 2 HS seasons....and a summer (50 games) out of one...and could go longer, but he always seems to talk me into letting him get a new one sooner than he really needs.  I guess I don't mind....I'd rather spend money on a new mitt than have him blowing $60 on new video games....lol

Kid has a couple of A2000 (fielding and catching).  I'd say about two years of regular use. 

My son is a LHP, he orders a new glove every season, then uses his old one until the new one is broken in.

Oldest has two full seasons on his heart of the hide and will likely get another season or two out of it.  He never lays it flat and cleans/conditions it about once a week.  Youngest has two seasons on his "high quality" (not pro preferred) glove and MAY get one more season out of it.  Both of my boys are infielders and their gloves have regular use from Feb until Sept each year. 

Son begged for a Rawlings Primo. Bought it for his birthday in May, 2013 when he turned 16. He played 3B some at the time but is strictly a PO now. Still going strong with it. I can't remember what it is but he even has a nickname for it.

When he goes off to college next Fall, I guess he may be required to use the "college issued brand", not sure how that works.

I read an article several years back about how pros have their gloves "reconditioned" by the manufacturer (probably only 2-3 folks who have been working leather for 20+ years) - what this meant was that about 25-50% of the material was replaced and all new material was cut to exacting standards using their personal templates.  I think it also spoke about individuals in the organization that were responsible for breaking in the glove.  This may be limited to the top tier folks, but I assume the announcer must have had some access to this type of service (given he was a 15 year veteran).

My son isn't looking forward to changing to a new brand after 8 years....hopefully it doesn't give him too much trouble in the fall!!   He did change to the college's  "brand" of bat.   He's hitting .521 with 4 HR's with it....so no complaints...lol

My son is a sophomore in HS.  Has used 2 gloves since he was seven.  For 5 years he used a Nike glove he found in the park.  After that he switched to MY Wilson A2k.

3 days before the 2015 season started he found out that he was to be the starting 1st baseman.  Bought him a used Rawlings Pro Preferred mitt at Play It Again Sports.

Here is my 2cents

My son plays about 120 -140 games a year and gets about 2 years max out of a glove before it seems like its time to replace.  He is an OF.  On the other hand as a fun note I had a Rawlings 12 inch from my teen years that was about 25 years old.  I sent it out to be reconditioned (ie new palm padding leather conditioning, re-lace) and gave it to my lefty 10 year old daughter to use for softball and it works great and she absolutely loves it and cherishes it since it was mine.

I would say as a general rule of thumb

IF 1 year or a little more.

OF 2 years or a little more

and it all depends on the quality of the glove and leather used, and how well you care for it. Don't let your IF put it in his bag and smash it up.  You will see most upper level guys hang theirs on the outside of their bag (using a carabineer or whatever) to ensure they maintain a good shape.   

It depends upon:

1. Position

2. Level of play

3.Treatment of glove

A glove tossed into dirt or left on damp grass won't last as long as a glove kept clean and dry. At the HS level a catcher should be able to get two years of use out of a glove.  At the College level, 1 year, pro level less then 1 year. 

I could never get my son to go with anything like a $60 glove. . . .though I often tried to get him to do so.  I would limit how much I was willing to spend on him for a new glove, but then he'd take the difference an pay from his saving or Christmas cash to get his very expensive top of the line gloves he insisted on.  I wasn't going to try and control how much he spent of his own money on gloves or anything else and over time he's learned to be more prudent with his money.  I had hoped his expensive gloves would last much more than a year, and they can and do. . .but he insists on a fresh glove to start a season.   Well, still buys the most expensive gloves, but now he manages to find ways to get deep discounts.  

PS:  . . . same thing with bats.  ;-)  

Can you break in a glove twice?  Have looked a good bit at ebay and seen some intresting gloves - very low mileage that still appear to have significant life.  This is especially true with some 1B gloves (thought they would play 1B but now PO).  Realizing that having a poorly fitting glove is a bad thing, I have not pulled the trigger on any of these.  Anyone have any success going this route?

Lol....no, unfortunately he isn't using a $60 glove....but since I'm an Akadema dealer, I normally can get him a pretty good deal.  My $60 comment was in reference to video games....and that's EACH game....lol.   Fortunately he's good with 1 or 2 games/year at Christmas....and doesn't feel the need to spend hours and $$$ on more games.

My son has used (and has in his bag) 3 pro preferreds over the last 6 years. Plays middle infield, 70-90 games a year plus practices.  All could still be used in a game with no worries.  Just have to take care of them and keep the leather conditioned. 

Son used one pitchers glove and one first baseman's mitt 8th grade until he got to college. Each had one complete and several partial re-lacings. He borrowed my outfielder's glove, which is older than he is, for the occasional times he played outfield in high school.

His college bought him a new pitchers glove freshman year. It's in good shape, and he's still using it as a redshirt junior after 100+ college innings and a similar number of collegiate summer league innings.

Ryno got a Primo for his pitching glove as a Freshman, and he is still using it now.